I am – Hercules!!
In a few short hours, BBC2 televises the first episode of “Extras,” the new showbiz sitcom from “The Office” creators Stephen Merchant and Ricky Gervais. It airs in the states on HBO in September, presumably months after everyone downloads it on bittorrent.
It’s about an aspiring actor named Andy Millman who makes a living as a film extra because Millman’s agent of five years has yet to land him a speaking part. In the opener, Ben Stiller, director of “The Cable Guy” and “Zoolander,” is helming a film set in war-torn Central Europe.
The Hollywood Reporter says:
… Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the creative talent behind cult comedy hit "The Office," have come up with another winner in their brilliant new six-part series "Extras." Incisive, fearless and laugh-out-loud funny, "Extras" will appeal to anyone who liked "The Larry Sanders Show" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm." Fans of "The Office" will surely embrace Gervais' new character, Andy Millman, who is far from being David Brent but is just as needy and driven in his own way and given to hilariously wince-making utterances. … The comedy is devastating in its insider's grasp of the egos and power structure of filmmaking. …
Here’s a review just sent in by someone identifying himself as “Rich”:
Just seen the first episode of Extras, screening tonight on BBC2 at 9pm, and in the US on HBO in September.
For those expecting another "The Office", it's not that, but there are elements you'll recognise.
"Extras" is the new series by The Office writers Stephen Marchant and Ricky Gervais and stars Gervais as an "extra" in the British TV and movioe business. Constantly looking for work, to increasehis role, to get on screen and grab those all important lines.
Concurrent with both series is the idea of people being selfish, getting caught out in their selfishness and embarrassed by it, and trying to excuse it. And in the cut thrust world of acting, this is intensivied.
The first episode sees Ben Stiller playing himself, directing a movie set in war torn eastern Europe. The topic of the movie is juxtaposed with the flippant attitiudes of its participants, which culminates with a showdown between Stiller and some of the extras, exposing him as a fragile egotistical freak - "Meet The Fockers is the number one film in India today!" and defines Gervais' character far from the bumbling idiot of The Office, but an intelligent with. "David Brent" was a fool who didn't know his limititations. "Andy" doesn't have that excuse, he's fully aware of his situation and is incredibly frustrated by that.
The script is sharper, the direction no longer hampered by the fly-on-the-wall docudrama style, and the A-list stars seem willing to make greater fools of themselves than they did on Larry Sanders and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
And the second episode's portrayal of Ross Kemp as an actor who believes his own hype about being a hard man, is fingers-over-the-eyes painful...
Summer hit.
!! 