I watched In the Loop on the TV this evening, so I have now seen one of the films nominated for an Oscar today. I saw it the way most of the Academy judges would have seen it – i.e. without having seen In the Thick of it.  Really. Not only have I never seen any of The West Wing, or that series about Westminster interns, but I haven’t seen In the Thick of it. In fact, I think the only political series I have ever seen are Yes Minister, A Very British Coup, and Washington: Behind Closed Doors. And the one about Francis Urquhart as well. Obviously.I had heard a lot about Malcolm Tucker, and all sorts of people saying how well it reflects what goes on in Westminster, the way they used to about Yes Minister back in the day. I do hope they are wrong. It did make me laugh aloud a few times, but it didn’t make politics look at all attractive.
Mind you, I was mostly distracted, because every time Linton Barwick was on screen I could not stop thinking ‘ ooh look – its Sledge Hammer!” Now there was a proper TV show – I see that it ended more than twenty years ago. How time flies.
I enjoyed In the Loop but I don’t think I will be in any hurry to catch up with the TV show.
I did the same thing – saw 5mins of The Thick of It once, but that’s all. In The Loop made me laugh a few times too, but it was all pretty unpleasant – bit too cynical and insult-based for me, really.
Well, I liked it. I don’t believe it’s as accurate as that egotist Armando Ianucci claims, but it was pretty good considering how awful some TV-to-film conversions have been in the UK.
And Gandolfini was brilliant – especially at the end when you saw exactly how noble he was.
Don’t bother with “The Hurt Locker” it’s just one cliché after another. Inglorious was far better and Avatar was far superior.