I'm just half way through the 1st series and am enjoying it myself, I've realised since starting it that I've never watched a Ricky Gervais series or film before either. Not sure how I've managed that TBH.
Seems a pattern here, people that really like Gervais and his stuff, don't seem to like the series that much. People that don't, or don't know his stuff well enough, seem to enjoy it.