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? 🤞🤞

Ha bychoice, I can see Malcolm still swearing even if the only method of communication left open to him were interpretive dance!

I never knew I wanted to see that until this very moment! My life would be complete.

Currently up to series 3 on my (probably about 15th) rewatch. It’s my favourite series, but I can’t put my finger on why. I suppose a few of the episodes stand out as brilliant in their own right as well as being part of the overall narrative (or something!) As I said before, I especially love the BBC Radio 5 Live episode. Little moments like Glenn and Ollie regressing to schoolboys as they make Mannion face masks and put hearts all over Terri’s folder, or seeing how Malcolm quite sinisterly turns on the charm and fake concern in a heartbeat, for example when he meets Julie Price in the corridor. Not forgetting Peter’s marvellous confusion over being told to untuck his shirt, or his look of absolute glee when Phil tells Stuart that The Fucker is downstairs… and then chiming in from the sidelines as Stuart is ‘sacked’!

And then of course there’s probably my favourite line of the series; when Malcolm is presented with his cake reading ‘Happy Birthday C*nt’ (never quite understood why there was an asterisk there, as they are perfectly happy saying it out loud), and he muses that ‘this could be from anyone’. Understated but hilarious!

We were just saying yesterday it's the best series. I think it's the feeling of utter chaos and of trying to hold back the tide as their ousting from power becomes ever more inevitable - you get to see them all slowly losing their grip and the rise of the Mannionettes. And Malcolm's increasing fragility vs him raging against the dying of the light- oof.

It feels like things were shaken up in that series I think, always nice to see another side.

Watching the last episode of series 3, and it feels so odd to see Malcolm looking (as Ollie so wonderfully put it) as if he’s had his knackers clipped. Not in his suit, not shouty and sweary, just so quiet and defeated. Nicola seems so off-base when she storms into his office, expected a royal bollocking and he’s just… the Anti-Malcolm. Of course he often has his quiet moments, but they are really sinister… like you know something very dangerous is brewing and feel like everyone should be running for cover! But this is different and quite disarming. Then offering to make the teas… the confusion on everyone’s faces, then the tentative chit chat and the consensus amongst the team that Malcolm must be either flirting or dying! Then the slow realisation as he’s reading the report in his office with Julius and Steve, that he is back on form… and by the end he’s back, suited, swearing and earning a proud smile from Sam!

bychoice I love love love love gentle fleecy Malcolm. I hope beyond hope that that's his actual home self - and I know the exact look from Sam that you mean! She's my fav minor character 😍

She's a gem. I find it genuinely upsetting seeing her face fall as she sits behind him in the inquiry and sees he's finished. Also those little moments with her throughout the series which show Malcolm is not a total evil bastard to everyone. Especially love her grin when she gives him the birthday cake from the PM!

I know what you mean about fleecy Malcolm, and I do love him, it's just interesting to see how disarmed everyone is by him when he returns.

Just re-watched the five live episode, amazing! Love it when Malcolm starts handing out bits of 'c*nt cake' in the lobby. Also some of the best Terri moments: 'I did nothing!' 'That will be your epitaph Terri' and, re: Phil, 'I think he might be simple.' Also, at the end when Stuart asks Malcolm if it's a special birthday and Malcolm says it's his 50th - do you reckon he's serious??

Jenny I think Malcolms age is true, yeah! It would fit roughly with Peter Capaldis age, and I feel like the improv ish style of TTOI means they didn't really mess around with that sort of detail, just used what was actually true! I have no evidence though 😂

Aw MAN- so he spent his (Malcolm's not Peter Capaldi's obvs) 50th birthday arguing with Stuart and dealing with a 5live phone in? Oh Malcolm- just as well he ends up happily ever after with Sam in the Cotswolds!

It really is just as well Jenny, isn't it? The BBC should commission me for a slightly quaint, mostly sweary, Escape to the Country-esque spin off for when all of us original fans reach late middle age 😂😂

Ohmigosh I would definitely watch this!

Make that happen, please!

I was never quite sure whether he was being serious about his age there, but like argumentative said, it looks like it would fit. I feel like he spent his birthday how he would have wanted though... swearing, getting very involved, a nice fight with Stuart... and let's not forget he got to lounge in his magnificent darkened office eating sweary cake and listening to 'porn for the visually impaired' to begin with!

I watched the party conference episode yesterday, which is one of my favourites. Malcolm in the tiny bathroom "this is no good for pacing"
And then Terri in her anorak trying to be incognito 😂

That really made me laugh bychoice, especially the 'nice fight with Stuart.' When you put it like that maybe it really was his dream birthday- now that you mention it he doesn't really strike me as a 'hiring a function room in a local hotel for a gathering of friends and family' kind of chap...

Incognito Terri! Brilliant, I love her sneaking around, and the spy-film handover by the seafront.

The abject terror on John's face when Malcolm bundles him into the bathroom is great. As I said before, I am always amused by how quickly Malcolm goes from disdain to politico charm when he hears Julie's name, and goes straight into showing 1) that he knows his job and the information on who this woman is is right there at his fingertips and 2) how he can work it to his advantage and sweep her away from Nicola just like that.

And of course the aftermath of him 'aiming to punch the wall but getting Glen's face instead'.

Not forgetting the classic tiny kettle, source of such amusement!

Jenny And if he was, he wouldn't be the Malcolm we know, love and fear!

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@PeterManYum Glad to have you with us, Minister. 😂

"Peter Man-Yum" and "gone all boogie woogie downstairs" make me snort out loud every time.

I think you're all right about Malcolms birthday! Sam, a sugar rush and swearing is all he need a to have a good day 😂

Hope you all appreciate the username

I love the 5Live episode, particularly when they've called a truce and decide to leave them to it and go home, then as they're leaving and Stewart is putting on his hi-vis to cycle home, Malcolm's like "oh, what's this, do you work on the railways now?" He just can't help himself!

I think that aspect of him is based a bit on Alistair Campbell, the constantly making jokes and throwing out funny comments, whether they hit the mark or not.

Many thanks argumentative, quick NC test there!

"I'm sorry, you don't have any whiskey do you?"
"Yes, it hasn't been touched for a while. It's still got Anthony Eden's lipstick on it."

Lions That's Nicola asking Malcolm for whiskey isn't it? I've always believed in the theory that Malcolm is a recovering alcoholic so it's interesting to see the dynamics around alcohol played out across the series'.

Loving the NC, that's not Terri in disguise is it?!

I think we would have been let down if Malcolm hadn't made a comment on Stewart's riding gear, it would have felt like the episode was unfinished

Interesting theory on the alcohol, I think it's probably time for me to do a 16th rewatch as I've never picked up on that vibe before... any excuse!

I love Julius Nicholson "I pulled an all-nighter, black coffee, Vivaldi on the iPod Touch."

bychoice I couldn't possibly say, all I will say is that no matter what happens, I like to be home by 6pm with my Anthony Trollope... (is it Anthony or Joanna? an excuse to rewatch!)