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Blu-ray Review: HBO’s “VEEP: The Complete Sixth Season” Is As Sharp & Biting As Ever

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Former Senator Selina Meyer finds that being Vice President of the United States is nothing like she hoped and everything that everyone ever warned her about.

I was late to catch on to the brilliance of HBO’s “VEEP.” My blatant ignoring of “VEEP” can be attributed to the trauma of being forced to watch “Seinfeld” during dinner for the greater part of my childhood. This led me to avoid any of the future endeavors pursued by former “Seinfeld” actors. Until now. I opened my home and mind to the hilarity that is Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Selina Meyer on HBO’s “VEEP.” And I can say that it is a series deserving of multiple re-watch sessions. The back and forth banter and one-liners are quite crafty (even if vulgar at times) and fly at you non-stop. It’d be a pity to let any of them pass you by.

Season 6 starts off in new territory, as Selina is not steeped in the usual presidential-related chaos. But chaos still reigns supreme. Chaos and less than good choices. A year has passed since Laura Montez (Andrea Savage) became President. And it seems much of Selina’s team has scattered and has either pursued other interests or is grappling to find new footing. Dan Egan (Reid Scott) is now a CBS Morning co-host with Jane McCabe (Margaret Colin). Colin as McCabe is a fresh dose of volatile fun as she does whatever needs to be done to keep her co-host in check and make sure she remains the shining star of the morning show. We are introduced to Dan’s new role as he interviews Selina. There are mentions of “spas” and asylums, adult literacy, and AIDS. It’s an interview that gives us an unsure Selina who is trying to regain traction and come up with a legacy plan for herself. Because she was the first Madame President, damn it!

Another start of season reveal is that Catherine (Sarah Sutherland) and Marjorie (Clea DuVall) are married and looking to have a baby. Much of their storyline this season is finding a donor and getting pregnant, which they do successfully. Catherine per usual is always far from her mother’s thoughts and considerations.

At the end of the first episode “Omaha,” Selina announces her desire to run for President again and is met with shocks and shrieks of disapproval much to her dismay. The idea of campaigning again is canned and Selina’s focus is re-centered on her memoir and potential legacy. After realizing no one cares about adult literacy or AIDs much anymore, she is inspired to have her own library and the majority of the season rests on her finding funding and a location for the library which leads to plenty of hard no’s and tricky donation negotiations.

While at the start the original Selina gang is spread out, throughout the season they are slowly threaded back together. The ever-loyal Gary (Tony Hale) is as clung-on as ever, Richard Splett (Sam Richardson) has become an important aide (inciting jealousy and anxiety in Gary), Mike McLintock’s (Mike Walsh) services are required once again, this time as ghostwriter of Selina’s memoir, and the formidable Amy Brookheimer (Anna Chlumsky) makes her way back to Selina after an embarrassing episode with her (ex) fiancé Buddy Calhoun (Matt Oberg).

This season, Selina faces corrupt Georgian politicians, the possibility of becoming a grandmother, menopause, a Vagi-brary, and the irritant that is Jonah Ryan (Timothy Simons). Congressman Jonah Ryan is a very special case of “special,” with his attacks on healthy school lunches and Daylight Saving Time. But by the last episode of the season “Groundbreaking,” both Jonah and Selina have surprising announcements that set the goon-ish yet all too real tone for Season 7. If you haven’t seen Season 6 (or seen “VEEP” at all), I suggest you do so soon. There can never be enough vulgar satire in your life. It’s the perfect distraction from or maybe even reflection of the current political state of affairs.

Now available on Blu-ray & DVD

 

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