Episode 6 of Extras featured an absolute star turn by Robert Lindsay, and Ricky Gervais and Jonathan Ross being, well, Ricky Gervais and Jonathan Ross. Nothing from When The Whistle Blows this time and maybe that's just as well. And only 2 instances of the catchphrase "Are you 'avin a laff?" which I've now perfected myself so I don't need it on the telly no more anyway.
I won't say anything about the person we might call the "special special guest" in this episode as I don't want to spoil it for any of ya that haven't seen it. Shaun Williamson (spelt his name wrong last month - sorry Barry) and Stephen Merchant (the agent) are still the best things in this. In fact I think the agent could have his own spin-off series and it might actually be an even better programme - a Frasier for the 2010s.
It'sExtras has been a very good series so I don't want to feel the boot in, but my main criticism is that it didn't quite have the legs to be a classic over all six episodes (unlike the first series). There simply weren't that many situations that Gervais could put Andy Millman in and still keep it fresh without completely fracturing the suspension of disbelief. I think if it hadn't been scheduled just before That Mitchell & Webb Look it would have been the highlight of the autumn comedy season, but I fell off my chair watching Mitchell & Webb a good deal more than I did Extras. That Mitchell and webb Look is very traditional sketch-based comedy for the most part, but the sketches were so good that the format was largely irrelevant. My personal favourite, Numberwang (which became Wordwang in the final episode) was a brillinatly accurate parody of how fucking stupid all these daytime game shows really are. All it was missing was Noel Edmonds to come on halfway through and it would have been perfect. (I'm building myself up to a post on Deal or No Deal at some point soon, but I need to make sure I am in perfect 100% health first, as the sheer amount of spleen I am going to vent at this piece of s*** will take a lot out of me at my (relatively) advanced age...) As it was, they did manage to get Gyles Brandreth on one week and he was fantastic.
Anyway it was a superb effort and I will be investigating their radio show from a couple of years back, the imaginatively titled That Mitchell & Webb Sound, when I get some spare cash to spend on a CD or two. I should also put in a good word for Lead Balloon on BBC Four; I saw a bit of the latest episode last night but I wasn't paying massive attention as I was writing this bloody thing. But it looked pretty good and Jack Dee is intrinsically hilarious for some bizarre reason. A bit like Saxondale but without the roadie jokes and references to 1970s prog rockers. Which is a shame...
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2 comments:
"Deal or No Deal" is well structured television
It's certainly better structured than "Noel's House Party", but that's about all you can say about it.
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