S05.E06: C**tgate

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Quote

With the U.S. on the brink of a major financial meltdown, Selina must make an important decision. Jonah finds himself back in New Hampshire. Amy investigates the staff, and Catherine tries to get time with Selina to share major news.

Promo:

[Muffyn]

Jonah's campaign ad is made of win.  He looks so awkward with the axe.  And then to have him chasing a child.  That is brilliant. 

Selina works with these people.  How could she not know they have all (save Gary) called her a c*nt at one point or another?  She called the queen one just the other week. 

I assume that Selina having a gay daughter will help her win somehow. 

[Rinaldo]

5 minutes ago, Muffyn said:

She called the queen one just the other week. 

And at the time, I thought that was a low point in the script writing. Not that I was shocked by it -- just that it seemed more predictable and witless than the usual standard of their writing, which usually puts a throwaway extra spin on things.

This investigation, however, was glorious. As Alan Sepinwall pointed out, it turned into Veep's own version of Murder on the Orient Express. 

And Jonah's campaign is the gift that keeps on giving. From the political ad itself (so awkward) to the focus group to Jonah's intervention in it, to Dan's arrival and doomed attempts to help, and on and on. I laughed so many times. Maybe most of all at Richard's messages from bands (including the pre-emptive one).

[beeble]

Tonight's show was one of the funniest episodes I think I've ever seen, measured by how often I laughed out loud, and how much I'm laughing thinking back to the show. I love Dan and Jonah together. Best campaign ever. I predict Jonah will be a national phenomenon. 

Margery is going to move into Selina's mother's house, now Katherine's house. And Selina will keep reminding her that she's from Delaware.

Don't get me a book. I already have a book.

[scarynikki12]

This episode was balls out hilarious.  "So was it everyone?" "Pretty much, yeah." Made me laaaaaaaaaaaaugh. 

[abcfsk]

Can't stop smiling

[Sesquipedalia]

I just caught the last couple of minutes of the ep, and I'm lolololing over Catherine being gay for her mom's lookalike. So Freudian!

[Fisher King]

Nonstop hilarity throughout the entire episode, but what really got me were Gary's facial expressions during Catherine's profession of her love for Marjory.

"Didn't guess. Didn't guess."

[ElectricBoogaloo]

As soon as everyone froze when Selina mentioned the Politico article, I knew they had all said it, which is not at all surprising considering the way they talk about everyone else. What I loved is that for all of Selina's blustering about it, when she asked Amy if it was everyone who had said it, she then just brushed it off.

Jonah's campaign has only been part of the story for one episode and I already love it. His personality and quick temper are working against him, but watching that super awkward ad and the focus group's reaction (and then Jonah bursting into the room to remind them about the two way mirror and then Selina and her group watching the footage of Jonah bursting into the room) - all hilarious! I always love when Dan gives Jonah a verbal smackdown so making him the campaign manager was genius. And how cute was it when they were so mad at Selina that Jonah told Dan he was doing a good job and the glasses were a good idea?

I also loved Catherine revealing her relationship with Marjorie to Selina. How appropriate that two people who are totally invisible yet still annoying to her have found each other. I loved their deadpan conversation outside of Selina's office. "I'm giddy."

[ganesh]

11 hours ago, beeble said:

Tonight's show was one of the funniest episodes I think I've ever seen, measured by how often I laughed out loud, and how much I'm laughing thinking back to the show. I love Dan and Jonah together.

It was the funniest episode for me of the series easy. There was so much going on.

I could totally see irl that bailing out your bf's bank would be a huge political fallout even though it's the right call. Selina should have let the group decide on their own. 

5 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

As soon as everyone froze when Selina mentioned the Politico article, I knew they had all said it, which is not at all surprising considering the way they talk about everyone else. What I loved is that for all of Selina's blustering about it, when she asked Amy if it was everyone who had said it, she then just brushed it off.

That was the best part with Selina like "oh fuck it whatever."

The whole Catherine/Marjorie killed me. I did not see that coming. I don't know where they're going with that either. 

[romantic idiot]

11 hours ago, Sesquipedalia said:

I just caught the last couple of minutes of the ep, and I'm lolololing over Catherine being gay for her mom's lookalike. So Freudian!

Only from the back though. They are so adorable. 

[iMonrey]

My God, I almost fell out of my chair when Katherine said it was Marjorie (or however it's spelled). So hilarious; I had to pause and rewind because I was laughing so hard I couldn't hear the dialogue.

And boy, Jonah's campaign is going to be a wealth of hilarity. I love the fact that he's running against his second grade teacher and she remembers the macaroni necklace he made. 

The thing about Jonah is - you almost want to feel sorry for him. Almost. But then he's such a giant douchebag you just can't.

Poor Candy! Hopefully she can get a job one day. When I realized who that was and that the exact same thing was happening all over again I lost it.

[Rinaldo]

20 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

Poor Candy! Hopefully she can get a job one day. When I realized who that was and that the exact same thing was happening all over again I lost it.

[It was pointed out by Selina in the past that it's Candi with an I.] The especially lovely thing in this scene was that the moment Dan showed up outside the door, poor Candi knew what was up, and had already gathered her belongings and was leaving before the bad news was delivered.

[represent]

Oh man, this and the funeral episode have been the best episodes of the season.

Jonah's campaign is going to be the gift that keeps on giving.

When that guy in the focus group said that he was rooting for the kid to get away, I could not stop laughing.  I too thought he looked like a predator running after that kid. He looked weird from the get go with that ax, then to throw a little kid in there, comedy gold. Then Jonah busting through the door and I was done.

 

Quote

The whole Catherine/Marjorie killed me. I did not see that coming. I don't know where they're going with that either. 

So Catherine is in love with a nice, kind version of her mother at least from a physical standpoint.

Yeah, she reminds her of Selena, since that's why she got the secret service detail for the president to begin with. 

But unlike Selena, Marjorie is a good person, who pays attention to her.

 

From the time the "C**tgate" investigation began I thought to myself, she expects Amy to find just one person guilty of this "crime"?

Edited May 30, 2016 by represent

[LuciaMia]

Never knew that 'fructose intolerance' is a real thing!  It would be just like Jonah to make something up just to be a pain.

[peeayebee]

Those glasses really did improve Jonah's looks. But looks aren't everything. He's the worst! Yelling at the focus group and the waitress was hilarious. And then the scene at the... candidate introductions? I'm not sure what that event was called. Town Hall? -- Anyway, his anger, ignited by Selina's call, turned the crowd around to his side. I don't know if anyone else got a Trump vibe from this scene, but I sure did. I love how Bill's strategy of bringing in hecklers backfired on him.

I hope we don't lose Charlie.

[Happytobehere]

I laughed so hard at this episode I nearly choked twice during the initial watch.  It is so funny when I rewatched, I nearly choked again.  

I was growing tired of Jonah this season and his treatment of Richard who was being acknowledged for clearly being nicer, smarter, and more competent than Jonah in every conceivable way.  However, this campaign has not only returned my love for hating Jonah (he was a DC Power Player followed by his claim to be a political outsider sums up Jonah's delusional dimness perfectly), it has elevated it.  Both Jonah's inability to interact with people (see the focus group and the restaurant) and his scenes with Dan, who is as big a douche in an entirely different way, were pure platinum.  Every artist, including Enya refusing Jonah's desire to use their music was too much, I mean nobody but his mother and Richard can tolerate Jonah's presence on the planet.

Kent going off on Selena and the comment about Hanukkah being more popular in Mecca than Selena's bailing out her boyfriend was one of those wow, funny moments. Charlie and Selena standing in the section of the bookstore containing anti-Selena books took on new meaning during the second watch given the conversation that was going on between the two.

Naturally everyone called Selena a "Cunt" because...well, Selena.  I also loved how Selena couldn't figure out how to hold the iPad correctly, so she told Gary it was broken and he needed to get it fixed.  It's so typical of Selena, if something she's involved with is wrong, it's anything but her that's the problem.  

So it looks like Dan was right and Tom is scheming against Selena.  Given this, was Tom's assertion that the bailout of the now former boyfriend's bank part of the setup?  I'm dying to see what his play is and how it impacts Selena, cause they can't be planning to keep her as President on a show called Veep.  Something has to happen to demote Selena, right? Or will the title of the show become an ongoing joke given her position switch?

Katherine being in a relationship with Selena's body double is brilliant.  Selena's wish that her mother were alive so that Katherine's coming out would kill her was such a Selena moment, but it does make you wonder if Katherine  remained in the closet in deference to her grandmother and she now feels free to be who she is.

Edited May 30, 2016 by Happytobehere
Typo correction

[ganesh]

One of her boyfriends liked to watch her pee. 

[Ellaria]

1 hour ago, Happytobehere said:

So it looks like Dan was right and Tom is scheming against Selena.  Given this, was Tom's assertion that the bailout of the now former boyfriend's bank part of the setup?  I'm dying to see what his play is and how it impacts Selena, cause they can't be planning to keep her as President on a show called Veep.  Something has to happen to demote Selena, right? Or will the title of the show become an ongoing joke given her position switch?

Tom is certainly scheming. We see a tiny bit more of his scheming in each episode. This week, it was the dinner with Sidney Purcell and the Speaker of the House. Of course, Mike witnessed it and no one will believe Mike...just like no one believed Dan. (I so wanted Mike to take a photo of them.)

I think that Tom was encouraging her to bailout Charlie's bank because he knew she would take heat for it. That "play" didn't work out but I suspect that he has a few more. He is proving to be a lot more cunning than anyone initially suspected.

I'm not sure how this ends up. After last season's finale, I assumed that she would end up as Tom's Veep but now, I'm not quite sure. It seems a bit too expected. 

[hello]

Yeah, huge props for that campaign commercial, it had me rolling.

And Katherine, falling for the nice version of her mom? She's gonna make a lucky therapist VERY rich some day.

I don't think she's gay; I think she's college age, experimental, and desperate for anything that even remotely resembles a mother's affection. If she turns out to be gay I'm totally fine with that -- great plot twist, actually -- but I have a feeling her inner emotional life is sort of like the ball pit at a Chuck E Cheese after the kids are fully sugared up and bouncing off the walls.

[represent]

It was also funny how they dissed the NYT during the press briefing. Mike said something about elevating the conversation, pivoted to the NYT reporter, only to have her question be about C**tgate as well.

Also, the revamped ad. at the end of the show was much better. I suspect that Jonah looking like a winner at that semi town hall/rally helped. By the end, his hate for Selena had bonded him to "his" people, giving him some momentum.  So by the time they did a re-shoot he had more confidence and felt like a winner and it showed a bit in the second ad. IMO.  I did see a difference.

Edited May 31, 2016 by represent

[SFoster21]

There is a delicious irony in Jonah winning the seat by running against Selena, because he is running for the seat to give her a vote in the House, since her election is being decided there.

(firmly) "That's my final solution."

(smiling) " 'Who Wants to be A Millionaire?' "

(Laughing) "Got it?"

[Totale]

13 hours ago, represent said:

Also, the revamped ad. at the end of the show was much better. I suspect that Jonah looking like a winner at that semi town hall/rally helped. By the end, his hate for Selena had bonded him to "his" people, giving him some momentum.  So by the time they did a re-shoot he had more confidence and felt like a winner and it showed a bit in the second ad. IMO.  I did see a difference.

Wait, what?  I didn't see a second ad.

[Irlandesa]

It came after the credits and the 'next on Veep' preview. 

I don't have much to say of the episode.   It was brilliant.   I guessed Catherine's secret but didn't guess she was dating Marjorie.   Their whole I'm giddy and can't stop smiling stuff was perfect.   And now it makes sense why they hired that actress for what seemed like just a background role.

[iMonrey]

Quote

So it looks like Dan was right and Tom is scheming against Selena.

I'm not sure what's going on with Tom because isn't Sidney Purcell a lobbyist? That's who Dan was working for briefly, right? Dan was saying that Tom was making all these TV appearances and slipping in the name of Purcell's clients. So the best I can figure is Tom is jockeying to become a lobbyist if Selena loses the election. ?

[Totale]

4 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

It came after the credits and the 'next on Veep' preview. 

Hope they make it part of the next episode.  I watched On Demand this morning and it wasn't there, just a deleted Tom scene.

[Cosmosgravitation]

Quote

So the best I can figure is Tom is jockeying to become a lobbyist if Selena loses the election. ?

I think he's after the presidency.  Lobbyists have a lot of influence with members of congress, and it's been established Sidney Purcell is a powerful one.

Quote

Hope they make it part of the next episode.  I watched On Demand this morning and it wasn't there, just a deleted Tom scene.

You can watch the redone ad on the fake website they created.

I love that if you pause it or slow it down you can see it's actually Richard chopping the wood.

Edited May 31, 2016 by Cosmosgravitation
typo

[Callietwo]

Watched this episode with hubby.  I'm thinking this wasn't the best one to introduce him to the cast of characters.  He knows how much I hate the "C-word" in real life so he was shocked at how much I laughed during the show.  And I'm talking belly laughs.  

This entire episode was just so damn funny.  Jonah running for office is just the train wreck expected.  The writers seem to not care who they insult, which yes, please... love it!   I started off cringe watching, but somewhere along the way I've stopped and am just enjoying the show.   

Charlie Baird not getting his bailout might allow Selena to "prove" that she's just doing what's best for the country, without consideration for her own selfish reasons so that may help her with the election in the long run.  Her waffling on that was expected but done well enough with enough funny one liners that I didn't even mind the predictability there.  Didn't even notice it, really, until later.

I'm not a fan of Catherine, feel she's just there it eff things up for Selena and is probably my least favorite character but her and Marjorie sitting on the bench at the end was pretty amusing.  

[represent]

58 minutes ago, Cosmosgravitation said:

I think he's after the presidency.  Lobbyists have a lot of influence with members of congress, and it's been established Sidney Purcell is a powerful one.

You can watch the redone ad on the fake website they created.

I love that if you pause it or slow it down you can see it's actually Richard chopping the wood.

LOL, funny, you can see dark brown hand cutting that wood for sure. 

But this isn't the second ad. that I saw at the end of the show. The second ad. seemed a bit longer, Jonah did more walking around, talking about himself and his history in New Hampshire, and it still had him running after the kid at the end. 

Edited May 31, 2016 by represent

[Cosmosgravitation]

1 hour ago, represent said:

But this isn't the second ad. that I saw at the end of the show. The second ad. seemed a bit longer, Jonah did more walking around, talking about himself and his history in New Hampshire, and it still had him running after the kid at the end. 

Click "Jonah's ads" on the top of the page.  Look at the video on the far right, "Rugged Outsider".  Is that the one?

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Jonah's three ads (so far - I hope we keep getting more!)

Rugged Outsider:

 

Coming Home:

 

Chopping:

[ElectricBoogaloo]

3 hours ago, Cosmosgravitation said:

You can watch the redone ad on the fake website they created.

The bio on Jonah's website:

Quote

I was born and raised here in the Granite State in the shadow of the majestic White Mountains. I grew up swimming and fishing in our lakes, hiking and skiing on our mountains, exploring our fields and forests and enjoying the fine dining and rich cultural offerings of our vibrant towns and cities. I attended the University of New Hampshire, first in Durham and then after a year off, at the Manchester campus and, although I left before completing my degree, I can attest firsthand to the world-class quality of that fine institution.

After college, I went to Washington D.C. because I wanted to make a difference and help make government work better for ordinary Americans like my mom. After rising quickly in the executive branch, I became a senior assistant to President Stuart Hughes, working directly with the President in the White House. In that capacity, I dealt directly with senior officials and foreign leaders and participated in many major policy discussions and decisions. I also served as the liaison with President Selina Meyer while she was vice president, advising her on important matters and informing her of President Hughes’ opinions and decisions.

After President Hughes’ resignation, I continued to work in the White House for President Meyer for a brief time, but I became frustrated with Beltway Gridlock and have now returned home to run for office to work for change. I want to get the country back on track and return to the values I grew up with: hard work, thrift, equal opportunity for all, a decent amount of outdoor recreation plus tourism and a government that works for the people and not the other way around.

I hope that I’ll get a chance to meet with each and every one of you at one of the many events we have scheduled before the election. But if, for some reason, we don’t meet in person, I hope you’ll still consider giving me that most precious of your possessions: your vote. Remember, Jonah Ryan is the only candidate in the race who will truly fight for the middle class.

Upcoming events (I hope we get to see some of these on the show - can you imagine Jonah losing his shit at a butter churning contest?):

Quote

SAT, Dec 10, 2016, 3:00PM – 6:00PM
Meet the Candidate
Cutely Oddfellows Hall
14 Center Street
Cutely, NH

MON, Dec 12, 2016, 8:00PM – 9:00PM
Town Hall Meeting
Loon Lake Town Hall
1 Main Street
Loon Lake, NH

FRI, Dec 16, 2016, 6:30PM – 8:00PM
Maple Sugar Industry Listening Session
NH Maple Producers Association
3 Hop Kiln Road
Bow, NH

SUN, Dec 18, 2016, 7:30AM – 10:30AM
Breakfast with Jonah
Sterling Diner
203 South Country Road
Fiddlehead Falls, NH

WED, Dec 21, 2016, 9:30AM – 11:30AM
School Tour and Teach-In
Mount Pinecone Junior-Senior High School
58 Pine Street
Mount Pinecone, NH

SAT, Dec 24, 2016, 8:00AM – 11:00AM
Fishing with Jonah
Valley Bait and Taxidermy
2516 White Mountain Hwy
North Conway, NH

MON, Dec 26, 2016, 12:00PM – 2:00PM
Butter Churn-off
Highfields Grange
14 Town Square
Highfields, NH
***Street Parking Only***

TUE, Dec 27, 2016, 5:30PM – 7:00PM
NE New Hampshire Business Roundtable
Four Corners by Sheraton
26 Elm Street
Bunbury, NH

THUR, Dec 29, 2016, 7:00PM – 10:00PM
Lions Club Meet ‘n’ Greet
45-7 High Street (2nd Floor)
West Cranberry Pond, NH

[represent]

2 hours ago, Cosmosgravitation said:

Click "Jonah's ads" on the top of the page.  Look at the video on the far right, "Rugged Outsider".  Is that the one?

LOL, yes, it was the "Rugged Outsider," that's the one they showed at the end of the episode. 

OMG, these are awesome, they even posted an itinerary. 

[EdnasEdibles]

I love the photos. Teen Jonah flipping off people is a keeper. 

[charlieboo]

Click on the Volunteer tab and you can download a campaign poster!

[ganesh]

If Dan does get Jonah elected, I hope it pays off in a lot more success for him. 

[Muffyn]

Breakfast with Jonah?  But he's fructose intolerant!  

[PokerNerd]

On 5/30/2016 at 7:39 PM, SFoster21 said:

There is a delicious irony in Jonah winning the seat by running against Selena, because he is running for the seat to give her a vote in the House, since her election is being decided there.

It seemed clear to me since last week when they tagged Jonah to run, they are setting up a finale where Jonah wins the election, gets to cast the deciding vote, and in delicious retribution votes against Selina, sending her back to Veep.. It won't be a surprise but it will be delicious.

[Totale]

5 hours ago, Muffyn said:

Breakfast with Jonah?  But he's fructose intolerant!  

So they'll have his favorite scrambled egg/fried egg breakfast entree.

[Fisher King]

Edited June 2, 2016 by Fisher King
Cuz I'm an idiot.

[Misstify]

Those ads are fabulous.  Thanks.

The whole Jonah storyline is great, but one detail I especially loved was Richard's beaming smile when Dan walked into the campaign office to rip them to shreds.

Also: the fact that Gary thought the c-word was "crone".  Selina's dismissive attitude about the fact that everyone had called her a c*** was priceless, as was Catherine being in love with her mother's body double.  

[ganesh]

How many single guys are in Congress?

[starri]

On 6/1/2016 at 6:09 PM, PokerNerd said:

It seemed clear to me since last week when they tagged Jonah to run, they are setting up a finale where Jonah wins the election, gets to cast the deciding vote, and in delicious retribution votes against Selina, sending her back to Veep.. It won't be a surprise but it will be delicious.

If the House and not the Electoral College ends up deciding the election, they only chose the president.  The veep is chosen exclusively by the Senate, because s/he is nominally the person in charge of it.

I am hoping against hope that she doesn't end up back as veep.  Narratively, that just seems like it's going backward.  I'd much rather they somehow pivot to a different veep, whether it be Tom or someone else.  Make Tom competent and surround him with idiots.

[Blakeston]

1 hour ago, starri said:

If the House and not the Electoral College ends up deciding the election, they only chose the president.  The veep is chosen exclusively by the Senate, because s/he is nominally the person in charge of it.

I am hoping against hope that she doesn't end up back as veep.  Narratively, that just seems like it's going backward.  I'd much rather they somehow pivot to a different veep, whether it be Tom or someone else.  Make Tom competent and surround him with idiots.

Also, if the House ends up in a stalemate, then the Senate's pick for President would become Acting President (rather than president). Which means s/he wouldn't be able to appoint a veep.

So while it's possible that Tom James could wind up in the Oval Office after Congress decides the election, Selina couldn't be his vice president. I'll be annoyed if the show goes in that direction, because it wouldn't make sense - and the makers of the show have made a big deal about how this all could actually happen.

[ganesh]

I agree going back to Veep is a dumb reset. But if Selina isn't president, where does she go? 

[Flodence]

There were so many great moments in this episode but one of my favourites is Gary being told what the c word meant and Kent smiling.

[Callietwo]

On May 30, 2016 at 3:23 PM, LuciaMia said:

Never knew that 'fructose intolerance' is a real thing!  It would be just like Jonah to make something up just to be a pain.

It really is a thing..  I do wish they hadn't gone there.. Fructose intolerance, FODMAPs, gluten intolerance are all met with such skepticism as it is ( reason they chose itI'm sure) .  As someone with all three probelms I groaned.  The pain I had before vs now is so significant in my life.  But it's a comedy first and foremost and I know that any target is pretty much fair game.  But yeah.. It's unfortunate, imho.  

[romantic idiot]

Maybe Jonah ends up as Veep.

[dcalley]

I loved how everyone basically said "It was you? I thought it was me!" and then describes how they said it, and it's so outrageous. I mean, "I screamed it into my phone on the quiet car." Yet Mike believes that it was Amy who was overheard!