The Thick of It: lines of the week - episode six

An abrupt change of style in this week's episode may have played havoc with the laugh count. But was the more nuanced approach a welcome change from the usual swear-fest?

The Thick of It, BBC Two, series 4, episode 6, review

The flaw in Saturday's episode, with its inquiry into spin and leaks, was that spin and leaks are no longer the hot political topics of the day. Westminster in 2012 is preoccupied with the dysfunction of the Coalition and the delusions of the Opposition, with social class and anti-social behaviour. Long may The Thick of It continue satirising it all - but it's time, sadly, for Malcolm Tucker to make his exit.

The Thick Of It series 4 episode 6 review: The inquiry

The Thick Of It's brilliant sixty-minute inquiry special is highly evolved comedy.

Hats off to the BBC for broadcasting it [Episode 6] even though it centred on an inquiry into a national scandal and contained Nicola Murray's embarrassingly timely line, 'I think it's good to have an inquiry every now and then. It livens things up a bit.'

The writing was top-class from the minute spin doctor Stewart Pearson attempted to avoid any blame for the damage parliamentary leaks can cause by arguing, 'If someone chokes on a crisp, do you issue an arrest warrant for Gary Lineker?'

Even part-time insurance salesman Chris Addison got in on the act with Ollie Reeder's 'Knowledge is power, but that doesn't mean Carol Vorderman should be prime minister'.

Tucker stole the show, though. His protestation 'Je ne remember rien' was brilliantly withering, while his climactic rant about privacy really should mark an end to that particular debate.

In fact, I'd love to reprint it here in full. Mainly because I'm sure it's the longest he's ever gone without saying '****'.

No rehearsal for Thick Of It cast

Producer Adam Tandy said that they filmed the BBC Two episode - directed by the show's creator Armando Iannucci - in a way which would make the inquiry, examining government leaks, as realistic as possible.

He said: "We gave our regular cast no rehearsal at all, and simply pushed them on to set with the cameras already running, and then our Clerk swore them in."

The award-winning political satire spoofs a governmental inquiry in an hour long special possibly inspired by the Leveson inquiry but bearing a greater resemblance in its staging to the Chilcot inquiry into Iraq. In the aftermath of the suicide of a key-worker after his flat was sold off, an inquiry has been called. Lord Goolding and his team of three inquisitors have little patience for the nervous rambling and impenetrable politician-speak of those giving evidence.

The civil servants, government and opposition troop in, each pointing the finger at the others. The sight of foul-mouthed media advisor Malcolm Tucker (Peter Capaldi), in particular, speechless and unable to dig himself out of a self-created hole is a joy to behold. As the entire episode is focused on the inquiry itself, the inventive swearing is mostly absent, instead the delight comes from watching each character struggle to answer questions without ending up in further trouble. Occasional moments descend into panto but with writing this exceptional, it's easy to forget we're watching a fictional inquiry.

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