extras

[//\/\/]

ricky gervais' new programme - pretty good, though a little confusing at times... the characters seem to veer between pretty sharp and cruel to being a bit dim. but a good idea and a fair few loud laughs. probably going to be a bit of a builder...

[Dirty0900]

As i said before, i thought i werent going to like it.And i dont.

[big screen satellite]

well i thought it was hilarious...Ricky is back to his 11'oclock show best...

people expecting the office will be sorely disappointed...:D

[b.miller]

shows promise i think... laughed a few times.

[grady]

It's only the first episode and as b.miller said, "there is promise." I was expecting something a bit more, but this is only the first episode and I laughed out loud a few times and smirked here and there throughout the episode.

The last two minutes were a bit over the top for my tastes. I don't know where exactly to put my finger on it, but when Ben Stiller starts his little tyranical rant, it kind of lost steam and moved itself into a weird sort of celebrity worship or something along the lines of that. I do understand the roll of Ben Stiller as the director that loses his shit on the set, but it just didn't feel right. I'm gonna watch the episode again tomorrow and see how much my opinion has changed.

[//\/\/]

it's strange, because it's hard for rg to lose the brent tag - partly because i don't think he's a million miles away from that character (listen to his radio stuff) so he's got a lot to do to establish a new character here, so i'm being patient with myself more than anything.

has anybody seen his stand-up stuff - i thought i'd hate it, but it's very sharp.

[DeJackyl]

Was looking forward to this but thought it was odly quiet and obvious at times. I also don't feel the characters are all that strong and with only two main ones there may be something lacking in plot development. I merely chuckled at one point but otherwise didn't find anything all that amusing and doubt I'd be watching had it not been for my admiration for the Office.

Still gonna watch on, in hopes of some brilliance, perhaps from Steven Merchant when he appears.

[big screen satellite]

it's strange, because it's hard for rg to lose the brent tag - partly because i don't think he's a million miles away from that character (listen to his radio stuff) so he's got a lot to do to establish a new character here, so i'm being patient with myself more than anything.

has anybody seen his stand-up stuff - i thought i'd hate it, but it's very sharp.


i totally agree...the trouble with RG is that most of the people that know of RG is in the office and hence his stand up shows were very popular, and he plays on that...but he's been a dry, 'cutting' and a near to the knuckle comedian for years...

David Brent is basically a metomorphosis of Ricky, albeit a bit more 'out there'...and the character he plays in extras is the same..its Ricky in another role...thats how he is most of the time...you either like him or you don't...

i especially love his one off interviews - see Jonathon Ross, for example, or his stint at Live 8...he's funny and quickwittedly clever enough to be cruel but get the point across without really being offensive...i don't think you'll get a RG comedy series starring Ricky without comparing it to the Office, because its just him being funny...and he's quite happy with that...

i mean the whole episode of the office with the wheelchair bound girl was (meant to be) pretty offensive, but thats how people are in real life...and he was highlighting the point by exaggerating it...i mean when he won the bafta, his producer (i think) was the guy in the wheelchair...he ripped him to shreds....but his comedy comes from real life...(and this gag was repeated in the first episode of Extras with the guy with the club foot)...its your basic observational comedy

ok, so the whole Ben Stiller rant at the end of the extras episode was OTT, but that was the point - it was Ricky's character just digging away that blew Stiller up, and i think thats the point for the whole series, i'd expect the same to happen in almost all the episodes...thats how situation comedies tend to work...Blackadder, Fawlty towers...they all have the same premise...and same plot for each episode...its just played out in a different way...

don't forget that the first series of the Office wasn't deemed good enough to be shown on BBC1....and before the office Ricky was a relative unknown to 90% of the population...i think if you like Ricky Gervais being Ricky Gervais you will like his series, but if you expect something entirely different i think you will be disappointed....

[big screen satellite]

not quite as funny...as episode I, but still very good...

and hilarious at the end with Vinny Jones fronting up to Ross 'Spandau Ballet' Kemp...especially when his hat fell off i was pissing myself...


and then the catherine tate show...'what a faacking liberty'...some very good catchphrases to be using all weekend...watch out GG goers...

'how very dare you...'

[//\/\/]

ep 3

again, not amazingly funny throughout - but the idea to dress up kate winslett as a nun and then get her to describe and simulate phone sex was a fantastic idea and made the whole series worth making afaic...

[votingfloater]

and then the catherine tate show...'what a faacking liberty'...some very good catchphrases to be using all weekend...watch out GG goers...

'how very dare you...'

I watched some of the last catherine tate series and that was my fave character. You can't top old people swearing. Some of it's a bit tiresome though.

Still haven't watched Extras though... bloody Friday night scheduling :mad: .

[Raz]

Extras is FAF. I thought the 3rd episode was struggling a bit til he went to the church meeting.

[grady]

I haven't watched episode 3 yet, it's just sitting idle on my computer waiting to be viewed. From what one of my friends told me, this is where the series started to get good for him. He wasn't terribly impressed by the first two episodes, but the found episode 3 to be the best.

So there are only going to be six episodes of this series correct?

Oh yeah, and over at his official site, Ricky has posted some preliminary sketches of his character for the simpsons episode which he was a guest star on.

http://www.rickygervais.com/simpsons.php

[big screen satellite]

I haven't watched episode 3 yet, it's just sitting idle on my computer waiting to be viewed. From what one of my friends told me, this is where the series started to get good for him. He wasn't terribly impressed by the first two episodes, but the found episode 3 to be the best.

So there are only going to be six episodes of this series correct?

Oh yeah, and over at his official site, Ricky has posted some preliminary sketches of his character for the simpsons episode which he was a guest star on.

http://www.rickygervais.com/simpsons.php


i won't spoil it for you but this episode is the best one so far...Winslet is absolutely hilarious in one particular scene, i was litterally crying with laughter...

[grady]

i won't spoil it for you but this episode is the best one so far...Winslet is absolutely hilarious in one particular scene, i was litterally crying with laughter...

My friend kind of gave away the setup for me, but does it involve the phone sex conversation?

[goldfish]

Still haven't watched Extras though... bloody Friday night scheduling :mad: .
It's on Thursday, isn't it...?

Simon

[votingfloater]

It's on Thursday, isn't it...?

Simon

Oh yeah... cheers.

Now I'll have to come up with another reason not to watch it.

[//\/\/]

just seen this week's - it's the best so far - les dennis is excellent, as is r.g as a genie and there are some top cringeworthy moments...

[big screen satellite]

just seen this week's - it's the best so far - les dennis is excellent, as is r.g as a genie and there are some top cringeworthy moments...


well, i don't really know....

[Raz]

just seen this week's - it's the best so far - les dennis is excellent, as is r.g as a genie and there are some top cringeworthy moments...

Not sure what you were watching but it felt like they were struggling tonight. There were some funny and cringeworthy bits but it fell a bit flat overall. More like a sketch show stuck together.

#1 or 2 was the best.

[Raz]

That's the second time I've used the word "struggling" to describe this show :( I either need a new word or they need to crank up the quality.

[//\/\/]

Not sure what you were watching but it felt like they were struggling tonight. There were some funny and cringeworthy bits but it fell a bit flat overall. More like a sketch show stuck together.

#1 or 2 was the best.

i thought it was much more consistent in its storyline - and him getting his first role as a gay genie was right up my alley. oooooohm!

[Tiger]

very hit and miss extras imo, some halirous scenes and come very cringeworthy too, but the ones i've seen winslet and dennis just didn't hang together.

anyway it could b worse, well it is, some muppet @ the beeb commissioned the catherine tate show...........i mean wtf its sketch comedy of the weakest variety and is so unfunny it just gets turned off

[ceramic'cow]

thankyou. yes. Catherine Tate is NOT FUNNY. at all. in any way.

[//\/\/]

thankyou. yes. Catherine Tate is NOT FUNNY. at all. in any way.

is she bovvered?

probably not.

is it funny?

definitely not.



also not really looking forward to the 3rd series of little britain... ...thank god for the mighty boosh! (and i wish that the beeb had been able to afford "monkey trousers" :( )

[b.miller]

Patrick Stewart made me laugh for that whole scene with them in his trailer.

this show got picked up for a second season... i'm starting to think it's not supposed to be a comedy but rather a drama with comedy in it...

[grady]

Patrick Stewart made me laugh for that whole scene with them in his trailer.

this show got picked up for a second season... i'm starting to think it's not supposed to be a comedy but rather a drama with comedy in it...

I think you're right in that observation. I wonder how people over here Stateside are going to react to it when it begins airing on HBO after the new season of Curb Your Enthusiasm this September.

Overall I liked the series. I think it took me a few episodes to get into it.

[Raz]

The last episode was great, about time. Lots of "best bits".

[stimpee]

thankyou. yes. Catherine Tate is NOT FUNNY. at all. in any way.
agreed. probably one of the worst "comedy" shows ive ever had the displeasure to witness on the BBC. and stuff like
Outlaws (http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/tv/outlaws.shtml) doesnt get a second series? Unbelievable. Complain to the BBC I say.

As for Extras, I like it much more than the Office. Gervais really knows that uncomfortable embarrassment feeling and how to put it on screen.

[votingfloater]

As for Extras, I like it much more than the Office. Gervais really knows that uncomfortable embarrassment feeling and how to put it on screen.

This is why I can't watch it. If enjoyed feeling my skin crawl I'd rub scabies mite eggs all over myself.

[stimpee]

This is why I can't watch it. If enjoyed feeling my skin crawl I'd rub scabies mite eggs all over myself.
yeah but the stars playing characatures of themselves is very funny. i know we shouldnt really be comparing it to the office but as gervais is again the writer and star its inevitable. because the main 2 actors are the only regulars, their characters are quite strong as you learn about them, though the agent guy is great and so is "barry from eastenders". Overall, a lot more happens and the story moves along a lot faster than the office which was one of my main gripes with it.

[big screen satellite]

Ricky G is a genius....lets leave it at that...

i wonder who he's getting in for series two - i can see madonna signing up for one...;)

[cured]

Can't wait till this series hits HBO in a month or so...gonna be hawt.

[Drix]

It's not gonna hit norwgian tv screens for a while so I'm dl'n the first six episodes now. So tomorrow I'll check back with my own opinions. Sound quite funny though, and I love RG, although he can be a bit much at times.

[big screen satellite]

... and I love RG, although he can be a bit much at times.

i think thats the idea ;)

[myrrh]

Has anyone been watching this (http://www.hbo.com/extras/) on HBO? It is great! Same type of humor as The Office.

Check it out.

[b.miller]

http://www.dirty.org/forums/showthread.php?t=425


i heard they're airing in a different order on HBO though

[stimpee]

EDIT: threads merged.

[b.miller]

EDIT: threads merged.

whoa! site moderation IN ACTION!

congrats on a good day's work :)

[myrrh]

Heh heh. I figured that there was already a thread, but to be honest I was too lazy to search for it. :(

[//\/\/]

very much in the same vein is "the thick of it" series 2 starts today on bbc4 - same style as the office, but set in westminster, concerntrating on a hapless minister and devious spin doctors.

chris langham (the minister) is the master of dead-pan stupidity - he was class in "people like us" and carries it on here.

[votingfloater]

very much in the same vein is "the thick of it" series 2 starts today on bbc4 - same style as the office, but set in westminster, concerntrating on a hapless minister and devious spin doctors.

chris langham (the minister) is the master of dead-pan stupidity - he was class in "people like us" and carries it on here.

You can watch each full episode as a realplayer stream after they air on BBC4:

here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/broadband/mediawrapper/consoles/bbcfour?redirect=console.shtml&nbram=1&bbram=1&clip=pack1)

Good stuff!