The Ricky Gervais Show

Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant briefly explain the ongoing experiment of turning their pointless conversations with friend and colleague Karl Pilkington into an animated series -- and then settle down to pointlessly discuss a range of topics.

Stephen provides conversation fodder in the form of fan emails, leading to discussions about a lion that laid waste to Cambodian midget fighters. Karl shares his experiences of being conned when he's given in to his charitable instincts.

Karl revisits his concept for improving the life cycle. Pilkington also shoots holes in the practice of donating a goat to an African family in lieu of giving a holiday gift, and finds flaw with the assumption that space travel is pleasurable.

Karl defends facials as more reasonable than enemas, and the friends discuss the customs of tribes in Papua New Guinea. Fan email raises the specter of armed dolphins and, in Monkey News, Karl relays the tale of a lonely monkey brought home by a zookeeper.

Ricky and Stephen challenge Karl's interpretations of famous sayings such as, "People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones." Stephen questions Karl on what he's learned since his New Year's resolution to learn something new every day.

Karl considers what body part he could do without and explains why he likes to do the dishes. Other headier topics include Descartes and Plato's untimely demise, as well as Karl's feelings about the usefulness of the saying "A stitch in time saves nine."

Karl is back from holiday where he decided to start a diary. Ricky begs to read some of it, revealing a new invention Karl has come up with: A watch that counts down the days and time to one's death.

Responding to fan emails, Karl is put on the spot about whether he would choose Ricky or Stephen to rescue from a sinking ship. The guys read from Karl's new massive diary. Other topics include: face transplants, Karl's lessons for children and suggestions for redesigning various creatures (the camel, the octopus). In Monkey News: An airline with striking workers resorts to a chimpanzee co-pilot, but is busted by an older female passenger in search of nuts.

In a newly minted segment "Questions for Karl," the anointed pundit discusses time travel and adult diapers. Stephen reads more entries from Karl's diary, which entertain Ricky immensely. In Monkey News: A 1950s gangster was duped into using a monkey as jockey in an important race.

Karl holds forth on what his approach would be to teaching. He throws out a few examples of provocative discussion topics including a dishwasher being found on Mars and dinosaurs as a form of population control. Questions from fans lead to a discussion about the viability of changing the length of a day. Stephen reads from Karl's diary, highlighting observations about whistling, worried ducks and a different kind of doppelganger. In Monkey News: A man with failing eye sight who ends up at a chimp doctor.

This week's topics include Karl's Valentine's Day advice, interpreting Wittgenstein and the rights of fish. Stephen and Ricky explain Kafka's 'Metamorphosis,' and Karl ponders life as a beetle -- as well as other insects. In readings from Karl's diary, we hear Karl's observations about various sayings and articles he's read as well as a visit to his family. In Monkey News: Karl announces this will be the final segment.

Stephen and Ricky have Karl complete the 'Inside the Actor's Studio' questionnaire which leads to lively discussion about worm and flower cognition. Karl ponders organ donation in light of the possibility of an afterlife. Stephen reads from Karl's Diary, which includes musings on slippers, plumbing snafus, and germs.

Karl ponders his entry interview with God at the Pearly Gates and reminisces about his youth. Stephen reads from Karl's Diary, hi-lighting passages about alien mind reading and whether having one's head on backwards is harder than having one's hands reversed. Finally, Karl offers his top five list of freaks.