Mannion carried this one through, with a little help from the idiot aide.

To take a behemoth of a character like MT out of an episode, and still produce a very, very solid episode (even by the high standards of what is, IMHO, the greatest ever sitcom not called "Peep Show") is applaudable.

I generally obviously prefer the New Labour lot, but Mannion is absolute gold for the Tories. Centering the episode on the old dinosaur was a good call.

Three (small) criticisms:

(1) I thought some of the dialouge was a bit meandering at times; especially at the beginning. Not quite as direct as it had been in most of series 1-3.

(2) The two young Lib-Dem coalition guys are a bit vanilla. Not every character can be a MT or a Mannion, but these two didn't really stand out for me.

(3) The Glenn character has taken a slightly strange direction (I'll re-watch tonight, in case I just imagined it).

Did anyone notice the nod to The Inbetweeners towards the beginning?

Specifically, the delivery of the line "Brilliant" by one of the Lib Dems.

A few moments later, the Lib Dems are referred to as "The Inbetweeners", I believe by the same guy who wrote the episode.

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.

I loved the line:
Tory spin doctor: "I'm expecting big things" Peter Mannion: "you're an idiot then"

Quote: chipolata @ September 9 2012, 12:40 PM BST

the episode itself felt a bit Thick Of It By Numbers with the obligatory policy launch that goes disasterously wrong.

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My heart sank when that was rolled out yet again. Looking forward to Tucker's return though, he's the distasteful marzipan icing on the cake.

Did I read the credits correctly, that episode was written by just Will Smith?

Quote: Nogget @ September 10 2012, 8:57 AM BST

Did I read the credits correctly, that episode was written by just Will Smith?

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I think it's more that he was lead writer on the episode, the others will probably have had a hand too.

Makes sense. On the BCG guide that 8 writers are credited.

Roger Allam's performance was a joy. Don't particularly miss the constant Tuckerism's. I Think this series will bed in beautifully.

Quote: Pingl @ September 10 2012, 9:43 AM BST

Don't particularly miss the constant Tuckerism's.

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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.

I'd sooner have Langham back, however.

This was excellent. Sooooo glad it's back and is just one of my favourite sitcoms ever. Superb one-liners throughout, particularly the subtle ones that are right up my street. Repeat watching throughout the week, which I don't do with any other comedy.

Roger Allam is ace. I agree that I think Peter Mannion is a better character than Nicola, just the arguments with their 'cool, cutting edge' "took-the-morning-off-when-Steve-Jobs-died" spin doctor. You couldn't just have another Malcolm (as that's what Jamie was in the Specials, though even more bonkers). Mannion was always superb in the Specials and that 15-minute 'Opposition' special they did 'on the red button'.

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).

That said, keep it up! Awesome stuff!

Dan

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

I'd sooner have Langham back, however.

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Me too. I still miss him in this, he was brilliant.

I remembered something when one of the Lib Dem guys called Terry "Nurse Ratchet". The actress who plays her, Joanna Scanlan played a parody of the Nurse Ratchet character in an episode of 'Spaced'; the one where Daisy gets a job working in a kitchen doing washing up. Coincidence?

Quote: TBone @ September 10 2012, 10:07 AM BST

I remembered something when one of the Lib Dem guys called Terry "Nurse Ratchet". The actress who plays her, Joanna Scanlan played a parody of the Nurse Ratchet character in an episode of 'Spaced'; the one where Daisy gets a job working in a kitchen doing washing up. Coincidence?

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Ooh, yes!
Probably coincidence, but very good spot!