| Veep | |
|---|---|
| Format | Comedy |
| Created by | Armando Iannucci |
| Written by | Armando Iannucci Simon Blackwell Tony Roche Sean Gray William Smith Roger Drew Ian Martin Jesse Armstrong |
| Starring | Julia Louis-Dreyfus Anna Chlumsky Tony Hale Matt Walsh Timothy Simons Reid Scott Sufe Bradshaw |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Production | |
| Camera setup | Single camera |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | HBO |
Veep is a forthcoming 2012 HBO television comedy series set in the office of a fictional U.S. vice-president. The pilot was written by Armando Iannucci and Simon Blackwell.[1]
It will be based on the style of Iannucci's BBC television sitcom The Thick of It which is set in a fictional department of the British government. The Thick of It was first broadcast in 2005, gaining a number of awards and in 2009 inspiring a spin-off film, In the Loop. A pilot for an American version of The Thick of It was produced as a candidate for the 2007-2008 season on ABC and would have been about the day-to-day lives of a low-level member of the United States Congress and his staff. ABC did not pick up the show for its Fall 2007 schedule.[2]
After it was dropped by ABC, several networks including HBO, Showtime and NBC subsequently expressed interest in adapting the show.[3] HBO later announced a pilot for a potential television series which was shot in 2011. The pilot was subsequently picked up for a full series which will air in 2012.[1][4]
Contents |
The ABC pilot, also titled The Thick of It and and was developed for American audiences by producers Mitch Hurwirtz and Richard Day, of Arrested Development fame. Original series creator Armando Iannucci had a production credit on the show, but he was not otherwise involved. The pilot was produced by Sony Pictures TV and BBC Worldwide. Grammy and Emmy Award-winner Christopher Guest directed the pilot.[5]
In the pilot, John Michael Higgins played Albert Alger, a newly-elected Congressman and Oliver Platt played committee chairman Malcolm Tucker.[6] Actress Rhea Seehorn was Ollie Tadzio, a young and ambitious speech writer, and Michael McKean played Glen Glahm, "a former campaign operative who's now the chief of staff" for the congressman.[7]
Iannucci distanced himself from the pilot stating "It was terrible...they took the idea and chucked out all the style. It was all conventionally shot and there was no improvisation or swearing. It didn't get picked up, thank God."[8]
As a result of the failure of the 2007 pilot, Iannucci re-entered talks with HBO (his initial preference) about adapting the series, with the result that a new pilot episode for a series based in the office of the Vice President of the United States called Veep (a nickname derived from the position's initials "VP") was commissioned in late 2009.[8] Iannucci has been given much more creative control over the show and has co-written the pilot with English comedy writer Simon Blackwell, who also contributes to the British The Thick of It. In October 2011, AFRO reported more details of the show: "Directors for season one include Iannucci, Tristram Shapeero and Chris Morris. VEEP is executive produced by Iannucci, Christopher Godsick and Frank Rich. Joining as co-executive producers are Simon Blackwell, Tony Roche, with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Stephanie Laing producing. In addition to Iannucci, Blackwell and Roche, writers include Sean Gray, William Smith, Roger Drew, Ian Martin and Jesse Armstrong." [9]
Julia Louis-Dreyfus is playing the central role of Senator Selina Meyer.[10][11] Other confirmed cast include Anna Chlumsky (who has previously starred in Iannucci's film In the Loop), Tony Hale, Matt Walsh, Timothy Simons, Sufe Bradshaw, Andy Buckley and Reid Scott.[11] Shooting was completed in March 2011.[12]
HBO announced it picked up the show for a full season in April 2011.[4] The series is being recorded in Baltimore and began production in the fall of 2011 for a 2012 debut on HBO.[1][13]