Creator: Armando Iannucci
If you've seen In the Loop, the 2009 British film by the same guy who created this show, then you'll know exactly what to expect for Veep (if you haven't seen that movie but like Veep, then you really need to watch In the Loop). The comedic style is dialogue-heavy with a bit of an absurdist slant. It takes a slightly exaggerated, but true in theory, look at the world of politics. Veep gets a lot right about politics in America, even if much of the show is a bit out there. D.C. politicians don't throw creative insults around at each other or engage in the type of shenanigans the show's characters do, but the spirit of the character's actions does ring true.
The lofty over-ambition of Dan and the slave-like loyalty of Gary are two examples of characters on the show that are exaggerated for comedic effect, but are still based on reality, and they're all the more funnier because of it. The same goes for the story-lines on the show, like Selina's efforts to get a Clean Jobs bill without making anyone mad only to find that in the end she has made everyone mad (pretty much politics in America in a nutshell). The show reveals the absurdities of not just politics, but of the human desire for others to approve. Even though the show does seem a bit slight and doesn't have goals that are set too high, it's most definitely achieves the modest goals it has for itself. On top of all of its great digs at the politics, media, and culture in America, the show provides a high and frequent dose of laughs. This is an example of a comedy that does exactly what it's supposed to.
Grade: B
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