WRITERS & DIRECTORS: Ricky Gervais & Stephen Merchant
CATS: Ricky Gervais (Andy Millman), Ashley Jensen (Maggie Jacobs), Stephen Merchant (Agent), Shaun Williamson (Barrie/Shaun), Chris Martin (Himself), Ronnie Corbett (Himself), Stephen Fry (Himself) & Richard Briers (Himself)
Andy is bemused to find his sub-par sitcom has earned him a BAFTA nomination for Best Comedic Performance, but a series of misunderstandings converge to ruin the big night...The second series of Extras continues with a consistently amusing episode that pokes fun at the television BAFTA ceremony. Episode 4 is perhaps the series' most accessible episode, freed from the occassionally overbearing assault of bad taste gags and instead content to poke fun at celebrities.
Chris Martin, lead singer of Coldplay and husband to Gwyneth Paltrow, is the episode's big name guest star (another singer after Episode 2's David Bowie; I guess the Live 8 networking went well last year, Mr Gervais?). Martin impresses as a competent deadpan comic, savaging his eco-friendly image by insisting a white background is emblazoned by his band's Greatest Hits album whilst filming a charity appeal.
Again, the obsession with Andy's sitcom is the primary focus, this time when Chris Martin wrangles a guest spot in When The Whistle Blows to promote his new album. It's a curious piece of meta-comedy, as Gervais and Merchant have essentially "sold out" themselves by including this skit in Extras, whilst making their statement about sell-out celebs. I'm still not sure if they're guilty of the sin they're speaking out about, or not.
Ashley Jensen is better utilized this time, but still on the periphery compared to last year. It's enought to make me consider the fact Jensen's attentions were split during filming (she has a role in a US sitcom Ugly Betty). If so, her reduced role may be understandable, but it's still disappointing. If not, this is a criminal waste of a talented actress. In a scene at a dressmakers, where Maggie is derided by a snooty employee, she exhibits more humanity and believable frailty than Gervais can muster in an entire episode.
But, onto the BAFTA awards. To be honest, the potential for hilarity at a formal awards bash is somewhat squandered. A key sequence where Richard Briers cuts a speech short to stamp on a malfunctioning catchphrase-spewing doll of Andy, is awkward and unbelievable.
Outside of the ceremony itself, the episode's saving grace arrives: the sight of Ronnie Corbett snorting cocaine in a toilet, and later being reprimanded by a BAFTA official (who alludes to the fact he expects such behaviour from Corbett). The role of celebs in Extras has always been to twist the perception of themselves, and turning national treasuer Ronnie Corbett into a junkie troublemaker is just inspired. Kudos to Corbett for accepting the offer to spear his nice guy persona to ruthlessly.
Elsewhere, the episode again fluctuates between highs and lows. Stephen Merchant's character is quickly becoming a tiresome one-joke entity, and no matter how sporting Shaun Williamson is at being the butt of the joke... even his bumbling henchman role is beginning to stagnate.
The problem with Ricky Gervais in this series is that Andy is always on a downer. Last year he was somewhat morose and unhappy, but it was tempered with his fun relationship with Maggie. This year he's depressed about his sitcom's status, his inept management and the problems of celebrity, but there's no no fun with Maggie. A respite is offered in Episode 4 with a fun Pretty Woman pastiche, wherein Andy gallanty offers to buy an expensive dress for Maggie, only to try and reverse the situation when he discovers the garment costs £2,500. But it's not enough, despite even the first glimmer of a romantic interest between the pair.
A serious and somber heart has always been at the core of Extras, but with believability increasingly stretched for the sake of a cheap gag, and the relationship between Andy and Maggie pushed into the background, Extras seems to have become a fitfully funny sitcom without the consistency it had last year.
