Ricky Gervais: SuperNature is the comedian’s second Netflix stand-up released on 24 May 2022. This comes after four years of the premiere of Ricky Gervais: Humanity in 2018. The show is directed by John L Spencer, produced by Clyde Holcroft and recorded at The London Palladium. It has a runtime of about 1 hour and 4 minutes long.
-Ricky Gervais: SuperNature review does not contain any spoilers-
Who is Ricky Gervais?
Ricky Gervais is a British comedian, actor, director and writer. He is best known for co-creating and acting in the British television sitcom The Office and the Extras. He has won seven BAFTA Awards, five British Comedy Awards, two Emmy Awards and three Golden Globe Awards. With six international tours to date, his live stand-up show Fame became the fastest-selling show in the history of the UK. He also was a five-time host of the Golden Globes.
The Stand-up: Spot The Irony, Or Is It Really?
Ricky Gervais: SuperNature show starts off with him laying out the definition of stand-up comedy for the audience. And to save him from the wrath of people who might get offended by his jokes, he explains that when he says something, he doesn’t really mean it and it’s for comic relief, making the audience laugh at the wrong thing because they know what is right and it’s a way of saturizing attitudes. It’s all a play of ironies and it’s up to the audience to spot it or take it at its face value.
From jokes about cancelled culture to woke comedy and identity politics (‘the one thing you mustn’t joke about is identity politics,’ he disclaimed, but his set would say otherwise), his jokes often roisted around topics ‘that can’t be talked about anymore’. Gervais ventures around the territories where most comedians would never dare or might think it as risque if not handled well. Here’s what forms the USP of Ricky Gervais as he smoothly glides through his provocative jokes with a cheering crowd, in his signature black tee and jeans.
Coming back to the stand-up SuperNature, he explains why it’s called supernature because he doesn’t believe in the supernatural stuff and wants to debunk it by giving examples of ghost hunter shows. He asks his audience if they have ever seen a single ghost on these shows about catching them. Absolutely none, as everyone exclaims makes a hilarious case for his non-belief in thereof. Also, the second reason is that he loves nature and it is super enough with all the creatures present on earth, like the eight-legged octopus.
But contrary to what he says, there’s a very small section if any, debunking the supernatural or marvelling about nature. Only mentions are of his cats being the stress busters, what joys the dogs bring to a human and the awkwardness of prostate exams. Most of his set deals with his biting observation of sexual assault, paedophilia, disability, obesity and the terror of identity politics (which he must not joke about but most certainly did).
Final Thoughts: Stream it or Skip it?
Ricky Gervais: SuperNature on Netflix, is a stand-up that you have to watch with a pinch of salt. There’s no doubt that the 60-year old comedian is the best of his time with impeccable comedic timing, but with the changing scenarios, his jokes could be taken out of context if you are not familiar with his work. It is a hot debate if one should joke about certain ‘taboo’ topics or what if someone finds your harmless jokes offensive. There’s a thin line between joking for comic relief and joking at someone’s expense. Ricky Gervais has been in the game for decades now and certainly knows hows to gently pass through the boundaries unharmed.
Ricky Gervais: SuperNature is streaming on Netflix.
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