The Thick of It

Series 4 - Episode 5

Review

by Alison Graham

“There goes a tiebreaker in the making: who was Nicola Murray?” says a wag. Poor Nicola (Rebecca Front), her every move dogged by a man dressed as a pork chop, finds herself the target of a torpedo of invective from Malcolm Tucker.

Even for Tucker, this is strong stuff: “You’ve all the charm of a rotting teddybear by a graveside... you headless frump” is one of the milder insults in a firestorm of abuse as he throws Nicola out of what used to be her office in front of her successor, that suave Dalek Dan Miller.

It’s a messy episode that tips into pandemonium when a leaked email sets off a chain reaction.

Summary

The unravelling of the key-worker housing sell-off policy forces both Nicola Murray and Peter Mannion onto the defensive, and thus begins a race for the moral high ground. But the more they try to spin the story, the bigger the scandal becomes, in an episode of the political comedy directed by Chris Addison (Olly Reeder). Rebecca Front, Roger Allam and Peter Capaldi co-star.

Cast & Crew

Nicola Murray Rebecca Front

Helen Hatley Rebecca Gethings

Phil Smith Will Smith

Peter Mannion Roger Allam

Emma Messinger Olivia Poulet

Stewart Pearson Vincent Franklin

Fergus Williams Geoffrey Streatfeild

Adam Kenyon Ben Willbond

Terri Coverley Joanna Scanlan

Mr Chop Michael Colgan

Glenn Cullen James Smith

Robyn Murdoch Polly Kemp

Jack Joe Cole

Rohinka Mandeep Dhillon

Malcolm Tucker Peter Capaldi

Dan Miller Tony Gardner

Olly Reeder Chris Addison

Sam Samantha Harrington

Director Chris Addison

Producer Adam Tandy

Producer Armando Iannucci

Writer Roger Drew

Comedy

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Accessibility Links

Series 4 - Episode 5

Review

Summary

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Peter Capaldi joins Armando Iannucci in new David Copperfield adaptation

Peter Capaldi did a sweary Malcolm Tucker impression on Australian TV

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The Thick of It

Series 4 - Episode 5

Review

Summary

Cast & Crew

Taking BBC Three back on-air would reward innovation that's helped keep the BBC relevant

BBC Four's future is uncertain, but we need arts channels like it now more than ever

How to watch The Thick of It - what’s it about and who’s in the cast?

Peter Capaldi joins Armando Iannucci in new David Copperfield adaptation

Peter Capaldi did a sweary Malcolm Tucker impression on Australian TV

The Thick of It creator Armando Iannucci destroys hopes of Peter Capaldi comeback as Malcolm Tucker

Peter Capaldi resurrected sweary Malcolm Tucker at the Bafta Scotland awards

Armando Iannucci: The Russians who have seen The Death of Stalin love it

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