Ricky Gervais has created two of the greatest television comedies all time (The Office , Extras) thanks to his uncanny ability to weave hilariously awkward – and often over-the-top -- moments with deeply realistic human drama. Then…there was Life's Too Short . Hopefully the new series from the button-pushing funny man fall into the former category rather than the latter.

Derek, which has already aired in Gervais' native UK on Channel 4, makes its U.S. debut. The seven-episode series, which will be available in its entirety on Netflix, is a bittersweet comedy/drama about a simple man named Derek (played by Gervais, who also directed, produced and wrote the show) who works in a nursing home. Derek is surrounded by the people he looks after, as well as his co-workers, including his landlord Dougie (Gervais' favorite human punching bag Karl Pilkington). It could turn out to be Gervais' most touching series to date… or the most manipulative.