Life's Too Short (TV series)

Did You Know?

• The series was released on DVD and Blu-ray on 22 October 2012 in the UK.
• The special was released on DVD in the UK on 2 February 2015.

Background

The show originated from Warwick Davis's appearance alongside Daniel Radcliffe in a second-series episode of Extras. Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, impressed by Davis's real-life humor and storytelling, noted that Davis helped shape the concept. They then pitched a series to the BBC centered on a character based on Davis. In the series, Davis portrays a distorted version of himself—vain, arrogant, and manipulative—who runs a talent agency for little people.

He is filming a documentary to boost his career and fund his messy divorce. His character constantly pesters Gervais and Merchant for acting work, irritating them. Gervais described the show as a blend of Extras, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and One Foot in the Grave, but featuring a dwarf. Davis told Jonathan Ross his character has "small man syndrome" and is egotistical.

Gervais added that the character refuses to see himself as disabled, is empowered yet flawed, and that the series completes their trilogy of naturalistic, observational comedies about everyday problems and social blunders.

Development

Gervais first mentioned Life's Too Short on his blog in February 2010, when he and Merchant were writing and casting the project. They selected Warwick Davis for the lead role after a number of auditions. The BBC commissioned a pilot in April 2010. Gervais reported on his blog that the pilot was a non-broadcast pilot, and that the whole series would be shot before anything aired.

Filming of the pilot took place in June and July 2010. While speaking at the Banff World Media Festival in July 2010, Gervais called Life's Too Short 'the funniest thing we've done'. Stephen Merchant praised Davis as a very funny physical comedian and a real comic star in waiting. The series was produced by Charlie Hanson, who previously produced Extras, and Michelle Farr; Gervais and Merchant were executive producers along with Mark Freeland.

On 17 September 2010 the BBC announced that a six-part series had been commissioned and would be filmed in 2011. Gervais continued writing the scripts through late 2010 and early 2011, noting in his blog that he and Merchant were trying to finish writing the series in February 2011.

Reception

In the United Kingdom the first series received mostly mixed reviews. Rachel Tarley of Metro described the show as 'tripe', while David Butcher of the Radio Times called it 'another week, another queasy mix of comedy and unpleasantness'. Many reviews were deeply critical of the writing: Gwilym Mumford of The Guardian felt Gervais and Merchant were 'on autopilot', and Robert Epstein of The Independent branded it 'shoddily derivative' and potentially degrading.

T.J. Barnard of WhatCulture called the show 'a mess. It's aimless, indulgent, self-plagiarizing and cold.' However, Metro's review of episode 7 was slightly more positive, noting a stronger plot and genuinely funny scenes. More positive reviews came from The Telegraph, where Gerald O'Donovan praised the show for its 'belly laughs and cringe-making moments', and Caroline Frost of The Huffington Post applauded the writing and acting after the first episode.

Ratings dropped sharply: the first episode rated strongly, but the following week fell by 40%, and by the fifth episode overnight ratings dropped below a million to 997,000. Critical reaction to the Easter special was more positive; Dan Owen of msn.tv gave it 3 stars out of five, and The Guardian called it 'a piece of genius'.