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Extras

james_delve [Edit] [Delete] 58 replies 00:12, 20 July '05

Starts on Thursday.

Looks fucking ace.

Do you think it will do as well as The Office or not? It looks like the same kind of comedic delivery like.

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Re: Extras

He has got a lot of Hollywood stars in his show. Lets hope this doesnt fuck up the quality of the comedy. From what ive seen of it though, it looks fucking good, and the scene with Kate Winslet was awesome.

james_delve | 20 Jul '05, 00:28 | X
- Re: Extras
  
  But i suppose the scenario he has chosen, it would work much better with the names being there...you know, hes a struggling extra, makes it a lot more believeable.
  
  james_delve @Quiffy | 20 Jul '05, 00:38 | X
  - Re:: Extras
    
    and if you can get them on board, then why the fuck not?
    
    james_delve @james_delve | 20 Jul '05, 00:39 | X
    - Re: Re:: Extras
      
      It's not just A-List stars tho, Les Dennis is in one episode!
      
      monpot @Martbowski | 20 Jul '05, 01:51 | X
      - Re: Re:: Extras
        
        Yeah...and Ross Kemp
        
        james_delve @monpot | 21 Jul '05, 11:53 | X
    - Re: Extras
      
      isn't it meant to be some kind of critical take on celebrity, but by inviting these big stars in it can't authentically do that. you get too close to your subject, or something. like a biographer.
      
      plus there's the way in which we are made to feel the celebs must be ok as they are taking the piss out of themselves. all seems a bit like understated back slapping.
      
      the above two points i've definitely read in comments elsewhere, but i would add gervais insisted on it being on bbc2, so it would be less mainstream - that's pretty funny in itself. fuck the show, the stories about it are better.
      
      well actually i haven't seen it other than the small clips, so if i find it funny i suppose that's the main thing.
      
      silence-r @james_delve | 20 Jul '05, 02:00 | X
      - Re: Extras
        
        new ricky gervais series, in which he plays an extra -background actor. Loads of famous types play send-ups of themselves.
        
        monpot @wishpig | 20 Jul '05, 02:02 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        Ben Stiller is God!
        
        I bet it'll be good and then everyone will moan about it being too similar to the Office.
        
        Jesus_Quintana @monpot | 20 Jul '05, 02:05 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        No you're thinking of Barry from Eastenders.
        
        monpot @wishpig | 20 Jul '05, 02:07 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        HES IN THE SHOW!!!
        
        james_delve @monpot | 21 Jul '05, 11:55 | X
        
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        Judging by the trailer it's going to be shite. Gervais doing his Brent routine again, except last time round he had a better supporting cast and now he's used all his best gags.
        
        Trouble is, if Extras fails it'll just make him more smug about The Office.
        
        lanky | 20 Jul '05, 04:11 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        smug about being a one-trick pony?
        
        he's probably scared about it failing not commercially but in the world of critical acclaim and cult status. the hugeness of the office means it will be successful on the one but not the other level - is that what you mean - he is smug about the office because the very fact that he is trapped in its legacy demonstrates its quality.
        
        silence-r @lanky | 20 Jul '05, 04:17 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        Exactly. If (when?) Extras is critically mauled, Gervais might be inwardly weeping but he'll go on Friday Night With Jonathan Ross and make out that it was always going to fail because David Brent will forever overshadow everything he tries to do. It's starting already, with every interview going on about how he wants it to be low-key and a cult hit, implying that The Office was some kind of ratings smash (rather than the media bandwagon it was).
        
        He can't lose now. If it's a hit, he'll bask in its glory. If it's not, he's got the ready-made excuse. I hope it proves that his one character has runs its course and forces him to do something new.
        
        lanky @silence-r | 20 Jul '05, 04:29 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        Really looking forward to it, myself. I remember one interview where he said he'd turned down loads of bit-parts in Hollywood films himself because he didn't really want to do that kind of work - he'd rather write and direct, and in fairness to him that's what he does best, so Extras should be fantastic.
        
        As for the effect the success of The Office will have... well, I read another interview where he said that if The Office was his new show, then it would fail, because it was a real slow-burn hit. He's almost bound to come in for the "disappointing follow-up" treatment, really. But he does seem to have created something very different here - it's inevitably stamped with the same character in the execution, but the concept could hardly be more different. I'm more than prepared to give this time as for me Gervais is probably the greatest TV writer / director of the last few years.
        
        Smileadelic | 20 Jul '05, 10:50 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        People will moan about it being Brent again, but think of Woody Allen - practically every film he's made has featured him as exactly the same character and they're still great films.
        
        Jesus_Quintana @DavesStillintheWarRoom | 20 Jul '05, 13:53 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        Say what you like about Gervais but at least he is trying.What else is there to watch on terrsetrial tv at the moment,endless mind numbing reality tv shite and fucking soap operas.
        
        cosmik_debris @Jesus_Quintana | 21 Jul '05, 12:10 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        Here we go, its about to start, BBC2 NOW!!!
        
        moribund @cosmik_debris | 21 Jul '05, 21:59 | X
        
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        Shiiiiiiiit! *falls down stairs trying to reach tv*
        
        mug_mug_mug @moribund | 21 Jul '05, 22:01 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        So what did you think?
        
        moribund @mug_mug_mug | 21 Jul '05, 22:30 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        was anyone counting the office jokes?
        
        silence-r @moribund | 21 Jul '05, 22:31 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        watched it, wasnt amazing but wasnt bad, think it will grow on me definitely
        
        sharp_yet_blunt @mug_mug_mug | 21 Jul '05, 22:31 | X
        
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        Ditto. I missed the first ten minutes or so, but I thought what I saw was pretty funny, even if I wasn't bowled over.
        
        Browno @sharp_yet_blunt | 21 Jul '05, 22:32 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        i think the better episodes will be with Stephen Merchant as the agent, i liked it even though i didnt find it hilarious, its the sort of thing that is worth perservering with, i'm sure i'll love it soon. I mean compare it to this Catherine Tate shite
        
        moribund @Browno | 21 Jul '05, 22:34 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        Ricky Gervais really only has one character doesn't he?
        
        I liked Ben Stiller though....I liked all the references to his films at the end. Made me chuckle.
        
        Darcy @sharp_yet_blunt | 21 Jul '05, 22:33 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        starsky and hutch was funny (ie the clip already previewed) but the end of that joke was rubbish.
        
        must say i laughed out loud at ben stiller berrating the kid 'you think genocide is funny!!??'
        
        silence-r @Monkeys_Gone_to_Devon | 21 Jul '05, 22:40 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        yeah Ben Stiller bits were good
        
        "how are you gonna help him? are you gonna put Dodgeball on? okay he'll laugh for one hour 32 minutes"
        
        moribund @Darcy | 21 Jul '05, 22:35 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        It was just the Office again, but that was good. And this was too. 3/5.
        
        i-deserve-to-be-in-your-band @moribund | 21 Jul '05, 22:37 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        ben stiller was good ... it was pretty good overall ... not incredible just yet
        
        soapy @moribund | 21 Jul '05, 22:37 | X
        
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        exactly, if you saw the first episode of The Office on its own it wouldnt make sense and people wouldnt love it
        
        moribund @soapy | 21 Jul '05, 22:39 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        true, it was quite low-key/understated which i liked.
        
        but why the disabled and racist-not-racist jokes again?
        
        silence-r @moribund | 21 Jul '05, 22:41 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        her charver school girl can be funny at times ... but most of her show is a bit boring (hence me returning to DiS)
        
        soapy @capn_si | 21 Jul '05, 22:45 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        its like Little Britain, the jokes have the depth of a baby pool
        
        moribund @soapy | 21 Jul '05, 22:48 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        the ending was good, and the portrayal of what it's like to be an extra- queueing up for yer fry up, eating it on a bus, and then sitting around wondering if you'll get extra money for doing something other than eating.........
        
        grockle @sharp_yet_blunt | 21 Jul '05, 22:47 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        its like the difficult second album. first album you write about your real life. second album you write about life on the road - which in this case is writing about actors/acting.
        
        silence-r @grockle | 21 Jul '05, 22:59 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        it was alright, quite funny.
        
        the starsky and hutch bit at the end was the best.
        
        homesick_alien @silence-r | 21 Jul '05, 23:01 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        I quite liked the 'they can send you to Switzerland but all you'll get is a big shoe'.
        
        My dad has one big shoe. It's only a little bit bigger though.
        
        It was good though. Not breaking away from the Office much. Yet.
        
        mug_mug_mug @homesick_alien | 21 Jul '05, 23:12 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        The best bit was:
        
        Stiller: And who am I?
        Gervais: Either Starsky or Hutch. I can't remember which.
        Stiller: Was that supposed to be funny?
        Gervais: You tell me. You were in it.
        
        Genius!
        
        Raanraals | 21 Jul '05, 23:54 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        Don't think I laughed once.
        
        The bit where Stiller lost it with the dead wife guy could have been powerful if there was any kind of build up, or if the people around him were talking and then suddenly went quiet. Larry David could have pulled that one off, I think.
        
        Otherwise, just more disabled and racist gags and far too many moments where the humour consisted of "oh, Gervais has said something inappropriate!" (or, occasionally, "someone else has said something inappropriate!" The bit where he was talking to the producer about Japanese film was pure cliche, with nothing to lift it above any "lying to impress someone" scene from a mediocre sitcom. The big shoe scene was so sub-Seinfeld it hurt.
        
        The problem isn't just that Ricky Gervais can only play one character, it's that he can only write one character. Give David Brent a job as a "supporting artiste" and you've got Andy Millman. Give him a successful movie career and he would use every line Stiller used here. Everyone else tok it in turns to play the straight (wo)man, setting Gervais up to say something else inappropriate.
        
        lanky @Raanraals | 22 Jul '05, 01:24 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        thing is, with the racist/disabled jokes gervais was getting praise first-off. Especially from disabled groups/disabled comedians/commentators. Now, the commentators could easily have been heaping praise to justify laughing at what is essentially a traditionally 9if more subtley so) bigoted joke(?).
        
        I remember listening to one disabled comedian on R4 saying his (Gervais) approach was positive because it demonstrated the way in which disabled people are usually seen/referred to(the way he speaks to the office worker in a wheelchair). And therefore his humour plays a satiric role. I must admit I was taken with this argument at first. But it shouldn't be true just because 'disabled people' (a homogenous group? right!) accept the humour. Or really, is he just saying what others are thinking (hence the laughter he gets live for talking about the 'mentals'). This is what really struck me when watching extras. It seemed to be - 'look i'm not prejudiced but i am really pissed off at having to be wary of what labels i use'(the yellow skin joke). so is he just doing the whole 'i hate being pc' thing. 'i'm a poor white able bodied person who has to think before i speak'. boo fuckin hoo.
        
        One other addition to this rant. People seem to be saying he at least has the office behind him. well i can see that being turned on as well. the humour is so similar that they can be thrown in the same heap.
        
        silence-r @lanky | 22 Jul '05, 02:53 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        I liked the Office racism/disablism episode. It was a bit OTT but generally well done. This time round though, it seemed horribly forced. The one-leg-shorter scene, like I said above, looked like an attempt to do Seinfeld that fell flat.
        
        The yellow skin joke came out of nowhere. One minute they're talking about discriminating against disabled people, then suddenly Gervais is off listing skin colours. If he is trying to make a point about political correctness (which is a pretty shallow and unoriginal point to make, really, but I guess he's got the right to make it if that's how he feels), then he should at least make sure his character is in the right as far as the argument goes. I'd be willing to accept that saying "yellow" and confusing Chinese and Japanese people is more ignorant than actively offensive. But any right-thinking person who made those mistakes would apologise profusely and probably bow out of the conversation. Gervais goes all defensive and says more offensive things, which blurs any sane point he's trying to make. And then his idiot protege comes out with a racist playground chant which just makes things worse. Any attempt at a point is lost under a barrage of Gervais's trademark "let's say something offensive" schtick. And by this point in the show, after the dead wife scene, the sick sister excuses, the Top Man vouchers, the Janapese movie conversation... it was one-note all the way. At least in The Office we had a couple of normal characters and a few different sources of humour (Gareth being a twat, Tim and Dawn playing practical jokes) rather than this incessant "look at me I'm being offensive!" bollocks.
        
        lanky @silence-r | 22 Jul '05, 13:01 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        Really enjoyed it!
        
        More in-depth thoughts tomorrow when I've seen it again...
        
        Smileadelic | 22 Jul '05, 01:17 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        It was a little bollocks, it had a few of the cringeworthy moments like in the Office (mainly from the dippy lady) but non of the laughs really.
        
        tom_from_sparks | 22 Jul '05, 01:29 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        how about how shit it was for 20 minutes then the last five/ten minutes almost saved it...
        
        I'll watch the second on and for that gervais should be thankful....
        
        andrewfartwasher @tom_from_sparks | 22 Jul '05, 10:06 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        how many people actually laughed out loud first time they saw the Office? i know i didnt, its understanding the setting and the characters which takes a few viewings. It is similar to the Office, yes, and to his stand up and radio shows, he has his own style of comedy that he has created, a bit like Eddie Izzard will always be Eddie Izzard whatever he does, same with Gervais
        
        moribund @andrewfartwasher | 22 Jul '05, 10:34 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        I agree. The character is written very differently to Brent even if he plays it in a similar way. I think this'll be a really good series.
        
        Smileadelic @Jack_the_Biscuit | 22 Jul '05, 11:30 | X
        
        Re: Extras
        
        It wasnt great, only made me laugh out loud a couple of times, but it will probably get better. The Ben Stiller stuff at the end was the best bit. I also liked:
        
        "Vouchers...yeh, thats right...£15 worth...its like money that is....that you can spend in TopShop"
        
        But it seemed to me that a lot of the Office style stuff was moved from Gervais to the supporting cast to "make it look fresh". It wasnt subtley done in my book.
        
        tre_cools_sticks @Jack_the_Biscuit | 22 Jul '05, 11:32 | X

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