S02E08 - First Response

No: 16  |   Season: 2   Episode:  |   Air Date: 9-Jun-13  

Remember, I have the vice president's ear and I can get all kinds of access to her. And then there's one of those winking emoticons at the bottom there.

Summary

Selina participates in an interview by her old friend Janet Ryland (Allison Janney) at her residence with Catherine and Andrew, while her team fight to maintain her faltering image.

Director and Writers

Director: Armando Iannucci
Story by: Roger Drew & Armando Iannucci
Teleplay by: Roger Drew

Quotes

Cody Marshall: They're expecting a puff piece.
Janet Ryland: Right.
Cody Marshall: There's the bluff puff, which we are going to start out with. You're her friend. You went to high school together. You guys like each other. Then we switch right over to rough puff. Nobody does rough puff like you. (Janet growls like a lioness.)

Janet Ryland: Thank you so much for inviting us into your home today, Madam Vice President.
Selina: It's certainly my pleasure.
Janet Ryland: I thought it might be fun to talk about what's original and what's been augmented over the years.
Selina: We're talking about the building, right?

Mike: Use the Force, ma'am.
Selina: I don't know what that means.

Selina: I was supposed to stress my successes. Instead I'm sitting there, stuffing my face with chicken.
Jonah: Great stuffing there, guys. Good stuff, thumbs up! It looks good on television!

Selina: Sometimes you have to act. Always you have to listen, because in politics a backbone and a heart are only as good as your ears. And my ears are my livelihood.

Notes and Trivia

Allison Janney shot all of her part in 2 days.

The graph Dan shows Amy is actually incorrectly drawn. While he was attempting to show that over time Selina's career has gone downward, the graph actually shows that as time increases, so does her career.

Goofs

In the interview Selina is seen holding a telescope which points one way then another in her hand.

In the interview with Selina, Janet is empty-handed in one shot then is seen holding the telescope in the next.

Cast