The Thick of It

10 Best Episodes of The Thick of It

Set in the corridors of power and spin, the Minister for Social Affairs is continually harassed by Number 10's policy enforcer and dependent on his not-so-reliable team of civil servants.

Written by Sophie and last updated on feb 04, 2023.

PS: The following content contains spoilers!

PPS: I will admit that parts of this page was written with the help of AI - it makes my work so much easier to not start from a blank page!

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The Thick of It - S3E1

#15 - Episode 1 (Season 3 - Episode 1)

Reshuffle day at Number 10. When the job at the Department of Social Affairs and Citizenship is turned down by everybody else, there is no option but to promote unknown quantity Nicola Murry to the Cabinet. The downside is she is very keen, has a husband who works for a company that has government contracts, has an 11-year-old about to go to a private school and is about to face the media at a crucial by-election poster launch. Something will have to be done.

The episode was rated 7.99 from 146 votes.

The Thick of It - S4E2

#14 - New Advisor (Season 4 - Episode 2)

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With Glenn gone, Nicola Murray is busy breaking in her new policy advisor, Helen Hatley. When Helen is accidentally photographed holding notes from an ideas meeting, Nicola is understandably angry.

The episode was rated 8.00 from 128 votes.

The Thick of It - S3E3

#13 - Episode 3 (Season 3 - Episode 3)

Nicola Murray is stuck in an Eastbourne hotel bedroom with nothing but a laptop, a printer and a tiny kettle while she and Olly try to finish her speech for the annual party conference. It's not going well. But Glenn has brought in his secret weapon - Julie Price, tragic widow, people's champion and regional photo opportunity. Is this the breakthrough they need, or the start of a tug-of-Julie with Malcolm Tucker?

The episode was rated 8.02 from 133 votes.

The Thick of It - S3E2

#12 - Episode 2 (Season 3 - Episode 2)

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Nicola Murray MP has only been secretary of state for just over a week, but already there is press speculation on how long she will last. And now someone at the Department of Social Affairs and Citizenship has completely wiped the immigration records of 170,672 people. Who's going to get the blame, who will have to break the news to Malcolm and how will Nicola get through lunch with the staff of the Guardian without revealing the scale of the latest disaster?

The episode was rated 8.04 from 135 votes.

The Thick of It - S3E6

#11 - Episode 6 (Season 3 - Episode 6)

With the Prime Minister away at a summit in Spain, Malcolm Tucker is left at home to mind the shop. Just as Nicola Murray is about to launch her Fourth Sector Initiative to the media, the media decide that what they really want is someone to launch another leadership contest. Does Nicola have what it takes and, if she does, can Malcolm take it away from her before she does any damage?

The episode was rated 8.13 from 116 votes.

The Thick of It - S4E4

#10 - Hear 2 Hear (Season 4 - Episode 4)

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With Nicola safely on a train to attend the party's Here 2 Hear in far-flung Bradford, Malcolm is free to launch his latest plot.

The episode was rated 8.16 from 134 votes.

The Thick of It - S2E3

#9 - Episode 3 (Season 2 - Episode 3)

Someone sends an email they shouldn't have, while Hugh lies to a Select Committee...

The episode was rated 8.16 from 133 votes.

The Thick of It - S3E5

#8 - Episode 5 (Season 3 - Episode 5)

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After weeks of trading bitter blows in the press, DoSAC minister Nicola Murray MP and her shadow Peter Mannion MP are invited onto BBC Radio 5Live for a debate on Richard Bacon's late-night phone-in programme. Director of communications Malcolm Tucker and opposition PR guru Stewart Pearson decide to listen in the comfort of their respective offices, but when some breaking news threatens to make things difficult for the politicians, the programme quickly turns into a phone-in like no other. Malcolm and Stewart are left no choice but to start getting their people over to the studios.

The episode was rated 8.16 from 134 votes.

The Thick of It - S2E1

#7 - Episode 1 (Season 2 - Episode 1)

Something goes terribly wrong at a ministerial visit to a factory – only Malcolm can help, but will he?

The episode was rated 8.18 from 165 votes.

The Thick of It - S4E3

#6 - Thought Camp (Season 4 - Episode 3)

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Stewart Pearson is running 'Thought Camp' at a remote country house hotel, as the perfect way to re-engage the party with the creative cloudscape.

The episode was rated 8.20 from 134 votes.

The Thick of It - S4E5

#5 - The Leak (Season 4 - Episode 5)

With Nicola Murray and Peter Mannion both on the back foot after the unravelling of the key-worker housing sell-off policy there's inevitably going to be a scramble for the moral high-ground.

The episode was rated 8.21 from 117 votes.

The Thick of It - S3E8

#4 - Episode 8 (Season 3 - Episode 8)

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As the election looms and the Opposition eye the prize, the word around the Westminster Village is that Malcolm Tucker is running out of both options and friends. He may have bitten off more than he can chew with Steve Fleming, but when an offer of help appears from an unlikely direction, Malcolm starts to set his finest trap yet.

The episode was rated 8.23 from 111 votes.

The Thick of It - S3E7

#3 - Episode 7 (Season 3 - Episode 7)

Nicola Murray and her team are desperate to find a major sports personality to be the face of DoSAC's new Healthy Choices campaign. Malcolm's away on holiday and doesn't want to be disturbed, so they take advice from Steve Fleming, who's back on the scene as the PM's new fixer. Is Steve really as nice as he seems? Everyone knows Malcolm never takes holidays, so what's he up to now?

The episode was rated 8.31 from 124 votes.

The Thick of It - S4E6

#2 - The Inquiry (Season 4 - Episode 6)

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The government, opposition and civil service are called before Lord Goolding's inquiry.

The episode was rated 8.42 from 121 votes.

The Thick of It - S4E7

#1 - The Final Reckoning (Season 4 - Episode 7)

Dan Miller gets sent on a fact-finding mission to the local cop-shop to press the flesh.

The episode was rated 8.43 from 115 votes.

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