Actors: Warwick Davis, Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant
Rating: TV-MA
Studio: HBO Studios
DVD Release Date: January 15, 2013
Run Time: 280 minutes
Series: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars
If you are fans of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the comedy duo behind BBC series’ “The Office” and “Extras” and “The Ricky Gervais Show”, then “Life’s Too Short” is definitely for you! The series stars Warwick Davis (“Star Wars: Return of the Jedi” and “Harry Potter” franchise) playing a fictionalized character of himself. I love the fact that he is able to poke fun at himself and in a very tongue-in-cheek style. Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant also pop in from time to time through the episodes for a good laugh. The show is also ace with cameo celebrity appearances like Liam Neeson (my favorite) and Johnny Depp They appear completely out of their typical context and will leave you on the floor laughing! Can’t wait for season two! Bring it on HBO!
Official Synopsis: Shot faux-documentary style, Life’s Too Short gleefully charts Davis’s every move as he tries to jumpstart his waning career by opening his doors to a reality TV film crew while trying to maintain his pride and self-respect in a series of uncomfortable, often-humiliating situations. Along the way, he seeks advice from his old pals Gervais and Merchant (playing versions of themselves) in hopes that their A-list celebrity connections including Johnny Depp, Liam Neeson, Sting, Helena Bonham Carter, Steve Carell, Cat Deely (who all cameo) will aid his career.
The DVD is jam-packed with bonus features. To start there is a short featurette (get it short?), well not that short called “Making of Life’s Too Short”. There are ten behind-the-scenes clips from the series. There are also various deleted scenes and outtakes. I feel the series works the way it did but I welcome the extra footage, as parts of it were indeed hilarious. Lastly, there are previews for each episode. Did I mention that I love Liam Neeson’s episode? I am surprised that HBO is not giving this series a Blu-ray release since in the UK it is getting one.
