Ricky Gervais’s new Netflix stand-up special, Mortality, promised a sharp exploration of the human condition but delivers little more than a parade of mundane complaints and controversy bait. The comedian, now 64, has previously tackled grief in his series After Life, but here death is barely an afterthought. Gervais himself admits near the end: “It wasn’t about death, it’s about life.” Specifically, it’s about his life as a wealthy, revered stand-up, settling petty grievances and erecting straw man critics to play the noble defender of free speech.
He opens by noting how complaints have only boosted his ratings, and later refers to “elitists” supposedly trying to silence him. Yet his last special, Armageddon, won a Golden Globe, and Mortality is already nominated for next year’s awards. Gervais recently received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His continued focus on cancel culture feels like playing the victim, something he claims to abhor.
Unlike 2022’s SuperNature, which drew criticism for anti-trans jokes, Mortality avoids that subject. Instead, Gervais recycles tired routines, such as reclaiming “gammon” as a white man’s alternative to the n-word. He appeals for context but ignores historical context himself. While not racist, his jokes lack nuance. For instance, he dismisses anti-racism as a given, ignoring ongoing racial tensions.
There are bright spots: a sharp bit about Stephen Hawking on Epstein’s island, and Gervais’s physical comedy remains strong. But self-reflection is absent. Despite claiming this is his “most honest and confessional show”, little supports that. Mortality ultimately proves Gervais cares more about provoking than legacy.
