Country Mouse

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Dissecting VEEP Season One, with Creator Armando Iannucci

In season one of HBO’s VEEP, Selina Meyers (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) is confronted with a bevy of problems that threaten her credibility as a legit Vice President. A pregnancy scare. A disastrous visit to a frozen yogurt shop. Unkind nicknames from the blogosphere. Social media blunders. And, of course, learning to deal with the president’s utter lack of respect for both her and her pet policies, causing Meyer to blurt out at one point, “Fuck that POTUS.” (Running joke: At least once per episode, Meyer asks a member of her staff if the president –who we never see—has called her. The answer, invariably, is no.)

The show features a brilliant ensemble cast, led by Louis-Dreyfus, who proves, yet again, that she is among the deftest comedian working today. The comedy comes from the interactions with her staff, who are equally shrewd and petty, often juggling their own selfish aspirations with what’s best for the office.

GQ asked creator Armando Iannucci to dissect season one, episode by episode.

To me, this show is the funniest thing on television right now.