I don’t know how I’ve managed to miss the previous series of The Thick of It, but I’ve employed someone to kick me up the backside for it. Just twice a day – it’s a part time position – but enough to remind me that TV critics need to be more on the ball.

However, having now watched the opener of the new series on Saturday night, the DVDs of episodes gone will be on my Christmas list.

And perhaps it’s not the worst thing in the world that I came at it with ‘new’ eyes because of course that way, I can’t mourn the passing of some of the characters but can celebrate the introduction of Nicola Murray – giftedly played by Rebecca Front. Read more & comment »

Armando Iannucci’s political comedy returns for a new series and begins on “Reshuffle Day” at No. 10. Nicola Murray is so far down the list of prospective ministers that Malcolm Tucker doesn’t even have a file on her. But when the job at the Department of Social Affairs and Citizenship is turned down by everybody else, there’s no option but to promote her to the Cabinet.

Read more & comment »