[7.9/10] Particularly funny episode. I’ve found that I get the most yuks from this show when Selina and co. come into contact with foreign leaders who find their behavior utterly baffling. The complete and total contempt that the Deputy Prime Minister of England has for Selina and American politics writ large is hilarious. The way he leads her into a jab about the pint (danny wah!), debates the appropriateness of Harry Potter getting “loaded,” calls Ben and Mike out on their bullshit about her being on the phone (replete with a great visual gag with the hat), and then hangs Selina out to dry at the press conference is a nice example of low-key British hostility.
It’s another guest star who helps make this episode so excellent as well – Christopher Meloni showed off his comedic chops in Wet Hot American Summer and he’s just as funny here as Ray, Selina’s clueless personal trainer who thinks he’s intelligent and is butting in where he doesn’t belong. The way he tries to rewrite Mike’s WWI memorial speech, offers platitudes to disbelieving British folks, and absolutely does not understand that he’s being fired is great.
It also leads to some nice Gary moments, with our favorite bodyman feeling affronted by how much Ray is getting involved. His last scene in the car with Selina where he unloads about Ray and lets it slip that Dan only hired him as a sex slave for Selina is some great underplayed comedic acting from Tony Hale.
Dan’s downfall is just okay, though I like that Amy orchestrated the whole thing through Jonah (who mistakes her for a sexy Mary Poppins type over the phone). It’s pretty diabolical, but pays some good comic dividends. Jonah’s “diagnosis” of Dan over the end credits is hilarious, and Amy’s little fistpumps after getting the job are actually kind of heartwarming in a terrible, stabbed your sort of friend in the back sort of way.
On the margins, Ben continues to be a great dispenser of comic barbs (“It’s like watching a goat trying to use an ATM.”) And Selina fumfering around about Ray’s “fat people are the devil” comment in front of the press is good for a larf. Good stuff!
Noticed a couple of actors from The Thick of It. Would have been great if Peter Capaldi could have been there
Shout by henriquefalcBlockedParentSpoilers2016-01-28T00:34:06Z
wow, Jonah's read of Dan's file was awesome!