25 Oct, '09

“There’s nobody on television more humiliating or derogatory than this political sitcom’s main character, the tyrannical Malcolm Tucket (played with pop-eyed relish by Peter Capaldi)… A gloriously obnoxious return to form, after the mild disappointment of the film version, In the Loop.”
Michael Deacon, The Telegraph

“Back in terrific form… The gearwork of the plot is beautifully articulated, but again and again it’s the invention of the language that knocks a laugh out of you.”
Tom Sutcliffe, The Independent

“It’s filthy, and yet it’s so beautifully crafted and so perfectly delivered, it’s almost as if Malcolm’s actually turned swearing into art.”
Sam Wollaston, The Guardian

“A colourful side-swipe at the back passage life of Westminster… The gags are as tart as ever. ‘Don’t call Malcolm a rat’, Nicola’s aides warned her… ‘Think of him as a thin, white Mugabe.’”
Matt Baylis, Daily Express

“Perhaps because it had moved from BBC4 to BBC2, its language… was a little milder. The F-word was still important and often nothing else would do, but it was laid on slightly less thickly. Metaphors as a result had to work harder and be stronger.”
Andrew Billen, The Times