The Thick Of It: Review

I bought myself Netflix in October and have been making ample use of it since then. At first, I only wanted it for Stranger Things, but since then I’ve been on Netflix all the time watching what feels like everything that comes up in my recommended section.

One of those things was ‘The Thick Of It’- A BBC comedy show with four series that aired between 2005 and 2012. It’s based on the Department of Social Affairs and Citizenship in the government, and the Minister, political advisors and civil servants who work in the department, as well as the party ‘spin doctor’, played by Peter Capaldi. It’s never said which party is in government in the show, but it’s made pretty obvious. For example, two hour-long specials aired in 2007 which covered the Prime Minister resigning and a new leader being found, clearly a reference to Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.

The show is very funny, but clearly of its time (some/a lot of the lines would not stand up in 2017). It’s also very sweary to the extent that I don’t even notice the swearing anymore despite it being every other word in Malcom Tucker’s (Peter Capaldi) sentences.

As a portrayal of the British Government and its inner workings, I’m not entirely sure how accurate it is. For the government’s sake, I hope not very accurate, but it is interesting how they show that government carries on with or without the actual politicians- it’s best not to get too attached to the ministers in the show, as they get replaced quite often (as they are in real life, of course). In fact, the fourth (and last) series is primarily about the coalition government, as the previous main cast becomes the opposition.

I’ve put a clip of the show below- it’s got quite a bit of swearing in it, but honestly it’s quite tame compared to a lot of the show. Definitely not one for kids.

I would recommend the show to anyone interested in UK politics, but bear in mind that many jokes are definitely not appropriate for 2018. As a comedic look into the ‘behind the scenes’ of modern British politics, though, it’s a great show and a fun watch.

#thethickofit #UKpolitics #TV #21stcentury