In the picture
Extras***
*ing: Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant with guest stars ranging from Kate Winslet to Samuel L. Jackson
Tagline: Once in a great while a man really has a chance to shine. This is not that man.
 
Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the creative team behind the hit comedy The Office, star in a brand new British comedy Extras which portraits the off stage life of not a young and successful actor, but a middle aged, out of luck personification of a stage prop, also known to many as an Extra. The six episode seasons charts the stagnating acting career of Andy Millman (Ricky Gervais) who is desperately seeking a role, which entails more than just blending into the woodwork. Andy goes to great self-respect losing lengths to try and land a one liner part, which he believes will give his acting career the boost it desperately needs.
 
Andy's facial expressions are something to really look out for. He's usually seen forcing a smile as fake as a two dollar diamond while justifying his career in the Extras business as a little bump along the way. Sadly all he's ever been is an extra, which perhaps demands sympathy but I assure you it inspires great humour, of the most sardonic kind. Indeed the needle sharp sarcasm seen through out the episodes is sometimes just too hilarious to instill any sort of sympathy for the bloke. If this is what it does to your sense of humour, one think that being an extra may well be worth it.

Andy's character is well supported by his agent Darren, played by Stephen Merchant, whose questions about whether Andy chose the right career or not comically add to Andy's frustration. Darren's unbelievably comical discouraging behavior towards Andy's acting career is amplified when he repeatedly suggests to Andy how his clerk, who just happens to be an out of work actor, does much better impersonations than Andy. The humor is typically subtle sarcasm you expect from a British comedy.
 
There is a little sprinkle of dumb blonde funny aptly provided by Mrs. X who plays an extra as well as Andy's friend. She isn't as ambitious about getting an acting role as Andy is. Indeed seems too dumb to realize what a waste being an extra really is. Her contentment with her job however is quite refreshing and gives great support to the phrase ignorance is bliss. Her comments usually also give Andy great openings for obvious yet comical humour. It is a trait most British productions have in common – get a great ensemble cast and let them bounce off each other. One is reminded yet again of the formidable standard of British theatre and how that knowledge has filtered down to their television.
 
However, Extras does well by incorporating an American tradition in a uniquely British way. The highlight of the show is probably the appearance of a different celebrity on each of the shows and their interaction with Andy. In addition to this, the self mockery these big name stars seem to indulge in is also quite a hoot. Just to give a little taste of the A-list celebrities seen on the show, the first season includes well known names such as Ben Stiller, Kate Winslet, Samuel.L. Jackson, Patrick Stewart, etc. With these guest star appearances in each episode the show sometimes seems like a more subtle and mature real life version of South Park. Well perhaps I may have gone a little too far, but it definitely has over tones of the hit series Curb Your Enthusiasm.

This show is not recommended for those types of viewers who perhaps watch TV shows just because the main character is incredibly cute. It would have the liking of viewers who perhaps have more of an appreciation for dialogue and the overall script rather than a characters outer beauty. A show without the digitally cropped in background laughs, a show which thus calls for a viewer's attention to detail rather than a lazy overview of proceedings, Extras a gem in an ocean of television series revolving around characters of the spoofiest kind. The DVD may well not be available in all stores; however Laraib will surely have both seasons.

Each season is a culmination of six hilarious episodes fitting perfectly on one DVD, definitely worth the 100 rupees. The show fits somewhere between good and very good; a 7.8 out of 10 is what it deserves.

--Umer Habib

*YUCK

**WHATEVER

***GOOD

****SUPER

*****AWESOME