Ricky Gervais

Al Murray is so convincing as the Pub Landlord that, like Ricky Gervais, you start to worry where the actor ends and the role begins. That's why it is such a wonderful surprise to see him playing so many different characters in this new sketch show. One of the best is the gentleman safe breaker who, having been caught, talks his way out of arrest. Better still is the airline pilot who rambles on over the intercom about his sex-change operation. A couple of sketches are based on great ideas - one being the trailer for an ITV drama starring Ray Winstone as Ghandi. And for lovers of old-fashioned vaudeville who yearn for the days of Dick Emery, Murray plays a Nazi dressed in pink who can't wait to get down to some serious interrogating.

Gervais planning Extras one-off

Comedian Ricky Gervais has admitted he is planning a one-hour special of his hit TV comedy Extras.

Prank-call show Fonejacker has to be the funniest thing on the telly right now. I like the Iraqi man wanting to join the British Army. The recruitment officer is very helpful: he even thinks that Iraq may well be a Commonwealth country.

What, because you occupy it now? says the Iraqi. Erm, we don't occupy it now ... Well, I suppose ... can't really get into all that with you, sir.

It makes you squirm like an eel. But cringing is the new laughing - no, not new, it has been since Ali G, and Ricky Gervais. And this is so beautifully performed - by one man: Kayvan Novak.

Few stand-up tours sell out faster than rock concerts, but such was Ricky Gervais's celebrity in 2007 that tickets for his Fame show were gone in less than an hour at many venues. The third part of his stand-up trilogy (after Animals and Politics), this act is as mischievous as you'd expect from the man who so effectively punctured famous egos in Extras.

The Cup tries hard to be The Office of the football field, using the same makey-uppy documentary device. Nothing wrong with that - it's a good way of getting to know characters quickly without forcing plot lines, although here it doesn't feel as fresh as when Ricky Gervais was doing it. And there are some decent performances, although Steve Edge as main man Terry stands out a bit too far perhaps. His character, a super-competitive footballing dad, is not just in your face, he's rammed right down your throat. Subtle this isn't, and that's the problem.

For all the abuse Ricky Gervais receives, his astute awareness of the inner workings of the BBC was always fascinating to watch in Extras, especially when he launched his fake BBC sitcom When The Whistle Blows with its cheesy lines, studio laughter, simplistic acting and staged sets.

Surely the BBC doesn't make dated shows like that any more? Sadly, it does, as anyone who has been following Lab Rats will be aware. Last night marked the final episode of the Chris Addison comedy about university professors at work in the laboratory. The quality of actors involved - such as Addison, who dazzled in The Thick Of It - isn't in dispute but the BBC's desire to stick a laughter track over the weak jokes only highlighted the unfunny incidents.

Elsewhere, Helen Moon, a Patricia Routledge lookalike, spent the episode opening doors to pour scorn on the others before disappearing. Then there was the experienced Selina Cadell, who hammed it up as the Dutch dean of the university, who, it transpired this week, happened to own a slutty pigeon. Actually, that was amusing. But that was it. A shame - especially when it's obvious Addison's capable of so much more.

Tonightly, which began a daily run on Friday, is the distant descendant of The 11 O'Clock Show, not much valued at the time but now hailed for giving early breaks to Ricky Gervais, Sacha Baron Cohen and Mackenzie Crook.

I tried, believe me, but I could not see any of this sample of what C4 is calling "Generation Next" entering their league. The most obvious, if minor, talent is its northern anchorman, Jason Manford, who sits behind a desk betraying amusement at his own monologue and congratulating his sidekick, Andi Osho, on her supposedly "great work, great work". The first edition was topical: much obsessed with gas bills and the acquittal of Barry George, whom Manford weirdly suggested would not be in a good mood.

Tonightly lacked edge and it lacked laughs. It has three weeks to find bothly.

Ricky's rockin' return

Grab the ear plugs - Ricky Gervais is singing a cheesy pop tune for a new comedy about a boyband making a comeback.

Stephen Merchant's festive TV picks

I was talking about this with [p=46]Rick[y Gervais, obviously]], and we're not really sure who's going to watch this. Their audience is wives pouring their husbands a sherry on his return from work, and saying, "A little drink before To the Manor Born?" But they've all died since it was last on.

The Extras Christmas special (most probably the last ever episode of the series) is on BBC1 Thursday, December 27. I watched it on preview disc last night - and kind of enjoyed it. Worry not, interested parties, I shan't spoil plot details. However, it is overlong, too keen to grab at pathos (Maggie's circumstances dramatically reduced - cue lots of shots of her cleaning urinals for a living) and culminates in a very odd speech from Andy Millman/Ricky Gervais about the nature of celebrity, which brought to mind - shudder! - Jimmy Corkhill/Phil Redmond's 10-minute rant in the final Brookside ... should that comparison mean anything to anyone.