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Extras : Complete BBC Series 1 & 2 Boxset [2005]


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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

Both series of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s triumphant Extras are united in this box, and with nothing more than a Yuletide special planned beyond these episodes, it’s a great chance to catch up with this star-packed, offbeat programme.

Unlike their previous The Office, Gervais and Merchant have delivered a less accessible but no less rewarding programme with Extras. It starts with Andy Millman, a ‘background artist’, sitting in the shadows of a variety of different shows, before, in the second series, he gets his own spot in the limelight.

What’s helped characterise the series, of course, has been the continued presence of star names in cameo roles. These range from Hollywood bigshots--Samuel L Jackson, Kate Winslet and Harry Pott.., sorry, Daniel Radcliffe--and continue through to familiar faces from British TV--step forward Les Dennis, Ross Kemp and Barry from EastEnders. Most of the plaudits, though, rightly go in the direction of the splendid Ashley Jensen, who emerges as the most likeable and rounded of all the show’s characters.

There’s little danger, it seems, that Extras will dethrone The Office from the top of its creators’ CVs, but thanks to its strong writing, its measured mix between melancholy and amusement, and some superb performances, it more than carves a very strong niche for itself. --Jon Foster

Editorial
Synopsis

Contains series one and two of the comedy show Extras. In series one, Andy Millman (Ricky Gervais) is an actor but his agent cannot get him an acting job. Instead he is just an extra in films, a different film a different location, ever hopeful that one day he will actually get some lines. Ricky Gervais’ follow up series to the enormously successful The Office sees Gervais repeating the acute observations on real life used in The Office, this time in the world of films. Guest stars on Extras include both Hollywood actors (Ben Stiller, Kate Winslett, Samuel.L Jackson, Patrick Stewart) and actors familiar to British television viewers (Ross Kemp and Les Dennis). All the actors are more than happy to send themselves up, whether it be Patrick Stewart and his sex obsession or Kate Winslett only deciding to do a Holocaust film because she thinks she’ll win an Oscar for it. Series two of Extras finds extra Andy Millman commissioned by the BBC to create and star in the sitcom ‘When The Whistle Blows’. However, Andy’s initial happiness with his achievement is soon quelled when he finds he has to make a lowest common denominator show in order to appeal to the broadest possible audience. Andy’s sitcom has been transformed from a show that was in many ways like Gervais’ groundbreaking previous show The Office into a catchphrase-driven show that’s filmed in front of a studio audience. Additionally, he has been told that he has to wear large glasses and a curly perm wig. The second series of Extras sees Millman attempting to adjust to fame and life in the public eye and the compromises that come with. Guest stars include Robert De Niro, Orlando Bloom, David Bowie, Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Jonathan Ross, Sir Ian McKellen, and Daniel Radcliffe.

Really funny!
Review date: 2008-07-23 Rating: 10 out of 10

I fully enjoyed this series.It was very well written,and I really liked the story of Andy Millman,a man who dreams of hitting the big time,as a full time actor.However,he has a useless agent that can only get him extra work.What's so good about it,is the effort he puts in to try and get noticed.As always though,just when he thinks he's done it,a major disaster blows up in his face,instantly shattering his dreams.So,its back to square one as a lowly extra.Its good to see some major stars in the show,constantly being asked by Andy,desperate to get the big break.Its hilarious,and I fully recommend it!

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Reviews


A Classic to Keep
Review date: 2008-07-16 Rating: 10 out of 10

Cleese left us Python and Fawlty Towers. Gervais leaves us the Office and Extras. I'm still enjoying Cleese to this day and I'm expecting the same will be true of Gervais in twenty years. This one's a keeper, as they say.

Awesome
Review date: 2008-04-13 Rating: 10 out of 10

A brilliant show, the only thing that was a bit of a let down was that there wasn't enough of Karl Pilkington's round head.

great
Review date: 2008-01-19 Rating: 10 out of 10

series one is definatly funnier than the second series but they are both still funny hope they put the christmas special on dvd

Their difficult 2nd album!
Review date: 2007-10-11 Rating: 8 out of 10

This is the second series from the writing duo of Stephen Merchant and Ricky Gervais, after their super-successful debut of The Office, and comparisons are immediately going to be made.

The Office relied on awkward, embarrassing humour, and Extras is no different. It's where the writers talents obviously lie, and Gervais is terrific at playing the lead role.

However, before I get into describing the shows many positives, a few negative comments to balance things out.

The show isn't quite as good as it could have been. It is a very funny show, but laughs are sometimes hard to come by. A major reason for this is the portrayal of Gervais' lead character, Andy Millman. In The Office, Gervais' David Brent character was socially awkward, embarrassing, and unjustifiably egotistical but he was blissfully unaware of this, so it was easy and enjoyable to laugh at him. Andy Millman is in awkward and embarrassing situations too. But he's a more humane character, and crucially, he knows how embarrassing he's being, or how embarrassing he's being made to look. It's difficult to laugh at him - it feels a little cruel. It'd be easier to laugh at him if he was unaware of how he was. You end up feeling a little sorry for him, and that's how the biggest recipe for laughs.

Having said all that, there are still plenty of funny moments, and it only manages to drop the show 1 star in my review. Gervais plays the character well, and despite the celebrity stars (who are huge names, the likes of Samuel L Jackson, Kate Winslet, Orlando Bloom, Robert de Niro and Ben Stiller make appearances), the majority of the episodes focus on the developing relationships between Millman and his agent, or Millman and his best friend Maggie.

Maggie, played by the fantastic Ashley Jensen, finds it easier to generate laughs. She is blissfully unaware of how funny she is. The agent Darren Lamb, played by a surprisingly excellent on-camera Stephen Merchant (off-camera, his writing is typically terrific) is also hapless and socially inept and is living in his own little world, and those two characters steal the show from Gervais. They generate all the laughs, and tellingly, one of the funniest brief scenes is the "date" scene, featuring just Maggie and Darren.

In summary, Extras is a worthwhile and worthy follow up to the incomparable Office, in which the celebrities do add a little something to each episode without detracting from it, the juxtaposition of seeing someone like "Harry Potter" Daniel Radcliffe flicking a condom onto Dame Diana Rigg's head is entertaining and unique, and the standout performances from Ashley Jensen and Stephen Merchant make this an excellent series to own on DVD.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Shaun Williamson
Ricky Gervais
Stephen Merchant
David Bowie
Ashley Jensen

Creators:
Ricky Gervais (Primary Contributor)
Stephen Merchant (Primary Contributor)

Recording label: Universal Pictures Video
Manufacturer: Universal Pictures Video
EAN: 5050582485233
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 4
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2007-03-26
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 350 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2005-07-21
Language: English (Unknown)
Language: English (Original Language)

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