Mr_Prowse Before this finale, I loved Extras, but I did not hold it up there with the legendary television programs. I thought it was excellent, but if every show could end with a finale like this the would of television would be a better place.First, let it be said that there is not that much comedy to the finale. Some people might have a problem with this, but anyone invested in the characters will be fine. This is not to say that there is no comedy. Wonderful little gags are placed around the "finale" or basically a made-for-TV-movie more than a finale. And the jokes hit their mark very well. Stephen Merchant, scene-stealer of the entire program, has some great scenes, and the only down part of the finale is that he does not have many scenes in it. I know he is a supporting character, but in my opinion he was the funniest character in the show.But there is little room for Merchant in an episode that spends most of time with Andy and Maggie evaluating their lives. This is the main point of the episode, and I'm not going to give any thing away here, but while many writers over the years have had character tackle this existential question of 'what am i doing with my life?', no one has done it better than these two fellows here. I never thought that a comedy could almost bring me to tears, but this finale did it without feeling like a depressing Oscar story.Job well done. Every time you expect a cliché plot point to pop up and take the story where every story like this usually goes, they go the other way. It's even more sad that this is the end of a great television show, but I guess Gervais and Merchant take quality over quantity to heart.

bob the moo When the Whistle Blows is still drawing in millions on BBC1 but Andy is closer and closer to breaking point. Seeing his rival successful in Hollywood, Andy drops his useless agent and takes up with Tre Cooper, looking for more. Dropping out of his sitcom to pursue more worthy material however may not be the best move and soon Andy is faced with hard decisions about his goals. Meanwhile, with no work as an extra after a run-in with Clive Owen, Maggie settles into menial work and basic living.Deconstructing Harry. If you're a Woody Allen fan and you've seen it then you'll know why I am referring to it here. In that film I was not only laughing but actively shocked at how personal and aggressive Allen seemed to be towards himself and the theme of the film appeared to be self-loathing. With the last ever episode of Extras, Gervais and Merchant appear to be going for the same thing, using their character to attack the celebrity culture in the UK but also managing to deal with the fact that Andy is wanting the fame just as much as he hates what he has to do to get it. At its best it is a searing watching and quite thrilling with it. Those expecting a lot of laughs will be disappointed though because the special produces sporadic laughs rather than anything consistent. I wasn't overly bothered by this though because to me the focus was rightly on the "message".I want to say "point" but sadly the main weakness of the special is that it is occasionally does get preachy and surprisingly obvious. For example look at the rather clumsy use of music while the characters struggle with their thoughts or situations in a series of clever shots. It will work if you are totally into the moment but for me it just seemed uninspired and flat where so much of it was sharp and insightful. It is the smart writing that keeps the majority from being preachy and it should be commended for this, even if it is still prone to lapses. The cast is starry but Gervais is the star. He shows he is able to do drama as well as comedy and he is genuinely touching at times and credit to him for allowing the writing to damn him and not leave him to one side. Merchant is left to one side although he is funny and entertaining in his sections, working well with the two Eastenders stars. Talking of them actually I was again surprised by how willing everyone was to send themselves up. George Michael and Clive Owen in particular but more cutting were the Big Brother housemates and Hale & pace. Gordon Ramsey was good value too.Overall then an impacting conclusion to the series that goes out on a very sharp and engaging high. It isn't hilarious and here and there it gets a bit too obvious and preachy for its own good (particularly coming from a man who is looking down at the problem rather than up at it) but mostly it is cutting and intelligent and a fitting end to the series.

jdhardmann I absolutely adored this special. I found it funny, tragic and amazing. So many details I could reveal, but I think it would be best if I just said that you must see this if you are a fan. I wanted to address some commentary about this special other users have made in terms of it not being too funny, or that people in England really don't talk like Andy and that there were no jokes, et al. I strongly disagree. This special is where Darren and Barry nearly upstage Andy, making me think they should have their own show. I live in Los Angeles-and people actually are this mean and embarrassing and weird when they speak to each other, so maybe this is a case of the Brits not understanding their own comedy and us Americans getting it fully. I do know that Ricky Gervais is a huge Garry Shandling fan, which could be why his humor may be leaning towards us getting his more embarrassing, nastier moments. Almost every word he utters in this special I've heard out of the mouths of actors, producers, directors and retail people here in Hollywood, no doubt. The whole incident with the publicist is not only painful, but very very correct in showing you how actors behave around media. Truly. What I thought was really excellent was how he brings the series full circle, focusing on something far more important than fame or money.And so what if Ricky Gervais is the person he is making fun of. If you are at all miffed by the contradictions between an actor/writer and his creation, may i suggest sticking to documentaries and fairy tales. What ever Ricky's life is outside the show, what is on the screen is funny and poignant, true and stinging- truth be damned.I love this special. Love it.

Skint111 This was the worst ever episode of Extras and a particularly feel-bad Christmas special. Gervais appears to be able to set up a series which is brilliant and then let it disintegrate well before the end (the second series of The Office was many times worse than the first). Although constantly watchable, this was dismal stuff. Extras is meant to be a comedy – this wasn't funny and barely tried to be. What was the point of having the characters' lives collapse? What was achieved by it other than to be depressing? How bad it looked to have Ricky Gervais, a rich and famous person who hangs out with the Heat crew and loves wealth and fame, to tell us how awful it all is. His criticisms carried no weight at all. He came across as a whining, joyless, navel-gazing, self-indulgent misanthrope.One other thing that should be noted about Gervais shows is this: his characters do not act like normal people would in terms of considering others' feelings. People, particularly the English middle class, are incredibly sensitive to how the other person feels and go out of their way to not offend. In Gervais shows they do the opposite. To cite just one example, the Clive Owen character saying what he said in front of that female extra is simply not credible. No one is that nasty to another's face. When so many of your characters behave in non-realistic ways, the show is robbed of its verisimilitude and ability to make us laugh through tapping into our everyday experiences. That and the fact that there were no virtually no jokes in it made Extras a show which ended with a miserable whimper.