A thread for Armando Iannucci's VEEP

https://www.splettnet.net/
the scene from the mikado

Wow, this season finale felt like a series finale, and a solid series finale at that. I know they're doing at least a season 6, but not only can I not see how they'll manage that, I'm not sure there's a point.

it was a funny season, but the vast divide between this show's depiction of clubby, insider Washington and the reality of contemporary American politics is starting to wear

I found myself really really bored w the plot, tho still enjoying ~3-4 genuine laugh out loud moments per ep

martin mull bit at the end was choice

Is this the only example of a sitcom that got broader and cheaper when the showrunner changed, but still kinda worked?

its not a sitcom

It's HBO.

it is definitely a sitcom wtf. it fits every classical definition.

JLD is so amazing in the finale

I don't think it got broader and cheaper. Isn't one of Iannucci's claims to fame his ample and creative use of shocking profanity and crass insults?

I think the characterization got broader and more one note (e.g. Ben, who basically turned into Norm Peterson). And the plotting became more farcical and Curb-like - no surprise given the showrunner. The cheapness was in some of the joke targets - I can't imagine Iannucci doing a running Alzheimer's gag, for example. A bit hacky. I don't think profanity and insults are signs of broadness - especially not profanity as self-consciously rococo as Iannucci's.

My point being - despite essentially becoming a trashier show, I thought it was still great! I

...which is unusual. Usually trashier = worse.

I don't see how they do another season. This was a fitting and very funny finale.

it is definitely a sitcom wtf. it fits every classical definition.

― illegal economic migration (Tracer Hand), Wednesday, June 29, 2016 3:33 AM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

i guess there are situations involved with comedic potential, yes.

but it doesn't generally run with a/b/c arcs as strongly as i think of with sitcoms, and of course the plot moves forwards every episode rather than 'resetting'. so i guess if like half-hour funny shows in general are sitcoms, sure. but it seems sort of weird to stack this up against 1600 Penn and Cheers or whatever

I think Armando Iannucci wrote Brexit

I miss this show already.
Agree with Chuck_Tatum, it did get more formulaic but it worked anyhow. Would watch Richard T Splett in anything.

I think Armando Iannucci wrote Brexit

I've been imagining an In the Loop-esque version of the machinations leading up to it.

Loved that it was Richard Splett with her through the long dark night.

"oh god I hope I didn't fuck Richard"

I've been imagining an In the Loop-esque version of the machinations leading up to it.

― sam jax sax jam (Jordan), Wednesday, June 29, 2016 3:15 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

same

Actually, I've got to push back against this season being somehow trashier or broader. It's been a while but didn't like the second episode of the first season have her shitting herself in the back of a limo?

the crass person in me enjoyed martin mull calling whats-his-face 'buttfucker' all the time

i'm guess i'm going to dip back in but what i didn't like about the first ep is that ALL the characters (aside from splett i guess) have become little wind-up insult machines. i guess it must be fun as hell for the actors to get to say those lines but it's like everybody's become the foul-mouthed wiseass. you only really need a couple of those, otherwise there's no texture to things, there's no shock. but like i said everybody seems to love this series so i will ch ch check it.

It's very Seinfeld, trapped in a circle of hell together.

hell is other people, especially at work

Haha ok I forgot the pantshitting episode

they corrected from that though, rather than setting a tone for the next four years

for those of you wanting an In The Loop style version of (one aspect of) the Brexit crisis this gets pretty damn close

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/1371058/inside-story-of-tories-borexit-how-bojos-career-was-left-in-tatters-a-week-after-he-thought-hed-be-next-pm/

^ ty

i'm guess i'm going to dip back in but what i didn't like about the first ep is that ALL the characters (aside from splett i guess) have become little wind-up insult machines.

This was largely the case from the beginning though! And in the thick of it too tbh, obv that had Malcolm & Jamie as more extreme examples but p much every character was ready with a punny epithet every other line. But it's hardly like they're indistinguishable in either show.

I really like this series & didn't realise iannucci had left but was coming to post that Jonah appearing to shout at the bowling alley clerk with Down's syndrome & Catherine appearing to kiss her mother were such clunking sub-Curbisms that I felt embarrassed for the show

Agree that sple✧✧✧@splett✧✧✧.n✧✧ is a joy, also surprised not to see more praise of Gary Cole's performance as Kent, which is consistently brilliant imo

lol

splett2 at splettnet dot net

what we do now echoes in spletternity

the christmas at camp david episode is just about the most excruciating thing i've ever seen

Veep has plenty of characters who aren't wind-up insult machines - Splett, Catherine, Gary, Mike, even Kent's humor mostly comes from other things like his pathological need to correct people and point out weird facts.

oh my god it's real https://www.splettnet.net/

Twenty years on, the No 1 album is by Radiohead (from the 90s), our funniest TV show is Frasier (from the 90s), my favorite jeans are starting to get real worn these days (from the 90s), i subsist entirely on a diet from my storehouse of hungry man tv dinners (from the 90s), and my busted hip from a golfing mishap (from the 90s) is forever back back back

Veep has plenty of characters who aren't wind-up insult machines - Splett, Catherine, Gary, Mike, even Kent's humor mostly comes from other things like his pathological need to correct people and point out weird facts.

Those characters are there for other people to insult.

Maybe, but they're also funny on their own

I guess I feel like everyone - particularly the Veep - having such virtuosic insult skills undermines their essential ineptitude, which is the main pillar of the show

I'd like to think they spend so much time on zings and insults that they forget to actually do their jobs, let alone well. They're either so venal and craven and narcissistic, or completely jaundiced and cynical. Self-preservation above all else. And from Jonah to Selena, they seek power not to do good but just to vengefully shit on everyone below them.

I guess I feel like everyone - particularly the Veep - having such virtuosic insult skills undermines their essential ineptitude, which is the main pillar of the show

― illegal economic migration (Tracer Hand)

The Kelly Bundy Syndrome, supposedly as dumb as a rock but able to pull off amazing zings against Bud.

im not suggesting their insult skills are plausible but the show's rationale for it seems to be that the culture of politics is one in which youre allowed to be egregiously offensive to your colleagues at all times and so it's basically just practice that makes them so good at it.

By my count there is only one character whose sole purpose is to be the butt of insults--Congressman Furlong's aide Matt

man today feels like the finale of this

the georgia episode this season it feels like they hit their stride again, after sort of establishing the pieces in play this season. so many great lines this ep.

I saw she was credited as a producer but didn't think any of the leftover British writers were still doing scripts this year? (Isn't it just her and Smith now?)

Minna is so incredible

I'm surprised in the era of reactionary thinkpieces this show isn't v controversial?

"It's actually my favorite joke ever!"

Minna is so incredible

otm !!

This episode was fantastic, probably because, with the exception of Dan and Amy, they got the band back together.