While you'd hardly call the voice of Malcolm Tucker comforting, there's something reassuring about this return to familiar waters. And tonight offers proof, if any were needed, that rank incompetence isn't limited to coalition government. With Nicola Murray (Rebecca Front) over-promoted to leader of the opposition and undermined by her supposed allies, Malcolm's rage is now as impotent as his schemes are fiendish. A shadow cabinet meeting vies for most excruciating set-piece with a press conference, at which Nicola endorses universally derided government policies and Malcolm is moved to ponder, 'What the fuck is this? Tinker, tailor, soldier, cunt?'. Acutely well-observed, impeccably cast and acerbically performed: only real-world politics could offer such a toxic onslaught of gallows humour.

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

Malcolm is back - and as viciously, hilariously sweary as ever. But which were your favourite lines in the second episode of The Thick of It?

Review: Tucker working in opposition... to his boss

Three years away from our screens, and thus was it immediately clear that Malcolm Tucker's professional life was not the tack and jibe of his heady years at the helm of government.

Life continues to veer from crisis to disaster in the fourth series of Armando Iannucci's sublime political comedy, with media strategist Malcolm Tucker (Peter Capaldi) here making his first appearance of the series. Leader of the Opposition Nicola Murray (Rebecca Front) struggles with left and right in more ways than one as she prepares for a public appearance with the PM and tries to manoeuvre away from the "assistance" of Tucker.

Rebecca Front interview

Rebecca Front talks about the new series of The Thick Of It, working with Peter Capaldi and why she enjoys ordering around Kevin Whately in Lewis.

The Thick Of It: Need to know

With The Thick Of It back on our screens after a bit of a gap there may be more than a few confused viewers trying to remember who did what and needing a bit of a lie-down. So here's a rough guide to what the panicking politicians are doing in in the new series.

Malcolm Tucker's 'swear-athon' broadcast in creche

Alistair Campbell and Peter Capaldi were left red-faced after their sponsored swear-athon was accidentally broadcast into a creche.

Gigglebox weekly #57 - The Thick Of It

This week sees return of a sitcom that's been in hibernation since 2009. Much has changed since the last series of the political sitcom The Thick of It, not least a change in government...

We recommend: The Thick Of It

Quibbles aside, this felt like a strong business-as-usual comeback for The Thick Of It, even without Tucker and chums, which feels like part of Iannucci's message: new coalition only means same mistakes with more squabbling.

The Thick of It is back, with a coalition government to play with. As you might expect, it's scabrously funny, stuffed with great lines and a pleasure to watch. But - and "but" is not a word I like using about this series - it's also possible to wonder whether it might be suffering from the need to live up to its own reputation. The insults are great, but dialogue that consists almost entirely of insults doesn't quite ring true politically... nor the open contempt and hostility with which the two parties to this arranged marriage treat each other.

I found myself wondering whether there wouldn't have been more comedy in a failed attempt to conceal political differences rather than this gleefully violent expression of them. Peter Mannion's meltdown in front of a class of teenagers didn't convince either, not because you can't imagine a politician knowing nothing about the policy he's launching, but because he would be far more skilled at saying absolutely nothing fluently. That said, it still has more laughs in 10 minutes than most comedies manage in 30.