Extra (franchise)

Last updated

extra
Also known asextr@
Created by Channel 4 Learning
Country of originUnited Kingdom
No. of episodes30 (English)
13 (French, Spanish, German) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer Andrew Bethell
Running time24 Minutes
Original release
Network Channel 4 (UK)
multiple PBS member station/network instructional television blocks (U.S.)
Release2002 (2002) 
2004 (2004)

Extra (stylized as "extr@") is a language education television programme franchise that was scripted in the format of a Friends -esque sitcom. It was in production from 2002 to 2004, and is mainly marketed to the instructional television market for middle school and high school language classes. Four versions were made, each in a different language; English, French, German, and Spanish. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Contents

The English version was co-produced by Channel 4 Learning and RAI CPTO (Production Centre of Turin) for RAI Educational. All of the episodes were written by Louise Clover. [5]

Plot

The English version has 30 episodes, and the other three languages have 13 episodes each. The plot of the 13 episodes is nearly the same in all the language variants. [6]

Hector/Sam, with only a very basic grasp of the featured language, comes to stay with his pen pal, Bridget/Sacha/Sascha/Lola. Living with Bridget/Sacha/Sascha/Lola is roommate Anna/Annie/Ana. Sleazy and sly neighbor Nick/Nico/Nic/Pablo lives across the hallway. Hector's/Sam's efforts to get to grips with the language provide the dynamic for the series' language learning content. The series is particularly suitable for adolescents and young adults who can relate to the contextual setting and implied meanings in the screenplay. The series ended with Sam and Annie's wedding being canceled, ending with a cliff-hanger; however, the English version had 17 more episodes which provides a better understanding of the character, continuing with Nico and Sacha beginning to date and facing problems, and Sam and Annie wanting to break up. In the end, Sam was offered a job opportunity in the U.S as a producer. The 30th episode, Love hurts, ended with Sam questioning "Should I go?", and there were no more episodes produced, hinting at Sam's departure. Thus the plot begins and ends with Sam. [7]

Cast (Actors' names on the left; characters' names on the right)

EnglishFrenchGermanSpanish
Javier Marzan - Hector Romero [8] Lawrence Ray - Sam ScottLawrence Ray - Sam ScottLawrence Ray - Sam Scott
Julie Buckfield – Annie Taylor [8] Marie Cordillot – AnnieBritta Becker – Anna Schmidt [9] Celia Meiras – Ana
Abby Simpson – Bridget Evans [8] Vanessa Seydoux – Sacha Fontaine [10] Leontine Hass – Sascha Meier/Fontane [9] [11] [lower-alpha 1] Vanessa Otero – Lola Cano [12]
Toby Walton – Nick JessopJean-Felix Callens – Nico Dubois Frank Brunet – Nic Müller [13] Javier Marzan – Pablo Aranda García [14]

Episodes

EpisodeEnglish [15] French [16] German [17] Spanish [18] [19]
1
Hector's ArrivalL'arrivée de SamSams AnkunftLa llegada de Sam
2
Hector Goes ShoppingSam fait du shoppingSam geht einkaufenSam va de compras
3
Hector Has a DateSam a un rendez-vousSam hat ein DateSam aprende a ligar
4
Hector Looks for a JobSam trouve du travailSam sucht einen JobSam busca un trabajo
5
A Star Is BornUne étoile est néeEin Star ist geborenHa nacido una estrella
6
Bridget Wins the LotteryLe jour du lotoLotto-TagEl día de la Primitiva
7
The TwinLa jumelleDer ZwillingLa gemela
8
The Landlady's CousinLa cousine de la conciergeDie Kusine der VermieterinLa prima de la dueña
9
Jobs for the BoysDu boulot pour Sam et NicoJobs für Nic und SamTrabajos para los chicos
10
Annie's ProtestAnnie protesteAnna demonstriertAna protesta
11
Holiday TimeLes vacancesFerienzeitTiempo de vacaciones
12
Football CrazyFou de footVerrückt nach FußballFanáticos del fútbol
13
A Wedding in the AirUn mariage dans l'airHochzeitspläneBoda en el aire
14
Changes
15
The Bouncer
16
Uncle Nick
17
Cyber Stress
18
Just the Ticket
19
Kung Fu Fighting
20
Every Dog has its Day
21
The Entertainers
22
Haunting at Halloween
23
Truth or Dare
24
Pilot Nick
25
Art
26
Alibi
27
Can You Live Without ...?
28
Christmas
29
Camping
30
Love Hurts

The episode descriptions are based on the English version. The plots are almost the same in the language versions. Word play, as with any internationalization, is usually untranslatable and involves slight differences.

Episode 1

Bridget (Sacha, Sascha, Lola) shares a flat in London (Paris, Berlin, Barcelona) with her friend Annie (Anna, Ana). She receives a letter from her former pen pal Hector from Argentina (Sam from America) announcing his visit. When he actually appears, his knowledge of the English (French, German, Spanish) language turns out to be very poor. This leads to the misunderstanding that he is supposedly playing with toy cars and living in a museum. He also wears old-fashioned clothes. The girls are annoyed by this and wonder whether they should accommodate him. They suggest to Nick (Nico, Pablo), a neighbor who now appears, that he should teach Hector English (French, German, Spanish) lessons while they go grocery shopping.

Jealous Nick slyly teaches Hector words with which he later unsuspectingly annoy Annie. He also encourages Hector to prove his fitness on Bridget's exercise bike, even though he knows that she doesn't tolerate strangers on it. As this makes Hector sweat, he goes to take a shower. The returning girls have had enough and want to throw Hector out. When Hector comes out of the shower dressed only in a towel, they are fascinated by his body and are speechless.

Suddenly Nick pushes Hector back into the bathroom and closes the door. He has found a portrait of Hector and his rich family in a magazine. After Hector confesses to him that he is looking for true friends, they both decide not to tell the girls about it. In the meantime, the girls have changed their minds and ensnare Hector. It also turns out that Hector's bad impression was due to Nick's machinations. Since today is also a holiday, they have a small party. [20]

Episode 2

Bridget, Annie and Nick are upset about Hector's old-fashioned style of dress and want to give him a new outfit. However, their ideas about the new style diverge greatly. Nick wants a biker, Annie a cowboy and Bridget wants a trendy style. Each of the three buys a piece for Hector. When they get home, they realise that they don't match. After the three practise shopping with Hector in the local language, he goes off himself and, amazingly, returns shortly afterwards in a fashionable outfit.

While they were away, Hector had found a shopping list and ordered the goods on it online. Bridget, Nick and Annie now realise that he ordered one item incorrectly and bought 12 dozen instead of 12 eggs. Finally, the landlady complains that there are 400 tins of dog food in the entrance to the house. Immediately it becomes clear who screwed this up. [21]

Episode 3

Annie is dominated by Bridget in her search for a partner. So she tries to post a personal ad on the internet, but only gets three completely bizarre responses. Nick, the braggart, boasts that he can easily find girls on the internet.

Bridget gives Hector gymnastics lessons, then takes Annie to the gym. Before that, she tasks the boys with doing the laundry and watering a plant.

Hector tells Nick that he has never had a girlfriend. The latter then places a dating ad on the internet claiming that they are both millionaires, when in fact this is only true of Hector. Meanwhile, Hector sprays the plant with perfume instead of watering it and puts his red T-shirt inside the white underwear, which has to be washed very hot.

After the boys leave the flat, they receive 633 responses to the advertisement. This is what the girls, who are now returning home, discover. They also find the faded and perfumed plant, the empty perfume bottle and the white underwear stained red by the T-shirt. They plot revenge and delete the 633 mails. Then they go to the cybercafe to invite the boys on a date with two dancers.

The returning boys are disappointed to have received only one reply. However, they are pleased that they are dancers and prepare for the date. In the process, Nick practices with Hector how to give compliments. When there is a knock at the door at the agreed time, two girls dressed as dogs are standing there. At first they pretend to be dancers in a dog musical. Nick insists that they are millionaires. Bridget and Annie now reveal themselves and think that the "millionaires" could pay for the withered plant and the underwear. [22]

Notes

  1. In the German version, Sascha's surname is given as Meier in episode 4, but as Fontane in episode 13

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References

  1. Extra English, planet-schule.de
  2. Extra en francais, planet-schule.de
  3. Extra en español, br.de
  4. Extra Deutsch, planet-schule.de
  5. "Authors: Louise Clover". Cambridge University Press .
  6. Túc, Túc (13 February 2019). "How to Learn English with Extr@ the Series". eJOY ENGLISH. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  7. "Love hurts". multimedia-english.com. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 "EXTRA English 26 Alibi Filmskript" (PDF). planet-schule.de.[ failed verification ]
  9. 1 2 "4Learning - Secondary - Resources4Learning - Secondary - Resources - Modern Languages - German Extra - Sam finds a job". 11 November 2010. Archived from the original on 11 November 2010.
  10. "- YouTube". YouTube .
  11. "Extr@ auf Deutsch 13 - Deutsch lernen Extra auf Deutsch [Subtitles]". YouTube .
  12. "Extra en español EP 13 - Boda en el aire". YouTube .
  13. "4Learning - Secondary - Resources - Modern Languages - German Extra: Series 2 - Episode 5: Ein Star ist geboren". 9 July 2010. Archived from the original on 9 July 2010.
  14. "4Learning - Secondary - Resources - Modern Languages - Spanish Extra: Series 2 - Programme 5 - Transcript". 6 October 2014. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014.
  15. Extra English, Playlist, YouTube
  16. Extra en français, Playlist, YouTube
  17. rebeccahenderson (20 December 2018). "Where to Watch "Deutsch Lernen Extra," the TV Show Designed to Teach You German". www.fluentu.com. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  18. "Extr@ en español". www.celebratelanguages.com. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  19. Extra en Español, Playlist, YouTube
  20. "Planet Schule - Wissenspool | 01 | Hector's Arrival | EXTRA English | EXTRA English | EXTRA". www.planet-schule.de. Archived from the original on 9 March 2012.
  21. "Planet Schule - Wissenspool | 02 | Hector Goes Shopping | EXTRA English | EXTRA English | EXTRA". www.planet-schule.de. Archived from the original on 6 May 2012.
  22. "Planet Schule - Wissenspool | 03 | Hector Has a Date | EXTRA English | EXTRA English | EXTRA". www.planet-schule.de. Archived from the original on 6 May 2012.