Line #30 Series/LifesTooShort


1	[[quoteright:238:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/life-s-too-short_5125.jpg]]
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3	->''We've worked with some of the world's best actors ... [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg and Warwick Davis!]]''
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5	Single camera SitCom starring Creator/WarwickDavis as a [[AsHimself little person who has appeared in a number of recognizable franchises]], runs a talent agency for short actors, and thanks to his astonishingly incompetent accountant, owes £250,000 in income tax. Written by Creator/RickyGervais and Creator/StephenMerchant, the story revolves around Davis' attempts to earn money, his [[HilarityEnsues wacky encounters]] with other celebrities, and his persistent belief that people should recognize him on the street.
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8	!!This show provides examples of:
9	* AdamWesting:
10	** Essentially everybody you recognize, including Warwick.
11	** Ironically enough, Creator/ValKilmer as well.
12	* BananaPeel: Warwick slips on one after climbing out of a bin in the third episode.
13	* TheCameo: Just like in ''Series/{{Extras}}'', every episode involves Davis meeting a well-known celebrity, which never ends well.
14	** Creator/LiamNeeson wants to try some [[CannotTellAJoke improvisational comedy]].
15	---> "Let's do some improvisational comedy. '''Now'''."
16	** Creator/JohnnyDepp hires Warwick to help him get into the mind of a dwarf for an upcoming role. He also has a few words for Ricky Gervais about the Golden Globes.
17	---> ''"'''No one''' insults Creator/TimAllen on my watch."''
18	** Creator/HelenaBonhamCarter can't keep a straight face in Warwick's presence. And also [[ItIsDehumanising refers to him as "it"]].
19	** Ricky Gervais manages to piss off Creator/SteveCarell because [[IsThisThingStillOn he doesn't understand how to hang up on Skype]].
20	** Les Dennis, Keith Chegwin, and Barry off ''Series/EastEnders'' (Shaun Williamson) in multiple episodes, begging for work and contemplating suicide.
21	** Cat Deeley, whom Warwick pays to attend his party.
22	** Music/{{Sting}} trying to get as much charity money out of Warwick as possible.
23	** Creator/ValKilmer, Warwick's co-star from ''Film/{{Willow}}'', donning a [[Film/BatmanForever Batman mask and cape]] (and failing to be recognized).
24	* CannotTellAJoke: Liam Neeson's attempts at improv comedy always end being about contracting [=AIDS=] from an African prostitute. The one time he ''does'' tell a funny bit, it turns out it wasn't a joke and Neeson's offended by them chuckling. Johnny Depp is a little better, but not great.
25	* ComedicSociopathy: By the end of every episode, Warwick has lost thousands of dollars, is hated by even more people, and has embarrassed himself in a variety of new ways.
26	* CookedToDeath: Warwick's accountant muses that, because Warwick is so short, he could just turn his oven on and get inside if he ever wanted to commit suicide.
27	* CringeComedy: What else would you expect from the guys who brought us ''Series/{{The Office\|UK}}''?
28	** The peak of this is perhaps the instance in which Warwick finally tracks down the internet troll plaguing him online, only to find that he's a ''high-school student confined to a wheelchair''. You can ''literally'' see Warwick's face drop with horror.
29	* DidntThinkThisThrough: Warwick having his peephole moved to his eye level, not realizing that all he'd be able to do is look at people's groins.
30	* DudeNotFunny: Warwick interrupts a Best Man's speech with a series of jokes that play well, until he [[spoiler: suggests that the couple is getting married due to an unplanned pregnancy. Turns out she can't have children]].
31	* DudeWheresMyRespect: A RunningGag for Warwick is the public's inability to recognize him despite his work in film and acting agency.
32	* DumbBlonde: Warwick's moronic PA Cheryl, though technically she is bottle blonde. At a brainstorming session about jobs her first suggestion is for Warwick to become a chimney sweep because no one would object to an adult rather than a child doing that job. She then has to ask him whether or not he is an adult.
33	* {{Expy}}: Warwick has most of the same mannerisms and personality traits of [[Series/TheOfficeUK David Brent]]. [[{{Series/Extras}} He also has]] a well-meaning but [[TheDitz unbelievably dumb]] girl to cause trouble for him, and an accountant who's terrible at his job and doesn't take anything seriously. Johny Depp calls him out on it,
34	--> ''"I hear that Ricky Gervais quit {{Website/Twitter}} recently because it only has 140 characters. Well that's 139 ''more'' characters than he's ever come up with."''
35	* GoneHorriblyRight: Warwick sets up Les Dennis, Keith Chegwin and Barry from ''Series/EastEnders'' as a pub-circuit variety act. Amazingly, they turn out to be a big hit. So much so, in fact, that they ditch Warwick as manager in favour of one with better contacts.
36	* HypocriticalHumor: A running theme of Warwick complaining about anti-dwarf prejudice, only to be even more insensitive to them himself. For instance, when he goes on a blind date and obsesses over her being a dwarf, to the point that it almost ruins the date.
37	* ImprovComedyIsInane: Creator/LiamNeeson insists on trying improv comedy, but keeps reusing the same bit about contracting AIDS from an African prostitute, with his one funny joke not actually being intended as a joke.
38	* {{Jerkass}}: Creator/ValKilmer is presented as an absolute sponge [[spoiler: who cons Warwick into raising $5000 to fund his ridiculous spending habits, then dashes out of a restaurant whilst leaving Warwick to pay the bill]].
39	* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: Gervais complains about Steve Carell becoming a bigger star than him from something that he created, to which Warwick tells him Steve has a likability factor while Ricky is an acquired taste, then illustrates that by saying that his accountant hated ''Extras'' because "just the way it was a sitcom where famous people pop up as themselves." There's a beat of silence after this.
40	* {{Mockumentary}}: Mostly just the first episode. The rest of series has the odd TalkingHeads cutaway or reference to there being a camera-man, but plays out more like a normal sitcom.
41	* NotEvenBotheringWithTheAccent: Lampshaded; when Liam Neeson asks how Ricky gets away with this trope, and Stephen just says they don't know.
42	* OnlyInItForTheMoney: Warwick is desperate for any role, no matter how demeaning, to pay off his back taxes.
43	* [[invoked]]ProductionPosse: Creator/TimBurton's posse is referenced with his [[ShowWithinAShow film-within-a-show]], which stars Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham-Carter.
44	* RefugeInAudacity: Lampshaded. When Creator/LiamNeeson asks Ricky and Stephen for advice on how to become a stand-up comedian, he attempts a joke that revolves around [=AIDS=]. Stephen tells him that the subject matter is a bit too heavy.
45	-->'''Liam''': Yeah, but he tells jokes like that all the time. (points to Ricky) How come he can do it?\
46	'''Stephen''': We don't know.
47	* RepeatingSoTheAudienceCanHear:
48	--> '''Warwick:''' ''"Emma? Warwick Davis. Warwick Davis from ''Film/HarryPotter''? Professor Flitwi - yeah, 'the dwarf.'"''
49	* {{Slapstick}}: Supplied by Warwick Davis as he tries to go about his life.
50	* SmallNameBigEgo: Warwick.
51	* SomebodyDoesntLoveRaymond: Warwick sets up a personal website with a comments section. When one person makes a negative comment (out of several flattering ones, no less), Warwick tracks him down to his school and publicly shames the kid...before seeing that he's a paraplegic and thus can't defend himself from the hordes of bullies Warwick has now subjected him to.
52	* SpiritualSuccessor: To ''{{Series/Extras}}'', Gervais and Merchant's earlier BBC/HBO show with constant AdamWesting and ComedicSociopathy
53	* ThoseTwoGuys: Ricky and Stephen play themselves as this.
54	* TriviallyObvious: Warwick convinces Ricky and Steve to write a quote for him to use on his website. The page quote is what they come up with.
55	* UnsympatheticComedyProtagonist: Nothing ''ever'' really goes right for Warwick. Almost every episode features him getting screwed over or publicly embarrassed. Still, its usually his own fault.
56	* VocalDissonance: Most of the little people in the show have regular sounding British accents that could easily fit on average sized people despite their small stature.
57	* WeWantOurJerkBack: Warwick's clients at Dwarves For Hire are dismayed at his belief that they are better off without him, and [[TenMinuteRetirement convince him to stay]].

Context Series / LifesTooShort