"Better a fallen rocket than never a burst of light."
~ Tom Stoppard, The Invention of Love

Monday, November 4, 2013

The Thick of It: Series 3, Episode 8 (2009)


A lot going on in the last episode of series 3.  I don’t want to give too much away, but it’s an excellent outing.  It’s very funny (there’s quite a bit of Julius, and he’s particularly hysterical here,) but more than that, it’s also a good story.  There’s some major plot stuff going on and some great interaction between the characters.
 
We see a different sort of Malcolm in this episode, playing a very different kind of game.  He’s very much the wolf in sheep’s clothing, but he’s such a wolf that it just makes him seem even scarier.  His behavior completely throws the DoSAC team for a loop, and they’re left feverishly speculating as to the nature of his plan.
 
On the other hand, we also see Malcolm absolutely in his element, albeit in a less typical way.  Normally, Malcolm’s anger, energy, and colorful language are channeled into berating ministers and civil servants for a job done poorly: tearing people down over their mistakes.  Here, though, he takes those same qualities and puts them to use buoying people up.  The election is imminent, and despite everyone’s belief that the party doesn’t stand a chance, Malcolm’s not ready to give in.  His rallying cry to “the troops” is a highlight of the episode, maybe of the season.
 
There’s one member of the opposition team that I haven’t mentioned yet:  Phil Smith, one of Peter’s advisors.  A card-carrying nerd who finds it difficult to talk without referencing Tolkien or Star Wars, he probably considers Ollie his arch-nemesis.  He’s Emma’s flatmate as well as the advisor to a rival MP, and he’s always made it clear that he hates Ollie personally and professionally.  He’s also an incurable suck-up who idolizes Peter as everything a politician should be.
 
One season left; we start tomorrow!

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