Extraordinary: Is it enough to be extra ordinary?
January 29, 2023 7:34 AM - Season 1 (Full Season) - Subscribe

Extraordinary is a British superhero comedy television series created by Emma Moran. It was released on the Disney+ Star platform internationally, and Hulu in the United States, on 25 January 2023. The series was renewed for a second season on 23 January 2023, ahead of the series premiere. The main character is Jen, a young woman who lives in a world (London) where everyone has a superpower except her.

I found this equally charming and funny - and surprisingly dark in places. I was especially impressed by the way superpowers were integrated into everyday society (hint: anyone who wants to put on a costume to fight crime is generally laughed at).

Note: there are throwaway gags in the background of nearly every scene. Keep your eyes open.
posted by Mogur (31 comments total) 6 users marked this as a favorite
 
This was so good! Dirty but big-hearted, super well-written, and frequently cackle-out-loud funny. The King Charles episode was brilliant and sexy.
posted by sixswitch at 7:42 AM on January 29, 2023 [2 favorites]


Also, “Hercule” is the absolute best boy.
posted by sixswitch at 7:42 AM on January 29, 2023 [3 favorites]


"Some people can see through walls, and that's okay."
posted by Mogur at 12:25 PM on January 29, 2023 [2 favorites]


I'm two episodes in and I'm loving it. Reminds me a little bit of Broad City.

"I've actually played the world's smallest violin and it's much bigger than that."
posted by bondcliff at 2:37 PM on January 29, 2023 [2 favorites]


My wife and I LOVED this - especially the first 3 or so episodes - I've been recommending it to everyone I think would be remotely interested. The needle drop music choices feel like they used a laser targeting system just for my brain specifically.

I hate to say it, but this show is basically everything that I was hoping Doom Patrol would be. Fun, funny, yet full of pathos, and above all *interesting*. There are one-off joke characters that I want to see fully explored in their own multi-episode arc..."I can turn anything into a PDF...yeah, anything....".

We've seen this kind of superheroes/superpowers ain't all it's cracked up to be many times before (The Tick, Mystery Men, Wild Cards, hell...even the X-men really... But this felt really fresh and wholly its own thing.

Great performances too, and Luke Rollason (who plays Jizzlord/Hercule) is like his own special effect all by himself. I really, really hope that they're making more seasons of this show.
posted by ssmith at 3:30 PM on January 29, 2023 [1 favorite]


He's credited in the first episode as "Human Cat" (alongside "Cat Cat", Annie).
posted by BungaDunga at 4:47 PM on January 29, 2023 [1 favorite]


Nice! I'd note that there are mid-credits extras. I started composing a Fanfare post in episode 2. It reminds me of "What We Do in the Shadow" because, having powers doesn't mean you're not dumb.

Episode 2:
There was fun with the soundtrack that made me laugh, along with learning the wrong lesson from a sudden shapeshift.

I like the actor who's like an even weirder cross between Robert Pattinson and Daniel Radcliffe. I'm a sucker for cloudcuckoolanders though.
posted by Pronoiac at 7:52 PM on January 29, 2023 [2 favorites]


I liked the gag that right outside where they live there is a closed up comic shop. Because of course it would be.
posted by Quonab at 7:09 AM on January 30, 2023 [3 favorites]


Ack! I completely missed the comic shop joke!
posted by Mogur at 12:20 PM on January 30, 2023


I like how they settled on the name 'Jizzlord' for the cat, and blithely continued when he turned back into a man.
posted by Marticus at 1:36 AM on February 1, 2023 [1 favorite]


I'm a sucker for misfit superhero stories--Great Lakes Avengers and the like--and this scratches that itch so good. Channeling History's Greatest Monster just so that they can taunt him was priceless.
posted by Halloween Jack at 7:23 PM on February 2, 2023 [1 favorite]


Oh, yeah, also, in a similar vein, I recommend the short run No Heroics.
posted by Marticus at 3:37 AM on February 3, 2023 [1 favorite]


Does anyone know who did the voice for the monarch Carrie was channeling? Recognised them but couldn’t place it.
posted by ellieBOA at 7:46 AM on February 3, 2023


Marticus: No Heroics is hard to find. Any pointers?

ellieBOA: Which episode?
posted by Pronoiac at 2:27 PM on February 3, 2023


Episode 7
posted by ellieBOA at 7:07 AM on February 4, 2023


Just finished watching. Liked it a lot. Glad to hear a season two is already planned!

My spouse has a theory about Jen's power.
posted by kyrademon at 10:43 AM on February 4, 2023


Oh, me too! Does she also think that Jen *already* has a power, but it's a really subtle one, so nobody has noticed it? I'm saying this based on her sister getting super-strength but not knowing it until she tried to open a fridge door and tore the door of its hinges.
posted by Mogur at 12:01 PM on February 4, 2023


Yes, exactly -- and she thinks she knows what it is.
posted by kyrademon at 12:20 PM on February 4, 2023


The credits say Charles II, Julian Rhind-Tutt.
posted by Pronoiac at 3:25 PM on February 4, 2023 [1 favorite]


@kyrademon, does she think it's the ability to get forgiven for just about anything, given time? That's my number one theory.
posted by Mogur at 4:05 AM on February 5, 2023 [1 favorite]


She thinks it's the ability to affect other people's powers, based on people who have suddenly had their power turn on (Andy, Hannah) or turn off (Jizzlord, Luke) when Jen is around.
posted by kyrademon at 7:55 AM on February 5, 2023 [1 favorite]


Ahhhh that does make sense!
posted by Mogur at 11:21 AM on February 5, 2023


I have never identified with a character more as I did when Jen was around the dentist whose power was that everyone around them generated their own soundtrack.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 10:33 PM on February 7, 2023 [1 favorite]


Finished the season and really looking forward to what they do with it. It does seem like she's an on/off switch for powers, and that it might be activated by strong emotions; that could be a really, really dangerous power, especially if she gets back together with the occasional FWB who can fly.
posted by Halloween Jack at 10:08 PM on February 10, 2023 [1 favorite]


We loved this show. There wasn't a single flat episode.

I especially love that the world of the show can have a character experience a touching moment of realization that results in her running around the city shouting "Jizzlord? Jizzlord!"

When the last episode's mid-credit scene started I was expecting something significant to happen with Jizzlord, but I was not expecting that!

Here's a link to a list of all the songs used in the show.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 6:37 PM on March 1, 2023 [2 favorites]


I'm thinking Jizzlord is not actually a human with the power to change into a cat.

He's a cat with the power to change into a human.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 4:15 AM on March 10, 2023 [3 favorites]


How did it take me until The Merry Monarch to realize that they're Kash and Carrie.
posted by Etrigan at 3:16 PM on March 24, 2023 [2 favorites]


Just started watching this and am absolutely loving it! Like Derry Girls with superpowers.
posted by Coaticass at 10:22 PM on February 28


Returning to add: I was inspired to watch it by this review, good for sharing with friends who might like the show: The Funniest SFF TV Show You're Probably Not Watching.
posted by Coaticass at 8:52 PM on March 4 [1 favorite]


A post for Season Two.
posted by Coaticass at 3:15 PM on March 16


Just started this after seeing the season two post.
A few episodes in and it's really fun!
posted by Acari at 4:17 PM on March 18 [1 favorite]


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