The Top Five Veep Episodes of All-Time

Veep might not be return until next spring, but there’s no standing executive order that says we can’t list the best episodes from Veep‘s first three seasons – so here are our picks for the best of Veep‘s best (in no particular order).

“Catherine” (Season 1, Episode 3)

It was a tie between “Catherine” and “Frozen Yoghurt” for the final spot on this list – and given that “Catherine” introduces one of the show’s most important characters (Selina’s daughter), it wins the edge over Dan awkwardly trying to schmooze local business owners. As Selina tries to deal with a “Catch 44” with her Clean Jobs commission, her daughter shows up, reminding us that the VP has a personal life – and when it comes to being a mother, Selina’s ability to small talk doesn’t really add up to a whole lot. While the first few episodes of the show focused on Selina the politician, “Catherine” is the first episode that goes behind the veil of the Vice President – and what we find behind it fits right into the show’s hilariously cynical outlook on life and politics.

“Alicia” (Season 3, Episode 3)

Stress can get to anyone – and in the middle of “Alicia”, Selina Meyer’s distracted state leads her to walk right into a glass door, throwing her entire team into a frenzy (who wouldn’t, with Secret Service officers yelling “Duchess is down! Duchess is down!), and eventually, Selina into a drugged-up stupor when it’s revealed her anti-depressants (which nobody knew she was taking) mixed with the homemade remedies Gary  tries to heal her with. Centered around that hilarious image, “Alicia” is an interesting episode in its own right politically, featuring Selina apologizing for “lying” about the hostage situation she dealt with in season two – which wasn’t really a lie, since she didn’t know one of the people being “rescued” was a CIA operative. It raises the interesting concept of truth in politics, and raises the question of how much does the government actually tell us – and more importantly, how much of it is actually truthful. Veep‘s always had a solid grip on the negotiations that come with political power, and “Alicia” enhances that by forcing the VP into an uncomfortable position both within her party, and the public itself.

“Hostages” (Season 2, Episode 3)

Selina’s first real “shining” moment as VP comes in the third episode of season two, with Selina angling for a rescue mission to take place on the same day she’s supposed to testify before the Congressional commission for efficiency. If that doesn’t sound like a hilarious premise, I don’t know what does – this episode features some of the strongest writing of the whole series, whether it’s Dan and Gary’s little pissing contest betwewen each other, or for singular moments like Selina’s NSFW reaction to firing a gun – or just the image of a VP firing a gun in general.

“Special Relationship” (Season 3, Episode 7)

The Veep’s trip to England might not hold a lot of interesting regional comedic value, but it does give us one very specific, beautiful thing: the complete meltdown of Dan under pressure. When his first decision as campaign manager (adding Selina’s sex buddy Ray to the campaign ranks) continuously backfires in his face, Dan continues to panic more and more trying to cover his tracks – leaving Selina to wear idiotic hats and get into an argument with a pub owner (who makes her look like an idiot) while he runs around, chugging Red Bulls and talking to himself. Worth it for the Veep’s trip overseas alone (thanks to the Gary vs. Ray material), Dan’s mental collapse is one of the series highlights, and elevates this episode into the show’s highest echelon.

“Debate” (Season 3, Episode 8)

Arguably the best episode of Veep to date (definitely from its strongest season, given that three of the five episodes are from season three), “Debate” sees Amy taking over as campaign manager, and the team baring down for an all-important debate. There are so many things I could point out in this episode that work, from the debate partners’ responses to questions, to Dan’s return and Gary’s manipulation of his wife – but chief among everything in this episode is the VP’s new haircut, and everyone’s reaction to it (reminding us how just how superficial we really are), which provide a lot of the foundation for the jokes of the episode, which are non-stop throughout the episode’s half-hour running time. Definitely the funniest episode of the show – and given how it sets up the final two episodes of season three, arguably the most important.

Image via HBO