Why it’s still worth watching Veep even after its series finale

The curtain has finally fallen on one of the best comedies in a long time. The last episode of Veep aired this week so it’s the perfect time to sit down and watch it from start to finish, entertainment reporter David Meddows says.

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The curtain has finally fallen on one of the best comedies in a long time. The last episode of
Veep aired this week and I am genuinely sad that this brilliant series has come to an end.

There are very few TV shows that fall into this category for me. It’s not that I haven’t watched some brilliant stuff over the past few years — I believe it’s the best period for quality on the small screen in my lifetime — it’s just that there aren’t many characters who grab you like Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s Selina Meyer.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Selina Meyer in Veep. Picture: HBO/Foxtel

Veep is obviously satirical, and a lot of what happens with Selina over the seven seasons is very much in that realm, but there are so many parts that seem to mirror very closely with what is playing out in world politics at the moment that it’s sometimes hard to tell.

When Veep first aired in April 2012, Donald Trump wasn’t yet a contender for the presidency — it wouldn’t be until later that year that Barack Obama would be elected to his second term in the White House and another three years before Trump announced his run in the 2016 race.

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As the Trump era started to play out, Veep writers had to head back to the writing room to change some storylines as they were too close to the real thing.

But it’s not just Trump. It’s the absurdity of world politics at the moment from one side of the globe to the other. Much focus is on the personal perception involved in holding public office.

In season six, Selina isn’t in office at all yet she is obsessed with the kind of legacy she will leave behind.

It’s not hard to think about some of the world’s current leaders being equally obsessed by these optics.

Veep’s final season aired this week.

The final chapter involves another big run for public office — she just can’t fathom being out of the spotlight for very long.

Vice President Meyer (then President Myer, then civilian Myer, then …) has a brilliant support network.

Anna Chlumsky is the Vice President’s chief of staff, Arrested Development’s Tony Hale is her personal aide and Mike Walsh is the Communications Director. Gary Cole, Kevin Dunn, Reid Scott and Hugh Laurie also play big parts throughout the various seasons.

Now that this gem of a show is complete, it’s the perfect time to sit down and watch it from start to finish.

Even if you’ve seen it all, it’s worth watching it all again and seeing if you can tell where they have had to change direction.

RIP Selina Meyer.

* Veep’s final season aired on Foxtel Showcase