Veep 1.2 - Frozen Yoghurt

Last week I said that Veep needs to focus more and stop trying to cram too much into an episode. Will they heed my advice?

Washington is going through a heat wave and a gastric bug is also doing the rounds. With the President away in South Africa, Vice President Meyer is nominally in charge. However, given that no-one in the West Wing seems to like or trust her, she's stuck in her office trying to sort out filibuster reform. Good news arrives when her clean jobs task force is approved and when a slot opens in her schedule, Meyer's staff arranges a photo shoot at a frozen yoghurt shop. While the Veep is in a filibuster reform meeting, the staff start drawing up lists of "good" and "bad" flavours of frozen yoghurt. Unfortunately, the meeting with Senator Doyle (Phil Reeves) doesn't quite go as planned - he will only support the Veep's plan if she keeps the oil industry off the new clean jobs task force. She agrees even though she had promised to the oil industry that they would be represented. Dan proposes putting an ex-oil lobbyist on the task force to appease both sides before heading off to meet journalist Leon West (Brian Huskey) to give him a scoop about the clean jobs task force.

Unfortunately, the President decides to announce the task force himself and Mike is sent to stop Dan in his tracks. He does, leaving Leon pissed off and plotting revenge for having his time wasted. Jonah the interrupts the Veep, telling her that the President is experiencing chest pains. She is rushed to the situation room and Jonah, worried that the Veep might suddenly become his new boss, starts acting really nice to her. With the staff of the frozen yoghurt store still waiting for her, the Veep is eventually told that the President has in fact only suffered heartburn. The Veep, hours late and suffering from the gastric bug, arrives at the frozen yoghurt shop to painfully endure a photo opportunity with the now-melted yoghurt.

Ah, now that's more like it! A little more focus, a few excellent lines and Veep moves up slightly in my estimation. I mean, it's not exactly Yes Minister but it's not half bad. The Veep's moment in the situation room was great and the final scene, where she's carried from the frozen yoghurt shop was really funny.

7 out of 10.