Line #72 YMMV/TheThickOfIt


1	* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: When Steve Fleming tells Malcolm that he fucked him over in the Season 3 finale, does he mean Malcolm spreading the rumours about Steve looking bad in Julius Nicholson's report, or is he referring to the time Malcolm forced him to resign in 2003?
2	* DracoInLeatherPants: There are those who profess Malcolm to be an awesome boss who would be incredible to work for, insist that he is always in the right and won't hear a negative word spoken against him. The entire point of Malcolm is that, although he is charismatic, effective and dedicated to his goals, he is still a bully who believes in the ends justifying the means no matter how awful the means (and even at times the ends) are, is accordingly involved in some rather ethically questionable moves at times in service of his political goals, and who would probably, in reality, be an absolute nightmare to work for (unless you have the good luck to be Sam, the one person we ever see in both a direct working relationship and directly subordinate position to him that we ever see Malcolm being nice to). While he can be NiceToTheWaiter at times and a lot of the other characters we see in the series arguably deserve at the very least a bit of a bollocking, his fans can still tend to regard him in a more idealistic and positive light than his creators likely wanted or intended. And while his sweary tirades are massively entertaining, that is purely because he is written by a team of talented comedy writers, portrayed by a charismatic and gifted actor and the viewer is watching them being delivered to other people from the comfort of their own homes. Being on the actual receiving end of one in reality, or even just actually being present in the room while he was viciously attacking a colleague in such a way, would almost certainly be a very uncomfortable if not absolutely horrific experience.
3	* EnsembleDarkhorse:
4	** Jamie. It's hard to believe he only appeared in three episodes, plus ''Film/InTheLoop''. (The cover of the new ''TTOI'' book ''[[http://twitpic.com/1zj1i5 The Missing DoSAC Files]]'' includes the line "Attn of: Jamie [=MacDonald=]". It's hard to quantify just how ''loved'' Jamie is.)
5	** Glenn and Peter Mannion get a lot of love from the fandom as well, mainly for the later seasons.
6	** Sam, Malcolm's personal assistant. She's largely a quiet background figure, but she's well-liked for bringing out Malcolm's human side and for being one of the precious few competent and professional people in the show.
7	** It's easy to forget, but Malcolm himself is a bit of an EarlyInstalmentWeirdness example. Originally he wasn't actually the main character and just showed up every so often to yell at and threaten Hugh, the actual protagonist, but developed a following because of Creator/PeterCapaldi's charismatic performance and his creative use of expletives. Then circumstances in Chris Langham's personal life resulted in a RoleEndingMisdemeanour and, fortunately, rather than ending the show had an incredibly popular replacement character in the wings ready to take the limelight.
8	* EscapistCharacter: As unsympathetic as he may be, Malcolm derives a lot of his popularity from this. Most of us wouldn't want to ''work'' with him, but anyone who's ever worked a low-paying or unrewarding job with unlikeable coworkers has probably wanted to ''be'' him at some point. He's feared, respected, impeccably witty, brutally honest, [[InsufferableGenius smart enough to know that he's usually always right]], and so valuable to his bosses that he knows they'd never dare get rid of him. He's an arsehole, but he's the kind of arsehole that we all wish we could be.
9	** [[spoiler:Deconstructed in the final episode, however, when his explosive rant to Olly reveals how his job is a constant source of stress and its demands has forced him to completely abandon his sense of self, essentially turning him into something anyone would hate to be. Sure, we'd love to talk to our irritating coworkers with the harshness and explosiveness that Malcolm does, but it's clear that the circumstances that got him there and the person he's become makes his situation ''not'' enviable in the least.]] [[JustHereForGodzilla Not that his insults cease to be impressive.]]
10	* FountainOfMemes: The series can be considered one of the most quotable British programmes of recent times, thanks in part to [[SirSwearsALot Malcolm Tucker]].
11	* HarsherInHindsight:
12	** Hugh once jokes "I look like a disgraced geography teacher," and comments to Olly about not "clicking" with the PM's wife (his assertion that she'd say "he's a social spastic and very probably a registered nonce"). Hugh's actor Chris Langham was later convicted of downloading child pornography. This indeed adds a painful note to any reference to public scandal or disgrace in the series, and there are plenty.
13	** After the Creator/JimmySavile sexual abuse scandal was revealed, the one line Creator/TheBBC wouldn't let them use was also revealed: "It's inevitable. It's as inevitable as what they'll find in Jimmy Savile's basement after he's dead."
14	** One of Malcolm's comments is "He'll fuck you harder than Ron Jeremy and with less warmth." Ron Jeremy would be charged with multiple accounts of sexual assault in 2020, with a reputation for being personally repugnant stretching back even longer.
15	** In "Spinners and Losers" Malcolm makes an offhand reference to the "Huw Edwards rumour" being libellous. 18 years later, The Sun published allegations about Edwards' private life, whilst leaving him unnamed, leading to his suspension from the BBC and being hospitalized with depression.
16	** Episode 2 of the third series, aired in 2009, centres on the accidental destruction of some immigration records. [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windrush_scandal The Windrush Scandal]] revolved around the ''deliberate'' destruction of immigration records in 2010 which, combined with Theresa May's "Hostile Environment" policy, resulted in many immigrants who were British subjects (mostly of Afro-Caribbean extraction from the former colonies of the British Empire) who had been living in the UK for decades being deported, kicked out of their jobs and their houses and being denied medical treatment.
17	** Creator/PeterCapaldi cited Hollywood producers like Harvey Weinstein as a basis for Malcolm Tucker. This was of course years before Weinstein's status as a serial sex offender was made public.
18	** Creator/ArmandoIannucci said in 2012 that one of the reasons the series ended was that the British government was getting too ridiculous to parody. With the various scandals befalling the Tory government since then, from Brexit to the disastrous handling of the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic and the ridiculously short premiership of Liz Truss, this seems almost quaint.
19	* HilariousInHindsight:
20	** In [=S2E2=], Glenn jokes that to get on TV you need to "have sex with a pig". Cut to 2015 and the British PM UsefulNotes/DavidCameron was accused of having done just that.
21	** In Episode 3.1, following the "I AM BENT" incident, the staff brainstorm words that politicians shouldn't stand in front of, starting with anything containing the word "cock". A few years later, UsefulNotes/DavidCameron did [[http://hildref.tumblr.com/post/4138161128 this]].
22	*** [[ScunthorpeProblem Predictably enough]] the same thing [[https://imgur.com/a/jhKdprM happened]] to former Health Secretary Matt Hancock in 2021.
23	** Olly's on-the-hoof suggestion of announcing a spare bedroom database in [=S1E1=] is not so far from a [[http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cartoon/2013/feb/06/bedroom-tax-cartoon?CMP=twt_gu policy]] put forward by the government that would result in a cut in benefits to people who have spare bedrooms in social housing.
24	** Cuts to government funding for school lunches were floated shortly after [=S4E2=] aired.
25	** Creator/PeterCapaldi being cast as the [[Series/DoctorWho 12th Doctor]] instantly has rendered large parts of the series into this. The "We've fucking time-traveled, yes?" speech likely being first and foremost, but also:
26	*** Nicola's offhand ''Doctor Who'' remark followed immediately by Malcolm looking uncharacteristically chipper! (Capaldi has been a fan of the show since childhood.) Furthermore, Creator/RebeccaFront would appear opposite Capaldi in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS35E7TheZygonInvasion The Zygon Invasion]]". Chris Addison had a recurring role in season eight, but not opposite Capaldi, while Tony Garnder appeared in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS36E7ThePyramidAtTheEndOfTheWorld The Pyramid at the End of the World]]", but not opposite Capaldi.
27	*** ''The Missing [=DoSAC=] Files'' contains a letter from a TV exec pitching a Malcolm Tucker-led chat show where he interviews various interesting people. The photoshop depicts Malcolm interviewing a Dalek! (Gets even better when you see what happens in the episodes in which the Twelfth Doctor encounters them...)
28	*** Malcolm's dismissive summing up of the ''Franchise/StarWars'' films in 4.2 notes that the characters are all made of [=LEGOs=]. Guess which Doctor is the focus of the ''Doctor Who''-based material in ''VideoGame/LEGODimensions''?
29	*** Capaldi acts opposide Alex Macqueen, who would play TheMaster in ''AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho''.
30	** In the first episode, Malcolm makes a ''Series/LittleBritain'' reference. Capaldi would appear opposite Matt Lucas in ''Film/Paddington2014'' and ''Doctor Who''.
31	** A number of aspects of Nicola Murray's leadership of her party are almost eerily similar to those of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
32	*** Murray is considered idealistic to a fault and without regard to how it comes across, one of the most frequent criticisms leveled at Corbyn.
33	*** Both have been noted as being extremely awkward around the media and inept at dealing with it.
34	*** Both have had significant issues with negative press coverage, relatively poor poll ratings and with public disloyalty from their own party, including [=MPs=] who they are technically responsible for saying they're unelectable.
35	*** Both have been subject to a leadership coup involving the resignations of high profile members of their shadow cabinet (the only difference being that Murray's caused her to resign, Corbyn refused to).
36	*** Both are accused of being overly politically correct and more concerned with the appearance of being "right-on" rather than actually being capable of winning elections (as exemplified in the "Quiet Batpeople" exchange).
37	*** These comparisons are even more hilarious when you consider that since becoming leader, Corbyn has largely been credited with renewing young voters' interest in politics (many who support Corbyn are 18-35 year olds, an age group that had been dismissed as being apathetic to politics and the least likely age group to participate in voting) and saw off every attempted leadership challenge thrown his way. Jeremy Corbyn is basically the person Nicola Murray spent the entire series ''wishing'' she was.
38	*** Rather amusingly, [[WordOfGod series co-writer Ian Martin]] [[https://twitter.com/IanMartin/status/871693979263406082 has said on Twitter]] he sees more of Murray in former Prime Minister (and opponent of Corbyn) UsefulNotes/TheresaMay, after the latter's disastrous election campaign which saw her widely mocked as robotic, aloof, incompetent and out of touch with ordinary people.
39	*** Following the historically short tenure of Liz Truss as Prime Minister, holding the position for just 45 days with numerous disasters in that time and the general perception of her being cold and out of touch with ordinary people, fans of the series have been quick to ''once again'' point out the similarities to Nicola Murray.
40	** Peter Capaldi starring in a show revolving around the government of a country became this after in late 2015-early 2016, then-newly-inaugurated President of Argentina Mauricio Macri was noted to have [[https://images-cdn.9gag.com/photo/a1Y4E82_700b.jpg an uncanny resemblance]] to Capaldi, with it even being mentioned by ''The Guardian'' on [[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/19/argentina-president-mauricio-macri-falklands-cameron an article about Macri.]]
41	** In "The Rise of the Nutters", Malcolm derisively calls Ollie "Christopher Robin". Capaldi would later voice Rabbit in ''Film/ChristopherRobin''.
42	** Peter Mannion says, "He's Lewis, I'm Morse". Creator/RogerAllam would later play Series/InspectorMorse's superior in ''Series/{{Endeavour}}''.
43	** In the second episode of season two, Malcolm makes reference to ''Series/{{Balamory}}''. Miles Jupp appeared in two episodes as John Duggan.
44	** Many fans eagerly referenced and made jokes about Nicola's infamous "quiet bat people" comment when Rebecca Front joined the cast of the cancelled ''Batgirl (2022)''.
45	* HoYay:
46	** Malcolm and Jamie. "You and I will have a little discussion later."
47	** Malcolm seems to love shoving Olly up against walls. And once on top of a lavatory sink.
48	*** "I won't make a blow-job joke if you won't."
49	*** In a deleted scene, he threatens to Olly, "I'll fucking plant a palm tree in your neck, and I'll fuck you fucking tenderly in its shade".
50	** Malcolm's at his most blatant with Dan Miller: "You're ''irresistible'', you know that, don't you? Talk to you later, Bad Apple..."
51	** Apparently there is enough between Olly and Dan Miller to be noted by Glenn:
52	--->'''Glenn:''' "Are they..."
53	--->'''Hugh:''' "An item? He made a pretty good job of, uh, made a pretty good job of shagging Angela Heaney."
54	--->'''Glenn:''' "He could be bisexual. A lot of them are, you know."
55	--->'''Hugh:''' "Hm. It's just interesting seeing the dynamics play within... within the staff."
56	** Fergus and Adam are inseparable and have NoSenseOfPersonalSpace.
57	* JerkassWoobie:
58	** Malcolm Tucker wandered into this trope in the third series. Desperately struggling to keep the government in power in its dying days, his efforts are not always appreciated by his bosses and enemies are lurking everywhere. His big breakdown in front of Terri about this definitely qualifies as a woobie moment. There are little hints of woobie-ness earlier in series 3 too, such as Malcolm spending his 50th birthday alone in his office. The big climax of the series, when Fleming gets Malcolm fired, and several scenes afterwards where Malcolm looks suspiciously red-eyed, are definitely in woobie territory.
59	** Terri Coverly is an incompetent, oblivious, self-serving idiot. Yet over the course of the series, her father dies of a stroke (for which she gets NoSympathy), she's forced to take the blame for sending an offensive e-mail by her boss, she fancies a man who hates her guts, she's generally regarded as a waste of space by everyone, a man who she thought was her friend tells her to her face that he pitied her every day and by the end of the series, she's stuck in a job she hates and tries like hell to get out of, but is too expensive to get rid of. She's shown to have interests outside of her job (gardening and amateur dramatics) and has a dream of owning a tea shop, which will now go unfullfilled.
60	* MagnificentBastard: Malcolm Tucker, the Prime Minister's foul-mouthed director of communications is willing to do nearly anything short of actual violence to ensure his party's victory. When Julius Nicholson makes a play for power with the intent of firing Malcolm, Malcolm starts a rumour that Julius is vying for Foreign Secretary and then tells the PM that Julius started the rumours and thus needs to be punished. While Malcolm's rival Steve Flemming briefly manages to get Malcolm fired, Malcolm is quickly hired back [[VetinariJobSecurity because he is indispensable]] and gets Flemming fired instead by tricking the media into believing that Flemming is corrupt. When leadership of Malcolm's party falls to the incompetent Nicola Murray, Malcolm engineers her downfall in favour of the more competent Dan Miller while making Nicola think that Malcolm is her ally up to the last minute. When a Parliamentary inquiry finds that Malcolm committed perjury, he turns himself in and decides to resign from politics at the cost of great humiliation to himself so he can protect his party.
61	* MemeticMutation:
62	** "Omnishambles" was named the Oxford English Dictionary's Word of the Year for 2012. It was even used in Parliament.
63	** ''Fuckity Bye''.
64	** Malcolm's summation of ''Franchise/StarWars'': "The one about the hairdresser, the space hairdresser and the cowboy. He's got a tin foil pal and a pedal bin. His father's a robot and he's fucking fucked his sister. Lego. They're all made of fucking Lego."
65	** "Yes and ho!"
66	** The throwaway line about Creator/MarkKermode having massive hands.
67	* MisaimedFandom: The show's cast and crew aren't necessarily flattered by its popularity with British politicians, especially those who've adopted it as something of a how-to guide. Will Smith (Phil) professed to be baffled when actual [=MPs=] started using the phrase "omnishambles" in Parliamentary debate.
68	* MoralEventHorizon:
69	** If Hugh didn't cross it when he forced Terri to take the rap for an offensive email he sent to a child, he did when he used his best friend Glenn's disabled son to his own advantage. Fittingly, this was his last episode in the series.
70	** [[spoiler:Olly most definitely crossed it when he enlisted Glenn to assist him in Malcolm's plan to oust Nicola and then leaving him to dry when the job's done]].
71	** [[spoiler:Dan Miller crosses it by throwing Malcolm, the man who got him elected, to the wolves following the Golding Enquiry]].
72	* NarmCharm:
73	** "[[TranquilFury Come out of the cupboard, Hugh]]..."
74	** [[spoiler:[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZM8q8n8cwQ&feature=related YOU WILL SEE ME AGAIN!]]]]. From anyone else this would be cliched and [[{{Narm}} Narmy]], from Malcolm it's [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome awesome]].
75	* NeverLiveItDown: Malcolm finds out from Jamie about the "experimental ponytail, the eyeliner, blouson, Sobranie Cocktails, and jazz".
76	* NoYay:
77	** "I'll box his ears..." Glenn and Robyn. Or Glenn and Nicola. Or Glenn and anyone...
78	** Nicola's {{squick}}ed face whenever Steve Fleming hugs her is positively DO NOT WANT.
79	* OneSceneWonder: Creator/TomHollander as Cal Richards aka The Fucker. Only in one one episode, but was easily one of the show's most memorable characters.
80	* {{Shipping}}:
81	** Malcolm and Sam.
82	** Inverted with Olly--the audience feels like screaming at Emma and Angela to stay away from him. It ''is'', however, worth noting that Emma was at least somewhat abusive to him.
83	** Adam/Fergus is pretty popular in certain circles, mostly because despite being just as awful as the rest of the characters, they’re also the only two political figures in the series who seem to genuinely and sincerely like each other.
84	* TooBleakStoppedCaring: Since the people in the show, up to and including Malcolm himself, have a tendency to be jerks, it can be hard to care for them.
85	* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: Creator/ArmandoIannucci has repeatedly said that he will never make any more of the series despite requests because it belongs to a 2000s age of political discourse, when there was still a curtain to hide things behind, and still a general feeling that the political system worked despite its many flaws. Even the fourth series (aired in 2012), which features the Coalition (a result of the growing resentment of the political class) and an increased role of social media, comes off as charmingly dated in the 'dumpster fire' political discourse of the early 2020s.
86	** One early episode has Malcolm testing Hugh's knowledge of popular culture by asking who the only gay in the village is. Given how ''Series/LittleBritain'' fell out of favour over time, this may be the most dated reference in the whole series.
87	* TheWoobie: Glenn Cullen. The only character in the series with anything resembling a conscience and he's constantly disrespected and ignored.

Context YMMV / TheThickOfIt