HBO and BBC’s Extras—Another too Well-kept Secret
HBO and BBC’s Extras—Another too Well-kept Secret by Roxanne McDonald
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Biting and wry at once as it targets the pitiable and pitiful celeb-wannabe, “Extras” is a lovely surprise for the channel surfer who happens upon it. |
“Extras”. It’s BBC’s answer to the void left by the Benny Hills. It’s American TV’s answer to the void left by the Bob Newharts. And it is one of the best satires on pay-TV today.
I happened upon “Extras” when I was channel surfing once my regular line-up was finished for the night. Fortunately for me, this Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant creation was the perfect bedtime sit-com, subtle, sardonic, and silly in all the right places. Unfortunately for me, I came into this discovery way too late, arriving in time to see episode eight of season 2.
On the third hand, the episode I caught made me an instant follower (impelling me to note the channel—HBO 504, here—and the title, so the next morning I could search like mad for the sweetest of subtle mad-cap shows). Andy Millman (the name making the show already cheeky funny) is an actor in his forties. Andy Millman only recently gave up a steady job to pursue an acting career. Andy Millman has landed a gig as the star of a marginally popular sitcom. That is, in the margins is where the critics put him and his sitcom, and in the margins is where the lowest common denominator recognize him—making for bittersweet (mostly bitter) payoffs. (read more…)
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