Culture | TV It’s election day tomorrow, and after a draining few months of campaigning why not remember how it can be fun to watch politicians go head to head – fictional ones at least. With Rishi and Keir’s battle for Number 10 thankfully almost over, why not switch over to the shows that make politics watchable..
. From the brilliant Armando Iannucci, The Thick of It follows the bumbling ministers of the fictitious department of Social Affairs and Citizenship and their not-entirely-reliable team of (un)civil servants. With bitingly acerbic dialogue laced throughout each episode, it’s Peter Capaldi’s foul-mouthed policy enforcer Malcolm Tucker that steals every single scene, and makes The Thick of It some of the 21st century’s best political satire – though often it strays too uncomfortably close to the truth for comfort.
The American answer to The Thick of It (again written by Armando Iannucci ), Veep follows eager Vice President Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) as she attempts to leave her mark and legacy in high office – only to become distracted by political cat-and-mouse games. With its focus on American politics, Veep won’t be quite as relatable or as laugh-out-loud funny to British audiences as The Thick of It, but it’s still a hugely enjoyable satire on the American high office – particularly with an upcoming presidential election hurtling towards us. Considered one of the best sitcoms of all time, Yes Minister served as the inspiration for Th.
