Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11000 in DVD
• Released on: 2005-10-31
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 175 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Extras,Ricky Gervais’ much-anticipated follow-up to The Office, is a quieter affair, and a little less accessible that its award-laden predecessor. But across the six episodes on this first season DVD set are several episodes that will richly reward repeated viewings.

Gervais plays Andy Millman, an actor whose roster of jobs seems to consistently consist of extras work. Each episode follows him on a different production, and also brings in a notable guest star. Lining up throughout the series are the likes of Samuel L Jackson, Kate Winslet and Ben Stiller. And while their presence undoubtedly adds something to each carefully crafted episode, it’s perhaps those with the lesser names that show the programme on top form--certainly the appearance of Les Dennis makes for an excellent half hour of comedy-drama.

At the core though is Gervais’ Millman--a far easier character to warm to than David Brent--and Ashley Jensen’s marvellous Maggie Jacobs. It’s these two who consistently provide the show’s highlights, and while the headlines have been generated by the all-star roster of names attracted to appear in Extras, it’s the two less showy characters who work the best.

Extras isn’t a show full of belly laughs, and its fanbase is likely to be smaller than that of The Office. But it’s still a quality creation, properly crafted, with an awful lot to it to enjoy and appreciated.--Simon Brew

Synopsis
Andy Millman (Ricky Gervais) is an actor but his agent cannot get him an acting job. Instead he is just an extra in films, a different film a different location, ever hopeful that one day he will actually get some lines. Ricky Gervais' follow up series to the enormously successful The Office sees Gervais repeating the acute observations on real life used in The Office, this time in the world of films. Guest stars on Extras include both Hollywood actors (Ben Stiller, Kate Winslett, Samuel.L Jackson, Patrick Stewart) and actors familiar to British television viewers (Ross Kemp and Les Dennis). All the actors are more than happy to send themselves up, whether it be Patrick Stewart and his sex obsession or Kate Winslett only deciding to do a Holocaust film because she thinks she'll win an Oscar for it. Contains all six episodes from the series.

Customer Reviews

Sublime
This DVD is a joy - it is even funnier watching the episodes a second time around. You realise just how slick the writing is and every perfomance is honed with perfect comic timing. The actual DVD extras add great support to the shows, with some excellent outakes and deleted scenes.

Another Great Comedy Hit From The Office Writers
When this first came out on the BBC, I must admit that I was a bit lukewarm about the whole project. How could something about extras on a movie set be funny? Well that is the writing genius of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant for you, the team that brought us The Office. To me the secret of Extras is the way big stars guest on it in each episode, so you have Ben Stiller, Samuel.L Jackson and Patrick Stewart appearing at various times throughout the series. But I really purchased this DVD for one episode alone, the one where Kate Winslett guest stars dressed in a nuns outfit. On the weight of this performance Winslett should seriously consider changing her roles permanently to comic ones because she is outstanding, though she would never get her coveted Oscar if she did. Look out too for the scene where Ricky Gervais who plays Andy Millman has to explain himself to the catholic priest and the one to one scene in a pub between Ricky Gervais and Les Dennis - you have to take your hat off to Les Dennis for being game for that. Great fun and underlining yet again what Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant now constantly bring to comedy.

Pure unadulterated joy
They have followed the hardest act in the world with another piece of unique and brilliant television. The nuanced perfection of each episode is astounding. In Andy we get a very likeable everyman, intelligent, self aware and, despite what some critics might say, very far away from Brent (with the exception of an uncanny physical resemblance). Merchant excels as his hapless agent, providing a admirable haul of fall-off-the-sofa laughing moments. But the real gem of this series is getting to know the loveable Maggie. She is brilliant; funny, warm and just the right side of silly, it's like you've known her all your life. Brilliantly written and brilliantly performed, Maggie is actually the beating heart of the series (and as long we are using vital organ metaphors, Andy is the brain and his agent is the erm... spleen). The guest stars are all great in their own way, but I think Les Dennis shades it as the most darkly comic - can't imagine what they'll make of him in the US. Kate Winslets advice is hilarious, as is Patrick Stewarts idea for a script, but Ross Kemps collapse in the face of brutish Vinnie Jones is a class act. If you missed this on the telly, buy it, take the phone off the hook, close the curtains, and watch the whole thing from start to finish. It is further proof of the genius of Gervais and Merchant. Well done lads.