If you like clever-funny, then you’ll like Veep. As a political comedy there a lot of the themes you might expect: corruption, deception, incompetence. Although it is the American counterpart to the British series The Thick of It, there aren’t as many similarities as you might think. Despite the British director and mainly British writers, there’s a distinctly American feel to the show. Not in a canned laughter Cheers kind of way; more subtle, like The Office.
Those Arrested Development fans out there will appreciate the resurgence of Tony Hale as the Veep’s right hand man. He is basically playing the same character with a slightly more normal voice. Seinfeld’s Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ return to sitcom as the Vice President has earned her multiple awards, and rightly so. She plays the character with a delicateness that allows you to like the character despite the fact that everything she does and says would point you in the opposite direction.
I would strongly recommend this show if you’re a fan of the American Office. It’s a bit more fast paced, and the jokes are sometimes less easy to spot, but if you’re prepared to concentrate a little bit you’ll really enjoy. (Sky Atlantic, Monday, 10.30)
For those who like to quiz: don’t forget University Challenge is on 8pm Mondays BBC2, always a good watch, if only for Jeremy Paxman’s wrong answer scoff. Can’t wait till then? Pointless, everyday, 5.15 on BBC1. Like me, you might find it insufferable at first, but give it four days and you’ll be applying to be on it.