One new show that has unlimited potential is the upcoming BBC/HBO co-production of Life's Too Short. For those who are unaware, the comedy is created by Ricky Gervais, Steven Merchant, and Warwick Davis, and will follow a variation of the real-life famous little person and his exploits in the world of entertainment. With Gervais and Merchant's flawless TV track record, how could anyone not be excited for this series? And especially so now after our first real look.
The series will air in the UK first, starting in early November on BBC2, before making the jump overseas to air on HBO in February 2012. It's another mockumentary-style series from Gervais and Merchant, very similar to his work on Extras in that it is set in the real world of entertainment but has Davis playing a comedic and probably acerbic version of himself (as are Gervais and Merchant). The series will also feature a plethora of guest stars, from Johnny Depp to Steve Carell. These guest spots shouldn't be taken too lightly, either; one such appearance on Extras earned Kate Winslet an Emmy nomination.
Even with only a 40-second glimpse, the series looks brilliant. At once cringe-worthy and hilarious -- kind of the signature Gervais/Merchant style -- with Davis seemingly completely game to take the piss out of himself as well as the rest of celebrity culture. A few choice lines and visual gags appear in the brief tease: I love when he slides out of the SUV or when Ricky asks, "How do you keep getting in, we thought we made the buzzer high enough?" Oh, the passersby, didn't think of everything. Take a look.
As previously mentioned, Life's Too Short debuts on November 10th on BBC2 but will also be broadcast by HBO in February 2012. You can also catch the third season of The Ricky Gervais Show on HBO early next year as they are just wrapping up the final podcasts and animation.
