Support NeoGAF

[Cornballer]

Veep returns for a fifth season on April 24th at 10:30pm ET on HBO. Creator Armando Iannucci has left the show (his explanation here) and David Mandel (Curb Your Enthusiasm, Seinfeld, SNL) is taking the helm as showrunner for this season. The fifth season will consist of 10 episodes.

- S5 Trailer

Former Senator Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) has accepted the call to serve as Vice President of the United States. The job is nothing like she imagined and everything she was warned about. 'Veep' follows Meyer and her staff as they attempt to make their mark and leave a lasting legacy, without getting tripped up in the day-to-day political games that define Washington.

Meyer's inner circle includes: her chief of staff Amy (Anna Chlumsky), longtime press spokesperson Mike McClintock (Matt Walsh), right hand and body man Gary (Tony Hale) and secretary Sue (Sufe Bradshaw) all of whom often do battle with Dan Egan (Reid Scott) an ambitious interloper and smug White House liaison Jonah (Tim Simons).

Created by Armando Iannucci (The Thick of It, In the Loop), the comedy is scripted but shot in an improvisational style. 'Veep' is authentic without being specifically biographical about what it is like to hold the least effectual post in the most powerful office in the world.

S5 Poster:

 

[dramatis]

Hope to see more of Richard T. Splett

 

[SamVimes]

I'm a little worried because this will be the first season without Armando Iannucci but hopefully the writing room will still pull it together.

 

[Chase17]

Looking forward to it. Probably my favorite comedy that is currently running.

 

[Peru]

I'm a little worried because this will be the first season without Armando Iannucci but hopefully the writing room will still pull it together.

Without the writing room as well. All new creative team.

 

[crimzonflame]

Funniest show on TV

 

[OneEightZero]

It's been so long, I've forgotten what happened in the finale...

 

[crimzonflame]

It's been so long, I've forgotten what happened in the finale...

House became more popular than Selina

 

[SamVimes]

Without the writing room as well. All new creative team.

Seriously? I thought Will Smith and Blackwell would still be on for sure.

 

[Apple Turnover]

It's been so long, I've forgotten what happened in the finale...

Spoiler

Electoral College evenly split, leaving the possibility that Tom Jones might win the presidency over Selena.

Can't wait for the new season!

 

[Cornballer]

I'm a little worried because this will be the first season without Armando Iannucci but hopefully the writing room will still pull it together.

It's a big transition with all of the writing changes plus they've changed filming locations, but at least Mandel has good pedigree and has worked with JLD in the past. We'll have to wait and see how it turns out.

 

[gamz]

YES! My favorite comedy on TV right now. Can't wait!

 

[addik]

Despite the creative changes, I'm quite excited for the new season. I am not trying to keep my hype up, but I'm actually curious to see where the new writing team is going to take the show.

 

[War Peaceman]

Whilst the creative changes are a concern for the quality, they are also an opportunity. Veep was getting tired, this is definitely an opportunity to freshen things up.

 

[SamVimes]

Whilst the creative changes are a concern for the quality, they are also an opportunity. Veep was getting tired, this is definitely an opportunity to freshen things up.

Respectfully disagree. Veep was getting better and better, and while I'm still hopeful about the new season I seriously doubt anyone can do the job as wellas Iannucci. While this is kinda unrelated he's talking very vaguely about his new project on twitter, which makes me pretty excited

 

[Ventilaator]

Just started watching this show, and...it's The Thick of It. Why was I not informed that The Thick of It still sort of exists.

Finished season 1, show is really fun and I'm excited to see more.

 

[Weckum]

Without the writing room as well. All new creative team.

Yeah, it's a tricky thing, but the trailer has got me hopeful it'll be just as funny.

 

[Peru]

Seriously? I thought Will Smith and Blackwell would still be on for sure.

Blackwell is gone but I was wrong. Some of them are still on, like Georgia Pritchett & Will Smith https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Veep_episodes

 

[Fuu]

Cautiously optimistic about the season. Hopefully it manages to be good without Iannucci.

 

[Cornballer]

- Supercut of some of the best Veep insults from Fast Company

Anyone have a favorite line or insult from the series? One of the best ones is Ed going off on Jonah at the bar ("early draft of a man") from season 2. Roger Furlong has some great ones, too.

 

[Apple Turnover]

Anyone have a favorite line or insult from the series? One of the best ones is Ed going off on Jonah at the bar ("early draft of a man") from season 2. Roger Furlong has some great ones, too.

I greatly enjoyed the list of Jonah nicknames read during the hearings. Benedict Cuminhishands was probably my favorite of them.

Amy's meltdown will always have a special spot in my heart too.

 

[BigAT]

- Supercut of some of the best Veep insults from Fast Company

Anyone have a favorite line or insult from the series? One of the best ones is Ed going off on Jonah at the bar ("early draft of a man") from season 2. Roger Furlong has some great ones, too.

Jonah getting called an "unstable piece of human scaffolding" is probably my personal favorite.

 

[Matt_]

I'm almost more excited for this coming back than I am Game of Thrones

 

[crimzonflame]

Whilst the creative changes are a concern for the quality, they are also an opportunity. Veep was getting tired, this is definitely an opportunity to freshen things up.

Not even. Show gets funnier and funnier. Jonah and Richard being paired together was a hilarious addition last season. Especially that episode where they spent the day with Dan.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

Very curious to see how this turns out without Iannucci.

Amy's meltdown will always have a special spot in my heart too.

Amy's meltdown was definitely my favorite moment of the series.

 

[Cornballer]

I greatly enjoyed the list of Jonah nicknames read during the hearings. Benedict Cuminhishands was probably my favorite of them.

Amy's meltdown will always have a special spot in my heart too.

Jonah getting called an "unstable piece of human scaffolding" is probably my personal favorite.

Those are good ones.



Furlong montage:
- Veep: Best of Roger Furlong (youtube)

 

[lamaroo]

Worried the Jonah insults will suffer, don't let us down new creative team.

 

[TripOpt55]

Caught up on this in the off-season. What a great show. The insults are incredible. Didn't know until after I caught up about the creative team changes. Hopefully they can keep things going this season. Such a funny show.

 

[Dmax3901]

For those who missed it: Our Prime Minister here in Australia appears to be a big fan of Veep... unknowingly?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...ss-slogan-from-comedy-show-veep-a6949706.html

 

[Cornballer]

- Veep Guide to a Contested Election (30 sec teaser on Facebook)

 

[TTG]

This popped up on my youtube recommendations, it's excellent! Even if the new the new writing staff is the beginning of the end, this is some of the best comedy ever seen on television:

Amy Brookheimer is a Terrible Person

Dan Egan is a Terrible Person

It's compiled from all four seasons and really well curated.

 

[Matt_]

"You have three kids by two different guys, maybe your last word should have been no

one of my favourite lines ever

 

[Cornballer]

- ET: My Favorite Scene: ‘Veep’ Creator Armando Iannucci Recalls Spontaneous Hugh Laurie Gag

 

[MidnightHour]

Love the show. Currently re watching from the beginning in anticipation on the new season

 

[Cornballer]

- Mercury News review:

Fortunately, in the early going, there's no perceptible falloff. The show remains loose and loopy and packed with savage wit. Also, the crude verbal barbs continue at a fast and frantic pace, making even the highly vicious real-life presidential debates that we've been watching this year look like preschool playtime.

- Newsday review

Among “Veep” fans (OK, at least me) there was cause for concern at this time last year when showrunner Armando Iannucci told HBO he would leave at the end of the fourth season. The Scottish-born, Oxford-educated Milton scholar who created one of TV’s definitive political satires (“The Thick of It”) and would then go on to create an even more definitive satire (this one) couldn’t leave. How would “Veep” possibly continue without his scabrous wit and genius for comic sedition?

But we needn’t have worried. Everything is fine here, and even better than that. “Veep” is still a riot, Louis-Dreyfus as well, and a bracing antitoxin to the real-world lunacy that has settled over the current presidential race. Watching Selina screw up her own race is another TV affirmation of Murphy’s Law on steroids — what can go wrong will go wrong, and go wrong in spectacular fashion.

Grade: A+

 

[Matt_]

Great news!

 

[linsivvi]

Can't wait for Sunday already. Favorite show on TV at the moment.

 

[Jb]

That's a relief. I was really worried the show's quality would nosedive after Iannucci's s departure.

 

[Cornballer]

- Lengthy THR Feature on JLD: Julia Louis-Dreyfus Reveals Awkward Fan Letter From Hillary and Her Panic on That 'Last F—able Day'

 

[Apple Turnover]

- Lengthy THR Feature on JLD: Julia Louis-Dreyfus Reveals Awkward Fan Letter From Hillary and Her Panic on That 'Last F—able Day'

Great read. Julia is a national treasure. So excited for the new season

 

[SamVimes]

- Lengthy THR Feature on JLD: Julia Louis-Dreyfus Reveals Awkward Fan Letter From Hillary and Her Panic on That 'Last F—able Day'

The Clinton part feels exactly like something I could see in Veep.

 

[Cornballer]

- WSJ: ‘Veep’ Season 5 Keeps Focus and Avoids the Obvious (Mandel on S5)

 

[Cornballer]

- EW: Inside Veep season 5: How President Meyer is making TV great again

 

[Cornballer]

There’s ferocious hilarity in the first episode of #Veep. It’s like the show wanted to come out and kick ass on all these acclaimed comedies

The other eps are great as well, but wow, that first one is like a machine gun…#Veep

.

 

[Cornballer]

- IndieWire review

Now, the reigning best comedy has a new captain, and HBO didn't come up short on the search. David Mandel, a seven-time Emmy nominee who wrote for Louis-Dreyfus on "Seinfeld" in addition to gigs with "Saturday Night Live," "The Simpsons" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm," seems like the perfect choice on paper, and he's doing an exceptional job thus far keeping the series on course. Smooth sailing can also be credited to frequent "Veep" director Chris Addison, employed for the first three episodes, as blocking the endless verbal assaults tossed around like hand grenades is an art in and of itself. Those who don't pay close attention to the behind-the-scenes industry action aren't likely to notice much of a difference between Season 4 and 5, even while those of us who do care may pick up an oh-so-subtle, largely indefinable alteration.

Grade: A

- Paste Magazine interview with Tony Hale

 

[Cornballer]

- Onion A|V Club Q&A with Sam Richardson

 

[Cornballer]

Veep renewed for S6 by HBO.

 

[chubigans]

Oh man I can't wait!

 

[addik]

I'm pretty happy with the reviews so far. It looks like the only caveat this season is that there weren't so much new characters introduced, which I'm fine with since the cast is already pretty bloated.

Can't wait for the 24th (or in our case, the 25th)

 

[obin_gam]

I kinda wish HBO would space out their series a bit more.
Veep, GoT and Silicon Valley all on the same day... I mean, hooray! But at the same time - all of these will also end at the same day in ten weeks which will create a slight vacuum :/