A High-Stakes Announcement Brings Out The 'Best' In Everyone At The Veep's Office

Veep is most known -- and rightly so -- for deriving a lot of its comedy from its snappy wordplay, by which I mean its nastiest, sweariest insults, and "Alicia" is no exception.

...Okay, there were other verbal gags that weren't at Jonah's expense. Revolving around the announcement of Selina's presidential bid, "Alicia" also allowed the characters some pretty amazing moments of physical comedy amid the chaos backstage, as everyone almost ruins everything in their enthusiasm/ruthlessness/idiocy/failure to call ahead to see what people were wearing.

Tasked to handle SNL's sketch about Selina being out of touch for claiming that her childhood pony helped her to understand the plight of the American farmer, Dan accidentally ends up goading the show's producers into returning to the character. Would now be a good time for Gary to approach Selina with a refreshing drink?

The Selina forcefield suggests...no. And when Mike, in a moment of unguarded humanity (dickishness) snaps at universal child care activist and steps VIP Alicia and calls her a cow in front of Jonah, he has to beg Jonah not to run a piece about it on Ryantology, literally on his knees and while singing an old Civil War song.

If it's uncomfortable for us to watch, evidently it's a thousand times worse for this poor soul who just wanted to get something out of this room.

And though one of the most hilarious/terrifying moments does hinge on a verbal exchange...its simplicity is what makes it work/chills you to your very marrow. Catherine has shown up in an outfit very similar to Selina's, and when Selina (somewhat justly, I might add) freaks out on her, Catherine tartly suggests that maybe Selina should change...and instantly regrets it.

The nod is what makes it art. God bless and keep this show.