Veep: Special Relationship

May 20, 2014 7:31 AM - Season 3, Episode 7

Selina visits London. The press are ready.

Dan didn't last long. Nothing worse than sitting in a foreign hospital, freshly demoted, with Jonah embellishing your medical chart.

The ending was a little too much of a cliffhanger for my taste, but I am glad we'll be back in the US next week to deal with the consequences of the FLOTUS news (and maybe meet her?)

Amy's accent was better, but reminded me of this.

Ray really made the most of his final hours on Team Veep.

Thoughts?

posted by michaelh (10 comments total)

I was put off by the inconsistent British take on the aging of fictional characters. First, they suggest Harry Potter is still a little boy, then they suggest Mary Poppins has aged to over a hundred!

Fictional characters' ages in the real world is a thorny issue, to be sure, but you can't have it both ways. It's as if the British were more interested in putting down their American counterparts than coming to an agreement on the metaphysics of fiction. For shame!
posted by Hume at 8:55 AM on May 20, 2014 [1 favorite]

Dan's croupier charm couldn't save him, it seems. Amy's plan was masterful, though.
posted by codacorolla at 11:56 AM on May 20, 2014

Good to see some The Thick Of It alumni in this episode, and Darren Boyd had probably the best line as the Deputy PM (re: Selina's hat). He is very good in Spy, which I recommend wholeheartedly.

All in all, I think this is just a fantastic show. Firstly, it's extremely satisfying to see Armando Iannucci do so well (three season has to count for something on HBO, right?) with US audiences; Julia Louis-Dreyfus is just phenomenal as Selina (does this woman ever age? She is stunning); the supporting cast is spot-on (though I gotta wonder if they wanted Louis CK for the role of Mike); and the writing is snappy and energetic.

Though, it's frustrating in a sense as well, since it's possibly distracting Chris Morris, Simon Blackwell, Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong from doing things I personally want them to do, such as: Peep Show, Fresh Meat, and something Chris Morris-ean.

All in all, a great half-hour of telly. It's like a refreshing Pepsi.
posted by turbid dahlia at 4:28 PM on May 20, 2014 [3 favorites]

It is absolutely one of my favorites. I wouldn't have had a clue about it except that my wife and I stumbled over an In the Loop mention in a review of something else. We were hooked on all things Iannucci immediately. I hadn't paid any attention to Julia Louis-Dreyfus' work since Seinfeld so I was unsure of how the show would go, but every member of the cast has made their character memorable and funny. I will be very sorry when this show ends.
posted by michaelh at 8:50 AM on May 21, 2014

Oh, but we do like Peep Show. I didn't realize the connection until you made it for me.
posted by michaelh at 8:50 AM on May 21, 2014 [1 favorite]

Julia Louis-Dreyfus has done consistently good work since Seinfeld and that may have to do with working with really interesting people.
All I know is I need a hat even if I'm not in the Kingdom of Hats. Point me at the swans. Or Tony Hale.
posted by provoliminal at 11:58 PM on May 21, 2014 [1 favorite]

I really like the show but I have to say that this particular episode mostly annoyed me. I mean, that's the point, I guess, making fun of the fact that even VPOTUSes and their staffs can't really be bothered to care about or even know much of the rest of the world outside Hollywood cliches.

If it were exaggeration it would be funnier. That would be satire. This? It's like Dogme 95 or something.
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 6:31 PM on May 23, 2014

There was a little bit about this episode where the embarrassment we feel for the characters almost go to be too much, when we viewed them through the eyes of the Brits. That being said, I am still chuckling about The Hat, and wondering why Amy is so excited to get the job of campaign manager. It should be obvious that, like Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts, the job is cuuuursed!
posted by Zephyrial at 7:47 PM on May 23, 2014 [1 favorite]

Daniwah! I think this was the best episode this season.
posted by askmehow at 7:27 PM on May 25, 2014 [2 favorites]

Of course Amy wants the campaign manager job. There is nothing more to her than the job. She had no life outside of work... No friends except the word relationship with Jared from silicon valley, she hates her colleagues, and last season we saw she had no relationship work jet family either. She is pure ambition.
posted by askmehow at 7:53 PM on May 25, 2014