9. They Always Pick The Perfect Path To Take Their Shows Down
Pick a show, any show, that you stopped watching or you don't like as much as you did. It might be that it evolved so far away from what you liked about it, that it lost its centre and its roots ('Skins', 'Heroes', 'Lost'). It might be that it went on so long, it was badly revived/spin-offed, or that it became predictable or cliched ('Only Fools', 'Friends', 'Open All Hours'). More often or not, there's a love story with the lead character. More often or not, it culminates in the final episode. But Gervais and Merchant don't play by the rules in this sense. Nothing has time to grow old or stale, as nothing outlives the two series + specials mark; Brent's had more screen time in short appearances that took him out of his comfort zone ('The Office' , 'Equality Street'), but with each new appearance, it takes nothing away from his previous swansong. Frankly, it's a relief that Andy didn't end up with Maggie/reappeared as a face in 2010's TV culture, because we need breathing space from these characters. It's the reason Michael McIntyre's not considered a credible comedian anymore, why Harry Hill will always be the guy off TV Burp, and why it's really okay to switch over if you see 'Only Fools and Horses' on Gold. And whilst 'Derek' ended beautifully, you know there's a million and one places Gervais could take him. And you know he'll pick absolutely the right one.