Grid Effect

Great weekend of television. Or rather, a great weekend of football with a couple good series’ on. So many people are skeptical of the McNulty development on The Wire and I’m just not understanding the knee-jerk reactions. We are five minutes into his caper and already people have voiced discontent over its fallacy. How it’s any more farcical than Hamsterdam this website will never understand, but it provides an excellent way for the media to become intrinsically instead of peripherally involved in this season’s arc, and that is what they’ve been so far to the commercial viewer: a distraction to the characters we’ve come to know and love.

Also this weekend Bill Maher’s show returned. This website doesn’t claim any political affiliations in fear of losing half of its already minimal audience, but watching one party set up a forum to verbally berate a single member of the other party is always enjoyable. Maher now brings in some guy from Rolling Stone he refers to as a field reporter or some shit, just to pile on whichever republican has shown up for his medicine. This week it was Tony Snow, who despite still recovering from Chemo treatments stood tall against the semi hate-fueled panel and audience. Seriously, regardless of which side of the aisle you happen to land on, you had to admit being impressed. Then again, debating politics with Marc Cuban probably isn’t a daunting task for a former press secretary. Simply put, if he’s the Dallas Mavericks then Helen Thomas is the San Antonio Spurs.

The Golden Globes took place last night. Not an actual awards show because those who would have scripted it would have been outside protesting its very existence. And since we had absolutely no idea it was taking place, we were surprised to see it being hosted on NBC with two, two person “panels” going back and forth talking vapidly about the winners and nominees in the name of killing time. It was a strange broadcast, and since they were doing much more succinct shows on E! and CNN (NEWS!), we couldn’t really fathom why any one would watch it.

Anyhow, while we were somewhat intrigued by who won, we weren’t too adamant about it since the nominees were so random, at least in the television categories. How can you hold an awards show for television and leave The Sopranos completely off the docket, sans Edie Falco? We have no idea, either. Never the less, it was good to see Mad Men garner recognition for best drama and best actor, for a series that should appeal to everyone with a brain over the age of twenty, maybe it will grow on its already large (cable) audience. Extras taking home best comedy series didn’t come as a surprise since foreign press essentially means European press. But the win was warranted, and we can’t recall Ricky Gervais’ sophomore series being recognized in any awards capacity to date.

Because of the strike, Gervais managed to avoid all public embarrassments.

A few gripes, namely David Duchovony getting the win for best comedic actor when his series is hardly a comedy. This seemed like a novelty to have him nominated in the first place, and I think we all kind of assumed it was Alec Baldwin’s to lose, or even Ricky Gervais or Steve Carell. For a field as loaded as this one was, seeing the guy from The X-Files win because his show is new kind of cheapens the already cheap award show. Also, we were pulling for Mary-Louise Parker (finally saw the third season premiere of Weeds this weekend, it was…chaotic) in the best comedic actress but can’t argue too staunchly against Tina Fey.

That was the weekend in a nutshell. We’ll try and return this afternoon with something worthwhile.

Helluva holiday season this year, we’ve probably been fairly outgoing in the wake of this writer’s strike. And you know what? We don’t like it. Spending time with loved ones, discovering and experiencing new things the world has to offer is overrated if you ask us. Sitting down in front of the television for a five hour binge is generally just as exciting and far more relaxing. Anyhow, onto the rest of the year end review…

5) Extras
Only got better from season one to two and was capped off by an hour and half finale that was as sentimental and introspective as it was hysterical. A sharp turn for a series that’s only dramatic moment beforehand was concluded with a voice mail from Patrick Stewart offering the series’ female lead a role in a soft porn. If Extras taught us anything, it’s that British actors, on a wide scale, are much more self-deprecating than American actors. And that Gervais and Ashley Jensen could both make the transition to dramatic acting and not miss a beat.

4) South Park
Imaginationland! To be frank I couldn’t even remember anything else about the most recent stretch of episodes and had to look it up. There was a King of Kong parody, an oral sex episode that coincided with a mockery of Jesus Camp, a 300 parody, a Guitar Hero episode and several mediocre attempts. But the three part saga that was “Imaginationland” hit on every comedic element possible. From rehashing former characters to absurd scenarios to remarkable likenesses, Trey Parker and Matt Stone proved they still hit more often than they miss.

3) It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia
Sometimes they strive too hard to upset as many people as possible (much like their predecessors at #4) and it cuts into the comedic stylings. But, when it’s working it works better than any other comedy on television. The cast (including Danny DeVito) appears to feed off their apparent synergy more so than any other cast on television since Seinfeld as “the gang” disparages and destroys their lives and the lives of those who dare associate with them. After finishing their third and best season I think this spot is well deserved, if unpopular.

I’d probably rather cross Chris and Snoop.

2) Mad Men
If it wasn’t for the finale of arguably the greatest achievement in television history this probably would have claimed the top spot. Jon Hamm, Vincent Kartheiser and John Slattery (who was briefly in Charlie Wilson’s War getting brow beaten by Philip Seymour Hoffman, by the way) led the helm of an ensemble cast that’s second to none. Every remarkably imperfect character is capable of invoking sympathy at times and hatred at others, including the protagonist Donald Draper, whose mysterious background and unfolded tale kept the summer television season worthwhile. The atmospheric has paved the way for a new style of television as it focuses on every intricate detail of the life during 1960. All we have to say is the editing team is probably underpaid.

1) The Sopranos
What else is there to say that hasn’t been said? The final scene has been rehashed and debated ad nauseum and in some ways diminished the brilliance of the final nine episodes. From a critical standpoint, the concluding half season of this series is probably the best run they produced (we’d still make a case for the fifth season, but that’s a different post) over the eight years it was on and left the series on an ambiguous high note, probably the only appropriate manner for David Chase to end it on.

That’s it for 2007, happy new years!

What the hell was that? I mean, it was fantastic, but it was certainly unexpected. When we tuned in we were bracing ourselves for ninety minutes of hilarious misunderstandings and Andy’s frustration, not eighty minutes of every character one way or another in some form of crisis. Good lord, even Clive Owen was a prick and he was only on screen for about two minutes.

The finale was done in superb form, bringing back several bit players and focusing on the main ones (Andy, Maggie and Darren). The stages of Andy’s career are essentially what everything revolved around, from unsatisfied and shallow to disgruntled, unappreciative and bitter to redeeming and soul-searching, and how his former agent and best friend were indirectly effected by his poor decisions and self-interest. A common tale, or so I am told. But one we can never recall being illustrated with such grace, humor and accuracy.

The Maggie storyline was particularly depressing. For a good while it wasn’t beyond the pale that she would attempt suicide and at that point we began to miss the days where she clumsily tried to pick up men. It was nothing short of devastating to see the typically happy-go-lucky character so disillusioned by her professional and social status. Ashley Jensen gave a really heart wrenching performance for the full eighty minutes that should really earn her a couple nominations at the Golden Globes and the Emmy’s.

Am I going to have to start watching Ugly Betty now?

Stephen Merchant, even in his most humiliating scenes managed to draw laughs, such as leaping over the barrier at the BBC and his run in with Andy outside of the Car Phone Warehouse. The few comedic scenes there were generally involved Merchant playing the typically clueless agent. From taking off his windbreaker, to dancing to car phone ring-tones to being completely ambivalent about Maggie’s desperation, I nearly pissed myself laughing. It’s probably a good thing he was strictly rendered for comedic effect, because with that scrawny, lanky frame and the goofy demeanor, he would be hard to take seriously.

And its yet another award winning performance from Ricky Gervais. Who, as great as Maggie was, exhibited so many emotions and mindsets in an eighty minute period that he should really consider a Bill Murray type career after this. He embodied all the above transitions and embodied them well. For someone who’s typically known as something of a goofball, we were pleasantly surprised that he could carry a scene so well as his final plea for forgiveness from Maggie.

In fact, the body of the “Big Brother” stint was probably the funniest and most dramatic act of the mini-movie. The commentary on reality television and the self-serving nature of celebrity was exquisite and pointed and summarized my opinions on trash reality television more succinctly than I could ever hope to do (paraphrasing): “We wheel out the disenfranchised for the amusement of multi-millionaires”. It seems like Gervais and Merchant had a lot they wanted to get off their collective chests.

As much as I was enamored with the conclusion, the lead up to Andy’s realization and the entire character arc was as articulate as anything we’ve seen on television since Mad Men ended its first season. The firing of the extra pleading with Andy for a line was particularly cringe-inducing. In his desperation to be taken seriously, Andy not only smiled in the man’s face (promised him his best effort) and stabbed him in the back (directed a PA to fire him), but also demanded that Maggie no longer approach him on set as to prevent the other extras from believing, “they’re equal to him”.

What a transition. All while juxtaposed to Maggie’s real life problems, Andy is decidedly worried about becoming one of the biggest celebrities in the world when his troubles pale in comparison to Maggie’s, who after being humiliated by Clive Owen was reduced to janitorial work. But Andy was so self-involved at that point that he failed to even know where she lived or where she worked.

It wasn’t all gloom and doom, there were some great comedic bits. Including everything mentioned with Merchant, there was the “queer bench” scene with George Michael who I didn’t recognize at first. The trading of barbs with the abrasive dude from Hell’s Kitchen (who had to have no idea what the theme of this movie/episode was going to be) and the audition scene with the girdle (when Andy was still in good humor and seemed to signify a turning point for him, since it was in front of his arch-nemesis).

Ultimately though, it was a story about the perils of celebrity and the downside to believing your own hype. Would Andy had been grateful for what he accomplished instead of projecting his petty nonsense onto everyone around him, he would have been content. Instead his obsession with attaining a respectable celebrity status led to his abandonment and ironically, made him wholly unpleasant. The celebrity he achieved with “When The Whistle Blows”, regardless of what he thought of his fans was what he ultimately longed for, more so than being an artist. Fame, she’s a cruel mistress.

That’s it. Twelve episodes, no finality, and Extras, much like John Elway, ends on a high note. And while I wish Gervais and Merchant would feel compelled to piece together a third season of this series, I understand this doesn’t seem to be how things work in Britain (or at least not for these two).

Who would have thought the highlight of the evening revolve around a “nudy pen” that we see two, and presume a third man in the show will be masturbating to. And our protagonist would catch his agent (and moments later, his agents assistant) in the act, leading to the first time I have ever heard self-gratification referred to as “tossing off”, which I thoroughly plan on incorporating into my everyday conversation.

Coincidentally, that third man is Robert DeNiro, whom Darren gives the pen to as a sort of peace offering for Andy bailing on the meeting his agent had set up for the two of them. Missing the meeting was almost mandatory though, he had been transforming into the self-involved proto-typical celebrity, neglecting his best friend and a kid set for neurosurgery (though it is a tad obnoxious that the mother wanted Andy to do the eulogy should the kid survive the operation).

All I could think about while watching this finale is what the outcry would be like had this aired on American network television, developed a widespread, mainstream audience…. and called it quits after twelve episodes. If this show had the same viewership as Friends (not that it ever would), can you imagine the hysteria? They would just be a barrage of unanswered questions that would culminate into the audience ultimately being dissatisfied with the series:

“Why didn’t they get Andy and Maggie together? Did Andy ever get to do a film with DeNiro? How much longer did “When The Whistle Blows” stay on the air for? Is Darren still his agent? Did Bobby ever get his acting career back on track?”

… And so on and so forth. It was a comedy series, a great one at that. Plot development and a neatly packaged conclusion were not the motivating forces for the creation of Extras.

All in all a great series I do not want to see come to an end, but Gervais wants to export this series ala the Office for the huge payday for the minimal amount of work. Sound move from a business perspective, but I don’t have to like it. Hopefully Gervais and Merchant give me something else too write about in the near future.

Ricky Gervais likes to torment the character of Andy Millman. This isn’t anything new, Andy has consistently been humiliated in some of the most elaborate ways. But last night was embarassing for not only Andy but for everyone watching. Not only was Andy embarassed, but even the viewers who knew the backstory probably didn’t feel much sympathy for him, whereas in past episodes, we recognized him as a character of misfortune, so to speak.

I was somewhat surprised Andy was so deeply concerned with the opinion his former high school classmate held of him. His desperation to appease the homecoming king was sad more than anything (is anyone still that concerned about there high school reputation in there forties?), regardless the situation breeded humor. I am not sure if Andy is homophobic, I honestly do not think he is, but the fact he was so bound and determined to display his virility too impress an old classmate was probably more cringe inducing than if he were a hate mongerer.

I cannot blame him for refusing to kiss in the play (though it probably would have been a much easier situation had he done so). The way Ian McLellan sprung it on him at the last second was a tad unreasonable, I have never acted in my life, but I would imagine that even if Andy were kissing a girl, it’s something that requires a certain degree of mental preparation, especially for theater actors, I can’t fathom doing that (more or less) impromptu. Even though Andy seemingly refused to do it for all the wrong reasons (not wanting too be mocked by his old classmate), I can understand being apprehensive about it.

(Though I did like Andy’s explanation to the crowd for his hesitancy, “McLellan sprung this on me backstage five minutes before we opened”. Something about Andy uising only his last name struck a chord in me. Also, given that Ian McLellan is openly gay, and its the theater, wouldn’t Andy consider the possibility that it was a gay play? Would that have been presumptuous?)

In one of the funnier scenes from Extras, with the advice from the suave former classmate, Darren managed to ask out Maggie. And because she is so dimwitted, accepted the offer. Apparently everyone else besides those two realized how oddly casual they approached it the prospect of them dating, considering they have known each other for years. But the determining factor that led to Maggie skipping out on the date (the explanation for why Darren was preoccupied with the bathroom) had me keeling over. Regrettably, it was never rehashed by either Darren or Maggie to Andy, because either Maggie’s dismay of it all or Darren’s cluelessness followed by Andy’s reaction would have been something to behold.

Definitely the best episode so far, with the Daniel Radcliffe episode a close second. Only one more episode left to end another short season (not comparatively short, though, the British Office series didn’t even topple fifteen episodes) so it will probably stay that way.

More to come later today, maybe some links, maybe a short synposis on the Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel I watched last night. Until then…

Extras has never been concerned about pandering to its US audience, and I can appreciate that. It was created in London by two Brits and originally aired on the BBC. So my qualms aren’t with the series, just my lack of understanding. While I think this was the worst episode of Extras I have seen in the series’ short history, it still had its moments.

The issues relating to British pop culture are my problem, I suppose. It seemed like I missed the humor in the majority of the punchlines on Sunday night, particularly at The BAFTA’s. It would require a bit of setup, and if there was a method of cluing the American audience in on his British references, I would be all for it. But that would probably detract from the focus of the episodes, simply rendering it a bad comedy, as opposed to a good comedy I am occasionally in the dark about.

If Gervais and Merchant decide to create a third season, it would be appreciated if they stopped harping on how simplistic the lions share of British television is, the ineptness of fans of such television and as a result, how unrespectable Andy is. I am sure Gervais has endless examples about how British television is mired in mediocrity (We could do the same here), but when Gervais keeps forcing the issue, it starts to make Extras as monotonous and repititive as the brand of television that he is mocking.

With all of that said, Chris Martin was absolutely hilarious tonight. The episode peaked in His five minute cameo in the opening minutes. He has a reputation regarded as something of a pompous rock star, whether or not it is true I have no idea. But at the very least it was good to see him have fun with the sullen aspect of his public image. Honestly, I can’t imagine what Gervais or Merchant says to these people to get them to parody themselves like this, but its an enviable trait by most TV producers, I’m sure.

While this episode was underwhelming, and missed its mark on several occasions, I have seen next weeks episode (already posted On Demand) and it more than compensates for this one’s shortcomings.

Sunday night’s Extras was probably my favorite of the short series. It revolved heavily around Stephen Merchant, who very well might be funnier than Gervais as Andy’s bumbling agent. This isn’t meant to be disparaging towards Gervais, who had his own moments (particularly the dinner scene), but Merchant’s comedic timing was impeccable in the conversation with the midget, the television interview and when he was trying to avoid calling the producer for the knock off Harry Potter film.

We should get him together with Dakota Fanning

The plot was fairly simple, Andy gets offered a bit movie role in a new fantasy movie starring Daniel Radcliffe (The kid from the Harry Potter franchise). The midget has a average sized fiance whom everyone questions, Radcliffe is a horny teenager who’s afraid of his mother and Andy, tired of food on set, wants to eat at a “proper resturant” where he unknowingly offends a mother and her mentally handicapped son by asking the waitress to ask the mother and her child to “keep it down”. Andy had his back to their table and the kid had his back to them so it was unbeknownst to him that the kid was disabled.

Anyhow, through a series of misunderstandings, Andy ends up kicked off the film after the midget attacks him and Andy accidentally knocks him out. In addition, he had been ripped to shreds in the tabloids for hating the mentally challenged, where the story had been (obviously) blown out of proportion.

But like I said the episode belonged to Merchant who had several choice lines:

(Taps midget on top of his head to draw his attention) “Could I fit in your house?”

“Andy didn’t know the kid was…mentally deranged. You couldn’t tell if some kid was a mongloid by staring at the back of his head.” -On some British talk show, supposedly defending his client.

“Do you think the producers would buy my TV?” -Merchant trying to sell his television after him and Andy agree it is to big for his apartment.

By the end of the episode, Andy is believed by his peers to dislike the mentally handicapped and midgets all through the fault of his agent and Maggie (who led the midgets wife to believe that Andy thought he could steal her from him solely for being “normal height”). There are only six episodes in this second season, so I assume this is the tipping point that will lead to Andy being an extra again by the time season three is underway.

Last night was something of a turning point in Extras, obviously nothing too dramatic, but the setbacks of artistically sacrificing his show at the BBC’s insistence came to fruition for Andy this week. It seems that the minute noteriety that “When The Whistle Blows” has brought him comes from all the wrong people, which is understandable, given the shows content.

First, a yokul in a bar and his gaggle of friends have an obsession with the series. Not only are they invasive and obnoxious, they’re persistent as well. Second, Andy is recognized by a homeless panhandler who so much as extorts $20 out of him as a result of knowing he’s on television. Third, he is publicily humiliated at a an upscale night club by David Bowie. The unfortunate scene with his idol, leads to Andy reverting back to the same bar where he was hounded by the collection of simpletons to bolster his now completely shattered ego.

Even when he tries to force his celebrity on someone to his advantage it seems to backfire. In this case Maggie was more to blame than anyone, but Andy should no better than to use her as an accomplice, as she is kind of dim. In this ruse, Andy has an attractive neighbor move in next door to him and asks Maggie too approach him as a random fan looking for an autograph while she is moving boxes from her car to apartment. The exchange between the Maggie and Andy in front of this unsuspecting woman is one of the better in the series:

Andy: Who should I sign this for?
Maggie: Me.
Andy: Well I don’t know you now, do I?
Maggie: Maggie… Thank you Andy Mellman, you are the best comedic actor on television.
Andy: I wouldn’t say that.
Maggie: But that’s what you told me to say.
(A few awkward glances and failed recovery’s later, Andy resigns and begins walking into his apartment)
Maggie: Can I come up with you?
Andy: Yep.

It seems the fame Andy was seeking from his series is ill-gotten, and all he has left now is a bar full of unwanted fans. One would hope Andy avoids the detriment of selling out and eventually parlays whatever success he gets from “When The Whistle Blows” into a respectable comedy, though my guess is by the end of the second season he is working as an extra again.

Most people are completely unaware of the series Extras for two reasons: One, though it airs on HBO in the states, it originally aired on The BBC, as it is yet another series imported from Britain by comedic gadfly Ricky Gervais. So, while it is on the best network for original programming, this isn’t an HBO produced series and they do not advertise it like they normally would. Two, its first season was only six episodes, giving only a small time-frame for word of mouth to get around. But that doesn’t diminish the creative quality of the series.

The premise for the first season was Andy (Gervais), left a decent paying career too roll the dice as a struggling actor/writer, but for the most part all he can find work in is as a background extra (hence the title). He and female counterpart Maggie Jacobs (played by the understated Ashley Jensen) comment and discuss everything about working on set, from Maggies pursued relationships too attempting conversation with recognizable lead actors/directors/producers (Every week there is a A-list guest star playing a parody of him/herself: Kate Winslet, Smauel L. Jackson, Patrick Stewart, etc).

At the beginning of the second season which premiered on HBO on Sunday night, Maggie and Andy were separated for the majority of the half hour. Andy, now working on his own series, is disappointed because the BBC is forcing him too compromise his artistic integrity for the sake of fan fare and ratings. While Maggie, still an extra, is being continually denigrated by fellow cohorts, and socially harassed by Orlando Bloom, who cannot believe that Maggie doesn’t find him physically irresistible.

The episode had its high moments, particularly one in which Andy “took a stand” against The BBC for turning his series into a series consisting of props and catch phrases. And we are also accustomed too more Stephen Merchant playing Andy’s inept agent, Darren Lamb. Merchant co-created this series with Gervais as well as the British version of The Office, has typically been behind the scenes, with the exception of small doses of him in the first season.

My only complaint about the second season debut, was it lacked the dynamic of Maggie and Andy that I thought made the first season exempolary (Maggie’s appeal grows exponentially when she and Andy are playing off each other). But it detracted from the episode greatly, as watching Andy and Maggie talk, probably accounted for 70% of all scenes in the first season. I am optimistic that more and more of the second season will take place off set, as Andy and Maggie both compliment each other.

Just as a programming note, Extras airs on Sunday nights at 10pm et. But every new episode is posted on HBO On Demand the Monday before it premieres on HBO (six days in advance). I guess HBO is doing this too attract an audience with its series that are somewhat under the radar (much like they did/do with The Wire).