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The Thick of It

399 replies

argumentativefeminist · 29/06/2018 23:13

Please tell me theres other people out there also still overly invested in TTOI who want to swap theories/swear a lot/discuss trivia? 🤞🤞

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bychoiceornot · 19/07/2018 17:36

The swearing consultant on that show has got to be one of my personal heroes!

I'm loving the extra snippits on the commentaries too, although I'm quite sad that I've only got one series to go. Another bit from that same episode was that Peter also decided to try and forgo his usual armfuls of paper, which would generally have his script written on, which added to the need for further stopgap fucks Grin. Then the (I think) editor adds that on previous episodes they had fairly frequently had to 'paint out' those bits of script quite clearly visible on Peter's prop notes. Makes me wonder if that served as inspiration for the means of Malcolm's downfall in the inquiry episode!

LionsTeeth · 19/07/2018 18:18

"I'm fly paper for dickheads today"

I feel you, Nicola HmmGrin

PeterManYum · 19/07/2018 20:36

Someone has already mentioned Nicola's blabbing at the Guardian (It's a newspaper office not a sanatorium for the fucking deaf!) - but what I love most about that but is when Malcolm bollocks her in the car, he can't do/undo the seatbelt and has to keep yanking it - I don't know if that was just a mistake that happened and they kept running, but it really adds to building his rage and I genuinely don't know how the actresses that play Terri and Nicola kept straight faces. It's always the little things with TTOI!

OlennasWimple · 19/07/2018 20:43

Given that Malcolm Tucker is loosely based on Alistair Campbell, I think it's a fairly safe assumption that he has issues with alcohol

I loved the first season, but since Chris Langham's prison sentence it's not been shown again

feckthemall · 19/07/2018 20:50

Another huge fan here although I only discovered it recently. One thing I don't think none has mentioned yet is, I am nearly certain that Malcolm wears a wedding ring. Has no one else noticed ?

bychoiceornot · 19/07/2018 20:55

feckthemall From what I have read, it's Peter Capaldi's wedding ring, rather than Malcolm's, if that makes sense. In that Peter doesn't like to remove his wedding ring, rather than it being a deliberate choice by the show runners.

petermanyum I always think that it must have been an unexpected moment, with the seatbelt, but regardless of scripted or not, it's incredibly funny. Like you, I don't see how the others kept a straight face... mind you, I think that about most scenes in the show!

Jennyz123 · 19/07/2018 21:14

Ah yes love the seatbelt moment! Also meant to say before that 'I'm sweating like a fat lass' is another most commonly used TTOI phrase in our house. Perpetually on my lips at 22 weeks pregnant in this weather! Love Miles Jupp in the conference episode, his face in the background when Julie says that is hilarious.

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argumentativefeminist · 19/07/2018 21:37

My favourite Julie line is:

Glen: Did you enjoy anything about this weekend?
Julie: Na.

It's just the way she says it that cracks me up. I am also sweating like a fat lass though - on account of being a fat lass 😂😂

R.e Malcoms wedding ring - I like to think that it's his mum's or something. Or he wears it to stop press/gossip scrutiny about his relationship (useful if you're having a dalliance with our secretary 😉). I know in reality it's just Peter's preference though!

Only realised a few episodes/days ago that Terri had a daughter. I think she'd be such a cute scatty mum.

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argumentativefeminist · 19/07/2018 21:38

*relationship status

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PeterManYum · 19/07/2018 21:46

I totally missed that about Terri being a mum - where is it mentioned?

I love it in the episode where Rebecca's daughter is in trouble for bullying and Terri keeps saying oh she's being bullied how awful, just because she's put on weight, that's terrible and everyone's like wtf, Terri?? So much projection there!

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argumentativefeminist · 19/07/2018 21:49

It's in Sweary Woman of Whitehall (Series 1, episode 2 or 3? Can't quite remember). She says nobody will talk to her at her daughters school anymore.

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OlennasWimple · 19/07/2018 21:58

In my head cannon, Malcolm was married once upon a time, but his wife left him after realising that the job would always come first.

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argumentativefeminist · 19/07/2018 22:01

His "I had a friend who used to indulge in extramarital affairs" speech always struck me as a little more personal than he pretended...

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bychoiceornot · 20/07/2018 16:08

I never noticed that about Terri being a Mum either, well spotted! I knew she was married (and has a sister!)

I'd love to hear a detailed backstory on Malcolm from Peter and Armando... well all the characters really, but something about how Malcolm became who he is, it's a fascinating thought.

Jenny Listening to the commentary on the conference episode, I got the impression that James, who plays Glen, found Miles quite trying. To be fair, I was listening to it half asleep and he may well have been joking, but he definitely seemed lacking in patience at times, like when John bursts out laughing at something Nicola says, or sits there with a massive grin on his face; can't quite tell if those moments were scripted, or just Miles forgetting where he was and watching the show unfold around him.

Jennyz123 · 20/07/2018 17:47

Oh that's really interesting! I always look out for him in other things after really enjoying him in that episode, but he does come off as quite annoying in everything else (panel shows etc.) - maybe that's because he's being a bit more himself and is actually quite irritating in real life!

Andylion · 20/07/2018 18:57

I never noticed that about Terri being a Mum either, well spotted! I knew she was married (and has a sister

But then she told someone that her Christmas had been just her and her mum or am I imagining that? Where were husband and child? I think they dumbed Terri down after the Hugh episodes. She was on top of things in the beginning.

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argumentativefeminist · 20/07/2018 19:35

Andy - Ollie was prattling on about how shit his normal Christmas was and then Terri said hers was just her and her mum in the care home. So either she didn't want to take the rest of her family to the care home or she was just trying to make Ollie feel bad for being a prat 😂 I agree they dumber her down though! She got funnier though.

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bychoiceornot · 20/07/2018 20:20

Even from the first episode she seems like the 'long suffering' one, used to but growing tired of the men and their ways, and even then dreaming of her retirement! She doesn't have loyalty to any party, as well she shouldn't, as always reminds people that her job is a government one, not a party-specific one, and she just wants to pay the bills and get enough of a pay out for her tea shop. I think by the time her Dad dies and she has Hugh on the phone offering lukewarm condolences followed immediately by asking for her help and advice, she's had enough.

I was going to say she seems like she decided to just keep her head down, work until she had a chance for redundancy and then be happy... but I had forgotten her standing up to Malcolm, telling him he's wrong... those certainly aren't the actions of someone keeping their head down!

LionsTeeth · 20/07/2018 21:19

Malcolm's face when Terri tells him that he's wrong is something else 😂

I agree that Terri is made out to be incompetent and terrible at her job but is, in fact, often the saviour and the only one with any idea what's going on!

bychoiceornot · 20/07/2018 21:32

That face scares the bejeesus outta me. Especially the first time I saw that episode, when you keep expecting him to blow up at her, the longer he goes on speaking (relatively) gently, the scarier it is because you just think he's gearing up to one huge bollocking. I love Ollie and Glen's faces as Malcolm quietly says 'Terri, can we have word', as they watch her presumably lead off to her death!

WestleyAndButtockUp · 20/07/2018 23:09

Those of you starting watching armando ianucci’s US counterpart Veep, I’d say that it takes a season or so to bed in. Either give it a chance by sticking with it, or just plunge in to season two or later.

flakesaretasty · 20/07/2018 23:11

I love the thick of it.

One of the best bits is Olly 's reaction to "the man who fucked the monkey who gave us aids". It was clearly improvised, and his shock/reaction was genuine!

I've rewatched them all several times this week. Nicola is funnier than Hugh, and I feel a bit icky watching Hugh knowing what the actor did.

bychoiceornot · 21/07/2018 08:14

flakes One of my favourite lines too, love that reaction! Ollie vs Phil always makes me laugh. Love their moments of bickering in the flat.

I’m currently relishing watching all the extras on the DVD set, and just saw the deleted scenes from the second half of series 3. My God, they are freaking hilarious! Makes me really wish that it was an hour-long show rather than 30 minutes… definitely feel like there are some classics right there, just on the cutting room floor.

MissFitton · 21/07/2018 08:48

I've started a rewatch off the back of this thread. That's my summer holidays sorted!

bychoiceornot · 21/07/2018 13:03

Enjoy! It's one of the few series I can watch over and over and not get bored... either something new to see or another angle, or see someone's background reaction that you've never seen before... or just the jokes are so funny that I don't care how often I've heard them. Although as others have said, the final two episodes are the ones I watch the least, have to definitely be in the right mood for them.