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The Thick of It

E6 of 7
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The Thick of It

Series 4 - Episode 6

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Review

Armando Iannucci and his A-Team of writers serve up a surprise this week: a one-off, gift-set edition that’s a different beast altogether from what we’re used to. In place of the usual sweary farce, we get dry satire, set entirely at hearings for a public inquiry into the death of Douglas Tickell, the health worker whose suicide has dogged DoSAC ministers and flunkies throughout the series.

The exchanges are skilfully done, mocking the etiquette of Leveson-type inquiries, where a quaint legalistic process (“If you would turn to tab 16...”) tries to fathom the mad scramble of ministerial politics.

To start with, you may miss the mad scramble and its belly-laughs
a bit, but this has great moments. There’s Peter Mannion struggling
to appear politically correct, Stuart Pearson talking guff (“I believe in government as a transceiver, yeah?”) and Malcolm, still cobra-deadly without his usual profanities, and all the more dangerous when he seems to be cornered.

But it’s fragile aide Robyn who returns to deliver the damning verdict on her political masters: “To be honest, I think they’re just trying to get through the day without cocking up.”

Summary

Everyone has a lot of questions to answer about the suicide of the key worker after his flat was sold off - government, opposition and civil service alike. Heading the inquiry is Lord Goolding, who isn't going to stand for any nonsense. The truth is about to come out - unless someone lies, or creates a diversion of some kind, or simply pretends not to remember anything. Peter Capaldi stars.

Cast & Crew

Lord Goolding William Hoyland
Simon Weir Tobias Menzies
Baroness Sureka Priyanga Burford
Matthew Hodge Michael Maloney
Stewart Pearson Vincent Franklin
Malcolm Tucker Peter Capaldi
Fergus Williams Geoffrey Streatfeild
Peter Mannion Roger Allam
Emma Messinger Olivia Poulet
Phil Smith Will Smith
Adam Kenyon Ben Willbond
Terri Coverley Joanna Scanlan
Nicola Murray Rebecca Front
Robyn Murdoch Polly Kemp
Oliver Reeder Chris Addison
Glenn Cullen James Smith
Director Armando Iannucci
Producer Armando Iannucci
Producer Adam Tandy
Writer Simon Blackwell
Writer Roger Drew
Writer Sean Gray
Writer Ian Martin
Writer Tony Roche
Writer Will Smith
Writer Dan Gaster
Writer Georgia Pritchett
Writer David Quantick
see more
Comedy
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