- Find all the best television shows from the other side of the pond in our US TV store and catch the latest shows in our 2013's Hottest TV page.
- Not what you're after? Check the BBC Store to see all the latest titles and offers. Learn more
Frequently Bought Together
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Reviews
From Amazon.co.uk
Extras,Ricky Gervais’ much-anticipated follow-up to The Office, is a quieter affair, and a little less accessible that its award-laden predecessor. But across the six episodes on this first season DVD set are several episodes that will richly reward repeated viewings.
Gervais plays Andy Millman, an actor whose roster of jobs seems to consistently consist of extras work. Each episode follows him on a different production, and also brings in a notable guest star. Lining up throughout the series are the likes of Samuel L Jackson, Kate Winslet and Ben Stiller. And while their presence undoubtedly adds something to each carefully crafted episode, it’s perhaps those with the lesser names that show the programme on top form--certainly the appearance of Les Dennis makes for an excellent half hour of comedy-drama.
At the core though is Gervais’ Millman--a far easier character to warm to than David Brent--and Ashley Jensen’s marvellous Maggie Jacobs. It’s these two who consistently provide the show’s highlights, and while the headlines have been generated by the all-star roster of names attracted to appear in Extras, it’s the two less showy characters who work the best.
Extras isn’t a show full of belly laughs, and its fanbase is likely to be smaller than that of The Office. But it’s still a quality creation, properly crafted, with an awful lot to it to enjoy and appreciated.--Simon Brew
Product Description
Complete first series of the BBC comedy from Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, following the humiliations of professional film extra Andy Millman (Gervais) and his eccentric friend Maggie (Ashley Jensen) as they try - and fail - to gain significant lines or parts in various productions. A host of famous actors send themselves up in cameo roles. In 'Ben Stiller', the Hollywood comedian is directing a film about the Bosnia conflict, and Andy tries to win a role by making friends with the refugee who wrote the script. In 'Ross Kemp', the TV hardman tries to convince Andy that his image is real, before being humiliated by the much harder Vinnie Jones. In 'Kate Winslet', the actress hopes her role in a Nazi war drama will win her an Oscar, and Andy tries a little too hard to get close to her. In 'Les Dennis', Andy gets a break playing in a panto alongside the washed-up TV star. In 'Samuel L. Jackson', Maggie gets into difficulties trying to prove she isn't racist, while Andy manages to get a line on a film the Hollywood superstar is making. Finally, in 'Patrick Stewart', Andy manages to enlist the Shakespearean actor's help in getting a script he's written to the BBC, but makes a fool of himself when he realises the script editor he's meeting with is gay.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
40 of 47 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:DVD
They have followed the hardest act in the world with another piece of unique and brilliant television. The nuanced perfection of each episode is astounding. In Andy we get a very likeable everyman, intelligent, self aware and, despite what some critics might say, very far away from Brent (with the exception of an uncanny physical resemblance). Merchant excels as his hapless agent, providing a admirable haul of fall-off-the-sofa laughing moments. But the real gem of this series is getting to know the loveable Maggie. She is brilliant; funny, warm and just the right side of silly, it's like you've known her all your life. Brilliantly written and brilliantly performed, Maggie is actually the beating heart of the series (and as long we are using vital organ metaphors, Andy is the brain and his agent is the erm... spleen). The guest stars are all great in their own way, but I think Les Dennis shades it as the most darkly comic - can't imagine what they'll make of him in the US. Kate Winslets advice is hilarious, as is Patrick Stewarts idea for a script, but Ross Kemps collapse in the face of brutish Vinnie Jones is a class act. If you missed this on the telly, buy it, take the phone off the hook, close the curtains, and watch the whole thing from start to finish. It is further proof of the genius of Gervais and Merchant. Well done lads.
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By Daniel Arnold
VINE™ VOICE
Format:DVD
I must confess, when I heard about this I was worried. The idea of Ricky Gervais following up the mostly brilliant "The Office" with a sitcom about wannabe actors featuring appearances from the likes of Ben Stiller and Samuel L Jackson, smacked of "difficult second album" syndrome in epic proportions.
Against all odds, though, it works. By and large, this is another brilliantly observed, funny and cringemakingly embarassing minor masterpiece of a programme. Stephen Merchant's hilariously inept agent - whose qualification is, in the words of Gervais' character Andy, that he printed out some business cards saying "agent" - together with Ashley Jensen's gaffe-prone Maggie, ensure that, unlike in "The Office", Gervais is not the most embarassing and useless character; indeed, he often comes across as quite witty and smooth, especially when his response to a prima donna-ish Benm stiller's demand of "Do you know who I am?" is an indifferent "Starsky or Hutch, I can never quite remember".
Indeed, the fact that each episode has a different star playing themselves (and usually poking fun at themselves big time) keeps the programme fresh. The famous Les Dennis episode is a definite standout, and the sight of him demonstrating his sexual prowess to Gervais - while naked, of course - is one of those horrid
mental images that will stay with you forever.
However, there are also a wealth of diferent characters in each episode, who often contribute more to the programme; for instance the ultra-clingy Welshman who just wants to be friends defines the fifth episode to a far greater extent than Samuel L Jackson.... Read more ›
Against all odds, though, it works. By and large, this is another brilliantly observed, funny and cringemakingly embarassing minor masterpiece of a programme. Stephen Merchant's hilariously inept agent - whose qualification is, in the words of Gervais' character Andy, that he printed out some business cards saying "agent" - together with Ashley Jensen's gaffe-prone Maggie, ensure that, unlike in "The Office", Gervais is not the most embarassing and useless character; indeed, he often comes across as quite witty and smooth, especially when his response to a prima donna-ish Benm stiller's demand of "Do you know who I am?" is an indifferent "Starsky or Hutch, I can never quite remember".
Indeed, the fact that each episode has a different star playing themselves (and usually poking fun at themselves big time) keeps the programme fresh. The famous Les Dennis episode is a definite standout, and the sight of him demonstrating his sexual prowess to Gervais - while naked, of course - is one of those horrid
mental images that will stay with you forever.
However, there are also a wealth of diferent characters in each episode, who often contribute more to the programme; for instance the ultra-clingy Welshman who just wants to be friends defines the fifth episode to a far greater extent than Samuel L Jackson.... Read more ›
19 of 23 people found the following review helpful
By StealthTax
Format:DVD
Yes, Gervais (and Merchant) have done it again. A comedy that breaks new ground in many ways and will permanently alter the TV landscape. Once again, the currency is humiliation. And what could be more demeaning that working as an extra along side the A-listers from the TV/film world.
What is new is that real stars have been persuaded to appear, as themselves, and get ripped to shreds in the process. Only Gervais's huge credibility could have made this possible.
Gervais plays Andy Millman, a theatrical extra in desperate search of a speaking part. He comes close several times but his political incorrectness always trips him up.
Also new is the touching and very credible friendship between Andy and Maggie, a sort of female alter-ego of Gervais's character.
If you caught it on BBC2 you'll be ordering the DVD 'like a rat up a drain-pipe'.
TV comedy perfection.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Rebecca
Format:DVD
outstanding! incredibly hilarious and what a stunt to have all those celebrities make fun of themselves and enjoying it! quite a blast.
with every view you find new details that make the joke even funnier.
this is very intelligent tv
with every view you find new details that make the joke even funnier.
this is very intelligent tv
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I must admit, when "Extras" was getting it's first run on BBC2 I only managed to watch 2 episodes. This annoyed me, because I'm big fan of the Gervais/Merchant classic "The Office", and was very interested in seeing what their next project would offer.
So, thank goodness for this DVD, because now I know. I'm not disappointed.
Aspiring actor Andy Millman (Gervais) is desperate to become a credible actor, or at least see his screenplay garner some success (a reference to Gervais' pre-"Office" struggles perhaps?) but is continually pushed into non-speaking roles by his inept agent (Merchant). His sweet natured but incredibly naive companion Maggie (Ashley Jensen) provides moments of hilarity and non-belief in equal measure.
A simple enough format, but the central foundation of the show, and it's brilliance, is not the plot (which develops slowly and predictably) but the relationships between the principle characters and the variety of people that they encounter.
There are some high profile celebrity guest stars that merit mention here - Samuel L Jackson, Kate Winslet, Les Dennis, Ben Stiller, Patrick Stewart and Ross Kemp. All bring unique parodies of their "real-life" characters to the screen, Les Dennis standing out especially for his excellent performance of himself, all washed up and full of pent up sex and depression.
There's the usual Gervais material under the surface of this well produced and cleverly written sitcom - race, disability and machismo are all given smart treatment through Millman's eyes.
Andy Millman is effectively a slight extension of Gervais himself. This is a pleasure or a pain, depending upon your opinion of the man.
... Read more ›
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 58 reviews
4.4 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
laugh-a-minute
As far as Ricky Gervais goes, I love him and loath him. His shows a hilarious but I cant bare to which him live. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Nollins
2.0 out of 5 stars
Cack
This was Gervais and Merchant's poor attempt at trying to be like Curb Your Enthusiasm and they failed miserably. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Jon
4.0 out of 5 stars
extras season 1
Ricky gervais returned to the bbc comedy tv show front in 2005 with extras, Telling the story of Andy Millman , a lowly extra with dreams of bigger parts and a comedy sitcom on the... Read more
Published on 19 Jun 2010 by Luke Thrower
4.0 out of 5 stars
Could you get me a line ?
I found the first series of Ricky Gervais's "Extras" to be mildly amusing and clever,but certainly not as funny as "The Office". Read more
Published on 4 July 2007 by L. Davidson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Maggie steals the show
This is one of the best and funniest programmes I have even seen. There are just so many laugh out moments in this series. Read more
Published on 2 July 2007 by Bookman
2.0 out of 5 stars
Next time...keep it real
First of all I'd like to say I'm a big fan of Ricky Gervais. I LOVED The Office and The Ricky Gervais Podcast. I also liked Ricky's stand up shows. But Extras just isn't funny. Read more
Published on 16 April 2007 by cayman
5.0 out of 5 stars
FUNNIEST MAN ALIVE DOES IT AGAIN.
Ricky Gervais once again proves that he is the best british comic for years. His subtle humour is a one off and he has a very special talent. Read more
Published on 31 Mar 2007 by Lh Stephenson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Extra! Extra!
A few years back, Ricky Gervais created "The Office," a Dilberty satire on office work. Now, he's created "Extras," a wickedly funny satire on showbiz and acting. Read more
Published on 4 Feb 2007 by E. A Solinas
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gervais and Merchant Strike Gold Again!
This is a hilariously funny look at the lowly world of a 'background artiste', and a mans fight to get a line in a film and become famous! Read more
Published on 28 Jan 2007 by J. Edwards
4.0 out of 5 stars
good fun
ricky gervais returns with a new creation called extras where he plays the part of an extra assigned to the background in tv and film,he wishes of course to break free of this and... Read more
Published on 15 Jan 2007 by sean paul mccann
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
