Home› UK TV Shows
Click here to check out Digital Spy's TV section for the latest news, previews and reviews of your favourite shows.
Options

US critics praise Gervais' Extras

[Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,317
Forum Member
✭✭✭
in UK TV Shows #1
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4286396.stm

Interesting they started out with the Kate Winslet episode. It's certainly one of the best episodes, but I would have thought they would want to ease viewers in with a US name. Still, Winslet is pretty well known in the US, and I think it was a good decision to start with one of the stronger episodes.

It will be interesting to see how it did in the ratings.

Comments

  • Options
    SystemSystem Posts: 2,096,970
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Tenacious G wrote:
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4286396.stm

    Interesting they started out with the Kate Winslet episode. It's certainly one of the best episodes, but I would have thought they would want to ease viewers in with a US name. Still, Winslet is pretty well known in the US, and I think it was a good decision to start with one of the stronger episodes.

    It will be interesting to see how it did in the ratings.

    Really sorry I missed these now! If the Americans "got them" then they must have been really funny? I only caught the one with Patrick Stewart and it didn't seem as side splitting as the reviews were making out. Perhaps like all these things, you need to see all of them and some were better than others? Hopefully they'll be repeated.
  • Options
    LostFoolLostFool Posts: 90,659
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #3
    Most of the episodes should go down well in the US - though I wonder if they will even bother to show the Ross Kemp and Les Dennis ones. Shame as the Les one is one of the better ones of the series - and the only one to make to cringe like the Office did.
  • Options
    NoEntry2kNoEntry2k Posts: 14,988
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    #4
    He's on Conan on CNBC tonight if anyones interested.
  • Options
    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,958
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #5
    Not sure abuot that appearance on Conan. I think they find his work funny but they dont find him funny as a person. It's changed my perspective of him a little - more of someone who is 'trying' than someone in control. I felt awkward. Conan seemed to be fake laughing.
  • Options
    UltrasonicUltrasonic Posts: 4,994
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #6
    I liked what I saw of this series and wish I'd seen it all.

    The Yanks have a habit of not understanding British comedies, or trying to re-invent them for an American audience - usually doing this job very badly!

    So I'm therefore not sure whether the fact that it went down well in America is a good thing or not!
  • Options
    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,317
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #7
    Ultrasonic wrote:
    I liked what I saw of this series and wish I'd seen it all.

    The Yanks have a habit of not understanding British comedies, or trying to re-invent them for an American audience - usually doing this job very badly!

    So I'm therefore not sure whether the fact that it went down well in America is a good thing or not!
    It went down well with critics, just like The Office did. This wil not be a new Friends or Seinfeld type success, but we don't yet know the ratings for the first episode or how the viewers have taken to it. The Office was not big in terms of ratings in the US, but it impressed the right kind of people.
  • Options
    DejaVoodooDejaVoodoo Posts: 5,764
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #8
    Vaseline wrote:
    Not sure abuot that appearance on Conan. I think they find his work funny but they dont find him funny as a person. It's changed my perspective of him a little - more of someone who is 'trying' than someone in control. I felt awkward. Conan seemed to be fake laughing.

    Thats what I thought when I was watching it.
  • Options
    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 5
    Forum Member
    #9
    I'm in the States, and can report that David Letterman has publicly stated that the UK Office was the best, funniest TV comedy ever. He's had Gervais on for interviews at least 6 times in the last year, even when there was nothing to promo. Don't know about Conan and didn't see the segment, but everyone over here universally worships Gervais as a comedic genius. Haven't seen Extras yet, but can't wait. The small segment I did see of the Winslet episode was side-splitting (and I agree with Letterman about Gervais and the Office). By the way, Kate Winslet is a major movie star in the entire world, not just the UK. Remember a little flick called 'Titanic?'
Sign In or Register to comment.