Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3473 in DVD
• Released on: 2007-03-26
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 175 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Attracting yet more star names, while wisely moving the narrative on, the second series of Extras really finds the show maturing nicely, and unsurprisingly, cleaned up more awards in the process.

That said, it remains a far more divisive programme than its forerunner, The Office. Written by, directed and featuring Stephen Merchant and Ricky Gervais, its appeal is more concentrated and less broad, following Andy Millman on his progression from background artist to his own TV show. At times, for a programme frequently billed as a comedy, there’s a melancholy tone, although that’s not to say it doesn’t deliver its fair share of laughs in the process.

Many of those laughs are oiled by the seemingly never-ending conveyor belt of big names who take part in the show. Extras’s first season attracted the likes of Kate Winslet and Samuel L Jackson, but this time, the likes of Daniel Radcliffe, Sir Ian McKellen and David Bowie are quick to join in. There’s, er, Barry from EastEnders, too, who adds to the fun.

And fun is, ultimately, what Extras serves up, albeit laced with a depth and occasional bout on introspectiveness. As with the first season, it’s Ashley Jensen who steals the show from underneath Extras’ cavalcade of star names, with a terrific portrayal of Maggie Jacobs.

Yet this second series feels and is superior to the first, and already, its creators have announced that they’re putting the brakes on the show, save for one final special to sign off with. And it’ll be sad when it all ends. For while Extras takes a little time to get to love, it’s likely to be held in similar regard to the aforementioned The Office in the years to come. --Jon Foster

Synopsis
Series two of Extras finds former television and film extra Andy Millman (Ricky Gervais) commissioned by the BBC to create and star in the sitcom ‘When The Whistle Blows’. However, Andy’s initial happiness with his achievement is soon quelled when he finds he has to make a lowest common denominator show in order to appeal to the broadest possible audience. Andy’s sitcom has been transformed from a show that was in many ways like Gervais’ groundbreaking previous show The Office into a catchphrase-driven show that’s filmed in front of a studio audience. Additionally, he has been told that he has to wear large glasses and a curly perm wig. The second series of Extras sees Millman attempting to adjust to fame and life in the public eye and the compromises that come with. Guest stars include Robert De Niro, Orlando Bloom, David Bowie, Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Jonathan Ross, Sir Ian McKellen, and Daniel Radcliffe.

Customer Reviews

Extra! Take two!
Ricky Gervais actually managed to top himself with season one of "Extras," all about a struggling actor trying to catch a break.

Well, in the second season of "Extras," his character has finally gotten one. But obviously it's not smooth sailing for the stressed-out extras, who continue to stumble through odd jobs and exaggerated celebrities. It's full of hilarious spoofery of the entertainment biz, and is pretty much hysterical from start to finish.

In the opening episode, Andy (Gervais) has finally gotten his own sitcom, "When the Whistle Blows," and is over the moon. Problem is, the BBC decides to dumb it down and make him use funny costuming to achieve cheap laughs. As the season goes on, Andy struggles to keep "When the Whistle Blows" afloat and approved of, since the reviews are atrocious.

Meanwhile, Maggie (Ashley Jensen) has a tiny part in an absurd courtroom drama starring Orlando Bloom, and the arrogant Bloom starts pursuing her when she expresses a lack of interest. ("They're basically just doing it because you're famous." "Well, they're not just doing it because I'm famous -- no, it's my looks as well!"). When he's not making fun of Johnny Depp ("I've got scissors for hands!")


He and Maggie continue to tangle with a bunch of other celebs -- a sex-obsessed Daniel Radcliffe (who accidentally snaps a condom at Diana Rigg), Warwick Davis, a self-promoting Chris Martin, and Robert De Niro. He also gets mocked by David Bowie in a pub, and his sitcom is criticized by Stephen Fry. He even stars in a play directed by Ian McKellen, but neglects to notice that it's a gay romance with a man-man kiss.

It's sort of pleasant that Gervais didn't pound the "barely employed actor" thing to death after the first season of "Extras." Instead, he uses Andy's sitcom to open new storylines (and new disasters) for his increasingly embittered character, as he tries to straddle the fence between success and being a genuine actor.

Gervais continues to write wonderfully squirmy dialogue ("'TV bully kicks dwarf in face.'" "Accurate, but as you say there's no such thing as bad publicity") and horribly embarrassing situations. It's all filmed in a very natural style, except that now we have some looks inside Andy's sitcom, a sort of lowbrow, widely-watched comedy with a random celeb cameo.

Poor Andy has a rough time in this season, and so Gervais really brings out his frustration and dissatisfaction with the way his poor show has been mutilated. Not to mention his tendency to embarrass himself. And Jensen is wonderful as the sweet, flaky Maggue, while Stephen Merchant is great fun as Andy's inept agent.

But the best is the stuff uttered by the actors -- Radcliffe and Bloom are hysterical as clumsily woman-chasing, self-obsessed parodies of themselves, and it's hard not to adore them for it. Bowie's "pathetic little fat man/nobody's laughing" song is just hilarious. And McKellen steals the show, whether it's discussing his "method" ("How did I know what to say? They had my lines written down on a SCRIPT") or accidentally making it look like he and Andy had an intimate encounter.

"Extras: Season Two" is a solid follow-up to the outstanding first season, with our "extras" continuing to struggle in the surreal world of showbiz. Definitely worth seeing!

Another great series from Gervais and Merchant !!!
One thing that can't be taken away from this dynamic duo is their fantastic screen-play writing ability. Not only does this series captivate the so called 'cringe comedy' which Ricky and Steve are so well known for, but there are times of desperation, arrogance, humiliation and regret to keep the viewer fixated.

As for the guest star appearances, we are once again in awe of Gervais' and Merchant's ability to bring out the best in celebrities such as Chris Martin (Coldplay), Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Sir Ian McKellen, Orlando Bloom and the many more who are willing to play the most twisted versions of themselves. From Orlando Bloom's obsession with his good looks, to Daniel Radcliffe's obsession with his ready-to-use condom - the entire series is full to the brim with star quality.

Despite the presence of these major Hollywood actors, it has to be said that co-writer Stephen Merchant's role as 'Darren Lamb' (Andy Millman's useless agent) is played to perfection. So much so that it deservedly won Steve 'Best comedy performance' at the 2006 British Comedy Awards in December.

Hopefully, Gervais and Merchant won't give in to the threat of a 'dissapointing third series' because with writing as genius as this, you can't go far wrong.

some funny moments...but not enough
This isn't as good as series one so if your finger's hovering near the `not helpful' button then that's that. It's very funny in places and without giving any spoilers the `Vaseline' joke in the Sir Ian McKellen episode is priceless and made me laugh out loud. Lots of other good bits come your way too, not least the comedy within a comedy "When the Whistle Blows" which is funny in a mindless way (and funnier than long periods of the `real' show.)

What goes wrong for me is that the whole idea has become more than a bit formulaic and repetitive. Megastatically, hyperphrastically famous name actor does a grotesque cameo and Andy Millman (who tends back towards David Brent in some episodes) is left speechless as he cannot comment in the presence of such a STAR. Also painfully awkward situations about physically disadvantaged/ill people are revisited here in this series in three episodes. They're not bad, just too frequent.

Personally, I couldn't stand the extras (helpfully provided here on a whole DVD to themselves) where the comedy of awkwardness so often well done in the shows by Ricky Gervais crops up in the interviews with him and Stephen Merchant together. I found it uncomfortable not knowing whether the many barbed comments they make about each other were for real or made just to be witty/funny. Sorry to bang on about this extras DVD but also you have Ricky with his deeply sincere voice telling you that Robert de Niro is the greatest actor on the planet and what a genius David Bowie is. I hope you're getting the picture.

Oh my God, reading this back, this review kills the series dead. I didn't mean to. No, it's better than that and it has some funny moments...but not enough.