Ricky Gervais’ ‘Extras’ is preachy hilarity at its jawdroppingest

In neutering the American version of The Office of unrepentantly English Ricky Gervais, NBC created a husk stripped of intelligence.

But after a couple of years, we’d all started to appreciate the hilarity of of workplace minutia and were ready for something brand new. And now it’s here. Ricky’s back in Extras to rock our fragile worlds.

Effective but unobtrusive
support comes from Maggie, Ricky Gervais’ (DVDs) constant partner-in-crime. The pair occupy their dead time between takes by swapping illuminated comments about the over-the-top behaviour of the guest stars.

The premiere episode took out mediocrity insurance with a historic
performance from Ben Stiller (DVDs) as, um, Ben Stiller, the shallow and conceited
actor-turned-director. Too subversive to blight the industry’s sheen
closer to home, Stiller’s appearance was peppered with a shocking stream
of self-referential speeches that flared into sheer abuse towards the bit
actors.

In possibly the best self-deprecating self-caricature TV
appearances since the heyday of Larry Sanders, Stiller dazzled throughout sharply pointed jabs at Dodgeball and
Starksy and Hutch. He brilliantly spared us the smirk Hollywood usually
puts on for TV, seamless blending his identity and the sadistic and
insecure character.

Gervais shines throughout as a seasoned extra
looking to get ahead through cynical networking in the pursuit of speaking roles, while Maggie, played by Ashley Jenson,
is a clueless fellow extra who puts her
appearances on The Bill and Casualty behind her to serve as an
audience for Gervais’ flow of observations. The
show’s fondness for repeating comic devices means Maggie regularly
finds herself at a loss for an excuse when invited out by cleverly
showbiz-addled acquaintances, with typically embarrassing results.

Episode four borders on preachy as Maggie finds
herself unable to avoid a birthday party hosted by a 29 year-old
showbiz kid with no friends. "Father says I’ll have lots of friends
when I’m famous. Too many", and so forth. Concurrently, Andy opens the eyes of Les
Dennis’ who plays up to his tragically deluded self-image.

Right on schedule,
Gervais brings reality - nearing on home-spun wisdom - to the decisively
surreal scene. But it never lets itself get full-on preachy in the way that something like Everybody Loves Raymond does.

Extras can be seen as Gervais’ attempt at creating a British Curb Your Enthusiasm, but with
central characters that are more likable than CYE’s procession of ultra-jaded inhabitants. Gervais’ new
inside joke serves up expert awkwardness that will leave your fist
chewed and discoloured. If
you like your funny smart and unrelenting, check out BBC2, Thursdays at
nine.

[story by Alex Shapiro]