TV: Extras

One of the funniest shows I've seen in recent memory is the British comedy "Extras" (it's airing on HBO here in the States). It's been called the UK's answer to "Curb Your Enthusiasm" by critics, and that description's not far off - struggling actor Andy Millman (played by Ricky Gervais) sees British show business from the trenches. He works as a film extra who desperately seeks bigger roles, and he constantly rubs noses with a parade of guest stars (a who's-who of British cinema - Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellan, Orlando Bloom, Daniel Radcliffe). Here's a clip:



Millman's bumbling agent (played by the scene-stealing Stephen Merchant) is hilarious, and his mismanagement of Andy's career is gleeful and over-the-top. Gervais and Merchant have excellent comedic chemistry together:



Eventually, in the second season of the show, Andy gets the reins of his own sitcom. Although he "sells out" numerous times, he somehow gets nominated for a BAFTA, and hilarity ensues:



I may be a sucker for Britcoms, but "Extras" gets my thumbs-up.