Veep

Season 1 – 80% – The fear that with my minimal, largely theoretical knowledge of American politics I would have no chance of keeping up with the references, was definitively dispelled by the episode about unflattering epithets. Much more than about a behind-the-scenes look at the White House and other key government buildings, Veep is about telling jokes in completely inappropriate situations and situational Murphy's Law, which shows that if an embarrassing moment can become even worse, it definitely will. The series, which I tried purely out of a desire to reexamine HBO's brand of humor, has become not only a very pleasant and intelligent certainty, thanks in large part to the brilliantly omnipresent Gary, but also guarantees an almost constant stream of grins. Season 2 – 80% – Uneven, but all the more appreciated in the end. And above all, confident. Dan is burning with even more frequency, Gary is even nicer, and the really good episodes are among the best that the sitcom scene currently offers. But the real triumph here is Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Her expression and facial expressions are so disarming that I would join her team almost without hesitation. Therefore, the weak episodes in the second half of the season, which, due to the plainly irritating characters (Furlong, Andrew), tended to outrage rather than amuse, are a great pity. Season 3 – 90% – If you blink once you'll miss a great line; if you blink twice, you'll miss the sharp punchline altogether. The creative team around Armando Iannucci has always been sharp, but only this year have they managed to shoot sharp scenes throughout practically all five hours of running time. Queen Julia has never enjoyed her role as much as she does now. The sophistication that many people see in the second season of House of Cards, I found in the third year of Veep. Maybe it's the pinnacle of the whole series, or maybe it's just definitively found its own face. Season 4 – 85% – Even sharper and more vicious to its characters. But the more trouble Mike and Gary (not to mention poor Catherine) get into, the better I understand all the acting and creative nominations for various TV awards. Anna Chlumsky, in particular, blossoms from season to season, and the mishaps the writers prepared for her character, Amy, this year pushed her towards performances bordering on chilling perfection. Luckily, it's still a smart and purebred sitcom, so there's always an apt retort just around the corner (like from newcomer Ericsson) or a perfectly mismatched beef quote from the naive Richard Splett. Along these lines everything continues to work, and I really wish it would continue to work even after the departure of the current showrunner. Season 5 – 100% – I wouldn't even have expected new showrunner David Mandel to complete the journey to the very pinnacle of quality, even in my wildest dreams. As a result, not only do we have perfect viewer pleasure in the darkest self-talk, but we also have louder and louder sighs about the lack of international awareness of this gem. While Julia Louis-Dreyfus has been deservedly winning Golden Globes year after year across the ocean, in Europe the Vice President(ess) is likely forever condemned to the blue spectrum, as evidenced by only a few hundred ratings. And although I often do not care about majority opinion, in the face of perfect running gags (the resemblance between Marjorie and Selina, Catherine's references outside the boardroom, the ambitious Candi's attempt to get a job at the White House), I keep wondering why this ignorance keeps happening over and over again. Countless types of humor packed into half an hour have not tasted this complex for a long time. Season 6 – 80% – This year, the writers felt for the first time what it's like to have a free hand. They can finally aim beyond the political spectrum, and it really shows in the result. Any deviation from Washington or previously common topics is written as a truly wild ride, but it occasionally veers off the standard I'm used to. Once the main character finds herself at various celebrations or parties, the plot and humor go so far beyond the imaginary line that the escapades of all involved sometimes seem a bit forced. But as soon as they get back on track, the sharp wordplay returns in full force, and any line that falls from Louis-Dreyfus's flawless mouth to any of the other characters present is perfect gold. Catherine, as usual, gets the most of it, which is a pity considering her naivety and cuteness, but it's also impossible to tear your eyes away from these verbal battles. Season 7 – 80% – With all the accompanying features and a precise dose of specific running gags. And yet even its exit from the scene does not merit a perfect score, even though the screenwriter's intention was completed exactly according to the long-term plan. With each subsequent season, Selina becomes the person who is capable of throwing anyone under the bus, even any nearby secretaries and assistants, and even with perfect exaggeration, it's not easy for me to watch. However, I still insist that Veep is the best in terms of acting and biting humor that I have ever seen in political series, and the final scene between Selina and Gary is the best moment of the entire seven years. (01/18/2015) (less) (more)