After a strong return, Veep
slows down in “Discovery Weekend,” focusing less on re-establishing the show’s
trademark rhythms and energy and more on setting up the rest of the season to
come. Selina has taken the weekend off of campaigning in Iowa to attend
mega-donor Felix Wade’s Discovery Weekend, a retreat in the Aspen countryside
for movers and shakers in politics, entertainment, and industry. This allows
for plenty of fun as Selina talks her way into and out of Wade’s good graces,
but the structure of the weekend leaves most of Selina’s team with little to do.
Dan contemplates settling down before reverting to type, prompting Amy to decide to get an abortion, and Ben and Kent wittily react to
everything happening around them. That’s about it. This ensemble can make a lot
out of not much to do, but after such an impressive premiere, “Discovery
Weekend” underwhelms.
Instead of its ensemble, the episode focuses on a handful of
guest stars. Hugh Laurie delivers in the much-anticipated return of Senator Tom
James, and Rhea Seehorn is terrific as Tom’s deputy campaign manager Michelle
York. The real star of the episode, though, is William Fichtner as Felix Wade. His
fickle, controlling former music mogul makes Selina dance for his endorsement, literally,
before switching to Tom and then ultimately backing Senator Kemi Talbot (Toks
Olagundoye). Fichtner floats through his scenes, his physicality setting him
apart from the rest of the cast. Felix’s casual disdain and nonchalance is a
nice change of pace from the usual Veep
power players and his particular flavor of petulance is incredibly entertaining.
Though he makes the biggest impact, Felix is deployed
sparingly. The bulk of the episode centers on Selina and Tom’s reunion and
political sparring. Tom surprises Selina right before she’s about to speak to
the Discovery Weekend attendees and declares his love for her. This throws her
off her game and she bombs her speech, losing Felix’s support, but it’s unclear
whether that was Tom’s sole intent, or merely a happy outcome. The episode
refuses to come down on one side or another, giving the pair a warm, romantic
moment later on where they reminisce over health scares and what could have
been. It’s a lovely scene, albeit one that feels lifted from a different show. Julia
Louis-Dreyfus and Laurie are great together and it’s always appreciated when Louis-Dreyfus
and the writers explore different sides to Selina’s personality. However, there
are only seven episodes this season and the Selina-Tom tryst teased here gets a
lot of time considering the late-episode reveal that Tom is also involved with
Michelle, not to mention his off-screen wife.
Though the ensemble banter and laugh-a-minute pacing of the
premiere are missing here, a few of the supporting characters have standout
moments. Gary is a treat as always, cackling along with Selina, and Tony Hale’s
knowing look as Amy runs into the bathroom is delicious. Gary Cole’s trademark
dry delivery as Kent ponders whether Dan is Felix’s type is a lot of fun, and Reid
Scott’s shocked, almost traumatized reaction when Dan gets shot down is pitch
perfect. It takes Dan finding a Meegan to hook up with for Amy to give up on
him changing in any meaningful way, but she gets there and Anna Chlumsky’s
delivery as Amy schedules her abortion and asks about a flu shot is satisfyingly
confident.
Over at Jonah’s campaign, Sam Richardson continues his
excellent work as Richard, cheerfully underselling, “Lyin’ Ryan? Oh, that’s
gonna stick.” The rest of Jonah’s subplot is more mixed. Bill is notably
absent, leaving Teddy in charge and struggling to steer Jonah through a sexual harassment
scandal. The episode’s twist on the #MeToo movement (#NotMe), with women coming
forward to declare their non-involvement with Jonah over the years, is overly
broad and doesn’t quite work. The idea is a good one, and perfect for Jonah. Had
Heidi Gardner’s Amanda come forward to set the record straight, emotional over
not being believed or disdainful that anyone would believe she’d dated with
Jonah, it would have worked like gangbusters. Instead, the moment is overplayed,
Amanda breaking down as she declares, “His behavior was completely appropriate
at all times.”
Even less successful is the episode’s callback to Teddy’s
chemical castration. Surprised during an interview with a question around
inappropriate sexual conduct, Teddy advises Jonah to claim he was chemically
castrated, which Jonah breezily goes along with, missing the ominous subtext to
Teddy’s assertion that no one follows up on such claims. The exchange is
awkward and completely inorganic. Not only would Jonah never agree to say he’d
been chemically castrated, such a claim would raise the scandal’s profile
instead of making it go away. The line only exists to remind the audience of
Teddy and Jonah’s history and to set up an eventual late-season payoff. It’s disappointing; Veep usually has much tighter writing
than this.
It may not have the propulsion and excitement of “Iowa,” but
as a table-setter, “Discovery Weekend” works. Selina’s main competition in the
primary has been introduced, emotional stakes have been established for several
characters, and threads like the US Attorney’s grand jury into the Meyer Fund
have been seeded. With the campaigns picking up steam, and only five episodes
remaining, here’s hoping the next episode returns to the breathless pace and
energy of the premiere.
Stray observations
- The costuming department kills it again this episode with
Mike’s ridiculous Western getup. Matt Walsh has made Mike such a specific
character. Of course he’d wear an outfit like that, and be bested by a sprinkle
dispenser. - Selina’s most memorable moments this episode are charged,
both her exchange with Tom and her brilliant dismissal of Michelle, but she’s
also hilarious reacting to Amy’s pregnancy. It’s a quick exchange, but Louis-Dreyfus,
Hale, and Chlumsky nail it. - Speaking of nailing it, Emily Pendergast has been a
wonderful addition to the ensemble as Jonah’s wife (and ex-step-sister) Beth. - It’s hard to pick a best line or delivery for the episode.
For me, it’s between Selina’s description of what she’s looking for in a bath
bomb at the moment (along with Gary’s, “I think it’s peppermint”) and Dan’s contemplative
assertion to Amy at the Little Trout Deck about what does and doesn’t make one
feel alive. Honorable mention to Selina’s description of Mike as, “that
fat-faced freckled fuck-it-up-agus.”