Veep: Joint Session

April 14, 2015 10:40 PM - Season 4, Episode 1

Selena Meyer has ascended to the highest office in the land. Mike is Juicing. Jonah gets close to the new VP's Chief of Staff. Amy's job is threatened. Gary watches over Selena. Kent dispenses wisdom. Selena is speechless. Two of the hikers are dead.
posted by [insert clever name here] (10 comments total)

The discomfort was strong in this episode. I spent a good part of it watching my hiding under my blanket in vicarious embarrassment, and my husband spent a good part of the speech with his face buried in my lap out of the same embarrassment.

The cycle of veep abuse continues.

Words cannot express my adoration of this show, and of Ms. Louis-Dreyfus.
posted by [insert clever name here] at 10:50 PM on April 14, 2015 [2 favorites]

[Future Whatever]

Patton Oswald's character just slayed me. I knew a guy like that. Went up to an "enemy" in a mall food court and literally ate the guy's lunch while threatening him without making any threats.
posted by ob1quixote at 2:04 AM on April 15, 2015 [3 favorites]

I think Patton's character is just Gay and attracted to Jonad, no? Like it's karmic retribution for Jonah being a gross PUA for his entire life?
posted by codacorolla at 9:10 AM on April 15, 2015

That wasn't my read at all. That read to me as straight up dominating Jonah by getting in his personal space while maintaining an outwardly polite facade.
posted by [insert clever name here] at 10:43 AM on April 15, 2015 [2 favorites]

Yeah, I agree with that. Teddy may or may not be gay, but that was not in any sense a pick-up move. That was "Let's play the game of whose balls and whose hands."

I should add that the incident I described earlier wasn't when we were teenagers. He must have been in his thirties. Also, he had previously broken the victim's jaw.
posted by ob1quixote at 11:25 AM on April 15, 2015 [1 favorite]

Ah, well it would seem I'm wrong then. It did strain believability that anyone would be interested in Jonah sexually.
posted by codacorolla at 11:43 AM on April 15, 2015 [3 favorites]

I loved Jonah's face in that scene. Just a wonderful combination of WTF and what do I do?!? Poor Gary though.
posted by longdaysjourney at 6:43 AM on April 16, 2015 [2 favorites]

Patton Oswald's performance was stellar - I didn't even think he was acting, it was so smooth and believable. Did you catch his grim face as he walked away from the elevator (closed door metaphor ahoy!)? GRIM. Wonderful.

He also made me empathize with Jonah, something I don't always find it in myself to do, as he's so emotionally stunted and over-the-top obnoxious (as the character is meant to be).

Yes, ball grab intentionally an intimidation technique - hey, we've all got body-bubbles, and when someone invades them, it is a naturally aggressive act. Now take that invasion and couple it (ha) with ball-touching and you've got an uber-aggressive act. Not sexual, though.
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 3:57 PM on April 27, 2015

(posted this comment to the wrong Veep thread - here it is in the proper episode post)

Also: what a strong opener to the season. Lots of great lines, like 'grey Elvis', 'Dobby the house elf', 'Jonah had some fantastic lines as always, and Richard (Sam Richardson - almond croissant guy) is shaping up to be a great stooge.

Dan: "Mike trying to be healthy. It's like a potato trying to whistle."

Mike: (excitedly) "Wendy and I made a deal. If I make it to 50, I can quit fruit for good!"

Gary (Tony Hale): "Nobody hates me as much as I hate myself."

Sue had great lines, too.

thumbcock, of course...

Lots of Amy (Anna Chlumsky), but not much Dan (Reid Scott), alas (who can pull funny faces and is very good at reaction shots).
posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 4:26 PM on April 27, 2015

I'm pretty sure the joint chiefs offered up the sub program knowing 1) it's a cold war relic and 2) it's too valuable to Congress to get rid of. It's common.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 9:37 PM on May 3, 2015