Extras (BBC)
All awkward on the set

// The skinny: Andy Millman and his friend Maggie have been career movie extras that have been trying to get real parts. Once the cameras stop rolling we get to see unexpected back stage glimpses of the big name stars.

// Review: Ricky Gervais is a genius. He is like the Steven Spielberg of comedy. Everyone wants to work with him, because everything he produces is gold. After writing, directing, and starring in the original Office, he adapted it for the US and then turned his sights on this series.

/ The premise is so brilliant I am shocked that it hadn't been done before. People (read: girls) gush over gossip rags like Us and People as if they're maps to some fabulous buried treasure. They drool over photos of hunky actors coming out of a Starbucks thinking they are just like us and want to believe they are the same nice people they play in their movies. With Extras, these stars turn out to be completely what we don't expect, whether it be Orlando Bloom bashing Johnny Depp and horrified that Maggie isn't into him, Kate Winslet giving phone sex advice, or Daniel Radcliffe trying to impress women with his condom.

/ Another comedic staple is Gervais's mastery of the awkward moment. The Office has some uncomfortable moments. Curb Your Enthusiasm has extremely cringe-worthy scenes. But there are certain episodes of Extras where for 10 minutes I sink into my chair and can't even watch. Andy or Maggie typically inadvertantly blurt out a very un-pc comment in front of a minority or get caught in a lie. Their go to move is when they stick their foot in their mouth to just keep talking an eventually things will get even worse. It's hilarious and painful all at once.

/ This show is mainly a comedy, but the second season is a great satire on show business. At the end of 2007 an hour long series ending Christmas special was released that was a surprisingly serious and slightly depressing commentary on fame. There is also an awesome scene with Clive Owen.

// Wrap up: For some reason many BBC series run for only 2 seasons with 6 episodes each. As great as Extras is, it's over so quickly that you'll want to savor each episode. I can easily see this British show becoming the next great American show.

Entertainment rating: 5