Oh my god, HBO, enough already! I have a house that needs cleaned, a yard that needs mowed, and groceries that need purchased.
So yeah, Veep is pretty great.
If the 2009 film In the Loop has never crossed your radar, (and you like dark humor and the UK), seek it out, pronto. The people who brought you that blast of sharp political satire (director Armando Iannucci and writer Simon Blackwell) have created another, similar treat for television. In the Loop was about a group of government officials from England and America, dealing with a snafu that could potentially start a war. It’s dark, has some of the most spectacular swearing sequences I’ve ever seen, and that dry humor I so adore. In comparison, Veep is a little lighter, with less use of the c-word. It’s In the Loop, the D.C. edition, spliced with the zany incompetence of Parks and Recreation.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus stars as Selina Meyer, the vice president of the United States, and Leslie Knoppe, she is not. Advertisements had me assuming that she was going to be a savvy force to be reckoned with, but the pilot showcased someone who has so much bullshit to deal with, it’s almost impossible for her to handle it all successfully. She relies heavily on her staff and assistants, who are mostly idiots (BUSTER BLUTH ALERT!!!!!!). The core trio of advisors are Gary, Amy, and Mike, (Tony Hale, In the Loop vet Anna Chlumsky, and Matt Walsh). Gary and Mike are the dolts of the group, and Selina verbally skewers them accordingly. Still, she couldn’t make it without them: At a press event, Selina literally doesn’t know the names of attendees, and relies heavily on Gary to whisper information in her ear.
In the Loop (film) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The pilot focused on a scandal involving the cleanup required after Selina uses the word “retard” at a press conference, against the backdrop of attempting to garner support for her Clean Jobs Commission project. Her cause is viewed as a joke by all – the gooey, disintegrating cornstarch utensils she’s trying to put into regular use at the White House certainly don’t help the effort (try stirring a hot beverage with a biodegradable spoon).
The writing here is aces, the pace is fast, I laughed out oud a few times, and was amused almost the entire time. And I’m not someone who is enamored with the world of politics either, let me just say that. If you’re staying away from this show because you hate the political landscape or find the topic generally mind-numbing, you’re missing out. I mainly gave this show a chance because I loved In the Loop, and Entertainment Weekly gave it a glowing review; I wasn’t disappointed. Iannacci and Blackwell are gifted writers, and with Veep, HBO continues to prove itself to be something I increasingly am unwilling to live without.
~Annie
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