S03.E05: Fishing

[radishcake]

 

Amy and Dan compete to become Selina's campaign manager; Gary's shoulder pain threatens his job.

 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

[abcfsk]

This might be the best season of comedy ever. I'm just mindblown at how fresh and different every episode is. So many different set-ups available to the writers now and all of them work, the off-work stuff (dinner, bar), the different relationships (ken and sue are amazing), jonah's manouvres, the other candidates (maddox, baseball guy), ben being consistently hilarious. 

[Danny Franks]

This show does everything so well. One minute it's smart jokes and fast and furious punchlines, then it's the slapstick of Selina trying to marshal a fishing rod while waist deep in a river. And then Selina's face when she found out about Mike's masturbation. God, I just about lost it. Another emmy for JLD next year.

 

Diedrich Bader as the biggest douchebag to date was fun. I love how easily Selina is led by people like that, while still thinking she's the one being smart and ruthless. Glad he didn't end up with the job, though. This cast is getting too overcrowded as it is.

 

Loved Dan being nice to people. It should be unnerving, because we know what a colossal shit Dan is, but Reid Scott just has so much charm that he sells Dan as a genuinely nice guy in those scenes. Which in turn sells what a fucking sociopath Dan is. Dan/Selina certainly would have been... something, and Selina looked keen. I'm kind of bummed that Dan killed the mood with his confession of dog murder.

 

Amy coming a little bit unglued due to this competition with Dan is interesting. She's usually one of the most sympathetic people on the show, despite being utterly cold, so it'll be interesting to see how she handles Dan being in charge of the campaign. I still enjoy seeing them bicker and fight, and imagine it will end in hate-sex at some point. Imagine how stupefied she would be if Dan and Selina had slept together.

 

Given that I just had to sit through an interminable training session on manual handling, at work, the storyline of Gary's job being in jeopardy because his shoulder is messed up due to carrying the Leviathan for years, is killing me. I mean, this training even suggested that if you only have one bag, you should get another to carry on the other shoulder to spread weight more evenly. Seriously.

 

The contempt that everyone has for Jonad warms my heart, it really does. Even Maddox, who just hired him, tells him to "shut up" with such disdain. And yet suddenly he's important. Perfect. At least now we have an explanation for how he ever got a job in the White House to begin with.

 

And all comedy shows should end with the chant of, "let's throw cum!".

[Baltron9000]

I know I say this ever week but: This was an amazing episode. The show continues to top itself. 

Highlights: the opening scene where everyone is talking to the staff and outlining the critical bits "you might think three microwaves is too much", Mike and his storyline, Gary trying desperately to stay in the game with his hurt shoulder, Amy vs Dan, Jonah in the pantry, Amy's horrible abortive dinner, Selena/Dan, you know what, there were too many good bits, the whole episode was a highlight. Put me on board with those who wanted Dan to take a pass at Selena. That felt like where it was leading, but then Dan kicked the dog. What a scene. 

I am continually obsessed with Ken's obsession over Sue. I want to know more about that. Do you think they have any kind of actual relationship or is it all in his weird head? 

Let's throw cum, let's throw cum, let's throw cum! 

Edited May 5, 2014 by Baltron9000

[Tara Ariano]

Dave made us some gifs!

[ganesh]

I think Kent and Sue are dating now. I don't know when it actually happened, but they walked into the bar so casually together and then she took the seat right next to him when everyone left. He also texted her, and I doubt she'd give her number out otherwise. Sue of course wouldn't mention it to anyone. I don't know if this is how it's written or if the actors chose to play it that way, but I like how he's so obviously into her and she plays it so cool.

 

I'm really liking the direction of the season, having Selina run for president. It gets her out of the office and there's new challenges for everyone. I don't see how she was going to convince Maddox not to run. She's seen as being 'attached' to potus, and most on the show view him with contempt so Maddox probably thinks he's got a leg up since he's a fresh choice. 

[samuel]

"I could take a dump on it if you need a clincher" absolutely killed me. It's such a funny line but still sounds like it could have been used by a real person. That's all the dialogue in this show though. Man, I hope Veep gets at least 5 seasons.

 

Oh yeah, the other line of the episode: "Oh, I think you have just the right amount of grit in your oyster" + Selina's reaction

Edited May 6, 2014 by samuel

[ganesh]

What year is it on the show? I'm wondering how long it is till the presidential election since TPTBs are kind of constrained (in a sense) with how they unfold the show. I mean, they can run a whole season where only a month passes if they want. 

[Sesquipedalia]

I agree that Kent and Sue are dating now. I didn't catch it the first time, but on second viewing it seemed quite obvious. 

 

I just started watching this show a week ago and am so obsessed with it. One of my favorite exchanges from this episode was:

 

VP: It would please me greatly if you would do me the honor of removing your jizz box from our executive branch of government.

Mike: It's actually a cooler.

VP: Oh, well then, by all means, open it up. Let's have a picnic. I'll boil up my eggs.

 

I love her when she's being sarcastic, which is pretty much all the time.

[oceanblue]

The title of the show makes me think they're constrained about how the election turns out.  I'm guessing Selena once again comes in second in the primaries and she ends up as Veep for another term.  Also, while she's a delight as VP, the thought of Selena as President kinda scares me.

[Baltron9000]

The scenes with Maddox made me think that maybe he will win the race and she will then become HIS vp. It sounds a little far-fetched, but I would watch it. Just so that the show can continue. Also, the idea of Selena running this huge campaign and not only failing, but not being free from her job is kind of appealing. All that effort...for the exact same place she was before. 

[Sesquipedalia]

I don't know. I believed her when she said she'd rather be "shot in the fucking face than serve as vice president again. . .  seriously, in the fucking face."

 

But even if the show ends with election night, I still think it could be drug out at least three more seasons. This season is about the lead-up to the primaries. Next season could be the state-to-state primaries, watching the various opponents fall. Then the actual presidential campaign, with debates and such, could take at least two seasons to cover. Both the primaries and main campaign always seem to go on FOREVER and are equally tragi-comic in real life, so hopefully Veep can milk them for all they're worth.

 

Question: In real life would a candidate poach her campaign from her vp staff like Selina is doing? Since they're presumably on the government's payroll, it seems like she would have to hire new people for the campaign.

[Danny Franks]

I did think that the show should never get to the point where Selina is POTUS, because it would undermine the show's central premise of an ambitious, successful and yet powerless politician, constantly frustrated by her inability to actually achieve anything. But I'm starting to think now that Selina being elected but finding herself stuck with a House and Senate dominated by the opposition party would be the best way to go.

 

One, it retains the idea that she just can't get anything done, despite her position. Two, it would be so richly amusing, given how she's been set on being elected so she can do whatever she likes. Three, I think the show does need to demonstrate that Selina, Dan, Amy etc are actually capable politicians, and I think they need to have their moment of real success. Before it all comes crashing back down into the same mundanity.

 

I find the idea of her being Veep to someone else to be the most unrealistic way to go. I just don't believe Selina would do it. She's arrogant enough and vindictive enough to think that refusing to be Maddox's Veep would hurt him, and I think that would make her happier than anything else, in that situation. I could see her just walking away and making money on the lecture circuit, because public speaking is something she's been shown to be very good at.

[ishcabibble]

Question: In real life would a candidate poach her campaign from her vp staff like Selina is doing? Since they're presumably on the government's payroll, it seems like she would have to hire new people for the campaign.

I've seen it happen a bunch in govermnent where staff members will basically take a hiatus from their job to work on their boss' campaign. Therefore they're not on the government payroll during that time, but on the campaign payroll. A lot of staffers are also unofficially expected to volunteer for their boss' campaign (making calls, delivering yard signs, etc.). So it's not completely out of the realm of reality.

This episode sounds like it was great, but I haven't been able to watch it since it's still not showing up on my HBO On Demand or HBO Go! I usually watch them the next day. Is anyone else having this problem?

Edited May 6, 2014 by ishcabibble

[oceanblue]

The thing they can't do is be employed by the government and do campaign work during their official work time.  What we haven't seen is any discussion of who's leaving for the campaign, v.  who's running the office of VP.  They should be split, not all doing the same thing.  

[ganesh]

I do think Selina is a capable politician. She wouldn't have been picked for the VP in the first place if she were a liability. What I think the point of the show is, is that the system is rigged up that even capable politicians can't really get much done. Being the VP is funny because you're technically the official cheerleader.

 

It would be silly if she was VP again under a new potus since that's never happened before and I think it would actually be a liability. They can run the show as long as they want because there's primary season, but I think it should end with her getting the nomination and that's it. 

[Pallas]

I fear the former baseball manager may become the dark horse winner.  Ushered in by a sufficient segment of the electorate that will prefer him to a woman, an African American or an Asian-American.  And he now has the devil working for him.  

 

Perhaps he will promise not to run for re-election.  Perhaps Dan will discover that he has cancer.  "There's is no Stage Four More Years."  

[Ankai]

I think that my favorite moment was when Mike vocally assumed that everyone at the dinner knew about his masturbation. It is an old joke, but I think that it was Ben's antics that sold it.

[ganesh]

The baseball manager *has* to flame out gloriously. He was such a doofus when they showed him on tv. I think Chang is going to bomb too because he's been leaning on the military service and everyone knows it's a joke now. That's going to get out. 

[dcinmb]

What I can't figure out is how Ben and Kent have so much time to hang out in Selina's office and be so actively involved with her day-to-day activities (e.g., Ben on Selina's book tour, Kent on Selina's Silicon Valley trip, brainstorming her position on abortion, prepping her for her candidacy announcement, attending Amy's dinner party, Ben was the first person Selina notified when she learned of Mike's bathroom activities).  If I were new to the show this season, I'd think that they were working for Selina.

[Baltron9000]

I kinda thought they were working for her. Like she hired them on and the show just didn't let us know that explicitly. I really enjoy both characters, so I'm glad they have been getting more screen time.

[ganesh]

Jonad was originally the liaison to VP from potus, so now that he's gone, maybe Ben just figured he'd hang around. 

[dcinmb]

I kinda thought they were working for her. Like she hired them on and the show just didn't let us know that explicitly. I really enjoy both characters, so I'm glad they have been getting more screen time.

 

I re-watched the book tour ep and at that time both were still working for the president.  (Also, I'd forgotten that Ben was around for Selina's book tour because he was in town to attend the congressman's funeral.)  I can see why they might want to ingratiate themselves with Selina (and Kent with Sue) but how on earth do they have the time when they're still working for a sitting president who will be in office for another 18 months?  And if Selena had hired them, I would think that Dan and Amy would have felt threatened as Ben and Kent are obviously more qualified for the campaign manager position.

 

I also really like both actors/characters but I wish the writers had come up with a plausible reason for them to be around all the time.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I assumed that Kent and Sue were dating when he mentioned her identifying wines at a French Embassy (?) party.

 

I love Gary. He was so sweet when he told Selina that she looked beautiful in her red dress, he was so determined not to take the doctor's advice to get a new job because he's fiercely loyal to her, and he was HILARIOUS when he was drunk at the bar. Drunk Gary might be my favorite Gary.

[Danny Franks]

I don't know about that. I find Gary a bit too creepy and sycophantic to think him genuinely sweet. I don't doubt that he means the nice things he says, I just think he puts Selina on a pedestal so much that he can't really see who she is at all.

 

I did like him when he was drunk, though. Seeing him being more open and lively was fun, and a reminder of how adaptable a performer Tony Hale is. I think they need to have him accidentally take too many pain meds for his shoulder, and employ that goofy persona at an official event. I can just imagine him trying to do his Veep Whisperer act when he's hopped up and loud. And Selina's reaction to it.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

There are definitely moments when Gary is being a total kiss ass (and I totally agree that he worships her so much that he doesn't see the real Selina no matter how much shit she throws at him), but when he told her how beautiful she looked, he seemed so sincere. Heh, maybe I was as drunk as Drunk Gary and that was affecting my judgment.

 

I think the other reason I loved Drunk Gary so much is that normally Gary is so awkward and socially out of sync with the others. But when he was drunk, he seemed so relaxed and comfortable around them. He was funny even before he suggested throwing Mike's jizz at Jonah's door.

[Catherinewriter]

Ishkabibble, yes. The On Demand was off for two weeks and I called and complained, only to be told, well, it's up to the channels themselves. But this is all of them, I protested, nothing new since the end of April. Finally I was told they were putting them all back up this week but even this is a lie. What's happened is that they seem to have put up the most recent shows, skipping the ones in the first part of May. So a show may list episodes 3 and then 5, or 4 and then 6, skipping the ones in between. Which means this episode isn't up, as a lot of others aren't. Damn them.

[Happytobehere]

I think Kent and Sue are dating now. I don't know when it actually happened, but they walked into the bar so casually together and then she took the seat right next to him when everyone left. He also texted her, and I doubt she'd give her number out otherwise. Sue of course wouldn't mention it to anyone. I don't know if this is how it's written or if the actors chose to play it that way, but I like how he's so obviously into her and she plays it so cool.

 

I'm really liking the direction of the season, having Selina run for president. It gets her out of the office and there's new challenges for everyone. I don't see how she was going to convince Maddox not to run. She's seen as being 'attached' to potus, and most on the show view him with contempt so Maddox probably thinks he's got a leg up since he's a fresh choice.

I'm doing a rewatch of this season and realized that this must have been an episode where I got sidetracked doing something else because when Kent and Sue were interacting, the first thing I thought, from the wine comment to the bar is, "Oh my goodness, they are so clearly together now, I wished it and missed it." Does leaves me wondering about the boyfriend she had and looking forward to view subsequent episodes with an eye to the status of their relationship.