Extras: Season 2 Episode 1
Ricky Gervais’s comedy series Extras made a welcome return to British TV screens on Thursday 14th September. The series follows the misadventures of Andy Millman and Maggie Jacobs, two would-be actors who despite their best efforts can’t seem to rise above the level of extra.
Or can they? The end of last season saw Andy sell the idea for a sitcom to the BBC and this episode picks up pretty much where we left off, with the first episode of When the Whistle Blows about to be filmed in front of a live studio audience.
Yet things are not as bright as they may seem for Andy. The BBC wants alterations to his work of comic genius to broaden its appeal and then there are last minute cast changes. There are shades of Gervais’s own problems with the BBC here, over what channel the show would air on. They wanted the mass appeal of BBC1, he refused to do a second series unless they showed it on the more ‘arty’ BBC2, comparing appearing on BBC1 to being a door to door salesman. Ricky won but he had the success of The Office behind him,. Andy’s not so lucky. Parallel to this we get to see Maggie, still working as an extra this time on a legal romcom starring Orlando Bloom.
Ricky Gervais is on fine form as Andy torn between success and his principles and the wonderful Ashley Jensen shines as Maggie. How can you not love a woman who can’t see the appeal of Mr Bloom?
What makes Extras such an unusual show is the casting. It combines big name Hollywood stars and lesser-known (at least outside the UK) British entertainers sending themselves up with wild abandon. The first series featured Kate Winslet, Samuel L. Jackson and Patrick Stewart to name just a few, and this season continues in the same vein.
Orlando Bloom has fun playing himself as a vain, egotistical actor and his less than flattering comments regarding Pirates of the Caribbean co-star Johnny Depp provide some of the highlights but to say anymore would spoil the fun.
This episode also sees an appearance from Keith Chegwin, a has-been UK TV presenter, here depicted as light entertainments answer to Mel Gibson. It was a little shocking hearing someone who used to present kids TV shows when I was growing up coming out with comments you’d normally only expect to hear from Gibbo after a night on the tiles, but it was also very funny.
Last season the humour wasn’t laugh out loud funny, more of a chuckle all the way through, although it had it’s moments. This time there are belly laughs aplenty and yet the show still manages to retain its subtle knowing sense of humour. It parodies old fashioned BBC comedies in the footage of the fictional sitcom When the Whistle Blows and it makes you realise just how grateful we should be to writers like Gervais for bringing TV comedy into the twenty-first century.
Roll on next week and David Bowie!
Just watched the second episode..
thought it a huge improvement on the first episode, which didn’t make me laugh more than twice if i’m honest (I was very disapointed). It did, however, set newbies up nicely for the rest of the series.
The tramp scene maybe went on a bit too long and the dixons window bit was done on XFM. I don’t think watching the previews online did me any favours as i’d already seen those bits so knew what was coming. Maybe some of you are suffering from Ricky overload??
Overall, great episode. - had me laughing throughout and I thought the song hilarious. The last scene with ‘Count Fuckula’ was great too
So.. my second favourite episode of Extras so far behind the one where Andy makes a ‘friend’ hehe.. (dressed as policeman)
Comment by Carl | September 21, 2006
Thanks for the comment Carl.
I personally preferred the first episode but then that’s what’s so great about the show – it has a different appeal for different people.
Comment by Ian W | October 15, 2006