"Extras" (2005) TV series 2005-2007

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

25 September 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

The story of a man with small parts. (season 1)

Plot:

Andy Millman is an actor with ambition and a script. Reduced to working as an extra with a useless agent, Andy's attempts to boost his career invariably end in failure and embarrassment.

Plot Keywords:

Actor | Workplace | Sitcom | Double Act | Director

Awards:

Won Golden Globe. Another 11 wins & 37 nominations

Cast

Ricky Gervais	...	Andy Millman (13 episodes, 2005-2007)
Ashley Jensen	...	Maggie Jacobs (13 episodes, 2005-2007)
Stephen Merchant	...	Darren Lamb (11 episodes, 2005-2007)
Shaun Williamson	...	Barry / ... (10 episodes, 2005-2007)
Shaun Pye	...	Greg / ... (7 episodes, 2005-2007)
Sarah Moyle	...	Kimberley (6 episodes, 2006-2007)
Andrew Buckley	...	Gobbler (6 episodes, 2006-2007)
Jamie Chapman	...	Brains (6 episodes, 2006-2007)

Series Directed by
Ricky Gervais		(13 episodes, 2005-2007)
Stephen Merchant		(13 episodes, 2005-2007)

Series Writing credits
Ricky Gervais		(13 episodes, 2005-2007)
Stephen Merchant		(13 episodes, 2005-2007)

Series Produced by
Charlie Hanson	....	producer (13 episodes, 2005-2007)
Jon Plowman	....	executive producer (13 episodes, 2005-2007)
Eirwen Davies	....	line producer (7 episodes, 2006-2007)
Ricky Gervais	....	executive producer (7 episodes, 2006-2007)
Stephen Merchant	....	executive producer (7 episodes, 2006-2007)
Jenny Penrose	....	line producer (6 episodes, 2005)

Series Original Music by
John Collins		(1 episode, 2005)
Glyn Hughes		(1 episode, 2007)

Series Cinematography by
Martin Hawkins		(13 episodes, 2005-2007)

Series Film Editing by
Nigel Williams		(12 episodes, 2005-2006)

Series Casting by
Tracey Gillham		(13 episodes, 2005-2007)

Series Production Design by
Anna Higginson		(13 episodes, 2005-2007)

Series Art Direction by
Kaye Robertson		(12 episodes, 2005-2006)
Melinda Styles		(6 episodes, 2006)

Series Costume Design by
Annie Hardinge		(13 episodes, 2005-2007)

Series Makeup Department
Lisa Cavalli-Green	....	hair designer / makeup designer (13 episodes, 2005-2007)
Sophia Burnage	....	makeup assistant (12 episodes, 2005-2006)
Susie Munachen	....	makeup artist (6 episodes, 2005)
Zoë Styles	....	makeup artist (6 episodes, 2005)
Lesley Noble	....	make up artist / hair stylist / makeup artist/hair stylist (6 episodes, 2006)

Series Production Management
David Colenutt	....	unit manager (6 episodes, 2006)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sam Dawking	....	first assistant director (13 episodes, 2005-2007)
Jennie Fava	....	second assistant director / third assistant director (12 episodes, 2005-2006)
Paul Cathie	....	third assistant director (7 episodes, 2006-2007)
Bart Bailey	....	second assistant director (6 episodes, 2005)
Jude Campbell	....	first assistant director (6 episodes, 2005)

Series Art Department
Laurence Archer	....	prop master / property master (13 episodes, 2005-2007)
Tracy Gallaccio	....	production buyer (12 episodes, 2005-2006)
Simon Johnson	....	stand-by props (7 episodes, 2005-2007)
Damien Hollands	....	assistant art director (6 episodes, 2005)
Elaine Jones	....	art department assistant (6 episodes, 2005)
Dawn White	....	assistant art director (6 episodes, 2006)

Series Sound Department
Glenn Calder	....	dubbing mixer (13 episodes, 2005-2007)
Leigh Crisp	....	sound recordist (13 episodes, 2005-2007)
Tom Harrison	....	boom operator (13 episodes, 2005-2007)
Amber Howorth	....	sound assistant / assistant sound / ... (13 episodes, 2005-2007)
Matt Stronge	....	sound editor (13 episodes, 2005-2007)
John Brady	....	fisher boom operator (7 episodes, 2006-2007)

Series Stunts
Ray De-Haan	....	stunt coordinator (1 episode, 2007)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Graham Banks	....	electrician (13 episodes, 2005-2007)
Martin Blinko	....	focus puller (13 episodes, 2005-2007)
Alan Tabner	....	grip (13 episodes, 2005-2007)
Nathan Wiley	....	focus puller (13 episodes, 2005-2007)
Oliver Poole	....	electrician (12 episodes, 2005-2006)
Jonathan Tanner	....	electrician (9 episodes, 2005-2007)
Paul Barlow	....	gaffer (7 episodes, 2006-2007)
Louise Edmunds	....	assistant camera / camera assistant (7 episodes, 2006-2007)
Guy Littlemore	....	camera operator (7 episodes, 2006-2007)
Colin McCarthy	....	gaffer (6 episodes, 2005)
Trevor Speed	....	assistant camera (6 episodes, 2005)
John E. Walker	....	camera operator (6 episodes, 2005)

Series Animation Department
Laurie Peters	....	animator (1 episode, 2006)

Series Casting Department
Nicky Bligh	....	casting assistant (1 episode, 2006)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Aaron Timperley	....	wardrobe assistant (13 episodes, 2005-2007)
Sheena Gunn	....	costume assistant (12 episodes, 2005-2006)
Janine Marr	....	wardrobe assistant (12 episodes, 2005-2006)
Sarah Ward	....	wardrobe assistant (7 episodes, 2005-2007)

Series Editorial Department
Vincent Narduzzo	....	colorist (13 episodes, 2005-2007)

Series Music Department
Glyn Hughes	....	composer: incidental music (8 episodes, 2005-2006)

Series Other crew
Jez Nightingale	....	production executive (13 episodes, 2005-2007)
Jo Randall	....	location manager (13 episodes, 2005-2007)
Jackie Byrne	....	production accountant (12 episodes, 2005-2006)
Lloyd Shepherd	....	artists contracts (12 episodes, 2005-2006)
Elise Mytton	....	script supervisor (7 episodes, 2006-2007)
Tessa Kimbell	....	script supervisor (6 episodes, 2005)
Mona Sahlabadi	....	production runner (6 episodes, 2005)
Samantha Waite	....	production coordinator (6 episodes, 2005)
Matt Walmsley	....	production runner (6 episodes, 2005)
Ria Bradburn	....	runner (6 episodes, 2006)
Lucy Crayford	....	production coordinator (6 episodes, 2006)
Georgie Fallon	....	runner (6 episodes, 2006)
Emily Mayson	....	runner: work experience (6 episodes, 2006)
Georgina Roberts	....	production secretary (6 episodes, 2006)
Jane White	....	production coordinator (6 episodes, 2006)
Angela R. Knight	....	double: Kate Winslet / stand-in: Kate Winslet (unknown episodes)
Adam White	....	assistant location manager (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
• Home Box Office (HBO)

Distributors

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (2005-) (UK) (TV) (BBC2) (original airing)
• Home Box Office (HBO) (2005-) (USA) (TV)
• Canvas (2005-) (Belgium) (TV)
• Comedy Central (2008) (Netherlands) (TV)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (2007) (USA) (DVD) (complete first & second seasons)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (2008) (USA) (DVD) (complete series)
• Polyband (2008) (Germany) (DVD)
• WoWow (2005) (Japan) (TV)

Other Companies

• Casting Collective  extras casting
• Central Casting  extras casting

Also Known As:

Runtime:

30 min (12 episodes) | 84 min (1 Episode)

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

UK:15 | Australia:M | Iceland:LH | Singapore:M18 (season 1) | Singapore:NC-16 (season 2) | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-13 (season 3) (tv rating) | Finland:K-16

Filming Locations:

High Street, Uxbridge, Middlesex, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

In some episodes, some lines by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant are different in America than they are in Britain.

Quotes:

Maggie's Boyfriend:[while having sex] Oh, come on love, you're like a dead horse, put a bit of minge round it!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Life's Too Short: Episode #1.1" (2011)

Soundtrack:

Tea for the Tillerman

Pure Comedic Gold from Ricky Gervaise

Every so often, England hits the comedic mark and creates a benchmark to which all else must aspire; Monthy Python, Dad's Army, Fawlty Towers, Only Fools and Horses and, of course, the simply faultless "The Office". The writing team of Gervais and Merchant crafted in that series some of the most achingly funny and desperately well observed depictions of the human condition ever committed to film. "The Office" struck a particular chord with me because I have spent most of my adult life in sales and they nailed the highs and lows of that career brilliantly.

Moving on then to their new offering; "Extras", I am happy to report that the observational skills have not deserted them. This time the central character (Andy Millman) is again played by Ricky Gervais, only, unlike his David Brent character, Millman is astute, caring and worth the time of day. Unforutnately, like Brent, he is also trapped in a spiral of underachievement.

Andy Millman is an film extra, a background artiste, who aspires to a real acting role and the central theme of each episode is his quest for a "line" in each film in which he appears in the background. Along side him is his (seemingly) only friend, a frustrated thirty something woman, Maggie Jacobs (superbly played by Ashley Jensen), whose sole aim seems to be to find a husband / longterm partner. Add into this mix a chronically crap agent (Merchant himself), a nemesis in the shape of another extra who seems to be getting lines and a liberal sprinkling of cameoing "A" list guest stars and you have a wonderful platform on which to build a spankingly funny series.

And wow... do they hit a home run! Every second of each episode is deliciously funny and acutely observed. Highlights to look out for are the Ben Stiller/Dodgeball opening weekend grosses scene - the Golly scene in Maggie's apartment - the "Are you really a Catholic scene" and, above anything you will have ever seen in a TV comedy, the entire Les Dennis episode.

Les Dennis will be lost on Americans but for those of us who have followed his plunging career, you can only weep for this superbly written and judged performance. Pathos doesn't even begin to cover it.

Also, anyone who can look at Kate Winslet again without thinking of that "phone sex" scene is a better man than me.

Please, please, watch "Extras". It may, for some, be an acquired taste but once you have that taste, its like a piece of Swiss chocolate - exquisite.

And no laugh track either - yay England.