(S04E06) One of the pleasures of watching original Office creator Ricky Gervais's follow-up show Extras was that you got to see the kind of bland, run-of-the-mill sitcom The Office could have been if Gervais hadn't stayed true to his original vision. When the Whistle Blows, the show that Gervais's character creates for the BBC, starts out as something original and creative, but slowly becomes the worst kind of mediocre as network executives tamper with its presentation. The sellout is symbolized within the show by Gervais's character putting on a silly wig and a pair of comical glasses.

Watching Jim, Dwight, and Michael drive to Utica in three matching fake mustaches, I couldn't help but be reminded of that silly wig. We're nowhere near sell-out territory, but tonight's episode was a reminder that mediocreville can be as close to The Office as Utica is to Scranton...

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I have a horrible admission to make: I've never seen the original British version of The Office. I don't have BBC America (or whatever station it aired on here), I haven't bought the DVDs yet, and, um, I don't live in Britain. But watching the American version makes me really want to see the Ricky Gervais original. So it's great that HBO has a deal with BBC Worldwide to coproduce Extras, the show that Gervais is doing right now. The show is about, well, extras, the actors will small roles in movies and TV shows. The show will feature many guest star cameos, including Ben Stiller, Kate Winslet, and Samuel L. Jackson.