The Thick of It

In the thick of it is what you would get if you mixed the office with yes minister. shot as a documentary (like the office) it's about the office of social affairs and how they get in and out of trouble every week with hilarious results. Hugh abbot (Chris Langham) is pretty much the Dave Brent of it all while his sidekicks, Olly, Glen and Terri are pretty much there to take the blows for him. The show isn't for everyone because the humour is really dry but if you are a fan of the now modern day British sitcom then this is the most intelligent of the lot. witty dialogue, superb acting, and brilliant originality gives this underrated sitcom a 10/10.

10 stars out of 10 is just simply not enough! This series warrants at least 11. IMDb is largely US based (I think?) but I can't believe there's only 9 reviews for this series?

I still mourn it's passing and with Peter Capaldi turning into Dr Who (!) any hope of another series is at least 2 or 3 years away - if at all?

This is classic comedy which for me rises above even Fawlty Towers and sit's alongside Cheers and Frazier.

Yes, it is meant be a fly on the wall type mockumentary and the camera work is edgy but it simply adds to the realism of it all.

Yes - a knowledge of and interest in UK politics are probably desirable but not essential.

Get the box-set and the movie spin off (In the Loop) and steady yourselves because you'll end up in tears. Tears of joy that is!

The Thick Of It is a sitcom which has been hurt by many issues, such as the loss of main character Hugh Abbot after Season 2, the splitting up of Seasons and the changes in format....

But NONE of these issues matter because The Thick Of It is just so bloody good. It is a hilarious satire of British politicians and what goes on with them behind the scenes, and is almost completely accurate with it's similarities to, and even predictions of, real-life political scandals. It's mostly driven by dialogue, and the dialogue (most of which is profanity) is terrific, especially when coming from the hilarious, cold and fierce character of Malcolm Tucker, played to perfection by the brilliant Peter Capaldi (who you may know now from Doctor Who). The Series has been so good and popular it has even inspired a spin-off film, In The Loop, which received critical acclaim from critics.

Overall, The Thick Of It is a classic sitcom and one of the best sitcoms to come out of the UK. Brilliant! 10/10

Calling this sharp and funny just doesn't do it justice. It's a bit of a cliché to describe it as "Yes Minister" for the 21st century, but it does fit rather well.

Any British person who has followed the news over the last few years will be painfully familiar with "spin" as practised by the current government of the United Kingdom. Where "Yes Minister" dealt with hapless ministers being manipulated by the civil-service mandarins (the power brokers of the time) ... "The Thick Of It" deals primarily with hapless ministers being manipulated by spin doctors (the current power brokers). Spot the difference?

Series one kicks off with the clinical execution of a cabinet minister (department of "Social Affairs") by the party communications director Malcolm Tucker, played to perfection by a fantastically high-powered and abusive Peter Capaldi. In comes the completely ineffectual Hugh Abbott (Chris Langham) as his replacement -- the most recent in a long line we are led to believe -- and off we go. It's a picture of near-total ineptitude. The business of government is to please the media, all the time under the baleful gaze of Tucker and his team of ferocious Rottweilers, and of course the 24 hour gaze of the media... forever on the lookout for stories. Useless empty policy statements, petty oneupmanship, and doing anything to please "Number 10", or the Chancellor at "Number 11" -- or rather not, since pleasing one side can bring down the wrath of the other as you are obviously part of a plot to undermine them. No, it's best just to churn out focus grouped policies that are bland enough not to upset anyone, all the while dreaming of advancement to departments that matter.

It's all desperately funny and insightful. There are no bad performances. Series one and two combined add up to just six half-hour episodes in total. That may surprise Americans used to much longer runs... but when it's this funny and insightful, you are just glad it exists at all.

I have just finished series three, and am left feeling totally in awe of everyone involved in this programme. As a huge fan of The Wire, I am glad that one does not have to judge the merit of a programme in terms of how it rates against another. Suffice it to say, The Thick Of It succeeds on every level. Not only does it work as a comedy, but it turns out to be a tremendously powerful piece of drama. Full marks to the cast, who give a powerhouse performance that is absolutely staggering. Particular praise must go to Rebecca Front, who I have always admired, but who has produced here an award-winning performance and I hope that she does receive recognition for this. I could mention every actor who has appeared in the series, they are all wonderful. If you have not seen this show, do so and follow it to its amazing climax.