Ricky Gervais must have ADHD. His brilliant breakthrough series, “The Office,” only lasted 14 episodes before he and co-creator Stephen Merchant decided to call it quits. This week, HBO is airing the 80-minute finale to their follow-up project, “Extras,” in which Gervais plays Andy Millman, a long-time extra who finally makes it big…sort of.
The special was surprisingly poignant at times, as Andy struggles with a big decision – does he want his integrity or does he want to be famous? This quandary leads to a fallout between Andy and his best friend, Maggie (Ashley Jensen), a fellow extra who is down on her luck. But don’t fret, the special features plenty of classic “Extras” laughs, and Merchant is especially funny as Andy’s agent, Darren. It also features cameos by George Michael and Gordon Ramsay, among others.
The network is airing the special 15 more times on its various networks before the New Year.
