Air Date: Sunday, May 13, 2012, 10/9c on HBO
RATING:
“Why are you so tired? You don’t do anything.” – Selina Meyer
I’m not exactly sure what to say about this episode. I’ll be honest, I didn’t laugh much. I can count on one hand the number of times I laughed out loud and I’m disappointed. This is only the fourth episode of Veep and we’re already at the “meh” stage. I just don’t get it. The acting seems forced, the lines are delivered mechanically, the jokes aren’t funny and I found my thoughts wandering. “Chung” starts off on an interesting note but ends up leaving me baffled.
Observations and thoughts:
Selina’s (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) really put her foot in her mouth this time. Doesn’t she know a microphone clipped to your lapel is always recording until it’s removed from you? I cringed while watching her talk into the microphone as if it were no big deal. It’s a funny situation in real life but I thought it was ridiculous here. And all of a sudden Selina has a boyfriend? Where’d he come from?
Gary (Tony Hale) gives me the impression of a hired stalker. He caters to Selina like she’s the most precious thing in his world. Everything he does borders on overly obsessive—the whispering helpful hints in her ear, the hand sanitizer, needing to ensure Selina is always comfortable. It’s funny but borders on too much.
This week Dan (Reid Scott) and Amy (Anna Chlumsky) end up working together. Maybe I was wrong about these two going at one another’s necks. They might actually get along and save the Veep from embarrassment. As much as they can, anyway.
Mike (Matt Walsh) really doesn’t do anything, does he? I wouldn’t mind having his job. He sits around on his butt all day, half-heartedly listening to what’s going on in the office. Yup, he’s living the sweet life.
Whenever Jonah (Timothy C. Simons) enters a room, you know everyone is breathing a silent collective sigh in synch. He always seems to show up just to ask Selina to make a last minute change to every speech or other commentary she’s preparing to make. I get the feeling the president doesn’t want her showing him up, so he sends Jonah as his saboteur. Does no one else see this? Will Jonah ever realize his job isn’t really anything more than errand boy?
Senator Doyle (Phil Reeves) makes a quick appearance and he more than makes up for the slight drag in this episode. He always has a cutting remark for Mike and it makes me love the senator even more. Reeves is a bright spot in every scene and I always look forward to seeing his character.
Funny lines:
Mike: “What an e-hole.” To Amy, “I changed the A to an E.”
**
Jonah: “I come bearing a very minor request from the president.”
Selina: “Does he want to operate me by remote control?”
Jonah: “Uh, no. That’s not technologically possible.”
**
Mike: “You can’t just make up acronyms, Jonah.”
Jonah: “Somebody has to, Mike.”
**
Mike: “Uh, Jonah, that’s a good look for you. What do you call that, bi-casual?”
**
Selina: “I’m the Vice President of the United States, you stupid little fuckers.”
**
Mike: “I’m gonna go draft an apology to the king of Minnesota, Governor Chung.”
**
Mike: “Yeah, anyone hear the banjo music?”
Dan: “Look, Mike, that’s what you always hear because mentally, you’re in a fucking hammock on a back porch.”
**
Selina: “I’m gonna throw up a leg, and then I’m gonna take that leg and beat Scott to death with it.”
**
While I think “Chung” has some high points, the episode falls flat and doesn’t come back from the disastrous ethnic jokes. I wanted to like this one but sadly, I couldn’t. Maybe next week will be better.
Tune in to Veep, Sundays at 10/9c, only on HBO. For more on the show, visit http://www.hbo.com/#/veep.
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