Anyone else watch "Extras" on HBO?

[Guaranteed]

I've just gotten into it, and I'm really enjoying it. It kind of reminds me of Seinfeld, or maybe a reverse-Curb Your Enthusiasm, but better, wherein the main character is just getting constantly abused by the idiots surrounding him. I'm loving the characters, which somehow are all hilarious. And the stories are great, too, and the guest appearances every show.

And, more than anything, I just feel like I can relate to the main character. He does some dumb things sometimes, usually when he starts feeling like he needs to start being more aggressive. But mostly it's just his clown friends that keep screwing everything up for him.

[Scout1071]

1. It's hilarious.

Certainly one of the funniest sitcoms on today.

[Guaranteed]

2. Yup. It's just a great show.

NOT "shit."

[Telly Savalas]

3. The guest stars are outrageous.

Ben Stiller and Patrick Stewart in particular.

Have you seen the original "The Office" also with Rick Gervais (or whatever that guy's name is)? Best show ever made IMHO.

[NashVegas]

4. I've Been Getting Into It

The Daniel Radcliff episode was my first - what a scream!

Last night's was particularly interesting in light of the Snickers controversy. I suspect the episode was a swipe at Shawn Astin and/or possibly Elijah Wood. IIRC, one of them made a point of mentioning that blocking for a particular Frodo / Sam scene, that included hand-holding, was McKellen's idea.

[Tripper11]

5. Ricky Gervais is amazing....

I first caught him in The Office, which was phenomenal! He has an extraordinary knack of taking a character and making the viewer feel terribly uncomfortable for that character in so many ways. It's almost embarrassing by osmosis.

[scarlet_owl]

6. I"ve been wanting to see it, but we don't get HBO.

Are seasons of it out on DVD?

[Chiyo-chichi]

7. Season One is on DVD.

6 episodes.

[Chiyo-chichi]

8. The David Bowie song was the funniest thing I've heard in many years.

"chubby little loser..."

Extras is a great show.

Yes, Andy is abused by the idiots around him - he should have fired his agent LONG ago and Maggie is certainly going to say the wrong thing at the wrong time, but often Andy doesn't need any help. Just when you think it can't get any worse for him, in this week's episode he acted in the most unprofessional, homophobic way - and it was no one's fault but his that his reputation and career will be further in the toilet.

Some of my other favorite moments:
Ian McKellan explaining the fundamentals of acting to Andy.
Ben Stiller pointing a gun at a child actor's mother to get him to cry.
Kate Winslett's mimed phone sex.

Gervais wants to make a U.S. version of Extras with Steve Carell as Andy.