Quote: swerytd @ September 10 2012, 9:58 AM BST

I was a bit confused with Ben Willbond's character here: is he the same character that was the newspaper editor in the Specials, who's now in politics (a la Andy Coulsen) or is he playing a different character altogether? It seems to be the latter, just from the way the two characters differ (in my memory).

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I was confused by that, too. Wiki says:
In series 4 he is revealed to be in "the Inbetweener" party and works in DoSaC.
 

I really enjoyed the first episode as it was but can't wait to see Tucker back.
 

What was Glen doing there, has he left his political advisory role and joined a quango?

Quote: Tursiops @ September 9 2012, 11:05 PM BST

Do the writers really think that ministers and SpAds have any input into decisions on individual civil service redundancies? God knows the civil service has been politicised enough but it's not reached that stage. Staff in private offices who piss off their minister just get transferred somewhere remote like the DVLA.

Yes Minister was a show that had real access; this to me always just feels like people on the outside guessing.

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Very much this. I've felt so of the show for quite a while, but it was particularly evident in this one episode.

Quote: Kevin Murphy @ September 10 2012, 9:50 AM BST

Me neither. For me, the Thick Of It was always about the sublime world-weariness of Chris Langham's character. As good as she is, Rebecca Front's character wasn't nearly as interesting. The new chap, however, is an excellent replacement.

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Agreed. Tucker's one-setting character I found quite tiresome at times. The interplay between the other characters, and as noted the weary, often f**kwittedness of the minister in question, is a far more interesting and varied focus, both in terms of plot and comedy.

Quote: swerytd @ September 10 2012, 9:58 AM BST

I was a bit confused with Ben Willbond's character here: is he the same character that was the newspaper editor in the Specials, who's now in politics (a la Andy Coulsen) or is he playing a different character altogether? It seems to be the latter, just from the way the two characters differ (in my memory).

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He retains the exact same character name - Adam Kenyon - so you'll have to blame either a dodgy memory, or no consistency in characterisation on the writers' part.


Despite a few quirks, I really enjoyed episode 1 and laughed a lot. Biggest 'LOL' was the Twix line. Allam is absolutely pitch perfect. Fantastic casting.
 

Quote: Aaron @ September 10 2012, 2:35 PM BST

He retains the exact same character name - Adam Kenyon - so you'll have to blame either a dodgy memory, or no consistency in characterisation on the writers' part.

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Ah, cheers Aaron. Didn't think to check the credits! It's obviously some Andy Coulsen 'gag' that is above my head.

EDIT: Ah yes...

He also, brilliantly, comes with a special adviser that regular viewers might recognise - Adam Kenyon was the night editor of the Daily Mail in the 2007 Thick of It special, before leaving for government. "Fergus and Adam are a horribly self-posessed and overconfident pair," says Blackwell. "They play squash together. They do squat thrusts in the office together. They 'banter'. If a magazine existed that was a cross between the New Statesman and Nuts, they'd buy it."

Read more at ONTD: http://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/71674314.html#ixzz264hlwsP1

Dan
 

I too miss Chris Langham but Roger Allam is a more than adequate replacement; Another wonderful turn by a wonderful actor, like his masterful turn in 'Cabin Pressure', laconic and beautifully timed. The show was running the risk of becoming the 'Malcolm Tucker Show', and enjoyable as that is it does sometimes overpower any subtlety in the script, especially after the departure of Langham. I never felt that Rebecca Front, great though she is, fully replaced the Langham character. Allam is an example of a certain group of comic actors who are always worth watching, like Anna Reid, Alex MacQueen and Simon McBurney, not a star name but always excellent in whatever they appear in.
 

Quote: youngian @ September 10 2012, 2:17 PM BST

What was Glen doing there, has he left his political advisory role and joined a quango?

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Glen mentioned something about jumping ship... I take it he left Labour to go to the more progressive Lib Dems only to end up back where he started with less influence working under the thumb of the Tories.

Having this on Hulu in the USA the day after it airs in the UK is great, hopefully Peep Show gets the same treatment.
 

Quote: MTpromises @ September 10 2012, 7:39 PM BST

Having this on Hulu in the USA the day after it airs in the UK is great, hopefully Peep Show gets the same treatment.

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It was a BBC-Hulu co-production. Peep Show, AFAIK, is not.
 

Quote: Aaron @ September 10 2012, 2:35 PM BST

Agreed. Tucker's one-setting character I found quite tiresome at times. The interplay between the other characters, and as noted the weary, often f**kwittedness of the minister in question, is a far more interesting and varied focus, both in terms of plot and comedy.

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Disagree. Series 3 saw Tucker go on a fantastic arc as he lost his grip on power and was ousted, only to backstab his way back in. His speech about how he was once a Pharoah was one of the highlights of that year.
 

I liked his little out-of-the-office jumper.
 

Quote: chipolata @ September 11 2012, 1:31 PM BST

Disagree. Series 3 saw Tucker go on a fantastic arc as he lost his grip on power and was ousted, only to backstab his way back in. His speech about how he was once a Pharoah was one of the highlights of that year.

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I'd forgotten that; a fair point.
 

Quote: chipolata @ September 11 2012, 1:31 PM BST

Disagree. Series 3 saw Tucker go on a fantastic arc as he lost his grip on power and was ousted, only to backstab his way back in. His speech about how he was once a Pharoah was one of the highlights of that year.

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Agreed. I also look forward to seeing Nicola Murray again.

Quote: Dolly Dagger @ September 11 2012, 4:29 PM BST

Agreed. I also look forward to seeing Nicola Murray again.

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Yeah, I think she's a more interesting character than people give her credit for. She's a decent human who gradually loses her humanity. She knows what she's doing is wrong, but still goes along with it.
 

Quote: chipolata @ September 11 2012, 4:46 PM BST

Yeah, I think she's a more interesting character than people give her credit for.

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Yes, I think she's a great character.

She is, I don't deny it. But it's the Peter/Stewart relationship that's, frankly, awesome.

Dan