Earlier this week, news broke that Ricky Gervais would team with “Dexter” showrunner Clyde Phillips to create “Afterlife,” a show about an atheist who dies and goes to heaven. The two are currently writing the pilot, with plans to film in early 2012. And Gervais, an outspoken atheist, will play God. He writes:
He’s a slightly different God to the one you may have seen in Bruce Almighty and other Hollywood films. He’s an arrogant, wisecracking son of a bitch, who thinks he’s the best thing since sliced bread… Actually he thinks he’s the best thing ever because… well, he is. (He invented sliced bread by the way.) He also loves welcoming atheists to heaven with a smug grin on his face.
He likes atheists deep down though. Or rather he likes good atheists. He admires the fact that they were moral people even though they didn’t believe they would ever be rewarded with everlasting life.
I’m sure this will be warmly received by religious groups. Devout people are always so jovial about different interpretations of God. You ever met a born-again southern Baptist? Great senses of senses of humor.
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“You ever met a born-again southern Baptist?”
Yes and they don’t count anal as losing their virginity.
it’s great to finally see an Atheist catch a break in Hollywood!
I’m sure this premise will not get stale and the show won’t be preachy and horrible. I BET GOD FARTS HAHAHA.
self-serving shit-abed this gervais. make a pilkington movie and i’ll pay money.
Between the atheists and the simple I hear way too much about this god fellow. There should be more shows about cake.
So this will be the second time he’s cast himself as God, the first being The Invention of Lying.
Soooo…instead of a preachy story about God, I get a preachy story about how God doesn’t exist or how we don’t need him.
It’s Gervais, so it’ll be funny, but will it be WATCHABLE? Seriously, can I just watch the Christmas episode of Community again and call it quits?
I mean seriously, this Atheism shit is basically the exact same dogmatic bullshit I get from any other religion.
It’s a group of people who believe there is no God and they believe it religiously.
If they have the right character/casting for the devil and various other denizens of the afterlife, and don’t go all Richard Dawkins preachy atheist on us this could be pretty awesome. However something tells me this is going to start off strong and then run out of new ideas quick.
/Team Agnostic
so god in this will be someone who laughs harder at his own jokes than anyone else does? got it.
Actually, thecursor, if you read all of Gervais’s blog entry, he seems a lot more grounded and self-aware than you give him credit for. And a story that features God as a character isn’t exactly preaching about how God doesn’t exist.
I like Gervais, and I love Jennifer Garner, so I wanted to like Invention, but ugh. I just couldn’t. I think I’ll take a pass on this if that was any indication. You know who I’d like to see as God instead? Anthony Bourdain in his Ramones tee shirt. (Minus the stupid ring. Guys in jewelry=gross.)
Also, I manage to keep my panties remarkably unbunched despite my faith (my loyal readership of this blog should attest to that). I realize stereotypes exist for a reason though, so yeah, I can’t imagine this opening strong at Bob Jones University or anything.
This is already my new favorite tv show.
Gervais needs to be more selective about the time he spends in front of a camera.
“I like Gervais, and I love Jennifer Garner” that sounds like good comedic sex.
@thecursor; you should look into the definition of atheism.
Just cast Bob Odenkirk to do his God as Robert Evans impression from Mr. Show.
Saying god doesn’t exist doesn’t rely on faith, just the evidence around you. That makes it different from religion. Believing something strongly or being obnoxious about it isn’t what makes something a religion.
Sorry I’ve got no joke.
Its about god. Who’s is smug. And likes to rub it in atheists faces.
I think its a fantastic concept! Because if you were God, you’d totally do that. Let it unfold nice and slowly.
“….So…You’re..”
“Yuuuup”
“…Damn..”
Alright, I’m sorry I over reacted a little. A lot. Fuck it, I’m an asshole.
thecursor; no worries. Also it’s hot and there is beer and women in short jean shorts, and no matter religion or no, I think most of us (except the fanatics) can agree those two things add to the sweetness of life.