The Thick of It

[argumentativefeminist]

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

That's a good point bychoice, I wonder if they've ever gotten a little too personal with some insults 😂 Ollie looking like a Quentin Blake illustration is one of my favourite bits too. I love it when Malcolm makes a reference to kids pop culture and you remember he has a family that he clearly adores.

"I wish your phone had an app that would deliver Stuart a dead cat in a box."

^ which episode is that from? I don't remember that line.

Is it Ian Martin that was the swearing consultant? He posts often about his grandchildren on Twitter, it's v sweet. Though I may be mixing people up there!

Is that from the “ i call app britain” episode?

It sure is! And I think so, Peter. I wish I could meet the writers in real life. And Rebecca Front. She seems lovely.

That's a brilliant line, Lion! I just find Peter so funny, and I know it's got to do with the writing and directing and Roger's brilliant delivery and everything... but I sometimes feel like the thing that tips it over into hilarious for me is Roger's incredible M&S-advert-esque voice, so smooth and well spoken, and then these brilliantly fed-up and crude things come out of his mouth, quite at odds with how you think he will speak, at first.

There are so many genius characters. Steve Fleming makes me physically recoil, he is revolting and so so brilliantly acted.

Oh God yes! The smarm and 'charm' is awful, but always his temper just under the surface. At least Malcolm doesn't try to hide it or buddy up to the team!

The 'funky town centre, choo fucking choo' line is an absolute favourite of mine, the way he says it cracks me up every time.

'The Kraken awakes', I think I might be a little bit a lot in love with Malcolm and his one liners. His and Terri's relationship is hilarious.

"Choo fucking choo" is such a cracker. The Kraken bit with Malcolm and Terri also cracks me up. I feel like he really was just trying to make Nicola laugh rather than trying to be mean.

Another "oof" moment is in the episode where Nicola's daughter is in trouble for bullying and Peter decides not to capitalise on it and it's very mature and respectful and for once they're behaving like grown ups. Then after Malcolm's pep talk she goes back to Peter all guns blazing and he's totally taken aback.

Also I ship Malcolm and Nicola a bit when he does the pep talk

@petermanyum yes when he can see she is basically going to pieces and he’s all “what’s the agenda, Brenda?” in a much softer voice than usual

and then when she comes out with “bum dildo of vengeance” in the same exchange he says “that’s my girl” and it makes my insides go all fuzzy

Oh Steve Fleming aka The Super Mario and Lego Policeman.

Haig does masterclass in creepiness with this character. Also, Malcolm's dislike of him is so intensely visceral it almost becomes his Achilles Heel. Almost as he of course gets his sweet revenge.

affection Agree that Fleming is so, so creepy, he sets off my instinctive danger senses - I think it's very clear that Nicola/Rebecca is having exactly the same instinctive reaction, although I'm sure he's lovely in real life!

Malcolm is so sweet to Nicola in that scene, I do see sparks between them in a few bits. "See you later, state educator" is one of my favourites of their cute moments.

I always find the abruptness of Nicola and her people making the choice for nothing to be off limits after Peter took the high ground with the Ella story quite brutal. Totally believable, it's politics after all! But you see Peter really being pushed by Stewart to use the story and he genuinely finds it immoral... then when he's told it's all fair game, I feel for him.

Love Malcolm and Terri's relationship. Let's not forget she's one of the very few who stood up to him and told him he's wrong, and then she's one of the even fewer who sees his vulnerable side when he leads her away.

Aw, and gotta love the man's genuine pride when Nicola mentions the bum dildo of vengeance!

I think with Fleming taking over from Malcolm, I definitely get the 'better the devil you know' impression from everyone else; they rejoice at first that Malcolm's gone, but then this guy turns up who tries to be their best buddy and aims for charming (and misses badly) and then they see his temper and attempted recovery... at least with Malcolm, they always knew a bollocking was hiding just around the corner!

Haig does masterclass in creepiness with this character.

I watched a Fleming episode last night and there was an extreme closeup of him right in Nicola's face. He was perving on her.

Blatantly unverified headcanon but I feel like part of the reason Malcolm hates Fleming so much is because of his sexual creepiness with women. Malcolm always treads a fine line with gender politics and sexual jokes, but I dont think he actively intends to make women uncomfortable.

At least with Malcolm, you could usually see why he was angry. Fleming's temper makes him seem unhinged.

I think Mannion is the only actually decent politician in the whole show.

Oh I love TTOI, it’s simply wonderful. “Come the fuck in or fuck the fuck off” is a firm favourite. The episode when they go to conference is one of my favourites.

Welcome! The conference episode is brilliant, I think in many sitcoms my favourite episodes tend to be the ones where they set the characters outside their usual 'sets', although in this case it's nothing exotic, only a hotel with tiny kettles!

I think Malcolm doesn't care about the gender of the person he is bollocking at any one time... if they have earned his ire, they are fair game, regardless. He can use 'violent sexual imagery' with the men and much as the women, and I think therein lies the key to, as argumentative said, him not actively seeking to creep or single women out in that way. He's an equal opportunity hater!

I think there’s also an element of “they’re inept, useless politicians but they’re MY inept, useless politicians” with Malcolm. I think he also despises Steve for bollocking his depts without Malcolm Tucker authorisation - it’s not like with Jamie when they share the bollocking.

Malcolm does look totally revolted when Steve is being creepy. Would have loved to have seen an exchange between Steve and Sam in front of Malcolm - is there one??

I don't recall any such interactions in any of the deleted scenes... it's a pity Steve wasn't at the inquiry, we could have had Sam sitting behind him, throwing push pins at his head for his plotting against Malcolm!

Totally agree, there are moments when Malcolm seems put out when other people have a go at his inepts, Glen being the one that springs to mind... "at least he's Hugh's Glen."

You're right about Jamie too... Malcolm allows him to work with him to double the terror and halve the effort, but still is in control; most of the time. I love Ollie's line about Malcolm having lost Jamie and it being terrifying, as he was scary enough when Malcolm had him under control/on the leash, and now he's gone rogue!

This thread gives me so many fluffy Malcolm feelings! Funnily enough the Steve creeping in Sam in front of Malcolm scenario above is v. popular in fanfic! I would have loved to have seen Malcolms innate protectiveness come out there. Totally agree about him being protective of his useless ragtag bunch of ministers and also love the "he was fucking terrifying when you had him on a leash" line about Jamie. I do think there's something sweet about Malcolm nosing around all the departments looking for Jamie.

That's the line I couldn't quite remember, thank you

I know, it definitely has that 'oh shit, what trouble is he getting himself into now he's out of my sight' feeling about it. I also love that despite their fallings out in that episode and their sniping over Jamie's stalking horse etc., Malcolm still calls on him to help.