Thu, January 25, 2007
Extras, Season Two—4:57 PM
I don't know how people feel about Extras. I really enjoyed the first season, and respected how different it was from The Office, but most people I talked to didn't seem very wowed, and you didn't hear much buzz in the press.
But even if you weren't that fond of season one, I'd recommend checking out the new season. Andy (the Gervais character) is more central to the story now, if you like that kind of thing. (I was fine with him taking a smaller role, but of course this is great, too.) His character has accepted a starring role in a sitcom he helped create, but most of the creative decisions have been taken over by the network, dumbing it down and adding stupid catchphrases to steal cheap laughs. The scenes from the sitcom expertly skewer the blight of bad sitcoms we've lived through lately, and of course Gervais remains in tip-top form.
Brandon — Thu, 1/25/07 9:15pm
It's funny you should post this now, because over lunch today I was looking for something to watch, so I decided to check out the first episode on HBO On Demand. And I have to admit, I liked this episode much better than any of the Season One episodes - enough to keep watching more of Season Two.
Maybe the key is keeping Gervais and Ashley Jensen apart more often. I never found their scenes together that funny, but her stuff in the season opener this year was great.