Anyone see this? I thought it was bordering on brilliance. Take that you fucking celebrity culture piss!

Gervais and Merchant at their finest, with added Dean Gaffney.

Its was the best Christmas Special I've seen, it was brilliant.

Ricky Gervais is one of the least funny 'comedians' ever to emanate from the British Isles. It's a real shame no one realises it.

I SMELL A POLL.

gonna watch it when i get a chance, i expect greatness!

Metal Iain wrote:Ricky Gervais is one of the least funny 'comedians' ever to emanate from the British Isles. It's a real shame no one realises it.

Well said.He bores the fuck out of me.

Hardly the best thing ever. The rant at celebrity culture and at the media hounding was great but more on the mark than amusing. More importantly, it wasn't very funny. Three laugh-out-loud moments or so. The rest of it was either drearily depressing or mildly amusing. Extras was a lot more cringing than the Xmas special. I was expecting a comedy. And Andy Millman is, more than anything, a dick. It's hard to feel sympathy or really enjoy watching a prat be a prat. Not bad, not great.

STD_Caps wrote:It's hard to feel sympathy or really enjoy watching a prat be a prat. Not bad, not great.

No wai!? You didn't feel sympathy for Brent when he lost his job at Wernham Hogg?

Brent was never an out and out prat like Andy Millman became in the Xmas special, and he remained likeable throughout - Andy's was so much of a character change that it did seem a bit overdone.

If people were expecting more of a comedy like Caps, I can see why it would come across as a bit dragging and depressing, but in my view Extras has always been a balancing act between humour (which tends to be awkward and sporadic) and the stories of the characters themselves. The Office was like this too of course, but it seems even more true for Extras, so I didn't find it very surprising that the Xmas Special dwelled on rounding off the emotional story perhaps more than providing loads of laughs.

It was somewhat unsatisfying that Andy's rival actor Greg never got comeuppance, but after thinking about it I think that's probably a more effective thing - it shows how people more often than not WILL go places and reap better rewards if they sell out, and there's nothing others can really do about it other than lower themselves in the same way.

Despite the lack of constant comedy though I did laugh out loud several times - I think the Darren Lamb/Barry duo has always been one of the funniest things about Extras, and this Special was probably their finest hour! Some of the celebrity appearances were great as well - I love how overboard they went with the plans to degrade Maggie with shit and cabbage on her face, and how the paparrazi guy knew George Michael was nearby because of the "joint and kebab"!

It was quite peculiar that it was relegated to a slot on the day after Boxing Day, but it was definitely worth waiting for!

I'm in shock and madness. Andy's speech (was of course was really a real Ricky Gervais speech) at the end really struck an unbelievable chord for me in so many ways. I really felt very emotional indeed. That was amazing. And the reason I think it was amazing was because it wasn't very funny. Everything has suddenly become clear for me now. I always say Extras isn't as good as the Office, and my main thinking is that this is because it just isn't as funny. But it isn't meant to be that funny! It is a lot more serious, because this time it has a much more relevant message to the people of today's ridiculous general public. I know some people will find it trivial and the people who don't like Ricky Gervais won't give this a chance, but bloody hell. I felt emotional madness nearly all the way through. And I did sympathise with Millman, even if he was a prat. I find it so much more interesting watching flawed characters with developed personalities than one-dimensional nice men. The way that episode changed my emotions so drastically was unbelievable. For example, the bit where Barry was telling Darren about the BT phone call, that was bloody hilarious. And then when he told him Millman had fired him, the mood changed so suddenly it was unbelievable.

But then again, maybe I felt like this because I was a bit stoned.

Basically, it was better than the Office christmas special. That means it was ridiculously good.

Metalbrew Stu wrote:Basically, it was better than the Office christmas special. That means it was ridiculously good.

Stu... why don't you fuck off?

I really think it was.

Nah, The Office Christmas Special was absolutely epic. So many memorable parts.

"You're the wanker, mate... if anyone is"

"I was already wet so the jokes on you"

Yeah, overall I enjoyed the Office special a lot more - perhaps because it was more of a straight comedy (though it still tied up all the emotional storylines quite well) and at the end of the day I think Gervais and Merchant excel most at great comedy moments.

The Extras special still had an excellent message though, and was just as good a piece of character work. Again, I really don't know what they can do next though..