Ricky Gervais’s comedy series Extras made a welcome return to British TV screens on Thursday 14 September (HBO have yet to set a date for the US). 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 selling door to door. 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 in 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.
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Article comments
1 - Fox Artist Management
Dear Author,
Please be advised that your reference to Keith Chegwin as a "has-been UK TV presenter" is - in reality - a complete innacuracy! He has never been off UK television screens in nearly 30 years and amongst other programmes currently appears regularly on Britain's leading national breakfast TV show. You seem not have grasped the fact that the very funny twist in 'EXTRAS' is to persuade leading stars to play themselves in perverse and shockingly alternative ways.
2 - Ian Woolstencroft
‘You seem not have grasped the fact that the very funny twist in 'EXTRAS' is to persuade leading stars to play themselves in perverse and shockingly alternative ways.’
Don’t I?
‘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.’
Perhaps that didn’t make it clear that I understand the ‘funny twist’ and that the celebrities aren’t really playing themselves.
When I said -
‘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.’
Perhaps I should have written â€"
‘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 that’s what makes it funny.’
And I’d like to point out that just because someone is still working doesn’t mean they aren’t a has-been. Cheggers in his prime had his own show, now he’s got a little spot on breakfast TV.
Next you’ll be trying to convince me Les Dennis isn’t a has-been either.
And the URL you’ve entered doesn’t seem to work.
3 - Dave Nalle
What does it say about Chegwin's career that his studio's artists rep is scanning blogs for his name and posting rebuttals like this?
Dave