Synopsis
Extras (2005), Season 1 is the Ricky Gervais comedy you can watch online on iFILM — six episodes about Andy Millman, a background actor still chasing a single line of dialogue worth quitting his old job for.
Every episode drops Andy onto a new set with a famous face playing a warped version of themselves. Ben Stiller lords his director's ego over the crew, Kate Winslet hands out filthy relationship tips between takes on a Holocaust drama, Patrick Stewart shares fantasies nobody asked for. Beside him is Maggie, a fellow extra who sabotages every chance with uncanny precision. Andy grovels for crumbs of screen time, then finally decides to push his own sitcom script through the door himself.
Gervais and Stephen Merchant skewer showbiz vanity from the inside, and the stars happily play along. The humour is awkward, near the bone, sometimes cruel to its own people. If The Office landed for you, this first season will too. Stream Extras online on iFILM.
6 episodes
S1·E1Ben Stiller
Andy and Maggie are both extras in a serious genocide movie being shot by Ben Stiller in England; however, Andy isn't satisfied with his minuscule role, and so goes to the genocide witness Goran to try and get him a bigger part.
S1·E2Ross Kemp and Vinnie Jones
Again Andy and Maggie are both extras on the same production, this time it's a period drama starring "hard-man" British actor Ross Kemp, who likes to play up to his tough persona. Another tough-guy actor, Vinnie Jones, is filming something nearby. When Andy brags to his rival, Greg, who's an extra on Jones' set, that Kemp could beat up Jones, the rivalry switches hands from the extras to the actors.
S1·E3Kate Winslet
Andy and Maggie work on a Holocaust film that stars Kate Winslet.
S1·E4Les Dennis
Andy gets a role in a pantomime, starring opposite British TV presenter Les Dennis. As Dennis begins to approach a breakdown, Maggie gets to know the pantomime director's daughter, who appears to have had her life greatly warped by her parents.
S1·E5Samuel L. Jackson
Andy and Maggie are this time working on an action movie starring Samuel L Jackson. Andy finds himself cornered into a friendship with an incredibly over-friendly middle-aged Welshman also working on the set. Maggie finds herself attracted to black actor Danny on set, but isn't sure how to talk to him because of his race.
S1·E6Patrick Stewart
As Andy's useless agent still hasn't managed to get him any work, he takes it upon himself to get his sitcom script read by somebody. He manages to get it to Patrick Stewart, who passes it onto the BBC, who decide to develop it. However, Andy finds himself stuck developing the script with a nearly unbearably camp man, a problem he shares with Maggie, who unwittingly repeats it to Andy's colleague later on, possibly jeopardizing Andy's chances of getting his sitcom made.
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