Extras - Series 1

An absolutely wonderful follow up to one of the greatest ever British sitcoms, 'The Office'.

Gervais and Stephen Merchant have struck absolute gold again with Extras.

If anything, Extras is a more rounded comedy that will appeal to a wider audience, what with its famous names, yet the priniciples which the writers insisted on in Slough are still in evidence here.

All the toe-curling, painfully cringy humour the pair can create is out in force, with celebs sending themselves up in the most incredible ways, purely for the purposes of entertainment.

Ben Stiller one week telling a Bosnian to stop going on about his dead wife when making a movie with him about her brutal murder, the next Les Dennis ringing The Sun anonymously to say he's spotted Les Dennis shopping in London.

Somewhere in between is the brilliant Ashley Jensen as Maggie, a stunning acting debut surpassed only by Gervais, and only because he gave himself most of the best lines!

Merchant converts to the front of the camera well too, playing a stupid agent brilliantly, while his assistant Shaun Williamson (sorry - 'Barry from Eastenders') completes an unlikely double act.

Gervais, as stated, is the driving force, shifting away from Brent by losing the beard and gaining the ability to actually be funny and likeable.

All in all, this an absolute gem, and anyone worried it will be a flop which couldn't possibly live up to The Office, I would say don't worry - this is fantastic too.

Where do I start with Extras? The Ricky Gervais comedy was pure class and the DVD offers much of the same.

Gervais plays the role of Andy - an extra with aspirations of hitting the big time and getting a line in a movie. Unlike his previous incarnation as The Office's 'Boss from Hell', Andy is a pretty likeable chap - but is still prone to classic foot in mouth moments ala Brent.

So, the action centres around and his friend - a fellow Extra called Maggie (Ashley Jenkins) who often inadvertantly scuppers Andy's chances of getting a line in one of the films. Gervais's partner in crime, Steven Merchant, pops up as Andy's agent and his style bares a more than striking resemblence to Gareth from the aforementioned Office.

The big draw in this comedy, apart from the portly Gervais himself, is the appearance of several Hollywood A-Listers and a few British TV bums who all play extreme versions of themselves.

Some of the big names involved include Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Stiller, a very game Kate Winslet & Patrick Stewart. However it's arguably the stars of the small screen who get the biggest laughs with Ross Kemp, Les Dennis & Shaun Wlliamson (Fat Baz from Eastenders) all sending themselves up in the good name of comedy.

All in all, if you enjoy close to the bone laughs, I'd urge you to give this a try, however if your one of the P.C brigade or the easily offended, then it may not be up your street.

Another winner from the best comic in this country.