History Series / Extras

* AuthorTract: In the ChristmasEpisode. Andy Millman's breakdown on ''BigBrother'' and subsequent tirade against the empty pursuit of fame is expressing - nearly word for word - Gervais's own views on the subject as evidenced by many interviews.

** In one episode, Andy is able to use his newfound fame to get into the VIP area of a club, only to be thrown out when DavidBowie and his entourage arrive. When he tries to get back in, the bouncer refuses because he's still never heard of him.

** Special mention has to go to Shaun "Barry off ''EastEnders''" Williamson AsHimself, Darren's only client besides Andy, whose entire character is based on the idea that [[IAmNotSpock he's only recognizable as his character from the show]] (he answers to "Barry" more often than his own name) and has accepted that he'll probably never get hired again.

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* PervertDad: Bunny is repeatedly seen performing with his daughter in ways that make other characters cringe and look away. The fact that he's gay kinda averts this, though.

* MethodActing: Deliciously parodied. Ian [=McKellen's=] acting method is to [[CaptainObvious pretend to be like the person he is portraying, and imagine how that character would act in that situation.]]

* MoneyDearBoy: Parodied by Chris Martin of Coldplay: he's spends every scene he is in plugging their (then) new greatest hits album on everything from a sitcom to a public service announcement about starving children to his shirt.

* DeconstructiveParody: RossKemp's appearance plays on - and deconstructs - his public image as a tough guy, and prompts the following gems:

** Before he is confronted by an angry VinnieJones and [[OhCrap almost soils himself]], his hard man reputation in tatters.

* CringeComedy:

** Every episode has at least one sequence that makes you want to curl up and die, most notably Andy's attempts to worm his way out of visiting a terminally ill child at the hospital.

* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: Maggie inadvertantly re-enacts the Rosa Parks incident by telling an actor, who happens to be black, to get off her bus (as the scripted actors and extras are meant to have different catering vans).

* MoralEventHorizon: Andy finally crosses this line when he has an extra ''fired'' for coming up to him and asking him for the chance to try out a few lines, citing that he was in the same position himself; Andy shows no remorse about this, and promptly tells Maggie that ''she'' can't talk to him on set anymore.

** "When The Whistle Blows" is this to shows who rely on [[Series/LittleBritain wigs and catchphrases]], and old-fashioned [[WorkCom Work Coms]] with broad humor and obnoxious laugh tracks. It takes a special crack at ''Series/DinnerLadies'', with one character obviously doing a Victoria Wood impression.

'''Ben Stiller:''' It still counts! ''[Stomps away, turns, realizes the entire cast and crew is staring at him; defensively]'' It still counts! ... It still counts. I did it. ''[Stomps off]''

* ExecutiveMeddling: In-series; Andy's smart satirical show gets mutated by producers for mass appeal into a brainless {{catchphrase}}-driven piece of dreck. Andy's original concept is suspiciously similar to ''Series/{{The Office|UK}}'', so ''When the Whistle Blows'' is a parody of what could have happened if it had been taken in the opposite direction.

* TakeThat: "When The Whistle Blows" is this to shows who rely on [[Series/LittleBritain wigs and catchphrases]], and old-fashioned [[WorkCom Work Coms]] with broad humor and obnoxious laugh tracks. It takes a special crack at ''Series/DinnerLadies'', with one character obviously doing a Victoria Wood impression.

* CaughtWithYourPantsDown: One episode has Andy walk in on his agent masturbating to a pen with a naked woman's picture on it. His agent's secretary then comes in and takes the pen from him... and is also masturbating to it when Andy leaves.
** Hilariously invoked later on when Darren meets Robert De Niro after repeatedly failing to get Andy a meeting with him, and to pass the time, he shows De Niro the same pen. Later, Darren calls Andy and invites him for drinks with De Niro, and Maggie gets to come along; De Niro can be heard to enquire ''"Is it the lady from the pen?"''.
* CausticCritic: Poor sitcom of Andy.
** MarkKermode and Germaine Greer (playing themselves) are shown lambasting "When the Whistle Blows" on TV. And then there was [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulb8DlhTZoU this promotional clip]] for ''Extras'' itself.

* BadassDecay: RossKemp's appearance plays on his public image as a tough guy, and prompts the following gems:
-->'''Kemp''': I head-butted a horse once.
-->'''Andy''': Must've deserved it.

-->'''Kemp''': D'you know what [[Series/UltimateForce S.A.S.]] stands for?
-->'''Andy''': Um...Special...? Air -
-->'''Kemp''': [[PunctuatedForEmphasis SUPER. ARMY. SOLDIERS.]]
** Before he is confronted by an angry VinnieJones and [[OhCrap almost soils himself]], his hard man reputation in tatters.

* BadassDecay: RossKemp's appearance plays on his public image as a tough guy, and prompts the [[CrowningMomentOfFunny following gems]]:
-->'''Kemp''': I headbutted a horse once.

* BadassDecay: RossKemp's appearance plays on his public image as a DeTerminator, and prompts the [[CrowningMomentOfFunny following gems]]:

--> ''Ooh, look at me, I make art house movies! [[Film/EdwardScissorhands Ooh, I've got scissors for hands]]! [[CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory Willy Wonka? Johnny Wanker!]]''

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--> ''Ooh, look at me, I make art house movies! [[EdwardScissorhands Ooh, I've got scissors for hands]]! [[CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory Willy Wonka? Johnny Wanker!]]''

** An affectionate and tongue-in-check one occurs when Patrick Stewart is utterly bewildered to learn that Andy isn't married, doesn't have a girlfriend, lives on his own... and ''doesn't'' watch ''Franchise/StarTrek''?

** Maggie confusing SamuelLJackson as Laurence Fishburne is hard to watch...