TVSquad

Anyone who's listened to Ricky Gervais' podcasts or audiobooks knows that a) Karl Pilkington is an idiot and that b) Gervais and Stephen Merchant have made their fascination over Pilkington into gut-clutching comedy.

Why was the podcast so funny (and popular)? Because Pilkington just said stuff that was completely off-the-wall in such a straight-faced, matter-of-fact way, like when he talked about a time in history when "cavemen and dinosaurs were knocking about." These nonchalant statements made Gervais and Merchant -- especially Gervais -- convulse with laughter, which emphasized just how ridiculous Pilkington's statements really were.

So the challenge to Gervais and Merchant: How do you bring the twisted "genius" of Pilkington to television? Animation, of course! The result, 'The Ricky Gervais Show,' which premieres on HBO Friday at 9PM ET (you can register and watch the first full episode here), brings the podcast to life in a way that will satisfy both fans of the podcast and those who are hearing Ricky, Stephen and Karl for the first time.

Yesterday, Nick told you about Ricky Gervais' plans for his Golden Globe hosting stint on Sunday, as well as some details about his new HBO show The Ricky Gervais Show. Just as a reminder, the HBO show is an animated version of his wildly popular podcast, staring Gervais, Merchant, and the dunderheaded Karl Pilkington.

Gervais' answers about the show and the Globes during his TCA session on Thursday were largely similar to what he told Nick during the conference call earlier in the month. But I just loved his infectious laugh when he was talking about Karl. He wants to make Karl famous just to tick the shy guy off, and because the show is being taken from the existing podcast recordings, the version of Karl you hear is the unvarnished one.

So, at the end of the reporters' scrum, I asked Gervais what Pilkington-ism makes him laugh the hardest. He and Merchant had some pretty funny responses:

When Ricky Gervais hosts the Golden Globes this Sunday (NBC, 8PM EST), don't expect any pre-taped pieces or large choreographed numbers. Gervais, speaking to the press on a conference call, said he is avoiding all of that. He has planned what he wants to do, but he won't rehearse it, alone or with anyone on the show.

"I want to host it a little bit more like someone from the Rat Pack would host it," he says. "You know, just off the cuff and just playing the room and having fun with the people and roasting a few of the A-listers and hopefully it'll be fun for the room and the people at home."

"I do want people to have the feeling that anything can happen," he adds. "I want to be reactive so I don't want to just go out there and read an alter cue and do a very staid joke and have that sort of polite sort of titter."

Remember The Ricky Gervais Show? That hilarious podcast that featured the genius of Karl Pilkington and was the most downloaded thing in the history of the universe of everything? It's coming to HBO.

The world's most successful podcast is getting the television treatment next year starting on February 13.

So how do you turn a podcast into a TV show? That's simple. You animate it. Episodes of the podcast featuring Gervais, Stephen Merchant and the aforementioned Pilkington will be turned into cartoon creatures for the TV version. I came to the podcast very late in life and am sure that will count against me at my karma hearing in the afterlife, but this should more than make up for it.

Michael Lombardo and Richard Plepler of HBO held an executive session at the beginning of HBO's star-studded presentation. Among the news:

• The entire Sunday summer lineup: Entourage, True Blood, and Hung will be coming back next summer.
• They've ordered an animated series from Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant based on their podcasts with the ever-entertaining Karl Pilkington.
• On a third season of Flight of the Conchords: "We're ready when they're ready."
• The pilot of Boardwalk Empire, directed by Martin Scorsese, has been delivered to HBO. It will be picked up based on what they see. They like what they see so far.
• No more Little Britain USA, but they are working with the producers to create specials with all-new characters.

More coming. Stay tuned to our Twitter feed for the latest updates.

Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant must be kvelling, as their BBC brainchild is being developed into its sixth foreign version. This time, David Brent (or whatever the character's name will be) and his paper company will be located in Israel.

Given the political climate in that area of the world, one has to wonder what their office will be like? Will it be shared by Jews and Arabs? Which religion will the central "boss" character be? Will that even come into play?

According to the UK entertainment site Digital Spy, Ricky Gervais is talking about doing a spin-off of Extras, which he recently concluded with a holiday special. The spin-off would focus on Shaun Williamson's character Barry (referred to most of the time as "Barry from EastEnders") and co-creator Stephen Merchant's clueless agent Darren Lamb.

Williamson confirmed to a British radio station that he is in talks with Gervais about the spin-off. "We talked half-jokingly about a show with the pair in a camper van, solving crimes," he told the station.

I was going to write a long, elaborate intro about how excited I am that it's a new year, but I decided to make this image instead. Look out, Alec and Tina! There's a weeping angel behind you! And check out how Heidi is super excited to be with the not-so-excited guys from Flight of the Conchords. And it looks like David Anders enjoys speaking in big speech bubbles. No, I'm not still buzzed from New Year's Eve, I just have a little too much fun in Photoshop. However, I'm sure some of you are still somehow hungover from celebrating days and days ago, so let's jump right in...

Yes, I know it's been a couple of months since the second season of Extras came out on DVD. But since I reviewed Season One earlier this year, I figured it would only be fair to look over Season Two, even if it's only for anal completist reasons (Of course, our UK Bureau -- otherwise known as "Martin Conaghan" -- reviewed the series when it aired on the BBC; his reviews start 1/4 of the way down this page).

From everything I heard and read, the second season of the Ricky Gervais / Stephen Merchant comedy was better than the first season. Of course, given the high standards set by Gervais and Merchant, that was saying a lot. After watching Season Two, I have to say that I agree with those assessments, but not for the reason that you think.

Not everyone is naturally funny, but some forms of humor are easier than others. I think that's why I'm always so impressed with Ricky Gervais, because the man can create some truly vicious satire with the skill of a true artisan.

I invite you to check out a video Gervais made for Comic Relief that also features Stephen Merchant, Bob Geldof, and a special surprise guest in the end. Watch as Gervais and his gang do everything they can to get more time in the limelight without much regard to the cause they're supposedly trying to support. The whole video runs a little over eight minutes, but trust me, it's worth sitting through. This is far and away funnier than anything I've ever seen Robin Williams, Billy Crystal and Whoopi Goldberg perform. I don't mean "perform on Comic Relief" I mean "performed anywhere, ever."

See the video after the jump.

UPDATE: In the comments, reader RazorD provides some background on Jamie Oliver, the man who appears in the video eating fast food. Thanks for the insight, RD. You're right, it makes the video that much funnier.

[via Popwatch]

According to Lisa de Moraes of The Washington Post, Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant have officially stated that there will not be a third season of Extras (the story is at the bottom of this page). Just like with their other creation, The Office, the comedic creative team felt that two seasons were more than enough, and just like with The Office, the show will be wrapped up with a standalone special, air date TBD. Slightly more information is here, via The Hollywood Reporter.

In interviews, Gervais had been going back and forth on doing a third season, but I think most people knew what he and Merchant were really thinking all along. The two of them like the British format of short seasons that air whenever the creators get around to writing a new series, and they both seem like they like spending their careers doing different projects (Gervais is currently touring England with a one-man show called Fame). So hearing that Extras isn't getting a third season isn't a big surprise.

Did anyone catch Stephen Merchant on 24 last night? It was a "blink and you'll miss it" moment, and the poor guy didn't even get a line. However, as a self-professed fan of the show, it was probably a moment in heaven for him. Literally, a moment. Someone hands him a sheet of paper that he's supposed to ostensibly do something extremely critical with (hey, he works in the CTU after all), and he gives them a grim little nod in return.

Ahhh, the acting chops that had to take. Still, I would've jumped at the chance to be on the show, even if I was background extra number 48 in a crowd scene. I've missed the last two seasons, but this premiere sucked me back in. That's how easy I am.

Rumor has it that Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly mastermind Joss Whedon will be directing an episode of The Office. Considering that Scranton is situated right over a Hellmouth, it makes perfect sense. The rumor first surfaced on both Televisionary and FilmIck, but has been confirmed by Joss himself over on Whedonesque. (Scroll way down to see his two cents.)

As connoisseurs of the Whedon oeuvre may remember, Joss got his start writing for the sitcom Rosanne. He earned his television directing chops care of Buffy, Angel and Firefly. What should we expect from this most inspired of pairings - long master shots through the entire office, sequences done entirely in silence and lots of Pam's feet? Probably not, but I bet we're in for at least one guaranteed heartbreaker of a moment between Pam and Jim. Whedon's awfully good at bringing the funny and the waterworks, but so long as he's not actually writing the episode, I feel relatively safe. I wouldn't want anyone to die on us. It's not that kind of show so don't get any ideas, Whedon.

Thanks to reader Brendon Connelly for the tip.

As I may have mentioned here once or twice, I was a huge fan of the British version of The Office. No matter what the US version accomplishes or how good it gets, I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for the vision Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant had of the average dead-boring workplace and the relationships that are developed there.

So when I was sent a preview copy of the first season of the pair's follow-up effort, Extras (out Tuesday), I was intrigued but wary: after such a successful debut, the sophomore effort more often than not disappoints. Also, all the reviews of the show I had read during its BBC and HBO runs (I have neither channel) were of the mixed-to-positive variety. So... is it worth buying, renting, or neither? I'll let you know after the jump.

NBC's The Office isn't the number one comedy on TV where ratings are concerned, but what it lacks in big numbers it makes up for with sheer cool. Rich posted earlier about the episode written by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant that airs Nov. 30th. Now comes word that the big holiday special episode will be directed by Harold Ramis.

Jenna Fischer, in her live blog for last night's episode, says that the Ramis episode is "rumored to be our best ever." Of course, she may be a little biased. If you haven't read her live blog, it is worth a look. Among the things she touches on are her favorite TV shows, her thoughts on the popularity of the show, if Oscar is coming back, and her favorite Pam/Jim scene.