Season four of Veep was the final season for creator and showrunner Armando Iannucci (David Mandel will be showrunner starting next season), and he couldn’t have gone out on a brighter note. After a surprise resignation, Selina Meyer finds herself ascending to the highest office in the land in the midst of her own presidential election campaign. The season reaches transcendent heights of absurdity and chaos as Selina and her foul-mouthed, incompetent team of horrible human beings scramble to avoid serving one of the shortest presidential terms in history.
Selina’s presidency changes the show’s dynamic quite a bit. The cast has grown, adding Sam Richardson as the dim-witted but overeager Richard Splett (it’s amazing how many unique variations of idiot this show manages to produce), Diedrich Bader returns as Bill Ericsson, Patton Oswalt guest stars as VP Doyle’s chief of staff, and Hugh Laurie signs on as Selina’s popular new running mate Tom James.
The stakes have never been higher, and the pressure begins to take its toll on Selina and her staff. The result is a tense, hilarious season filled with scrambling, scandals, and scapegoating. Veep’s signature rapid-fire wit and scathing banter are present in all their glory, amplified by the frustration and desperation of all its characters. The panic and chaos is palpable as members of Selina’s team face meltdowns, breakdowns, congressional committees, and probably imprisonment.
People quit…
Mike and Gary get stranded in Tehran…
And Tom James joins what may very well be a sinking ship.
The digital edition releases this week, and special features include the season four trailer, a visit to the set with Armando Iannucci and Julia Louis-Dreyfus discussing the expanded scope of the season, and a “would you rather” segment where the cast debates things like taking Gary to prom or whether you’d want to be stuck on a desert island with Ben.
Veep is best known for its incredible dialogue and comedy, but the final moments of season four is the beating heart that makes it one of the best series on television.
