Armando Iannucci originally conceived of a modern political satire after "arguing the case" for Yes Minister in a 2004 Best British Sitcom poll for BBC2. His idea was commissioned by Roly aramis ramirez embroidered jersey Keating, the controller of BBC Four, who granted Iannucci limited budget, telling him to "turn that into what you can." Iannucci created the first series of three episodes, which aired in May-June 2005, and a second series, also of three episodes, which followed in October.
Production
The series is written by a team of writers led by Armando Iannucci, who also directs the series, with Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Roger Drew, Sean Gray, Ian Martin, Will Smith and Tony Roche. Some of the dialogue is improvised rather than scripted (with the cast credited as providing "additional material"), and includes some very strong language. Peter Capaldi has stated that "Fundamentally 80% of the final cut is the script that we started with. The improvisation just makes it feel more real and not written." Prior to rehearsals, the scripts are sent to a "swearing consultant" in Lancaster called Ian Martin, who adds some of the series' more colourful language. The programme's producer is Adam Tandy, who has produced all of Iannucci's television projects since 2000. The programme is shot with hand-held cameras to give it a sense of vrit or fly on the wall documentary. The documentary style is furthered by the absence of any incidental music or laughter track.
On 2 April 2007, a DVD of the first six episodes was released as "The Complete First Series". It also included audio commentary, deleted scenes, and photo galleries. The two specials were released on a second DVD in April 2009.
Plot
The action centres on the fictitious aramis ramirez embroidered jersey Department of Social Affairs and Citizenship ("DoSAC" previously the Department of Social Affairs, or "DSA", prior to the reshuffle of episode five), which supposedly came out of the Prime Minister's passing enthusiasm for "joined-up government". Thus, it acts as a "Super Department" overseeing many others, which enables different political themes to be dealt with in the programme, similar to the Department for Administrative Affairs in Yes Minister.
Hugh Abbot, played by Chris Langham, is a blundering minister heading the department, who is continually trying to do his job under the watchful eye of Malcolm Tucker (Peter Capaldi), Number 10's highly aggressive and domineering "enforcer". The programme also features James Smith as Senior Special Adviser Glen Cullen, who is not an MP, Chris Addison as Junior Policy Adviser Olly Reeder, and Joanna Scanlan as Civil Service Press Secretary Terri Coverley.
Series one and two
In the first batch of three episodes, Hugh Abbot is installed as a new minister following the forced resignation of his predecessor Cliff Lawton. These episodes follow his attempts to make his mark on the department by introducing new policies while following the party line enforced by Malcolm Tucker. Due to a series of complications and mistakes, this leads to the minister coming close to resignation on a number of occasions.
In the second batch of episodes, a reshuffle is in the offing, and the series follows the minister's attempts to keep his job. Olly is seconded to Number 10 "to phone his girlfriend" Emma Messinger, who happens to be a member of the shadow defence policy team, where he is under the close eye of enforcer Jamie. Meanwhile, Terri Coverley is on compassionate leave following the death of her father, leaving her role to Robyn Murdoch, a Senior Press Officer. The department also has to contend with the interference of the Prime Minister's "Blue Skies" adviser Julius Nicholson. The minister and the department survive the reshuffle, with the department being rebranded as the "Department of Social Affairs and Citizenship" and moved to a new building. However, the mistakes and compromises continue.
Specials
In the two specials, following the Christmas break, Hugh Abbot is in Australia and the department has to "babysit" Junior Minister for Immigration Ben Swain, who is described as a "nutter" (a supporter of prime-minister-in-waiting Tom Davis). The first special revolves around a computer problem at Immigration, which is exacerbated by the junior minister appearing in a disastrous Newsnight interview. The opposition policy advisor Emma Messinger capitalises on the error by stealing an idea from Ollie Reader, her boyfriend, to send the shadow minister Peter Mannion on a factfinding mission at an immigration centre. Meanwhile, Malcolm Tucker is concerned about his position in the government after speculating that the Prime Minister's handover to Tom Davis is expected in less than six months. Tucker conspires with Ollie to leak the Prime Minister's "legacy programme" (the PM's plan to move the handling of immigration policy to a non-political executive board) in the hope of stalling his departure, inadvertently leading the PM to resign early. The next episode follows a single night of "spin", as advisers, junior politicians and enforcers all try to better their position during the transition.
Series three
In series three, Hugh Abbot is replaced as minister by Nicola Murray, played by Rebecca Front. She is an unexpected, last-minute choice for the position, and given her inexperience and lack of staff, she is forced to retain Olly and Glenn as her advisors. The series continues to focus on the general running, or mis-running, of DoSAC, with Murray's attempts to formulate her "Fourth Sector Pathfinder Initiative" being a running thread throughout the series. However, with the cloud of the forthcoming general election and tension at 10 Downing Street looming, the series also broadened its scope to include episodes set at the annual party conference and BBC Radio 5Live. We also see more of Murray's opposite number, Peter Mannion, and other members of the Opposition first seen in the 2007 specials. The gradual breakdown of Malcolm Tucker and appearance of new threats to his dominance are also major plotlines.
Characters
See also: List of The Thick of It characters
Most episodes focus
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