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In the Loop

 In the Loop
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TVTItem
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In the Loop
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InTheLoop
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2009 film spin-off of Armando Iannucci's political sitcom The Thick of It.The film is set in a slightly different universe from the series, this time with the action unfolding across the United Kingdom and United States. It features most of the original cast, with most of them playing new (but strangely familiar) roles.Tom Hollander joins the cast as Simon Foster, the hapless Minister for International Development. Peter Capaldi returns as Malcolm Tucker, the Prime Minister's Director of Communications, who is called upon to stop Foster from giving any statements to the press... or to the Americans... or talking in general. Foster is also joined by his senior aide, Judy Molloy (Gina McKee), and millstone — er, junior aide Toby Wright (Chris Addison).When Foster makes two contradictory statements regarding a possible war in an unspecified Middle Eastern country, he finds himself summoned to a fact-finding mission in Washington, where he is used to push arguments both for and against the war. The Brits comes face-to-face with their US counterparts, including the hawkish Linton Barwick (David Rasche) and the dovish General Miller (James Gandolfini).As the movie is a spin-off set in almost the same universe as the series, the two share many tropes. Tropes that originated in the TV series may be better placed on the page for The Thick of It.
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2023-08-20T22:59:18Z
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2023-08-20T22:59:18Z
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Dropped link to AlternativeContinuity: Not a Feature - UNKNOWN
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Dropped link to Atonement: Not a Feature - ITEM
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DBTropes
 In the Loop / int_11ad560b
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Control Freak
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Control Freak: Linton, to the extent that he objects to I ♥ Huckabees being listed as an appropriate DVD for the American military roster. Purely because he thinks it's self-indulgent rubbish.
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 In the Loop / int_1235f055
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Dirty Coward
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Dirty Coward: So very many, from Toby giving PWIP PIP to his ex-girlfriend so he doesn't have to leak it himself, to Michael Rodgers following Jamie's orders so he can save his political career. The Doves all know how they can stop the war, but would rather go along with it and save their careers. "I'm on the verge of taking a stand." Notably highlighted in a scene where Toby, Simon, and Judy are on their way to the UN, and Simon is hesitantly floating the notion that maybe it would be much braver to change his publicly expressed views and come down in support of the war. Both Simon and Toby pointedly ignore Judy when she bluntly points out that no, it wouldn't be. Simon Foster's actions here are a thinly-veiled reference to Clare Short MP. General Miller may have physical courage, but his decision not to resign (after Karen has already done so) shows a total lack of moral backbone.
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 In the Loop / int_1282bf4f
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No Celebrities Were Harmed
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No Celebrities Were Harmed: Malcolm Tucker is pretty widely seen as being a caricature of Alistair Campbell, Tony Blair's former press director. And it's pretty easy to see Linton Barwick as a Doug Feith or Paul Wolfowitz. Also, the whole film is a pretty thinly-veiled portrayal of the build-up to the war with Iraq.
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 In the Loop / int_12b6fe15
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Walk and Talk
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Walk and Talk: "...and he is gone!" "I'm really quite badly scalded now!"
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 In the Loop / int_1439161f
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Heroic BSoD
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Heroic BSoD: Although not strictly a hero, as his career rapidly takes a dive-plunge straight down the crapper Simon Foster ends up in the U.N. Mediation Room frantically eating mints, staring blankly into space and remarking that his internal thoughts seem to be an endless loop of him shouting "Oh, shit!" at himself in a distant voice "like a car alarm in the middle of the night". Although the "heroic" part can be debated, Malcolm gets one of these moments near the end when he briefly thinks his efforts are falling apart. It lasts about 3 seconds before Xanatos Speed Chess takes over.
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 In the Loop / int_143939c1
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Trailers Always Spoil
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Trailers Always Spoil: The UK trailer is pretty much the whole film condensed into two minutes. Lucky non-UK audiences got the delightful Dr. Strangelove-inspired trailer instead.
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 In the Loop / int_14beeefd
type
Darker and Edgier
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Darker and Edgier: The series had its fair share of dark comedy, but this deals with far weightier issues than anything in the series did.
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 In the Loop / int_1645005b
type
Evil Versus Evil
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Evil Versus Evil: Tucker vs. Barwick.
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 In the Loop / int_1e3a9a21
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Angrish
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Angrish: Malcolm's gift for baroque swearing briefly deserts him in the Meditation Room.
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 In the Loop / int_20f689e9
type
Adaptational Villainy
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comment
Adaptational Villainy: Toby is noticeably more self-righteous, smug and cowardly than Olly Reeder. He also treats his girlfriend like crap, something which (mostly) cannot be said for Olly. Or at very least, it's more one-sided here, since unlike Emma in The Thick of It Suzy doesn't really mistreat Toby at all. Malcolm seemingly has absolutely no moral principles beyond his own job. Notably, unlike his TV counterpart, he never shows any empathy or sympathy for anyone. (What appears to be momentary lapses in this usually turn out to be manipulation.)
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 In the Loop / int_222dc873
type
Black Comedy
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Black Comedy: Some of the political antics are funny until one remembers that the "unforeseeable" war in question will lead to a long and pointless standoff in the Middle East. Toby and Simon convincing each other that "knowingly publicly supporting something you're absolutely against" is the "braver option" also reeks of this.
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 In the Loop / int_22581cd3
type
Girly Run
 In the Loop / int_22581cd3
comment
Girly Run: "Where's the War Committee?" Malcolm gets lost in Washington... and again at the UN. Toby bursting in late smelling like a pissed seaside donkey.
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 In the Loop / int_24321e44
type
Only Sane Man
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Only Sane Man: Judy appears to be one of the only people in the movie with her head screwed on fully. Needless to say, everyone pretty much ignores or abuses her and Toby spends most of the movie actively plotting against her. She ends up having the last laugh over him as the whole thing ends up completely destroying his career while she emerges unscathed. Gen. Miller comes off as a rational career soldier who is not proud of what he's had to do in the past, but accepts it. He opposes the war both on the grounds that there simply aren't enough soldiers to carry it out and that the majority of those who will will die. Although he plans to resign if war is declared, he ultimately decides he cannot because his first sworn duty is to his soldiers and his country. Though the latter is at least partially portrayed as an act of moral cowardice on his part, since the movie suggests that it would be more fulfilling to his duty to not help embroil said soldiers and country in an unnecessary and futile war.
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 In the Loop / int_24a045cd
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Wants a Prize for Basic Decency
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Wants a Prize for Basic Decency: After Simon reads "some extracts from the Riot Act" over turning up late and obviously hungover and unprepared to their meeting with Karen Clarke, Toby protests at this because "it's not like I threw up in there, is it?" Unfortunately for him, Simon has some problems with this line of defence:
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 In the Loop / int_259d5879
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Anachronism Stew
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comment
Anachronism Stew: There is no clear indication of the year on which the film takes place; the film circles around a possible western intervention in an unspecified country. As it parallels the real intervention in Iraq, it would put it in 2003; yet by a reference by Malcolm about YouTube (which was launched in 2005) and the noticeably widespread use of text messaging puts it in a considerably later date, which could be surmised as late 2000's, the time when the film itself was released. A deleted scene makes reference to There Will Be Blood, which came out in 2007, with the implication that the film came out semi-recently.
 In the Loop / int_259d5879
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 In the Loop / int_2a090d00
type
Lampshade Hanging
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comment
It is also lampshaded by Toby after they all fly back to the UK: "From White House to Shite House".
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 In the Loop / int_2bc0fc4d
type
Ice-Cream Koan
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Ice-Cream Koan: "In the Kingdom of Truth, the man with one fact is king." Linton likes to deliver these, which is probably why his butt kisser Chad is fond of them too. Chad's tend to be much, much worse, though:
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 In the Loop / int_2d4fa515
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Ax-Crazy
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Ax-Crazy: Jamie. In one famous scene he's even fax crazy.
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 In the Loop / int_2df00800
type
The Catchphrase Catches On
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The Catchphrase Catches On: In-universe. Simon's attempt to undo the damage from his first (anti-war) gaffe becomes a rallying cry for the pro-war forces: "To walk the path of peace, you must be prepared to climb the mountain of conflict." Linton uses it to try and draw out Simon during the well-attended Future Planning Committee meeting; later we see Linton also has it printed and hung up on his wall.
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 In the Loop / int_2e8441c9
type
The Bad Guy Wins
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The Bad Guy Wins: It's pretty inevitable that the pro-war side is going to win eventually, because the film is based on the build-up to a war which actually happened in real life. As it turns out, though, the only characters who get what they want in the end are Linton (the Ax-Crazy warmonger), Jamie (the only person in the film more psychologically disturbed than Linton), and the even-more-aggressively-amoral-than-usual Malcolm Tucker.
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 In the Loop / int_2ece7717
type
Newspeak
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comment
Newspeak: It's not the 'War' Committee; it's the 'Future Planning Committee'.
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 In the Loop / int_2f36d97
type
Older Than They Look
 In the Loop / int_2f36d97
comment
Older Than They Look: The actors playing the young White House staffers ("Your master race of highly-gifted toddlers") are all Older Than They Look. As is Chris Addison.
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In the Loop / int_2f36d97
 In the Loop / int_31c87ac
type
I Call Him "Mister Happy"
 In the Loop / int_31c87ac
comment
I Call Him "Mister Happy": "Little Toby is staying very much in his hammock this evening..."
 In the Loop / int_31c87ac
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In the Loop / int_31c87ac
 In the Loop / int_35a858b3
type
Cluster F-Bomb
 In the Loop / int_35a858b3
comment
Cluster F-Bomb: "Hey buddy, enough of the curse words, alright?" No, it's not alright: practically every line uttered by Malcolm or Jamie is a Cluster F-Bomb. Malcolm's response to the gentleman who confronts him about this is no exception: "Kiss my sweaty balls, you fat fuck!"
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 In the Loop / int_3bc88a7f
type
Foregone Conclusion
 In the Loop / int_3bc88a7f
comment
Foregone Conclusion: The invasion of Iraq is fast-tracked obviously. What's surprising is that Malcolm ends the film with gallons on blood on his hands, and he's the most chipper he's ever been.
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 In the Loop / int_3cb68bd3
type
Cut His Heart Out with a Spoon
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comment
Cut His Heart Out with a Spoon: "DO YOU WANT ME TO HOLEPUNCH YOUR FACE?" "If you don't get me fuckin' Brian, I'm gonna come over there, I'm gonna lock you in a fuckin' flotation tank and fill it full of sewage until ya fuckin' drown!" "I'm gonna fuckin' take your leg off, and I'll... fuckin'... the shin bone! I'm gonna take the shin bone, I'm gonna break it in two and I'm going to fucking stab you to fucking death with it..."
 In the Loop / int_3cb68bd3
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 In the Loop / int_43964f3
type
Worst News Judgment Ever
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comment
Worst News Judgment Ever: Exploited (along with some Briar Patching) near the end when Malcolm uses the story about Simon's garden wall to bury PWIPPIP being leaked.
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 In the Loop / int_447d9e50
type
Xanatos Speed Chess
 In the Loop / int_447d9e50
comment
Although the "heroic" part can be debated, Malcolm gets one of these moments near the end when he briefly thinks his efforts are falling apart. It lasts about 3 seconds before Xanatos Speed Chess takes over.
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 In the Loop / int_45007296
type
Metaphorgotten
 In the Loop / int_45007296
comment
Metaphorgotten: Simon's attempt to retract his statement that "war is unforeseeable" by comparing the situation to a plane flying towards a mountain. He wiggles out of the awkward interview after saying that the government may have to "climb the mountain of conflict." Malcolm isn't very impressed.
 In the Loop / int_45007296
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In the Loop / int_45007296
 In the Loop / int_46ee4d3
type
Eye Take
 In the Loop / int_46ee4d3
comment
Eye Take: There is a positively epic one with Malcolm in the Meditation Room scene.
 In the Loop / int_46ee4d3
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 In the Loop / int_4a4d6f7c
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Comedic Sociopathy
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comment
Comedic Sociopathy: With his big baldy head, Sir Jonathan Tutt is a magnet for it.
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 In the Loop / int_4e3d253b
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Downer Ending
 In the Loop / int_4e3d253b
comment
Downer Ending: Malcolm ends up doing the dirty work of a man he swore he didn't work for; after repeatedly waffling, Simon's career is all but finished when he's sacked rather than being able to resign to make a statement; Clarke's resignation loses its power when Miller refuses to do so; Liza's working for a man concerned with which movies are on a soldier's approved roster; Toby's career is over before it even begins and he leaves quietly when the new aide arrives. And everyone has to live with the inevitable war that's going to happen, and one Miller knows no one is prepared for, having pointed out to Clarke earlier that the US just doesn't have the available troops.
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 In the Loop / int_4f84cdef
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Smug Snake
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comment
Smug Snake: Chad. He likes to brag about his plans to become a senior aide to Linton, but his role as Linton's chief kiss-ass just antagonizes pretty much everyone... except Linton, who barely registers his existence, and can't even remember his name.
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In the Loop / int_4f84cdef
 In the Loop / int_54bb502b
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Nobody Poops
 In the Loop / int_54bb502b
comment
Nobody Poops: The writers really like subverting this trope.
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In the Loop / int_54bb502b
 In the Loop / int_56240281
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Country Matters
 In the Loop / int_56240281
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Country Matters: "F, star, star, cunt!"
 In the Loop / int_56240281
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In the Loop / int_56240281
 In the Loop / int_56b8b4f1
type
Lean and Mean
 In the Loop / int_56b8b4f1
comment
Lean and Mean: Malcolm, as a result of stress, running everywhere, and existing on a diet of coffee (except when he stops off at bar for a quick drink). Miller says that he looks like a "squeezed dick."
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 In the Loop / int_5798bfbf
type
Reassigned to Antarctica
 In the Loop / int_5798bfbf
comment
Reassigned to Antarctica: Foster gets sacked from his Government Cabinet posting and has to return to his constituency. Leaving him back in the political wilderness.
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 In the Loop / int_5ce2c9c6
type
Suddenly Shouting
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comment
Suddenly Shouting: People like Malcolm and Jamie can go from 0 to 60 in record time. "SHUT IT, LOVE ACTUALLY!"
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In the Loop / int_5ce2c9c6
 In the Loop / int_5f861d0f
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Only Friend
 In the Loop / int_5f861d0f
comment
Only Friend: Jamie to Malcolm.
 In the Loop / int_5f861d0f
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In the Loop / int_5f861d0f
 In the Loop / int_61b576af
type
I Take Offense to That Last One
 In the Loop / int_61b576af
comment
I Take Offense to That Last One: Malcolm really doesn't like anything English.
 In the Loop / int_61b576af
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In the Loop / int_61b576af
 In the Loop / int_63b02752
type
Hair-Trigger Temper
 In the Loop / int_63b02752
comment
Paul Michaelson also has a Hair-Trigger Temper, primed to take offence at anything anyone says.
 In the Loop / int_63b02752
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In the Loop / int_63b02752
 In the Loop / int_680f950
type
Gilligan Cut
 In the Loop / int_680f950
comment
Gilligan Cut: Malcolm asks Sir Jonathan Tutt to reschedule the UN vote. "It cannot be done and it will not be done", but it is. Twice.
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In the Loop / int_680f950
 In the Loop / int_69fb91e8
type
Chewing the Scenery
 In the Loop / int_69fb91e8
comment
Chewing the Scenery: While he's certainly no Large Ham, Peter Capaldi acts so hard his temple veins start throbbing:
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In the Loop / int_69fb91e8
 In the Loop / int_6b05b601
type
Jerkass Has a Point
 In the Loop / int_6b05b601
comment
Jerkass Has a Point: Malcolm pointing out that resigning to make a statement is useless, since Simon staying in office means that he has the power and position to influence. Malcolm also rightly points out that it's not Simon's place, as a minor minister, to either declare or not declare war.
 In the Loop / int_6b05b601
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 In the Loop / int_6b05b601
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 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_6b05b601
 In the Loop / int_6d871385
type
Villainous BSoD
 In the Loop / int_6d871385
comment
Villainous BSoD: In the Meditation Room Malcolm finds himself lost for words, unable for once to think of a decent threat for Toby, before Toby leaves him staring into space.
 In the Loop / int_6d871385
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_6d871385
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 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_6d871385
 In the Loop / int_6dd49338
type
Invisible President
 In the Loop / int_6dd49338
comment
Invisible President: Both the US President and the UK Prime Minister are invisible. The latter is lampshaded when Malcolm claims the PM has made a decision about Simon when it's clear he hasn't.
 In the Loop / int_6dd49338
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_6dd49338
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 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_6dd49338
 In the Loop / int_775a1af6
type
Married to the Job
 In the Loop / int_775a1af6
comment
Married to the Job: Chad and all the young White House staffers. And Malcolm for that matter.
 In the Loop / int_775a1af6
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_775a1af6
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 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_775a1af6
 In the Loop / int_78270847
type
Curse Cut Short
 In the Loop / int_78270847
comment
Curse Cut Short: "A certain vinegar-faced manipulative cowbag is about to discover that she is out of a fu-"
 In the Loop / int_78270847
featureApplicability
1.0
 In the Loop / int_78270847
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 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_78270847
 In the Loop / int_7a265daa
type
Eagleland
 In the Loop / int_7a265daa
comment
Eagleland: There is a culture shock for the visiting British dignitaries, but overall America comes across no more or less cynically than Britain. The British generally seem to kowtow to the Americans and are unsettled by how young many of their high-ranking officials are, but Malcolm Tucker still manages to browbeat everyone around him regardless of nationality.
 In the Loop / int_7a265daa
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_7a265daa
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 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_7a265daa
 In the Loop / int_7a8f4dac
type
Adminisphere
 In the Loop / int_7a8f4dac
comment
Adminisphere: The film continues the show's depiction of the British government as being a bunch of out-of-touch policy wonks, professional politicos and media-management types completely removed from, contemptuous of and slightly frightened by the public they're supposed to represent (with the clear implication that the American government isn't much better). It's most obviously represented by Simon foolishly embroiling himself in grand matters of state, international diplomacy and warfare while completely ignoring and avoiding his constituent who just wants him to get the wall of his constituency office fixed so it stops crumbling into his mum's back garden. This ends up completely destroying his career when Malcolm uses it against him. Most notably, all the fuss about the war is discussed almost purely on political terms, with hardly any mention of how anyone's life anywhere is going to be made better by what they're doing.
 In the Loop / int_7a8f4dac
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_7a8f4dac
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 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_7a8f4dac
 In the Loop / int_7c52ea03
type
The White House
 In the Loop / int_7c52ea03
comment
The White House
 In the Loop / int_7c52ea03
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_7c52ea03
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 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_7c52ea03
 In the Loop / int_7efe2c19
type
Portmanteau
 In the Loop / int_7efe2c19
comment
Portmanteau: The original TV series coined the phrase "omnishambles." The movie attempts to do the same with "catastrofuck." (A variant, "clusterfuck", is also heard but was popular before this film.)
 In the Loop / int_7efe2c19
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_7efe2c19
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 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_7efe2c19
 In the Loop / int_7febc23b
type
Establishing Character Moment
 In the Loop / int_7febc23b
comment
Establishing Character Moment: "How'd your team do at the weekend?" "Alright, we won!" "Yeah? Hehehehe... wanker."
 In the Loop / int_7febc23b
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_7febc23b
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 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_7febc23b
 In the Loop / int_823c6e3e
type
Large Ham
 In the Loop / int_823c6e3e
comment
While he's certainly no Large Ham, Peter Capaldi acts so hard his temple veins start throbbing:
 In the Loop / int_823c6e3e
featureApplicability
1.0
 In the Loop / int_823c6e3e
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In the Loop / int_823c6e3e
 In the Loop / int_82b4f38e
type
Unsympathetic Comedy Protagonist
 In the Loop / int_82b4f38e
comment
Unsympathetic Comedy Protagonist: Most of the cast but Toby arguably comes across as the most dislikeable, being the particularly obnoxious combination of selfish, weak and self-righteous.
 In the Loop / int_82b4f38e
featureApplicability
1.0
 In the Loop / int_82b4f38e
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 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_82b4f38e
 In the Loop / int_8319aaea
type
Compensating for Something
 In the Loop / int_8319aaea
comment
Compensating for Something: Toby makes some sniggering comments of this nature about the Washington Monument. Malcolm bluntly shuts him up by caustically remarking that the only way Toby is ever likely to get anything remotely similar to commemorate his life is if he buys "a fucking Toblerone".
 In the Loop / int_8319aaea
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_8319aaea
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 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_8319aaea
 In the Loop / int_868afe72
type
Covert Group with Mundane Front
 In the Loop / int_868afe72
comment
Covert Group with Mundane Front: The Future Planning Committee. In fact, Clarke tells Liza that Linton's hush-hush war committee will assuredly be named something as boring and meaningless as possible. Liza takes the whole list of State Dept. committees and narrows it down to two, and Clarke figures out which one just from their names.
 In the Loop / int_868afe72
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_868afe72
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 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_868afe72
 In the Loop / int_884df77f
type
Instant Waking Skills
 In the Loop / int_884df77f
comment
Instant Waking Skills: Toby, the anti-war morning after.
 In the Loop / int_884df77f
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_884df77f
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 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_884df77f
 In the Loop / int_898ff050
type
Villain Protagonist
 In the Loop / int_898ff050
comment
Villain Protagonist: Malcolm. In the series he's more of an Anti-Hero.
 In the Loop / int_898ff050
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_898ff050
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 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_898ff050
 In the Loop / int_8b8b0ac5
type
Resign in Protest
 In the Loop / int_8b8b0ac5
comment
Resign in Protest: Karen and General Miller decide to both do this if war does start, and they try to drag the ever vacillating Simon along with them. In the end Karen does, but Miller backs out at the last minute (after Karen has already done this) and Malcolm finds an excuse to sack Simon and intimidates him out of trying to cause a scene about it.
 In the Loop / int_8b8b0ac5
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_8b8b0ac5
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In the Loop / int_8b8b0ac5
 In the Loop / int_8e3980c7
type
Mistaken Nationality
 In the Loop / int_8e3980c7
comment
Mistaken Nationality: Malcolm takes offence at being called English.
 In the Loop / int_8e3980c7
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_8e3980c7
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 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_8e3980c7
 In the Loop / int_8fc70212
type
Voice Clip Song
 In the Loop / int_8fc70212
comment
Voice Clip Song: Among the "media forces of darkness" Malcolm threatens Simon with if he makes a fuss over being sacked is to have his "climb the mountain of conflict" comment made into a song.
 In the Loop / int_8fc70212
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_8fc70212
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In the Loop / int_8fc70212
 In the Loop / int_9d12bbc1
type
Foreshadowing
 In the Loop / int_9d12bbc1
comment
Foreshadowing: At one point, Simon floats the possibility of doing a U-turn on his public position and coming out in support of the war, wondering whether it would in fact be braver to do so than to stick with his publicly stated position. At the end, General Miller uses Simon's reasoning almost exactly to justify why he's not going to resign.
 In the Loop / int_9d12bbc1
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_9d12bbc1
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1.0
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In the Loop / int_9d12bbc1
 In the Loop / int_9dd2cbc2
type
CloudCuckooLander
 In the Loop / int_9dd2cbc2
comment
Cloud Cuckoo Lander: Linton Barwick is an extremely unsettling version. His casual disregard for reality (changing minutes and wholesale rewriting of intelligence reports) mirrors Malcolm's attitude toward spin and damage control, but without any of the irony. As Karen Clarke puts it, the voices in his head are "singing barbershop together". And apart from his Ice Cream Koans, there are his odd almost-but-not-quite non sequiturs.
 In the Loop / int_9dd2cbc2
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_9dd2cbc2
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 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_9dd2cbc2
 In the Loop / int_a1ca3743
type
Believing Their Own Lies
 In the Loop / int_a1ca3743
comment
Believing Their Own Lies: The key difference between Malcolm Tucker and Linton Barwick's approach to spin. Barwick is the believer, Tucker is not.
 In the Loop / int_a1ca3743
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_a1ca3743
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1.0
 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_a1ca3743
 In the Loop / int_a67b86a7
type
General Ripper
 In the Loop / int_a67b86a7
comment
General Ripper: Subverted; the main military character, General Miller, is in fact one of the strongest voices arguing against the war. The point is made that while civilians (who have little direct experience with warfare) often can barely wait to get involved with a war, the military (who do have experience) have learned through bitter cost that you shouldn't start a war unless absolutely necessary. While he does eventually go along with the hawks once war is declared, he's clearly still reluctant and it's portrayed at least partly as an act of moral cowardice on his part.
 In the Loop / int_a67b86a7
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In the Loop / int_a67b86a7
 In the Loop / int_a8abe9d1
type
Separated by a Common Language
 In the Loop / int_a8abe9d1
comment
Separated by a Common Language: The film gets in a reminder that no-one swears like the British:
 In the Loop / int_a8abe9d1
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_a8abe9d1
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In the Loop / int_a8abe9d1
 In the Loop / int_ab89e132
type
Men Are Uncultured
 In the Loop / int_ab89e132
comment
Men Are Uncultured: Jamie: "What's the name of the fuck with the fiddle?". Michael Rodgers knows that it happens to be Debussy. Jamie's meditation on cinema: "I went to see There Will Be Blood ... there wasn't any fucking blood!" Jamie's views on opera: "It's just vowels! Subsidised foreign vowels!" There's also a deleted scene where Malcolm trashes Atonement. Which may be a subtle Actor Allusion since Gina McKee (Judy) appeared in that movie.
 In the Loop / int_ab89e132
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_ab89e132
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 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_ab89e132
 In the Loop / int_ad1db87c
type
Oh, Crap!
 In the Loop / int_ad1db87c
comment
Oh, Crap!: Happens whenever a particularly bad piece of news is received (i.e. very frequently).
 In the Loop / int_ad1db87c
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_ad1db87c
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 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_ad1db87c
 In the Loop / int_ae3d6438
type
Deadpan Snarker
 In the Loop / int_ae3d6438
comment
Deadpan Snarker: Pretty much everyone (except Jamie and Malcolm, who prefer to shout instead), but particularly Karen and Gen. Miller.
 In the Loop / int_ae3d6438
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_ae3d6438
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 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_ae3d6438
 In the Loop / int_af696bef
type
Fish out of Water
 In the Loop / int_af696bef
comment
Fish out of Water: All of the British characters in the US, but Simon Foster flaps about the most helplessly.
 In the Loop / int_af696bef
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_af696bef
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 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_af696bef
 In the Loop / int_b2cb7993
type
Brains and Brawn
 In the Loop / int_b2cb7993
comment
Brains and Brawn: Malcolm plays Xanatos Speed Chess at the UN as Jamie smashes up fax machines in London.
 In the Loop / int_b2cb7993
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_b2cb7993
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In the Loop / int_b2cb7993
 In the Loop / int_b6287eff
type
Briar Patching
 In the Loop / int_b6287eff
comment
Briar Patching: "Please, this garden wall story... please, don't run with that because my reputation will be in tatters..." ...and Simon Foster is gone.
 In the Loop / int_b6287eff
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_b6287eff
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In the Loop / int_b6287eff
 In the Loop / int_b707726f
type
Hypocritical Humor
 In the Loop / int_b707726f
comment
Hypocritical Humor: At one point, Simon assures Malcolm that he didn't become a minister by screwing up every public appearance he makes; however, in pretty much every public or official appearance that we see him make he's inarticulate, incompetent and only manages to bollocks things up for himself and everyone. Paul Michaelson: "Am I calm? I'm fucking ZEN!" And of course, there's this insult by Malcolm, who swears at Linton, but then realises that he disapproves of swearing. Malcolm then does a Verbal Backspace and then still swears at him, actually cranking it up to eleven in the process.
 In the Loop / int_b707726f
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 In the Loop / int_b707726f
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 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_b707726f
 In the Loop / int_bc00493f
type
Precision F-Strike
 In the Loop / int_bc00493f
comment
Precision F-Strike: Malcolm to Lintom Barwick "you are a boring f star star CUNT".
 In the Loop / int_bc00493f
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_bc00493f
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In the Loop / int_bc00493f
 In the Loop / int_c25c7890
type
Fun with Acronyms
 In the Loop / int_c25c7890
comment
Fun with Acronyms: PWIP PIP
 In the Loop / int_c25c7890
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_c25c7890
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 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_c25c7890
 In the Loop / int_c5cc0783
type
Internal Retcon
 In the Loop / int_c5cc0783
comment
Internal Retcon: Most notably, rewriting an intelligence report because it doesn't say what they want. But perhaps more disturbingly, Linton seems to treat his own memory of events this way:
 In the Loop / int_c5cc0783
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 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_c5cc0783
 In the Loop / int_c5d36037
type
Big Damn Movie
 In the Loop / int_c5d36037
comment
Big Damn Movie: Played with. Malcolm and co. are up to their usual shenanigans (handling incompetent ministers and cleaning up PR disasters), but on a much larger stage than the show.
 In the Loop / int_c5d36037
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_c5d36037
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In the Loop / int_c5d36037
 In the Loop / int_c5ef2d50
type
Cringe Comedy
 In the Loop / int_c5ef2d50
comment
Cringe Comedy: "It's difficult... difficult... lemon difficult." Also Toby's anti-war shag. Toby and Simon don't know in which room the meeting is being held, leading to a misunderstanding outside the ladies' bathroom.
 In the Loop / int_c5ef2d50
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_c5ef2d50
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 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_c5ef2d50
 In the Loop / int_c605da88
type
Establishing Shot
 In the Loop / int_c605da88
comment
Establishing Shot: The film opens with a shot of Malcolm sweeping into Number 10 in his Badass Longcoat. It continues in this vein as the action moves between Whitehall, The White House, the UN building and Simon's constituency in Northamptonshire. It includes what Armando Iannucci refers to as "the Love Actually scene" in which Malcolm (walking past the Capitol in Washington) is seen on the phone to Judy (jogging past the Houses of Parliament in London). This trope is lampshaded by Toby and Simon when they note that their hotel suite just about has a view of the Capitol. It is also lampshaded by Toby after they all fly back to the UK: "From White House to Shite House".
 In the Loop / int_c605da88
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 In the Loop / int_c605da88
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In the Loop / int_c605da88
 In the Loop / int_c6074d96
type
I Am Spartacus
 In the Loop / int_c6074d96
comment
I Am Spartacus: Played Straight and Discussed. Jamie smashes up the fax machine to intimidate either Michael (who is innocent) or Suzy (who is not) into admitting that they leaked the anti-war paper. He's pretty sure that Suzy did it, but when Michael steps up and "admits" to doing it to get Jamie to stop, Jamie accuses him of falsely confessing to protect the guilty party, and refers directly to the Spartacus story.
 In the Loop / int_c6074d96
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 In the Loop / int_c6074d96
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In the Loop / int_c6074d96
 In the Loop / int_c675d08c
type
Compliment Backfire
 In the Loop / int_c675d08c
comment
Compliment Backfire: After embarrassing himself during Karen Clarke's meeting with the British ministers, Toby tells Simon to "Stop being a tit" which pisses Simon off enough to question why he's even present, to which Judy explains that he was just invited to be "Meat in the room" to help the American side feel like they were getting a proper meeting, which leads to this exchange:
 In the Loop / int_c675d08c
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 In the Loop / int_c675d08c
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In the Loop / int_c675d08c
 In the Loop / int_c75df49a
type
Shout-Out
 In the Loop / int_c75df49a
comment
Shout-Out: The British bureaucrats compare the Improbable Age of the White House staff to "Bugsy Malone, but with real guns". The conversation about how much blood is actually in There Will Be Blood. Malcolm's "probationary notice" to Toby: "You understand? I own you, you're my Kunta Kinte - go and get your fucking laptop!" Which is also a Stealth Pun, because in Roots, Kunta Kinte's slave name was Toby.
 In the Loop / int_c75df49a
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 In the Loop / int_c75df49a
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 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_c75df49a
 In the Loop / int_c81a74cf
type
Juxtaposition Gag
 In the Loop / int_c81a74cf
comment
Juxtaposition Gag: General Miller calculates the number of soldiers who are likely to die in the war with a child's toy calculator, complete with sound effects.
 In the Loop / int_c81a74cf
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_c81a74cf
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In the Loop / int_c81a74cf
 In the Loop / int_c83cd6b8
type
The Nicknamer
 In the Loop / int_c83cd6b8
comment
The Nicknamer: Toby's name is not Foetus Boy, Ron Weasley, Twatboy Slim or The Baby From Eraserhead, but Malcolm doesn't seem to care. He extends this selective amnesia to practically everyone he encounters, including Baldemort, General Flintstone and J Edgar fuckin' Hoover. Toby also receives a "Go fuck yourself, Frodo" from General Miller.
 In the Loop / int_c83cd6b8
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 In the Loop / int_c83cd6b8
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In the Loop / int_c83cd6b8
 In the Loop / int_c9aea8c8
type
Armies Are Evil
 In the Loop / int_c9aea8c8
comment
Armies Are Evil: Surprisingly averted. Of the Secretary of State (Arch-Diplomat) and the Four Star General (Arch-Soldier), the general is the one urging restraint.
 In the Loop / int_c9aea8c8
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 In the Loop / int_c9aea8c8
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In the Loop / int_c9aea8c8
 In the Loop / int_d1ebedfb
type
Armchair Military
 In the Loop / int_d1ebedfb
comment
Armchair Military: General Miller currently, though he admits to having killed people 15 years ago, so it presumably didn't always apply. Arguably he deconstructs this later on:
 In the Loop / int_d1ebedfb
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In the Loop / int_d1ebedfb
 In the Loop / int_d2f3b5a3
type
Replacement Flat Character
 In the Loop / int_d2f3b5a3
comment
Toby is noticeably more self-righteous, smug and cowardly than Olly Reeder. He also treats his girlfriend like crap, something which (mostly) cannot be said for Olly. Or at very least, it's more one-sided here, since unlike Emma in The Thick of It Suzy doesn't really mistreat Toby at all.
 In the Loop / int_d2f3b5a3
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_d2f3b5a3
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In the Loop / int_d2f3b5a3
 In the Loop / int_d33456e7
type
Improbable Age
 In the Loop / int_d33456e7
comment
The British bureaucrats compare the Improbable Age of the White House staff to "Bugsy Malone, but with real guns".
 In the Loop / int_d33456e7
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_d33456e7
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 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_d33456e7
 In the Loop / int_d5dfb30a
type
Professional Butt-Kisser
 In the Loop / int_d5dfb30a
comment
Professional Butt-Kisser: Chad. His desperate methods to get closer to Linton Barwick include carrying a squash racquet in the hope that Linton will see it and suggest a game. Unfortunately he forgets to take the price tags off first. Even more unfortunately, Linton clearly doesn't notice that Chad even exists in the first place. Ironically, for all his sucking up and Smug Snake behaviour, he ends up being shafted and left with the losing side, whereas Liza—over whom he has spent the entire movie trying to smugly lord it, if not actively sabotage—ends up getting the position with Linton he's coveted.
 In the Loop / int_d5dfb30a
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In the Loop / int_d5dfb30a
 In the Loop / int_d848560f
type
Unusual Euphemism
 In the Loop / int_d848560f
comment
Unusual Euphemism:
 In the Loop / int_d848560f
featureApplicability
1.0
 In the Loop / int_d848560f
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1.0
 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_d848560f
 In the Loop / int_dc3b74bc
type
Pointy-Haired Boss
 In the Loop / int_dc3b74bc
comment
Pointy-Haired Boss: Simon Foster. Bored with his position and obsessed with PR. He is more worried about getting 'The funny question' right on Question Time than anything else, including the fallout from a controversial answer to an ambush question.
 In the Loop / int_dc3b74bc
featureApplicability
1.0
 In the Loop / int_dc3b74bc
featureConfidence
1.0
 In the Loop
hasFeature
In the Loop / int_dc3b74bc
 In the Loop / int_dd34bb93
type
Made from Real Girl Scouts
 In the Loop / int_dd34bb93
comment
Made from Real Girl Scouts: Jamie assures Malcolm that he will be gentle with Simon and Toby: "Oh, you know me, Malc. Kid gloves... but made from real kids".
 In the Loop / int_dd34bb93
featureApplicability
1.0
 In the Loop / int_dd34bb93
featureConfidence
1.0
 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_dd34bb93
 In the Loop / int_de613f81
type
Hauled Before a Senate Subcommittee
 In the Loop / int_de613f81
comment
Hauled Before a Senate Subcommittee: Inverted. Everyone's dying to be part of the so-called 'Future Planning Committee', better known as the War Committee.
 In the Loop / int_de613f81
featureApplicability
1.0
 In the Loop / int_de613f81
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1.0
 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_de613f81
 In the Loop / int_df77bb33
type
Ambadassador
 In the Loop / int_df77bb33
comment
Ambadassador: Linton Barwick
 In the Loop / int_df77bb33
featureApplicability
1.0
 In the Loop / int_df77bb33
featureConfidence
1.0
 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_df77bb33
 In the Loop / int_e11e88b6
type
Thousand-Yard Stare
 In the Loop / int_e11e88b6
comment
Although not strictly a hero, as his career rapidly takes a dive-plunge straight down the crapper Simon Foster ends up in the U.N. Mediation Room frantically eating mints, staring blankly into space and remarking that his internal thoughts seem to be an endless loop of him shouting "Oh, shit!" at himself in a distant voice "like a car alarm in the middle of the night".
 In the Loop / int_e11e88b6
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_e11e88b6
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1.0
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In the Loop / int_e11e88b6
 In the Loop / int_e1721fd1
type
Antiquated Linguistics
 In the Loop / int_e1721fd1
comment
Antiquated Linguistics: This is how Malcolm sees the use of the word "purview" by Simon's aide, Judy Malloy:
 In the Loop / int_e1721fd1
featureApplicability
1.0
 In the Loop / int_e1721fd1
featureConfidence
1.0
 In the Loop
hasFeature
In the Loop / int_e1721fd1
 In the Loop / int_e2ccee25
type
Animal Motifs
 In the Loop / int_e2ccee25
comment
Animal Motifs: The two factions, the pro-war Hawks, and the anti-war Doves.
 In the Loop / int_e2ccee25
featureApplicability
1.0
 In the Loop / int_e2ccee25
featureConfidence
1.0
 In the Loop
hasFeature
In the Loop / int_e2ccee25
 In the Loop / int_e2d7a02f
type
I'm Not Afraid of You
 In the Loop / int_e2d7a02f
comment
I'm Not Afraid of You: Simon attempts one of these on Malcolm upon his getting sacked. Predictably, given who he's talking to, it backfires spectacularly.
 In the Loop / int_e2d7a02f
featureApplicability
1.0
 In the Loop / int_e2d7a02f
featureConfidence
1.0
 In the Loop
hasFeature
In the Loop / int_e2d7a02f
 In the Loop / int_e3585b3d
type
No Party Given
 In the Loop / int_e3585b3d
comment
No Party Given: As with the British government in the TV show, we never directly learn the political party of the governing U.S Administration. But, given the nature of the events depicted, we can take a pretty good guess. At one point, both Chad and Liza react with offence when Toby makes a crack about Chad being "a crap Jesus", implying that they're both fairly religious; while the United States tends to be more religiously-inclined than the United Kingdom in general, the Republican Party is generally considered the party of conservative Christians who would (stereo)typically be more offended by such a comment.
 In the Loop / int_e3585b3d
featureApplicability
1.0
 In the Loop / int_e3585b3d
featureConfidence
1.0
 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_e3585b3d
 In the Loop / int_e5421161
type
Expy
 In the Loop / int_e5421161
comment
Expy: Several of the cast for their equivalents in The Thick of It: Toby is Olly Reeder Roz is Terri Coverley Michael is Glen Cullen Sir Jonathan Tutt is Julius, Lord Nicholson of Arnage Toby's girlfriend Suzy is Olly's girlfriend Emma Messinger
 In the Loop / int_e5421161
featureApplicability
1.0
 In the Loop / int_e5421161
featureConfidence
1.0
 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_e5421161
 In the Loop / int_e563bf09
type
Insistent Terminology
 In the Loop / int_e563bf09
comment
Insistent Terminology: Assistant Secretary of State Linton Barwick would like to remind you it's the Future Planning Committee, not the War Committee.
 In the Loop / int_e563bf09
featureApplicability
1.0
 In the Loop / int_e563bf09
featureConfidence
1.0
 In the Loop
hasFeature
In the Loop / int_e563bf09
 In the Loop / int_e567510d
type
Determinator
 In the Loop / int_e567510d
comment
Determinator: Malcolm. He may be a sonofabitch, but he's devoted to his job to the point of near-insanity.
 In the Loop / int_e567510d
featureApplicability
1.0
 In the Loop / int_e567510d
featureConfidence
1.0
 In the Loop
hasFeature
In the Loop / int_e567510d
 In the Loop / int_e6defce9
type
Bad News in a Good Way
 In the Loop / int_e6defce9
comment
Bad News in a Good Way: After Michael admits to leaking PWIP-PIP, Jamie later barges into his office to cheerfully inform him that he isn't fired, asking if that isn't a good thing. Michael notes that it sounds ominous. He's right, too. And when Simon is fired over the collapse of the wall, Malcolm begins by telling him he doesn't have to resign.
 In the Loop / int_e6defce9
featureApplicability
1.0
 In the Loop / int_e6defce9
featureConfidence
1.0
 In the Loop
hasFeature
In the Loop / int_e6defce9
 In the Loop / int_eb0df85e
type
Ham-to-Ham Combat
 In the Loop / int_eb0df85e
comment
Ham-to-Ham Combat: There's a scene at the United Nations which seems to have the sole purpose of getting Gen. Miller and Malcolm in the same room.
 In the Loop / int_eb0df85e
featureApplicability
1.0
 In the Loop / int_eb0df85e
featureConfidence
1.0
 In the Loop
hasFeature
In the Loop / int_eb0df85e
 In the Loop / int_ee4286cd
type
Leave Him to Me!
 In the Loop / int_ee4286cd
comment
Leave Him to Me!: Malcolm directs Simon Foster to steer clear of Linton Barwick. "I'll deal with him."
 In the Loop / int_ee4286cd
featureApplicability
1.0
 In the Loop / int_ee4286cd
featureConfidence
1.0
 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_ee4286cd
 In the Loop / int_efa2d938
type
Homage Shot
 In the Loop / int_efa2d938
comment
Homage Shot: "Don't raise your voice. This is a sacred place." Linton reminds Malcolm that you can't fight in here, this is the Meditation Room. The US trailer and poster◊ also reference Dr. Strangelove, as did many critics making favourable comparisons.
 In the Loop / int_efa2d938
featureApplicability
1.0
 In the Loop / int_efa2d938
featureConfidence
1.0
 In the Loop
hasFeature
In the Loop / int_efa2d938
 In the Loop / int_f165cf2c
type
Last-Second Word Swap
 In the Loop / int_f165cf2c
comment
Last-Second Word Swap: Subverted to make Malcolm's final words to Linton more offensive.
 In the Loop / int_f165cf2c
featureApplicability
-0.3
 In the Loop / int_f165cf2c
featureConfidence
1.0
 In the Loop
hasFeature
In the Loop / int_f165cf2c
 In the Loop / int_f1d6144a
type
War Is Hell
 In the Loop / int_f1d6144a
comment
War Is Hell: "This is the problem with civilians wanting to go to war. Once you've been there you never want to go again unless you absolutely have to.... It's like France."
 In the Loop / int_f1d6144a
featureApplicability
1.0
 In the Loop / int_f1d6144a
featureConfidence
1.0
 In the Loop
hasFeature
In the Loop / int_f1d6144a
 In the Loop / int_f2877d9e
type
IncrediblyLamePun
 In the Loop / int_f2877d9e
comment
Incredibly Lame Pun: "You hanging, Chad?" More of an Incredibly Inevitable Pun.
 In the Loop / int_f2877d9e
featureApplicability
1.0
 In the Loop / int_f2877d9e
featureConfidence
1.0
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In the Loop / int_f2877d9e
 In the Loop / int_f47bdd2a
type
Violent Glaswegian
 In the Loop / int_f47bdd2a
comment
Violent Glaswegian: Malcolm and Jamie ride again: "The fax machine was there and it's easier to kick".
 In the Loop / int_f47bdd2a
featureApplicability
1.0
 In the Loop / int_f47bdd2a
featureConfidence
1.0
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In the Loop / int_f47bdd2a
 In the Loop / int_f5b7b990
type
Verbal Backspace
 In the Loop / int_f5b7b990
comment
Verbal Backspace: Linton, who hates swearing to the extent of calling Malcolm a "useless piece of ''S-star-star-T''". Malcolm's later response is fantastic:
 In the Loop / int_f5b7b990
featureApplicability
1.0
 In the Loop / int_f5b7b990
featureConfidence
1.0
 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_f5b7b990
 In the Loop / int_f642b1f9
type
You Bastard!
 In the Loop / int_f642b1f9
comment
You Bastard!: Malcolm is such a charming and charismatic character that audiences find themselves cheering him on as he tries to show Linton Barwick that he isn't a worthless piece of ess-star-star-tee...even though achieving this would also involve starting an illegal war.
 In the Loop / int_f642b1f9
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1.0
 In the Loop / int_f642b1f9
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1.0
 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_f642b1f9
 In the Loop / int_f74f567f
type
Bastard Understudy
 In the Loop / int_f74f567f
comment
Bastard Understudy: Jamie. "My theory is Malcolm built him in a lab, from bits of old psychopaths."
 In the Loop / int_f74f567f
featureApplicability
1.0
 In the Loop / int_f74f567f
featureConfidence
1.0
 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_f74f567f
 In the Loop / int_fbd285b7
type
Comically Missing the Point
 In the Loop / int_fbd285b7
comment
Comically Missing the Point: Jamie proposes to "refine" PWIP-PIP:
 In the Loop / int_fbd285b7
featureApplicability
1.0
 In the Loop / int_fbd285b7
featureConfidence
1.0
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In the Loop / int_fbd285b7
 In the Loop / int_fbf4e2d1
type
Boring Insult
 In the Loop / int_fbf4e2d1
comment
Boring Insult: In the leadup to the Precision F-Strike and Country Matters example, the recipient is also called "boring."
 In the Loop / int_fbf4e2d1
featureApplicability
1.0
 In the Loop / int_fbf4e2d1
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1.0
 In the Loop
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In the Loop / int_fbf4e2d1
 In the Loop / int_fe0330fb
type
Brick Joke
 In the Loop / int_fe0330fb
comment
Brick Joke: "Difficult, difficult, lemon difficult!" A subtle one. Judy guesses Toby's name as being Daniel or a variation, because new people apparently often have that name. Come the end of the film, Toby's replacement turns out to be called "Danny Dan". Taken literally with the subplot involving a collapsing garden wall.
 In the Loop / int_fe0330fb
featureApplicability
1.0
 In the Loop / int_fe0330fb
featureConfidence
1.0
 In the Loop
hasFeature
In the Loop / int_fe0330fb
 In the Loop / int_ffad4e9f
type
Shown Their Work
 In the Loop / int_ffad4e9f
comment
Shown Their Work: Armando Iannucci ensured he could create a realistic portrayal of the US State Department by illegally infiltrating it. By using a fake BBC pass he was able to get past security and spend an hour inside taking photographs: "Part of me thought it was fun, another part thought it was probably international espionage". James Gandolfini visited the Pentagon (legally) while researching for the part of General Miller. He went as far as getting a haircut from the Pentagon barber and having some scary conversations with Generals. His recollection of one who couldn't actually remember if he'd killed anyone later inspired one of Malcolm's lines - "Have you ever even actually killed anyone?" - in the film.
 In the Loop / int_ffad4e9f
featureApplicability
1.0
 In the Loop / int_ffad4e9f
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In the Loop / int_ffad4e9f
 In the Loop / int_name
type
ItemName
 In the Loop / int_name
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 In the Loop / int_name
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featureConfidence
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In the Loop / int_name
 In the Loop / int_name
itemName
In the Loop

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

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Adminisphere / int_e6e72f96
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Armchair Military / int_e6e72f96
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Armies Are Evil / int_e6e72f96
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"Ass" in Ambassador / int_e6e72f96
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Baldness Mockery / int_e6e72f96
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Became Their Own Antithesis / int_e6e72f96
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Boring Insult / int_e6e72f96
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Briar Patching / int_e6e72f96
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Clipboard of Authority / int_e6e72f96
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Compliment Fishing / int_e6e72f96
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Country Matters / int_e6e72f96
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Eye Take / int_e6e72f96
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Farce / int_e6e72f96
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Fish out of Water / int_e6e72f96
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Government Procedural / int_e6e72f96
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Hawaiian-Shirted Tourist / int_e6e72f96
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Ice-Cream Koan / int_e6e72f96
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Implausible Deniability / int_e6e72f96
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Improbable Age / int_e6e72f96
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Instant Humiliation: Just Add YouTube! / int_e6e72f96
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"Jump Off a Bridge" Rebuttal / int_e6e72f96
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Last-Second Word Swap / int_e6e72f96
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Lean and Mean / int_e6e72f96
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Leave Him to Me! / int_e6e72f96
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Made from Real Girl Scouts / int_e6e72f96
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Mistaken Nationality / int_e6e72f96
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Non-Serial Movie / int_e6e72f96
 Oxbridge
seeAlso
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Place Worse Than Death / int_e6e72f96
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Professional Butt-Kisser / int_e6e72f96
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Resign in Protest / int_e6e72f96
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Symbol Swearing / int_e6e72f96
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T-Word Euphemism / int_e6e72f96
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Tin-Can Telephone / int_e6e72f96
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Too Important to Remember You / int_e6e72f96
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Too Kinky to Torture / int_e6e72f96
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Wants a Prize for Basic Decency / int_e6e72f96
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With Due Respect / int_e6e72f96