I have long been a fan of Stephen Merchant and Ricky Gervais's unique comedic writing style; from the agonisingly brilliant goings on in The Office through their always entertaining podcasts and of course the massively successful Extras series, which is why I was delighted to receive the DVD of the Eighty minute special Extras episode that first aired on the BBC at Christmas 2007.

On the surface Andy Millman has it all, a hit TV sitcom and a catchy - if slightly annoying - catchphrase have bought him the recognition and fame he so craved. But the realisation of his dreams have bought with them a growing unease within himself. Andy is increasingly disassociated and resentful of the show that has catapulted him from a jobbing Extra on numerous films and shows into a household name. Although the show "When the Whistle Blows" was his big break as a writer he is worried that the general public - and more importantly the TV and film industry - will not take any further writing or acting he does seriously, he fears being typecast forever as the bungling bespectacled factory manager, Ray Stokes. Away from work Andy's personal life is little better; as his popularity grows his best friend Maggie's fortunes appear to be heading in the opposite direction, with acting jobs harder and harder to come by she is forced to downsize her flat and take jobs as a cleaner and pot washer. Of course this descent goes largely unnoticed by Andy which further alienates Maggie and puts added pressure on their already fractured relationship. And then of course we have Andy's Agent - Darren Lamb, played by Stephen Merchant himself. A more useless and ill equipped agent an actor could not hope to have, helped around his office by the luckless Barry from Eastenders - due mostly to the fact that Darren is incapable of getting Barry anything vaguely resembling acting work. With an ineffective agent and strained relationships in Andy's life inevitably something has to give, which it does in a spectacular and very public fashion.

For me, Extras is that rarest of things on British TV - a show that is funny, self deprecating and utterly watchable. It works on several levels; on the one hand it is a very well observed comedic look at the life of an Actor and Writer. The pitfalls and pratfalls as Andy follows his dream, and then doesn't quite know how to cope when that dream is realised. Extras also shines a very bright light on friendship and the values we place upon it; be that the almost tender exchanges between Stephen Merchants Agent and Barry from Eastenders characters as they lurch from one disaster to another. Or the friendship between the Andy Millman and Maggie Jacobs Characters, a friendship unusual in that there has never been any hint of sexual tension or relationship, but a friendship that struggles as contrasting fortunes befall each of them. This Eighty minute special is graced by a plethora of guest appearances; from George Michael Cottaging on Hampstead Heath to David Tennant as Dr Who fighting the luckless Millman who is playing a monster alien slug. All the stars giving guest appearances seem to genuinely enjoy their cameos, even if it involves poking a large dose of fun at themselves. Above all else though Extras is just a good, funny and well observed look at the role the extra plays in TV and film work. Extras is a warm-hearted, amusing, and original series that sadly there is not enough of on TV today. I give it four stars out of five.

DVD Extras and Special Features

The Extras and special features are always a treat on Ricky Gervais/Stephen Merchant DVD's, and this one does not disappoint. Firstly the two writers answer questions about the series in their own inimitable way; they explain how and why they have developed the series and the characters therein in the way they have, exploring the friendships and foibles forced upon the disparate band of people who work with or know Andy Millman. Ten minutes of outtakes and deleted scenes follow, all of them amusing enough, if not earth shatteringly hilarious. Then an interesting featurette entitled "The Real Extras" is presented by Ricky and Stephan's friend and colleague Carl Pilkington, in which he takes a behind the scenes look at the extras who are working on Extras. Finally, a couple of trailers for the show and the option to turn an audio commentary on complete the goodies available

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Better than Watching TV
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age