I quite enjoyed it. It was VERY "Gervais" but I just watched it for what it was; a pretty funny spoof docu and it did have its moments. I'll watch again.
Life's Too Short Page 7
Quote: Richadam @ November 11 2011, 12:57 AM GMTI find it amusing however when people slate Ricky and Stephen's work.
Prepare to piss your sides.
After the second series of Extras it was clear Gervais didn't have much to say. He was busy fictionalising his own golden transit through the BBC with a very fictional ending where the BBC trampled on his in-sitcom sitcom 'When the whistle blows' while in the real world the corporation was giving him anything he wanted.
Andy Milman had rather bizarrely gone from wanting a line in a film as an extra to become a Ricky Gervais-style sitcom writer. The characters - particularly the formerly sublime Maggie - were exhibiting the inconsistency that comes from running out of ideas and sense of purpose.
A third sitcom would need time and some crafting. Shame they didn't bother and put out this crap, which resembles a near parody of their earlier efforts. Mock-doc - surely they can't use that conceit again? Hang on, they've never used any other conceit. All of their sitcoms are Mock-docs.
Actors playing satirical versions of themselves - again.
Thankfully they've dropped the incompetent agent - seen in the Office Specials and Extras - and come up with the much more original incompetent accountant.
What about the central character? Likeable guy with a streak of self awareness and a helping hand for his fellow man - f**k that, let's make him self-deluded, narcissistic and conniving, like Davi - I can't bear to write it. Where can they possibly take this character? We have literally seen it all before.
And then we have Gervais and Merchant playing themselves. Sitting in a fake office like Alan Sugar in the Apprentice. Surrounded by posters and references to their success. I didn't see the Baftas and Golden Globes but no doubt they'll creep into a shot at some point.
It's a shame they can't send themselves up like the celebrities Gervais appears to worship. Whether you found the Liam Neeson/AIDS material painful or funny (or both) you won't have missed the two very obvious references by Stephen Merchant to Gervais' unique ability to get away with 'difficult' material and the implication drawn from that that he is an exemplary stand-up.
Are we going to be able to bear seven weeks of these two telling us how good they are? The notion of Gervais as an especially gifted stand-up is particularly hard to swallow as he's never faced a hostile or indifferent club audience having only done stand-up since he became famous.
And finally we have the inescapable fact that we are meant to be shocked and to laugh that all of the above is happening to a dwarf, which is - however you slice and dice it - more than a little bit sad.
It was strangely unfunny, everything felt predictable, and yes Warwick Davies was dissatisfying as a David Brent. What's more, many of the characters felt like they were merely dummies for Gervais's ventriloquism act; apart from Neeson, whose piece might have been hilarious, had the unforgiving gag-drought not already parched the forest of hilari-trees into a joyless desert, complete with tumbleweeds.
Quote: Vince Ives @ November 10 2011, 11:29 PM GMTI can't believe that ten years on G&M are still going back to the faux documentary schtick,
STILL going back to it? The Office was, what, 14 episodes?? Extras wasn't a faux documentary.
Quote: Godot Taxis @ November 11 2011, 8:40 AM GMTMock-doc - surely they can't use that conceit again? Hang on, they've never used any other conceit. All of their sitcoms are Mock-docs.
No,Extras was not a Mock-Doc.
Because of who Gervais is, and the massive past success, this was always going to get a kicking from some; I'm sure many will have decided not to like it before ever watching it. My own take on it, after,let's remember, only ONE episode, is that yes, it hardly seems fresh territory for the pair at this point, it's very much bits of The Office and bits of Extras mixed together. Which you could say is a bit too easy, like they're chewing their own tail.
But, it was confident, it had funny moments, some very funny, it had a great lead, and, I got the feeling, that this was very much a setting up of the pieces and that the funny is going to increase now the more we get to know everyone.
Could be wrong of course. Either way, it was an enjoyable half hour.
Well, I liked it.
It wasn't the best thing ever, granted, but I laughed a lot. Technically (with writing hat on), there was no place in it for the Neeson scene BUT it was funny, so I guess it's okay.
The references to not knowing how Gervais gets away with it were very funny, I thought. Like they are genuinely clueless rather than making out he's an exceptional stand-up.
Anyway, not phenomenal but better than a lot of other stuff. I'll keep watching.
Dan
People'll keep watching, but does this have anywhere to go?
The Office was about a group of employees at, yes, an office. Extras was about Andy's relationship to Maggie. Life's Too Short doesn't seem to have any decent supporting characters at all.
Apart from his agent and wife.
Quote: Godot Taxis @ November 11 2011, 8:40 AM GMTPrepare to piss your sides.
After the second series of Extras it was clear Gervais didn't have much to say. He was busy fictionalising his own golden transit through the BBC with a very fictional ending where the BBC trampled on his in-sitcom sitcom 'When the whistle blows' while in the real world the corporation was giving him anything he wanted.
Andy Milman had rather bizarrely gone from wanting a line in a film as an extra to become a Ricky Gervais-style sitcom writer. The characters - particularly the formerly sublime Maggie - were exhibiting the inconsistency that comes from running out of ideas and sense of purpose.
A third sitcom would need time and some crafting. Shame they didn't bother and put out this crap, which resembles a near parody of their earlier efforts. Mock-doc - surely they can't use that conceit again? Hang on, they've never used any other conceit. All of their sitcoms are Mock-docs.
Actors playing satirical versions of themselves - again.
Thankfully they've dropped the incompetent agent - seen in the Office Specials and Extras - and come up with the much more original incompetent accountant.
What about the central character? Likeable guy with a streak of self awareness and a helping hand for his fellow man - f**k that, let's make him self-deluded, narcissistic and conniving, like Davi - I can't bear to write it. Where can they possibly take this character? We have literally seen it all before.
And then we have Gervais and Merchant playing themselves. Sitting in a fake office like Alan Sugar in the Apprentice. Surrounded by posters and references to their success. I didn't see the Baftas and Golden Globes but no doubt they'll creep into a shot at some point.
It's a shame they can't send themselves up like the celebrities Gervais appears to worship. Whether you found the Liam Neeson/AIDS material painful or funny (or both) you won't have missed the two very obvious references by Stephen Merchant to Gervais' unique ability to get away with 'difficult' material and the implication drawn from that that he is an exemplary stand-up.
Are we going to be able to bear seven weeks of these two telling us how good they are? The notion of Gervais as an especially gifted stand-up is particularly hard to swallow as he's never faced a hostile or indifferent club audience having only done stand-up since he became famous.
And finally we have the inescapable fact that we are meant to be shocked and to laugh that all of the above is happening to a dwarf, which is - however you slice and dice it - more than a little bit sad.
Totally agree.
The Extras Christmas special was queezily vain.
Only way I can describe it.
It went from Gervais extolling his success in Series 2 (or rather nastily mocking most succesful writer/performers who have to compromise more than he did with The Office) to actually getting a bit of a pious messiah complex. Look at you little people (other succesful performers); with your guest spots on Dr Who and Celebrity Big Brother.
I am off to the US, which in this anology is heaven.
The infuriating thing is The Office and Extras (yes including Series 2) is about the freshest, sharpest comedy anyone's seen in a long, long time.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ November 11 2011, 9:14 AM GMTBecause of who Gervais is, and the massive past success, this was always going to get a kicking from some; I'm sure many will have decided not to like it before ever watching it.
That's a self-regarding performer's argument: 'you don't like my show because you resent my success'. I don't see any prejudice here. We've all seen it, it was mediocre, nothing to do with hating Gervais or Merchant.
Quote: zooo @ November 11 2011, 10:47 AM GMTApart from his agent and wife.
And the dopey girl he just employed.
Quote: Godot Taxis @ November 11 2011, 11:21 AM GMTThat's a self-regarding performer's argument: 'you don't like my show because you resent my success'. I don't see any prejudice here. We've all seen it, it was mediocre, nothing to do with hating Gervais or Merchant.
Oh, of course a lot of people will hate on anything he does, he's one of those performers who a lot of people really hate and want to say so; like Peter Kay. I'm not saying it's happening on here, but of course it does happen. This first episode wasn't up to their best stuff, no, but I'm going to watch more than one episode.
Quote: sootyj @ November 11 2011, 10:49 AM GMTThe infuriating thing is the Office and Extras (yes including season 2) is about the freshest, sharpest comedy anyone's seen in a long, long time.
There's one episode of The Office that's a bit weak and way too heavy on the embarrassment, but overall it's a really impressive piece of work in every respect and fully deserving of its success and reputation.
Series 1 of Extras is very funny, and fairly brilliantly made. The relationship between Maggie and Andy, like the one between Dawn and Tim is effortlessly convincing and delightful. It all goes to pot in series two with the Whistle Blows stuff and Count F**kula etc. It's rare to see such a sustained sour note in a mainstream comedy.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ November 11 2011, 11:25 AM GMTOh, of course a lot of people will hate on anything he does, he's one of those performers who a lot of people really hate and want to say so; like Peter Kay. I'm not saying it's happening on here, but of course it does happen. This first episode wasn't up to their best stuff, no, but I'm going to watch more than one episode.
Look I hate Gervais - he's insufferable, but I wouldn't let that get in the way of his show. I'll watch it all but it probably won't improve - the premise is f**ked. Plus I'm not sure Merchant and Gervais have got anything to say.
My main point of concern at the moment is that I don't think Gervais and Merchant should be in it; at least not as themselves. Even though I enjoyed those scenes, the Neeson one was very funny indeed, I personally would have just constructed a world entirely of Warwick's own, rather than crow-bar the pair in, there's no real reason or need for them to be there, it seems to me at the moment. At least not every episode, maybe they could have popped up once as people he's worked with.
Quote: Godot Taxis @ November 11 2011, 11:31 AM GMTLook I hate Gervais - he's insufferable, but I wouldn't let that get in the way of his show.
I wasn't saying that you would, that wasn't about you.
I think Series 2 of Extras is a curate's egg.
A lot of self-indulgent drivel.
But also some very inspired gags; I actually liked the whole "When The Whistle Blows" as a sort of extended intertextual gag. And the David Bowie scene was funnier and sharper than all 10 series of My Family.
Quote: sootyj @ November 11 2011, 11:35 AM GMTI think Series 2 of Extras is a curate's egg.
A lot of self-indulgent drivel.
But also some very inspired gags; I actually liked the whole "When The Whistle Blows" as a sort of extended intertextual gag. And the David Bowie scene was funnier and sharper than all 10 series of My Family..
Yeah the Bowie scene nearly killed me the first time I saw it.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ November 11 2011, 11:34 AM GMTI wasn't saying that you would, that wasn't about you.
I didn't think it was, I was using myself as an example of why Gervais might get a fair crack of the whip despite annoying the hell out of people.
But the podcast, the US films, the later stand-up just really unlikeable and not very funny.