The Thick Of It - Series 3 Page 10

Quote: youngian @ November 2 2009, 11:43 AM GMT

I agree the storyline is too centred around Tucker but over these eight episodes I think we will get to see a more deflated Malcolm whose powers begin to fade as the government gives up the will to live.

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Definitely. I think this series will have a definite arc, possibly culminating in the death of New Labour. It was certainly hinted at in Saturdays show when the journalist played by Zoe Telford ( ) reminded Tucker that his government was about to lose the next election.

It struck me last night that the plot of this previous episode was almost directly lifted from Yes Minister: S01E07 - Jobs For The Boys where Hacker is caught out by the debacle of discussing the Solihull project; and S01E03 - The Economy Drive (I think), where a mix-up leads to him making rather disparaging remarks about the workforce and laughing about savage cuts to the leader of the trade union. Very little rewriting involved. I have a feeling that there may also have been a similar situation with a reporter, but can't place it (perhaps in Absolute Power actually, also starring Zoe Telford).

Evidently, he does, yes.

(Although the supposedly do-no-wrong Jesse Armstrong wrote that episode.)

Re: Capaldi overshadowing the other actors

Yes, yes he does, but f**k it, his performance is brilliant. The tiny scene where the Lady Minister has to admit her mistake to Tucker inside the people carrier was just breathtaking.

You could almost sense the fear, tension and trepidation...and when Tucker finally exploded, it was magnificent.

If he does lose his position of power, maybe Capaldi's character could get his own spin off show. Maybe call it Tucker's Luck.

Not really enjoying the third series to be honest. I agree with earlier postings about Malcolm becoming too much of a central figure. Also Terri is getting a lot more lines this time around. I preferred her when she was less central.

I'm sorry to drone on about it but it's really not the same without Hugh. Nicola's arrival has significantly affected the dynamic of the show and it hasn't come off for me. We've lost the camaraderie between Hugh and Glenn, and the banter that existed in the office in the first series just isn't there anymore. The loss of Hugh has pitted Glenn and Ollie against one another. There is no more "good-natured joshing" and the atmosphere between them has become a lot more cut-throat. The bitchiness between Nicola and Terri in the first episode sets the tone I think. There is a lot of unease and ill-feeling about. I don't know, maybe that is a more accurate portrayel of life in a government department.

I love Glenn's character but part of me can't help feel he should have been written out along with Hugh (maybe a job in Selfridges menswear department?) He is hanging around the office (in his immaculate suit) like the last turkey in the shop. Jokes about him being out of touch have carried through into the new series and are getting tired. His near-breakdown in the second special was the nadir for his character, but he now seems more irrelevent than ever and it's so cringeworthy seeing him trying to suck up to Nicola.

I've read that the opposition will be making a reappearance at some point during the new series and I hope that's true. The introduction of Manning and his staff during the specials was a great solution to the Langham problem and shifted the focus away from DoSAC to some extent. I think they achieved a good balance during those two shows and I would like to see it replecated in the third series.

And please bring back Julius "I'm beginning to piss myself with excitement" Nicholson and Jamie "Are you a f**king horse?" MacDonald! Legends the pair of them.

Dan

My God, what are you all moaning at?! It's by far the funniest show on TV at the moment (funnier even than Peep Show, and that's brilliant). Some of the lines are genius and even watching each episode twice, I'm still finding understated lines that I missed first time around. It's awesome.

And Malcolm does seem a lot more on edge in this series as the government inevitably slide to defeat. This was hinted at in the specials (with the whole 'alliance' thing) but he does actually seem different from the first (two?) series, by trying to hold it together. The funniest bit of this second episode was how much of a kerfuffle he got into trying to undo his seatbelt -- that was an awesome bit of flustering! The phone calls he's getting from other departments and having to deal with the DoSaC idiots give him that 'deputy headmaster' role over the bumbling idiot kids that can't do anything right, rather than just DoSac, who seemed to be the only idiots in the previous episodes.

Dan

Could someone clear up a little point, because I wasn't watching closely enough? Did Tucker actually deliberately set up the 'I am bent' shot?

No I don't think so.

Quote: swerytd @ November 2 2009, 1:55 PM GMT

My God, what are you all moaning at?!

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Yes, I wondered that. I think we're all getting a little bit spoilt, maybe.

Quote: Griff @ November 2 2009, 3:00 PM GMT

They need to put another series of Life Of Riley on to give us all a reality check.

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Aaaaah, crap! Griff, man, I don't need my reality checked!

Quote: sootyj @ November 2 2009, 9:59 AM GMT

What I meant is no one was directly harmed by his actions.

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Please, please, please tell me you are joking.

Please can we keep any more Langham court case discussion to PMs?
Every thread concerning a show he's been in degenerates into a discussion about this instead of about the show.

Quote: zooo @ November 2 2009, 4:12 PM GMT

Please can we keep any more Langham court case discussion to PMs?
Every thread concerning a show he's been in degenerates into a discussion about this instead of about the show.

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You tell 'em!

'Little pigs, little pigs' I loved that bit in this weeks.

Maybe I am being pedantic, but the plot of the last episode bore even less semblance to reality than usual. I doubt any SpAd has actually even seen raw Government data, let alone been in a position to wipe it; nor would one ever be in a position to fire anyone.

Okay, I am being pedantic, but it does reinforce the impression I have that no-one involved in the show has the faintest idea of the respective roles of ministers, SpAds and civil servants, and how they actually interact and behave around one another. The contrast with Yes Minister which understood perfectly these relationships is quite telling.

Quote: Timbo @ November 2 2009, 9:22 PM GMT

Maybe I am being pedantic, but the plot of the last episode bore even less semblance to reality than usual.

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At several points I thought the plot was a bit stupid, with people doing things out of character for any normal human. But the great lines and the performance of Capaldi more than made up for such things.