Revisiting Veep and its Masterful Satire of American Politics

Veep aired on HBO from April 22, 2012, to May 12, 2019, starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and is a sharp, unrelenting satire that masterfully skewered the absurdities of American politics at the time. With its biting wit and ruthless humour, the show delved into the world of Selina Meyer, a deeply flawed and hilariously self-absorbed politician navigating the chaotic and often ridiculous corridors of power in Washington, D.C.

For those who don’t know, Veep is the slang term for the Vice President. POTUS and FLOTUS are terms for the President and First Lady.

Louis-Dreyfus delivered an Emmy-winning performance as Selina Meyer, first the Vice President and later the President of the United States. Her portrayal is both uproarious and painfully human, revealing a woman driven by ambition, vanity, and a desperation for power. Meyer is not the noble, idealised leader we often see portrayed in political dramas like The West Wing — she’s petty, inept, and constantly undermined by her own team of incompetent yet fiercely loyal staffers. Her struggle to stay relevant, often at the cost of integrity or ethics, serveed as a blistering critique of the moral compromises inherent in modern politics.

What makes Veep stand out is its’ unapologetically cynical view of the U.S. government. The show takes no prisoners when it comes to mocking the self-serving, short-sighted nature of American politicians and the political landscape in general. Rather than depicting a system governed by ideology or even logic, Veep presents politics as a playground of egos, where policy takes a backseat to optics, spin, and the constant game of one-upmanship.

The dialogue is whip-smart and fast-paced, loaded with insults and one-liners that perfectly capture the cruelty and absurdity of political life. The humour is dark and sometimes uncomfortable, but always on point, whether it’s satirising the ineptitude of government bureaucracy, the media circus that surrounds politics, or the personal failings of the people in power.

Perhaps the most brilliant aspect of Veep is its refusal to glorify any of its characters or offer them redemption. In a political landscape often divided into heroes and villains, Veep shows that everyone is flawed, often hilariously so. It is a show about power and the people who seek it, exposing their vulnerabilities, insecurities, and their willingness to sacrifice principles for personal gain.

The biting satire extends to real-world parallels, with Veep often reflecting, and at times predicting, the madness of contemporary U.S. politics. The show’s creators, led by Armando Iannucci (and later David Mandel), bring a distinctly British style of political humor, rooted in the tradition of brutal, no-holds-barred satire. This style perfectly complements the dysfunction and chaos depicted in Veep, making the show feel uncomfortably real at times.

Veep was such a real-world critique of politics at the time, that producers and writers finished the show in 2019 when they saw how dysfunctional the Trump administration was and that they wouldn’t be able to outdo what was going on in politics at the time.

Even down to its final episode when it makes a biting critique of the legacy leaders leave, this is brilliant well-observed comedy firing on all cylinders.

Veep is more than just a comedy—it’s a ruthless dissection of American politics, where power, incompetence, and vanity collide in a spectacularly funny and often painfully accurate way. Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s career-defining performance, coupled with the show’s scathing humour and unflinching cynicism, make Veep a must-watch for anyone who appreciates sharp, intelligent satire that cuts to the bone.

Veep Seasons 1-7 are now streaming on Binge with a subscription.