Veep Season 7 Episode 1 Review: Iowa
Carissa Pavlica
at
.
This is the way comedy is supposed to be.
Maybe it's easy to justify the no-holds-barred approach to every blasted thing in America that normally sends Americans to Twitter to shout their outrage, but Veep Season 7 Episode 1 is so deliciously damning of pretty much everything that nobody should get offended about any of it.
It's time for the latest group of Presidential candidates to toss their hats into the ring, and Selina Meyer believes American citizens owe her an eight-year run in the White House for the crap they've put her through already. Who can argue with that?
The return of Veep sets the stage for Selina's final political foray.
At the end of Veep Season 7, there will be no more chances for Selina because Veep will have ended its run on television much like Selina will end her run for President. Win or lose; she's out for blood.
From the moment Veep begins to the last shot, it's one constant shot at an America that is, as Selina says, "getting more disgusting by the second."
Nothing is off limits, and if you tried to double task while watching the premiere, you're going to want to go back and watch it again. Their whip-smart dialogue under helmer Armando Iannucci and the delivery by every member of the cast is what has made Veep an Emmy darling.
Every person on screen takes into account this is their last hurrah, and they make every American slam as gloriously torrid as it should be taken.
Related: Barry Season 2 Premiere Review - The Show Must Go On, Probably?
It's as if the writers' room gobbled up every Tweet, Facebook post, and meme since Veep Season 6 went off the air and tossed them into a bowl to see which one would bite back next.
Ok. Leon. I'm still. I'm not sure about this part where it says I want to be president for ALL Americans. I mean, do I? ALL Americans?
Selina
Yes, that line featured prominently in the trailer, but it cannot be discounted. Looking at the political candidates of today, it's pretty clear that not a single one of them wants to be President for all, but they all want to be President for their pet groups.
And oh golly, are there a lot of pet groups to cater to in the current political climate.
If every campaign thinks about the American people as Selina and her team think about them, it's no wonder we're in a dog-eat-dog brawl every time a new candidate gets announced.
In a quick rundown, Veep takes to task 9/11, people with disabilities, feminists, abortion, the LGBTQ community, race, immigration, NASA, chemical castration, social media, and in one of the most heinous and hilarious riffs of the episode, mass shootings.
To put it lightly, Selina doesn't give a rat's ass about any of it unless it might propel her back into the Oval Office.
Oh, and take out the stuff about immigration. I feel like it's a little too "issuey."
Selina
Unlike the candidates we're facing every day, Selina doesn't want to be too "issuey." She's the epitome of a candidate with no platform who will jump on board any platform if it might get her votes.
"Iowa" is taking a potshot with its title alone, as Selina can't even find the right airport in a rural state with multiple cities claiming the Cedar moniker.
Related: Game of Thrones: The Last Watch - When Will It Air?
Veep sticks it to Iowa and wonders under its highly comical breath why in the hell so much of our future political state is determined in a place where the candidates have to bunk at The Hampton Inn, have one-runway airports, and cities with dogs as their mayors.
Sure, it might not be as podunk as portrayed on Veep, but when you realize the number of urban areas that are passed over for the small and sparsely inhabited places, it's easy to imagine the disdain candidates would have for the entire process.
If Muhammad Atta had you people booking his travel, he'd still be alive today which for HIM would be a major fuckup.
Selina
Selina practically spits in the face of each new competitor who announces their bid for the presidency. "Let me guess, another white male." She fails to realize that in 2019, a white female has about as much cache as those counterparts.
With every announcement comes the parade of PC, too.
Two wheelchair guys behind him? What? We didn't get the point after the first wheelchair guy?
Selina
The stakes are higher than ever for those who want to represent all Americans because America is more segregated than it's been in a very long time.
Related: Sex and the City Follow-Up in the Works at Paramount TV
If we were once a mass group claiming the common title of Americans, now every group wants representation, and a shout-out from the right candidate can mean everything -- as much for the group as for the candidate.
Selina's campaign faces an uphill battle finding her niche before all the others claim what's available.
Selina has a new campaign slogan and a new campaign manager (who she's never met in her life in a hilarious case of mistaken identity many of us understand all too well) and throughout the premiere no idea at all why she wants to be President.
Why do I have to tell people why I want to be president? I mean, I don't wanna hear about their jobs.
Selina
There isn't much substance to any of the candidates as early into the game as the premiere finds us, but one person who sees his numbers climbing is Jonah, who just married his smokin' hot step-sister.
If Selina and her crew represent the liberal side of things, then Jonah is the exaggerated Trump of the group. Just as others are infiltrating Iowa trying to fit in with the locals, Jonah doesn't give a hoot about any of it.
Jonah kicks PC terminology in the teeth, and with every misstep he makes, the crowds find him more endearing. The press clamor after his debacle of a campaign that looks just as horrifying on the outside as it is getting run from the inside.
Jonah: Whoa. What was that?
Sykes: I was just adjusting your mic. I was chemically castrated, remember? [winks]
But no matter what side of the political spectrum you find yourself, the truth behind the scathing comedic commentary should be easy to spot.
Too many chefs in the kitchen cooking individual meals on one side, and the inexperienced bumble on the other.
Related: The Case Against Adnan Syed Review - Visually Exploring a Well-Known Case Boosts Insight
They all make a mockery of the American political system in their own ways, and the citizens of the greatest country in the world have to find the clod that doesn't annoy them as much as the others before they cast their vote.
Even websites are playing a role in the fodder, as Mike, once a treasured member of Selina's team, finds himself on the political beat for Buzzfeed.
Veep's Buzzfeed wants quantity over quality and treats their reporters as if they're a bunch of college kids itching for their first job.
Mike couldn't be more out of his element, and he'll continue to provide a lot of insight into our side of the experience as the season progresses.
We've come to know these characters very well, so it's no surprise that the secondary storyline is Amy's pregnancy and all that it entails given that Dan is the baby daddy.
Selina and Gary think she's bulimic and in need of concealer and Weight Watchers, while Dan, well. Dan does Dan.
Amy is as lost as any woman who finds herself in that unplanned situation, but going on the road with Dan means her decision-making process is getting whiplash.
But if you want to go dutch, or whatever, on the abortion, just hit me up on Venmo. Oh, you know what? Make it public, OK? It shows I'm a gentleman.
Dan
"Iowa" sets up what is going to be a brilliant season of this comedic gem, and if you thought The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel would sweep awards based on its stellar season, HBO is giving Amazon another run for the money.
Between Barry and Veep, there is enough emotion and smart exchanges to break down that formidable door.
Related: Get HBO via Prime Video Channels for Addictive Dramas, Hilarious Comedies & Hit Movies!
Julia Louis-Dryfess is a goddess as she sachets through the ignorant life of Selina Meyer. Her supporting cast is as brilliant as any ever to grace a comedy, and the incoming players joining as the season continues will make Veep quite formidable come awards season.
There isn't a single person associated with Veep who hasn't earned the respect of those who watch, and that's why it can get away with what can easily be considered utterly vile discussions.
When Selina's announcement plans fall apart in Iowa, her prayers are answered by what has been an all-too-common occurrence of late.
But this team isn't willing to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Selina: If I ever needed a miracle, it's right now!
Richard: Ma'm, there's been a mass shooting at a mall in Pheonix. Twenty-seven people have been killed.
[everyone groans and ahhhs]
Selina: Ohhh. [Selina shrugs] This can ... work for us?
Dan: Yes, because we couldn't possibly announce now out of respect for the victims.
Selina: Hallefuckinlugah.
Kent: Praise the rational equivalent of Jesus, what Bonhoeffer would call the spirit of beloved community.
Selina: We have to send that shooter a nice thank you card.
Richard: Actually, he shot himself before he could be apprehended. I'll send something to his wife. Oh, he shot her first.
And with that reprieve, Selina suddenly steals the very thoughts out of the head of a man who once thought she was worth the effort before she and others like her didn't "see" them anymore and announces her bid with the words of someone she doesn't even know.
The irony of stealing both his money and his words doesn't even register.
It's a seamless segue and comes with a lot of promise for Veep's swan song.
Be sure to drop by TV Fanatic every Sunday for another review of this epic political series as it comes to an end.
Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.
