Extras (sitcom)

Episode guide

Episode 1

Guest star: Ben Stiller

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First airing: July 21, 2005 (UK)

Related Topics:
July 21 - 2005

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This episode is based around a film about the life of Goran, whose wife died in the Balkans War. It is being directed by Ben Stiller, with Andy and Maggie playing extras in the film. Andy attempts to getting a speaking part by befriending Goran and, after giving him a £15 Topshop voucher, Goran gets him a line. However, Andy then gets in an argument with Ben and is kicked off the set.

Related Topics:
Balkans War - Topshop

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Quotations

• Ben Stiller: "Who are you?"
  Andy: "Nobody."
  Ben Stiller: "That's right. And who am I?"
  Andy: "It's either Starsky or Hutch, I can never remember.."
  Ben Stiller: "Was that supposed to be funny?"
  Andy: "You tell me, you were in it."
• Maggie: (commenting on attractive man's high-fibre lunch) "No bowel cancer for you, then!"
• Ben Stiller: "How can I cheer up this orphaned kid? By showing him the DVD of '? Well, sure, then he'll be happy for an hour and a half, but what then? Do I show him Dodgeball again? Of course, he'll get more out of it, because he'll spot new things the second time round. It's layered; it's written that way. But how many times can I show him Dodgeball? Seven, eight, maybe. Then what?"
  Andy: (quietly, to Maggie) "Make Dodgeball 2.."
• Ben Stiller: I've kissed Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore! I've slapped Jennifer Aniston's butt!
  Maggie Jacobs: Yeah, in films.
  Ben Stiller: It still counts! It still counts...

Episode 2

Guest stars: Ross Kemp, Vinnie Jones

Related Topics:
Ross Kemp - Vinnie Jones

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First airing: July 28, 2005 (UK)

Related Topics:
July 28 - 2005

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Ross Kemp acts in epic period drama and befriends Andy (who is working as an extra). Kemp believes he has had SAS training and is as "hard" as the characters he plays on-screen. This episode introduces Andy's incompetent agent Darren (played by Merchant) who consistently fails to get him any work. Kemp's old EastEnders co-star Shaun Williamson (aka Barry Evans) shares the same agent but the last paid work Darren got for him was changing a lightbulb. Back on set there are rumours that Vinnie Jones is working nearby and looking for a fight with Kemp.

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Trivia

• The joke that Shaun Williamson is so identified with his former EastEnders character that even his own agent calls him "Barry" is carried through to the end credits, which list him as playing Barry (rather than playing himself, which is actually the case).

Quotations

• Andy: (incredulous) "You just want someone to call up and give me an advert?"
  Darren: "That would be amazing; that would be brilliant."
  Andy: "Okay. Make sure the phone's on the hook then."
  Darren: "You joke about it; it was unplugged for two days! No one noticed. Tsk!"

Episode 3

Guest star: Kate Winslet

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First airing: August 4, 2005 (UK), September 25, 2005 (USA)

Related Topics:
August 4 - 2005 - September 25

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Working as extras on the set of World War 2 holocaust movie, Andy and Maggie meet the star Kate Winslet. Maggie is currently involved in a three-week relationship with a props man who wants her to talk dirty with him over the phone. Maggie has no idea what to say and asks Kate for advice. On his finding this out, Maggie gets dumped by her boyfriend.

Related Topics:
World War 2 - Holocaust

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Andy is also romantically distracted and is chasing a Catholic women. He (an atheist) lies to her in his attempt to "get off" with her - which fails.

Related Topics:
Catholic - Atheist

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Quotations

• Darren: (checks computer) "Errm. Do you want to put another meeting in?"
  Andy: "Any point?"
  Darren: "May as well. Errm. And then when nothing comes in just phone you up and cancel it."
  Andy: "Okay."
• Kate Winslet: I'd love it if you put your Willy Wonka between my Oompa Loompas
• Kate Winslet: I'm playing with my dirty pillows

Episode 4

Guest star: Les Dennis

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First airing: August 11, 2005 (UK)

Related Topics:
August 11 - 2005

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This episode is set around the panto Aladdin in Guildford which stars Les Dennis. Andy manages to get a speaking part as the Genie (since John Thomson fluffed the audition and Christopher Biggins is busy). Les Dennis is current engaged to a 26 year old Simone. The local newspaper describes:

Related Topics:
Aladdin - Guildford - John Thomson - Christopher Biggins

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"Family Fortunes loser Les Dennis is on the comeback trail thanks to a starring role in Aladdin. Things are looking up for Les (50) who recently announced his engagement to beautiful fiancée Simone Lewis (26). With an age gap of a quarter of a century, Dennis is clearly punching above his weight again but insists they are very much in love."

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Dennis is on the verge of a mental breakdown and, after discovering Simone cheating with a stagehand, stops in the middle of the first night of the panto.

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When she comes to visit, Maggie bumps into an old friend whose father is directing the play. Maggie attends the girl's birthday party (the only other guests there are family) but is asked to leave after she suggests to her friend that she stops her father from running her life.

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Quotations

• Andy: (prompting him) "Where do you want to go from?"
  Les: "How about 1992?"
• Les: (Genie appears out of a big lamp) "Blimey! What a big poof."
  Andy: (as Genie) "Cheeky!"
  Les: "Who are you?"
  Andy: "Well, I'll be anyone you want me to be but you can call me Genie."
  Les: "How does someone as big as you squeeze into this tiny lamp?"
  Andy: "Don't worry about it. I'm used to squeezing myself into tight holes! Ewwwwgh! No pain, no gain."

Episode 5

Guest star: Samuel L. Jackson

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First airing: August 18, 2005 (UK)

Related Topics:
August 18 - 2005

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On the set of a police thriller starring Samuel L. Jackson as a maverick American cop in the UK, Andy aquires a stalker - a middle aged divorced bald man who asks Andy over to watch Vera Drake on DVD.

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Andy actually has a line in this episode with Samuel L. Jackson and gets to say "Ten to one he's going to pick Sgt. Harris again!". In an attempt to be nice to his stalker he eventually agrees to go to dinner with him, but finally snaps when his stalker presents him with two tickets for the Ben Elton musical We Will Rock You.

Related Topics:
Ben Elton - We Will Rock You

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In this episode, Maggie has problems with the issue of race, despite chasing the young black actor Danny. All seems to be going well with Danny until she eventually says the wrong thing and he walks out. When she chats with Samuel L. Jackson on set the day after, she desperately attempts to not appear racist. Andy joins in the conversation, which doesn't turn out well and Andy is asked to leave the set (forfeiting his line with Samuel L. Jackson.)

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Quotations

• Jobsworth: "...Whoa. Where are you going? You can't come on here, it's actors only."
  Andy: "I am an actor"
  Jobsworth: "No, you're background. Your bus is over there. This is for actors."
  Andy: "I am an actor."
  Jobsworth: "No, your voucher's green, that means you're background."
  Andy: "Right. So you're judging my entire career on the colour of my badge."
  Jobsworth: "No, I'm sure you've had major roles in other things."
  Maggie: "He hasn't."
  Andy: "Shut up."

Episode 6

Guest star: Patrick Stewart

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First airing: August 25, 2005 (UK)

Related Topics:
August 25 - 2005

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Both Andy and Maggie are working on a production of Shakespeare's The Tempest alongside Patrick Stewart. Eager to get his self-penned sitcom script noticed, he gives a copy to Patrick Stewart who tells him about his own self-penned film starring himself, which is basically just an hour and a half of women with their clothes falling off all the time. Patrick agrees to circulate the script, and BBC Comedy are interested and invite Andy for a meeting. During the meeting, Andy is asked to rewrite his script alongside an extremely camp man called Damon, with a view to a pilot episode being filmed.

Related Topics:
Shakespeare - The Tempest

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While writing the script, Maggie pops in while Damon is leaving to get some coffee, and Andy talks about how Damon is basically a stereotypical gay and how it gets on his nerves a little. Maggie leaves and tells Damon that Andy is finding his campiness annoying, which greatly insults Damon.

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Andy is called into the BBC to talk about this, and finds out that Maggie told Damon his feelings about him and Damon is upset with him over his apparent homophobic attitude, and the producer (who reveals that he is also gay) warns Andy that there's a chance the plug could be pulled on the pilot.

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Andy goes over to see Maggie and is furious with her for telling Damon that he didn't like him and that her attempts to help could demolish what might be his big break. He tells her that she needs to sort her own messed-up life out before interfering with his before storming away. Maggie is shaken, and this simply reinforces feelings she's already having about her grotty lifestyle. She cleans up her flat, removes her toys and posters, and straightens her hair.

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At the BBC, Andy gives his sincerest apologies to Damon, and stresses he is not homophobic. Damon accepts his apology, and the pilot is back on.

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Maggie leaves the set of yet another job, to find Andy with Patrick Stewart on his mobile phone, who tells Maggie that Andy is sorry and wants to be friends again. He starts to ask Maggie to star in his film when Andy quickly cuts him off. The two reconcile, and all is well again.

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Trivia

• Jude Law was originally lined up to appear in this episode, Patrick Stewart stepped in at the last minute. The final shot of the episode is dominated by a poster for Law's film Alfie.

Quotations

• Patrick Stewart: "You're not married, you don't have a girlfriend, you live alone... and you've never seen Star Trek? Good Lord..."