The Thick Of It - Sitcom vs Mockumentary Round 1

This could quite possibly, all things considered, become my new favourite TV show of 2008 or 2009, presuming it finally gets picked up by one of the big four (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX) or HBO.. The thing in mention, of course being the new (American) version of 'The Thick Of It'.

'The Thick Of It' was a British comedy TV series broadcasted in 2005 on BBC Four. The series centers around the (fictitious) Department Of Social Affairs And Citizenship, satirizeing "The daily workings of British Political life". Head writer Armando Iannucci has himself described it as "Yes Minister meets Larry Sanders", imo this speaks much more about Ianuccis good taste in TV rolemodels than the actual quality of the show..

While not technically a mocumentary, it lends much of it style from classic mocumentary/fly-on-the wall television (i.e. lots of jerky hand camera and abdundance of laugh tracks) and works abit on the same wavelength as the British rendition of the Office.

As I see it, the problem with British television of this type is that it's eighter too smart for it's own good (not really smart per se, but atleast working on a clever premise, but pushing that premise a bit to far.. read one-trick-david-brent-is-a-moron-pony, and really lacking in the rest of the character develpoment) and just leave you feel really awkward, and hence not really enjoyable (the office) or just plain boring (The THick of it, Yes Minister or that really subrate spindoctor junk with the Fat self-richeous guy from Jeeves and Wooster *edit - Steven Fry)..

Well, fear not, as with the Office, the Yanks are once again here to save the day, this time in the form of dymanic writer/producer-duo Hurwitz and Day to give 'The Thick Of It' the framing it deserves. Michael Hurwitz and Michael Day formerly most known for one of the finest shows ever to grace the face of television - Arrested Development.

The pilot for the show was shot in 2007, depicting the day-to-day lifes of low level congressman (played by John Michael Higgins, most famous for portraying Letterman in the
pretty sucky made-for-tv-movie-drama about the Leno vs Letterman battle for the Johhny Carson seat) and his staff. Originally being produced to air on ABC, the network did not pick it up, but since, other networks, including HBO, Showtime and NBC, have expressed interest, so we'll have to see where it finally ends up.

But to take it back on the mockumentary track. There is one person who has actually mastered this artform, im talking of course about the 5th Baron Haden-Guest, a.k.a. Christoper Guest, the man behind 'Spinal Tap', 'Waiting for Guffman', 'Best in Show' and all of your other favvo moc-docs, Guest also incidentally being the director of the pilot for said TV show.

So what do we have here; a dream-team of writers/producers/director. The ideal scenario (although perhaps not very likely) would be Guest as a regular director preferably re-using his regular troupe of actors from 'Best in Show', 'For Your Consideration' etc plus some added cast from Arrested.., like Jeffrey Tambour, Will Arnett & David Cross, hell yeah, could be the television to end all other television (Pepp, pepp)!

As a sidenote, the only really funny "polical" UK show i rate is The New Statesman featuring Rick Mayall as Alan B'stard, so take my views on quality TV for what they are..