I have been thinking about the Tickel thing, and the way it was (not) presented.
Couldn't they have just stuck a BBC News-style 'report' on Tickel's protest for 10-20 seconds at the start of episode 1? Maybe then panning back to them watching it.
That report could have explained everything, without having to waste dialogue on explaining who he is/was, and what he was doing.
Quote: SimonWing @ October 21 2012, 3:30 AM BSTI have been thinking about the Tickel thing, and the way it was (not) presented.
Couldn't they have just stuck a BBC News-style 'report' on Tickel's protest for 10-20 seconds at the start of episode 1? Maybe then panning back to them watching it.
That report could have explained everything, without having to waste dialogue on explaining who he is/was, and what he was doing.
Spot on - would have made a world of difference.
Dramatically, I found this rivetting.
Wasn't particularly funny, though.
IMHO they've 'earned the right' to run this episode - but I'm sure many will be disappointed.
Quote: Aaron @ October 21 2012, 3:14 AM BSTLeveson. And inquiry.
It was late. 
Quote: Lazzard @ October 21 2012, 8:46 AM BSTWasn't particularly funny, though.
IMHO they've 'earned the right' to run this episode - but I'm sure many will be disappointed.
Explosion in an agreement factory on this one. Peter Capaldi's acting in this was mesmorising and the speech he gave at the end was excellent.
A bit light on laughs, except when they brought in Robin, the weak dog lady. Her and Terri were a great double act and everything from the 'I've got a guilty face' to the Sheperdess analogy was hilarious.
Quote: Renegade Carpark @ October 21 2012, 2:45 PM BSTA bit light on laughs, except when they brought in Robin, the weak dog lady. Her and Terri were a great double act and everything from the 'I've got a guilty face' to the Sheperdess analogy was hilarious.
Agreed on that at least.
Am I the only person who heard/saw David Brent at the start when Stewart was talking? Very skirting-around-the-issue, using metaphors and tech jargon, heh.
Agreed that it wasn't an overly funny episode, but I don't think it really mattered as the content was so gripping and the performances were pitched so perfectly (in particular Peter Capaldi's performance stood out, that closing speech was an incredible piece of acting) that I thought the episode worked really well and was up there as one of the best. In my opinion, anyway.
Also, though the season started slow, when you look back over the episodes the series as a whole works really well together and you really begin to understand how the series has slowly built up to this climatic episode, allowing for a concluding finale next week.
Anyway, I thought it was brilliant!
I never really liked Stewart and his schtick precisely because it's been done to death. Management/neo hippy speak was already old hat ten years ago, in fact we've all parodied it at one point or another, and for me that has been one of my main problems with this series because it focused even more on that aspect. Having said that, I think this is the best he has ever been (but that's not saying much), because within the context of the inquiry (and the real life Levison) it was more poignant.
I have to say that this was the best episode so far, although still nowhere near the last few series, and not particularly funny. I think the reason it was a good episode is that it was not able to rely on the tired TTOI-by-numbers storylines that have plagued the series so far.
The bits that fell down for me were - well, pretty much everyone except Malcolm. And I am not necessarily one of those people that thinks Malcolm is the be all and end all of the programme, but the other characters have all taken too far of a shift towards 'silly' for my liking. Frankly I'm starting to wish Will Smith was edited out of the show altogether.
I should point out that I still think all of the actors are giving great performances, it's the writing that's a problem.
I've also felt that this series suffers from a lack of realism, which was the life blood of previous series. This episode also had that problem, as it relies on realism more than any other. There is just no way Malcolm would have said so many of those things, or that the inquiry would simply have ignored him and moved on to the next question if he did. His final speech was ok, but again, the writing was clumsy and it was, at best, a thinly veiled moral lesson and mouthpiece for the writers. It was too on the nose. He might as well have just looked straight at the camera and said "Do you see what we're doing here, girls and boys? This is called 'Satire'".
That's my expert opinion, which I have gleaned from years of not writing comedy and moaning about what's on telly.
Oh, stand out line (First of the series for me): "Terri wants a pension more than Richard Hammond wants a punch in the face."
I can't lie. I found it rather boring. Although, hearing dry Tucker quotes from other people (Olly's appendix etc.) works quite well, as you then imagine him saying it.
I thought the Fergus stint in the enquiry room was quite good. He did 'useless' pretty well. Phil too had his moments.
The blonde woman is a waste of space IMHO. Her only purpose in 4 seasons was that time Jamie threatened to perform keyhole surgery on her, using a key.
I have been telling friends for ages "watch TTOI. It's brilliant". I hope that wasn't the episode where they finally decided to "give it a chance".
Not a laugh a minute, but still a fascinating episode, and nice to see all the main characters in a different environment than usual. I enjoyed the Baroness Scandal and the way we never knew what it was, and how snippy she got when it was mentioned.
Quote: chipolata @ October 22 2012, 10:12 AM BSTI enjoyed the Baroness Scandal and the way we never knew what it was, and how snippy she got when it was mentioned.
Wasn't she good, BTW?
Quote: Lazzard @ October 22 2012, 10:27 AM BSTWasn't she good, BTW?
She was. In fact I thought they did a very good job of recapturing exactly the sort of people who sit on an Inquiry. Although I was secretly hoping since it was Armando Iannucci this guy would be chairing it:
Quote: joebloggs69 @ October 21 2012, 7:29 PM BSTI've also felt that this series suffers from a lack of realism, which was the life blood of previous series. This episode also had that problem, as it relies on realism more than any other. There is just no way Malcolm would have said so many of those things, or that the inquiry would simply have ignored him and moved on to the next question if he did.
Definitely. If you're going to use a more realistic shooting style (using different, more authentic cameras) you have to reflect that in the script. Malcolm was way too mouthy sometimes, and I kept waiting for them to tell him to settle down, or press him for an actual answer but it never came.
I really like Robin and I'm glad she came back. There was nice character development in Teri too as she revealed some of her background and showed massive insecurity.
Light on laughs, but I was gripped all the way, and for me The Thick of It is always so gripping and good on narrative that I don't care if there aren't as many laughs, I always find myself slightly annoyed when an episode ends.
Oh and Phil did have some excellent fist-biting moments, though granted he can be a little ott sometimes.
Quote: chipolata @ October 22 2012, 10:34 AM BSTAlthough I was secretly hoping since it was Armando Iannucci this guy would be chairing it:
"D'you wanna get sucked in? I'll suck you so far in you'll get blown out the other side!"
Possibly my favourite bit of Iannucci:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQo4sxX2oQg
Sorry I'll stop going off topic now. Promise.
