[Baal_T'shuvah]

I was kind of surprised not to find a thread about this series from Ricky Gervais. I only learned of it from a Nightline interview with Gervais that aired last week, and decided to catch up with Season 1 on HBO on Demand (for those of you who have this, Season 1 will be available until January 15th).

For those of you who don't know the basics, Ricky plays Andy Millman, an aspiring actor who is trying to make it in the film world, but must survive as an extra until his big break comes along.

I've only caught a few episodes, but I have enjoyed them so far. It's a credit to Gervais' reputation that he has been able to cast some major A-list names as themselves, and have them portray themselves in a decidedly unattractive, shallow manner.

Some of my favorite appearances...

Kate Winslet playing a nun who is hiding refugees from the Nazis during the Holocaust. On one of the breaks between set-ups, Kate confides with Andy that the only reason she took the role is because it is a sure way to lock in an Oscar win, after having lost in her previous 4 nominations.

In another episode, a self absorbed Ben Stiller is directing his next feature, a Life is Beautiful type of film. At one point, Andy comes to the defense of another extra that Stiller is coming down rather hard on, which leads to one of the funniest exchanges I've seen in the series...

Stiller: And just who are you? Hmmm?

Andy: Uh, well nobody, really...

Stiller: That's right! Nobody! And who am I? Hmmm?

Andy: I don't know... Starsky or Hutch... I really can't remember.

Stiller: Oh, was that supposed to be funny?

Andy: Well, I don't know... You were in it... you tell me.

Stiller: Get off of my set!

[The Defenestrator]

David Bowie's song on Extras had me rolling on the floor.

[stu]

Series is two is also excellent in places. As well as the 'Sad little fat man' song by Bowie, there's an excellent scene with Ian McKellen explaining to Andy some of the mysteries of acting:

"How do I act so well? Well, what I do is pretend to be the person I'm portraying in the film or play..."

It's almost as good as Patrick Stewart's appearance as a sex-obsessed wannabe pornographer in the first series.

Clip.

[Clint M]

Series is two is also excellent in places. As well as the 'Sad little fat man' song by Bowie, there's an excellent scene with Ian McKellen explaining to Andy some of the mysteries of acting:

"How do I act so well? Well, what I do is pretend to be the person I'm portraying in the film or play..."

It's almost as good as Patrick Stewart's appearance as a sex-obsessed wannabe pornographer in the first series.

Clip.

And that Patrick Stewart scene is why I continue to respect him as an actor - he's essentially fearless.

BTW, have you seen the HBO promos for season (series) two? Ian McKellen is featured, and he keeps mugging for the camera while trying to flirt with a not-so-inviting Gervais.

This post has been edited by Clint M: 10 January 2007 - 12:23 PM

[MattPage]

We bought the first series on DVD, and it is both excrutiatingly painful and hilarious. NOt sure how well it would work in the states though, partly cos I guess the gap between TV relative to Hollywood is slightly narrower, and partly because you won't get who all the "stars" are (e.g. Eastenders characters?). In fact of my favourite three bits, only the Patrick Stewart clip from above, has an A-lister. The other two are the opening bit with Ross Kemp, and the Les Dennis episode. How on earth can I translate.explain Les Dennis in US terms?

Matt

[Nezpop]

Well, Samuel L. Jackson was in one episode. I loved the series. I admit, I was surprised that the cast were almost all from the British Isles, because when I heard it was being shot in conjunction with HBO, I figured it was going to be set in Hollywood. But that was not a problem in anyway, and it was a riot of a series.

[MattPage]

"but you see, it's too late. I've seen everything"

Matt

[Peter T Chattaway]

Baal_T'shuvah wrote:
: Although, to be fair, I did title this thread Ricky Gervais' "Extras", which may not have come up in a search.

Actually, it DOES come up in a search. Alan's been posting quite a few ahem-able things lately, so don't take it personally.

[MattPage]

Has this come out over there yet then?

Not quite as funny as series one, although the guest stars are slightly more impressive. Ironically it's the probably-not-known-in-the-states Keith Chegwin cameo that is probably the best of all.

(although "Sir Ian, Sir Ian, Sir Ian, 'Action', Wizard:'You shall not pass'. 'Cut!' Sir Ian, Sir Ian, Sir Ian" is pretty darn funny).

And Barry from Eastenders continues to be funny, but then how could you really get that unless you were eye-rollingly familiar with both Eastenders and the British gutter press?

Matt

[Nathan Smart]

It's coming back - a 2 hour special airing in America first on HBO, Dec. 16th. I've heard some reviews on it and it sounds like it's going to be just as satisfying as The Office special.

You can see the trailer for it on iTunes - just do a search for Ricky Gervais and you can find his free video podcast listing.

[Baal_T'shuvah]

Please... Please go through with it...

Gervais Hints At Extras Return
21 October 2008 6:31 PM, PDT


British funnyman Ricky Gervais has hinted he may make more episodes of his hit TV series Extras - because he misses the show so much.

The Office star made two series of the popular BBC comedy show, which featured A-list cameos from Kate Winslet, David Bowie and Orlando Bloom.

And Gervais has fond memories of the show - insisting the series' pivotal characters were the best he's ever created.

He tells Britain's Zoo magazine, "Yes - I miss Extras more than The Office. The Office had to finish when it did, but I think Extras could still go on and on.

"We created better characters in Extras. Andy Millman was more real than David Brent by the end of the show and I loved Maggie Jacobs - she was the best character we've come up with."

[Peter T Chattaway]

Since the version linked above has been taken down for copyright reasons, we might as well post this version that recently got a thread of its own.



It's also fascinating to see the reference to Kate Winslet above, written more than two years before she won her Oscar for The Reader.

This post has been edited by Peter T Chattaway: 13 March 2009 - 12:21 PM

[MattPage]

FWIW, Gervais and Winslet were both on stage at an awards ceremony shortly before Winslet won her Oscar and Gervais said something along the lines of "see I said you shoudl do a Holocaust film". Genius.

Matt

[MattPage]

Was reminded of this thread when reading this article which rather disappointingly doesn't mention his monumental performance in Extras. I think Les Dennis is almost certainly totally unknown in N.Am, and so this episode will have lacked almost all of it's punch. It's a shame though because his performance in Extras was so close to the bone (and not just cos he got his kit off) that I still marvel at it. In short, a few years ago Les appeared on Celebrity Big Brother (reality TV show) and ended up breaking down over his in-the-process of failing marriage. I never saw it, but in the public conciousness he became seen as a desperate ex-star turned hopeless loser. Quite where he found the courage to send-up that dark, and intensely public, moment in his life I will never know. And no matter how much you try, you can't put it out of your mind that the reason he has appeared in Extras in such a degrading manner is because the public personna is right, even though you know that it can't be. Can it?

Matt