What's the deal with only six episodes a season? I know it was the same last year and The Office only had six episodes a year as well.

It equals out to three viewing hours a year. Kind of weak.

Is all British TV like this?

They tend to be one extreme or the other

I.e. they run for a few episodes like Extras (or Wire in the blood)

Or they run FOREVER like coronation street

Marc, earlier you said you hadn't been able to get the preview of the upcoming EXTRA episodes. Did you call your carrier and now you're getting them?

I just watch it when it's On Demand. I assumed it is posted the day after it airs. Maybe we do get it a week a head of time. I dunno.

What's the deal with only six episodes a season? I know it was the same last year and The Office only had six episodes a year as well.

It equals out to three viewing hours a year. Kind of weak.

Is all British TV like this?

British TV is normally written by one person, maybe two. Due to this approach six episodes is considered normal. However soap operas are considered a weekly proposition and will have a rolling team of writers.

The US approach for comedy/drama is for a team of writers with one overseeing 'show-runner', thus allowing for more material.

The BBC have recently started to broaden the idea of using the US system, specifically notable with Doctor Who, but still falls short because they have an overseeing 'show-runner' but rely on individual input for each episode, rather than using the team to bounce ideas around with.

Extras aside (which did become very one note this series), the concentration of a pure idea within so few episodes can create some legendary tv, a bit like HBO, imo. (It can also create some complete dross).

Dave

Dave, is EXTRA up to season three in England yet? Or have you seen only Seasons 1 and 2?

Looks like they're only up to season two. Can't find anything about an announcement for season three though.

Dave, is EXTRA up to season three in England yet? Or have you seen only Seasons 1 and 2?

Only 1 and 2. Gervais has mentioned the idea of a third, but I don't know if he'll do it - he tends to like leaving things before they become tired, maybe should have left Extras at series* 1

If a third does happen it will probably air about the same time next year (each series still only happens once a year, normally). But I imagine a christmas special is more likely - ala The Office.

By the way, off topic, but a great British show is starting it's second series in the UK tonight called Life On Mars, about a modern day detective being sent back to the seventies. They have catagorically said that this will be the last series, before it has even aired its first episode. So sixteen episodes of genius (8 per series) and story told. Finite. Check it out if you get the chance.

One of the US networks has bought the rights to Life On Mars and is producing a pilot for US audiences. Where we have a modern cop working with The Sweeney ('oi, you're nicked!'), you will probably have a modern cop working with Starsky and Hutch ('nice jumper'). It will be curious to see how much good mileage they could get out of several seasons.

Dave

* where the US refer to a series as the entirety of a shows life and a season as a single years worth (which makes sense), we in the UK refer to the single years worth as a series, so Extras is on its second series. Odd, but there you have it.

...Extras aside (which did become very one note this series), the concentration of a pure idea within so few episodes can create some legendary tv, a bit like HBO, imo. (It can also create some complete dross).

In the USA, a typical HBO or cable series will have twelve episodes a year, while a typical broadcast network series will have approximately 22 episodes a year.

Did anyone else catch the season two Christmas special that aired a week or so ago?

I really liked the first season of this series... thought it was very funny. The second season was less enjoyable for me because after a funny first season the second season became more about the drama. I was so let down that I wasn't sure how the show could redeem itself.

Well, the Christmas special did just that. Again it's much more about the drama than the comedy but it really brings the series full circle and I now saw the reason for the change between the first two seasons. It was brilliant storytelling.

Anyone? What did you think?

I posted a reply to this yesterday, but it disappeared. So did some other posts I'd put up yesterday.

Well, what I said was that yes, I did see the finale, because that's what it is, right, a series finale? There won't be any more EXTRAS, right?

I liked it, found it hugely cringe-worthy, and thought it tied up the series nicely. But boy oh boy, was I cringing. Gervais can do that...make me laugh and cringe simultaneously. The finale wasn't that funny, though, much more serious as Marc said.

I posted a reply to this yesterday, but it disappeared. So did some other posts I'd put up yesterday.

Well, what I said was that yes, I did see the finale, because that's what it is, right, a series finale? There won't be any more EXTRAS, right?

I liked it, found it hugely cringe-worthy, and thought it tied up the series nicely. But boy oh boy, was I cringing. Gervais can do that...make me laugh and cringe simultaneously. The finale wasn't that funny, though, much more serious as Marc said.

For fans of Ricky Gervais

A chance to see another side of Mr G - working for Comic Relief in Africa

http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_...91&bbcws=1