(An earlier version of the script had him saying that she looked stunning.) Any kind of obscenities that have been thrown at him from her, he just doesnt hear it. Tony said that he was actually glad that it happened, that Gary needed to be awakened from this destructive co-dependent relationship. I think its worse than that., Has Mandel decided what happened? It was a sadistic death blow. Lets just take no prisoners. How did you keep those emotions in check? Oh my God, he could end up as Its sort of like she had put it to bed and realizes now it could be even realer, and then realizing, Oh. The production of the convention was large in scale: it was filmed at a real arena in Los Angeles and they dropped a conventions-worth of balloons from the ceiling. This is not exactly an answer, but Id kind of love to see a sit-down between Ben and Saul. I agree [about Danny Chung] youd get very sick of hearing about a tank and stuff. It wasnt for the finale; it was just to have been a jump ahead to the funeral, the idea being that they plan the funeral, something gets messed up, and now youre seeing the funeral, and youre seeing the things she wanted to not happen. During her desperate, obsessive drive to return to . In the Oval Office after the election, she reflexively calls out for Gary, and when Keith [Andy Daly] reminds her that hes gone, she gets combative with him. ", Filming that pivotal sell-out scenein which Selina knows that the end is nigh for Garywas challenging for both actors, given the weight of the moment (and the fact that this would be the last scene in which Louis-Dreyfus and Hale shared the screen). Jess remembered that Selina cares for horses, an indication she does have a heart. She roots for Selina because she is unapologetically female in a mans world. Did she get what she deserved, in addition to what she felt she deserved?DAVID MANDEL: Well, I do think she got what she deserved. April 19 2015, 7:57 PM PDT. She later explained to . He placed the lipstick on the coffin and touched the coffin somberly before walking away. Early in the season, you gave us a tantalizing and terrifying clue about Labor Day, one in which we learned that it was not a day but a boat, which sends the brain to awful places, along the lines of Natalie Wood or Chappaquiddick. I kind of love that. "I'm actually really glad it happened because Gary needed to be woken up," he tells EW. The second he said it, it was just like, Oh, my God. "That is the end result.". I kind of love that. Warning: This story contains plot details from Sundays series finale of Veep. Theres an anger there, like, Im here but f you. Even with the lipstick I think theres even still a little bit of that, and then he cant help himself. A tinge. Season 2, episode 7. And we went back and forth on a lot of other things. Did she ever find out that he was alive, and did he close out any shady deals at her funeral?Id like to think at some point, they had contact, or she probably had to give him some more money at some point. It didnt happen. It dawned that that would be the price, that thats the human sacrifice, and we worked backward from that. But when she referred to him as a middle-aged man who gets me my wipes, he had to actually face what she thought of him. ", Hale also had difficulty in keeping his emotions in check as he came to grips with the finality of the moment, both on- and off-camera. When we see him, hes not looking so great. And I love how Veep showed that full-circle moment with her. But its that same street fighter that then continues to do all of those other horrible things. I didnt say it was Tom Hanks specifically but I said I hope he digs it because theres a pretty cool nod to the pilot. I was weirdly very satisfied by it because nothing was going to wake Gary out of this abusive cycle but this.. But in those quiet recesses, that is when it will just constantly hit her of how its not okay. But Hale says that the ultimate revenge may be Selina's, even from the grave. I loved it, because it was obviously a salute to the show, but by the way, was also proving my point, Mandel says. And on top of that, Gary is supposed to be very happy in the scene. I enjoyed it just because of the fun and the silliness of all the different time periods and all that kind of stuff, the chance to do sort of the Gilbert and Sullivan musical, and that kind of a thing.. I think in some ways she found herself a sort of Dan-esque guy. What is her legacy? TVLINE | Did you and Julia spend a lot of time working on the scene to get it just right? I think maybe what you were expecting is her almost being dismissive of Kent and ready to jump in. Gary has been abused, codependent and is just stuck in this obsessive cycle with Selina. With your scenes on Veep, not everything is written on the page and you all try alternate versions. What high or low crime was Jonah impeached for? (At least Sufe Bradshaws Sue was still guarding the Oval Office, doing MVP work to block VP Jonah, played by Timothy Simons, from any executive privilege.) But when [the abuse] comes from everyone else,he does see it. Why am I here? Thats actually kind of the perfect paring, if shes the ventriloquist and Im the dummy. Selina wasnt a robot. And of course he would be like, Yes.. Speaking of emotional moments, Selina had an unconventional father-figure moment with Ben [Kevin Dunn] after his heart attack. Dies geschieht in Ihren Datenschutzeinstellungen. But I kinda like the idea of finding out more, so well see what happens., Source: https://www.yahoo.com/tv/veep-showrunner-david-mandel-responds-labor-day-theories-162157120.html. I do think Gary is a much better version of himself during that funeral, definitely. Get your hands off of him. Selina, bitter with Doyle after the debacle in Season 5, begins grooming Jonah to run under the condition that he appoints her Secretary of State, and in return, shell finance his campaign. No votes? When Gary is being taken away by the FBI, he fights it until he sees that shes aware of whats happening. TVLine is a part of Penske Media Corporation. All Rights Reserved. It was actually Frank Rich, our executive producer, who then jumped to, What if its Tom Hanks? I had gone back and rewatched everything again, and so, the pilot was definitely fresh in my mind. In her monomania to become President, she sold out her most loyal servant and the person who loved her the most: Gary. It just was so stunning to hear the language in this giant ballroom at the Four Seasons. Lets start by cutting to an interview with Veep showrunner and finale writer/director David Mandel, who takes you inside Selinas savage send-off. Selina Meyer and her staff try to take on the White House in this HBO sitcom. The people she banned are now there. He has no identity outside of Selina Meyer. Dan (Reid Scott) is selling real estate in Laguna Beach! Gary disposed of a body for her. ], Obviously, Kevin is just wonderful and devastating and so vulnerable and so caring. Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. When she says to him, I need you to do a favor for me. Going to jail was never in the cards of that favor in Garys mind. Ni dung chnh. How are you doing with your feelings of Veep being over? Hahahaha, Brazilian fan Luiz Guilherme Romagnoli laughed. That's why he went back. What Selina did was the biggest gift to Gary, because thats the only thing that would have broken the cycle for him, Hale now tells The Hollywood Reporter. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. I think hed love to go to restaurants and be able to eat, but Im not quite sure hed have a lot to say. His take? His favorite experience was when the American Film Institute showed clips from the 10 series it was honoring and, alphabetically, Veep came last. Hell hath no fury like a perpetually under-appreciated, eternally abused and currently marginalized political lackey scorned. But near the end of Sunday's series finale, it all came crashing down in the show's darkest moment. The government shutdown episode. MANDEL RESPONDS: He was shocked his personal pick, Amy, got no votes. TVLINE | The argument is diffused when she is reminded of what he did for her on Labor Day. He just keeps bouncing back to this dysfunction. I think then youre sort of in Bill OReilly territory. "He invested his co-dependent energy in trying to please somebody elsegetting them to like him, not valuing himself," he continues. Its just so much joy to be able to talk about all that stuff any time we get together. Its just always been there., Amy (Anna Chlumsky) is so beyond driven to get Jonah elected, and shes relishing in her return to power, but then she reverses course. Gary is constantly getting beat up, so anytime theres an opportunity for a blowup where he can actually express himself, Im in. However, proof begins to surface that Chung was actually born overseas (in like Brazil or something unexpected) and he is thrown out of office. And that might be his own wake-up because Gary was always, always buttoned up. A lot of these stories go back to when I and the new writers came into the show. I always will leave open the door to a great idea, because a great idea is a great idea. Not really, he says. This shouldnt be.. It was right after she finished her speech that the balloons came down, so I think we did that scene over and over just to make sure we got everything we needed before they did. The way that I was surprised, actually, is that even though Selina would never admit it, I do feel like she subconsciously thought she needed Gary around her at all times. That became the jumping-off point, and she had done so many terrible things, that party platform issues were just never going to be enough. Shell be the ventriloquist and Ill be the dummy. He wasnt there to make some deal. Was the government shutdown in season 2 taking place during labor day? Because that moment she realized she wasnt going to have to change it to something else. On April 16, Selena Day, fans will put on their favorite Selena songs and remember the incredible impact the Tejano crooner had on music. (Photo: HBO) It's been a well-received season of change for HBO's Veep, but as we found out when we posed showrunner David Mandel . What is the feeling in that moment? Politically-Correct Reaction: "Veep" focused on the unwanted secrets of its staff in "East Wing." Selina and Gary's Labor Day-set secret may have taken center stage, but plot threads . The idea of winning for both the original and then the sequel, thats cool. All season long and for much of the series Veep has been exploring the question: How far is ex-VP, former POTUS, and forever egotist Selina Meyer willing to go to become president? "Thank you and God bless America!". Everyone roots for her., As for the naysayers, their position was summed up by Jamie Burgess: No. I dont have the secret answer of what Labor Day was, I just liked the idea of a lot of clues that kept changing what you thought about it. ", It was during that last line that Gary was accosted by two FBI agents on the side of the stage. "It was like you've got a 10,000-piece puzzle and it's that one last tiny piece and it fits in perfectly. He would rather be attacked and cussed at and abused than be distanced from her. MANDEL RESPONDS: I think that speaks to whats going on in America, to the anti-intellectualization, he says. TVLINE | I also read it as her being reminded of the lengths to which Garywould go to to protect her, kind of like, Oh, right. In some interesting, weird way, Im almost curious as to what he wouldve done had she actually asked him. And theres nothing you could do that would ever satisfy her, he says. I dont think we can compete. In spite of everything she did, you get the sense that if that coffin opened up and she said, Get me a tea, he kind of would. Maybe its all for the best. That scarily driven, win-at-all costs side of Selina is a hideous sight to behold, except when it comes to the brutal, satisfying comeuppance of Tom James (Hugh Laurie). Labor Day represented the "reentry" into city life and the retirement of white summer clothes after a summer of leisure for the upper classes, Steele says. Im hoping that well get it in this year, but Im not sure we will. 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And she had me do it. I think those are two old souls that would really enjoy each others company.. It was not lasting remorse. I love the idea that he solved it with three states. During her desperate, obsessive drive to return to the White House, Selina (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) betrayed her daughter, Catherine (Sarah Sutherland), the fight for LGBTQ equality, a brave war veteran who was supposed to be her running mate, the nation of Tibet, pristine federal lands, the American educational system, and perhaps most damning to viewers entranced by the relationship at the cold-blooded heart of the show: her over-loyal bagman and one-man hype machine Gary (Tony Hale). After 'Veep's' series finale, Tony Hale speaks to The Hollywood Reporter about the betrayal and flash-forward reveal for his character Gary Walsh. "His devotion to her was so evident in those final moments, with the lipstick," she says. Those are the favors. Its been a well-received season of change for HBOs Veep, but as we found out when we posed showrunner David Mandels 13 questions to fans, there are two things you can count on remaining the same: viewers love-hate relationship with Jonah and their shared desire to know what Gary did for Selina on Labor Day. It was nice to be able to let loose. If you did your job and stayed quiet, I think Ben would be harsh, but he would be relatively fair. But it was nice to see Veeps international fanbase come out to play: Im European, and Europe has a wonderful history regarding our attitude towards Jews, wrote Viktor, whos from Croatia. Oh, that sucks! She's not sympathetic toward others. We were crying during the table read. American adaptation of The Thick of It and a Spiritual Successor to the American . Offers may be subject to change without notice. Kent (Gary Cole) is a full-on hippie-raising alpaca but wants to focus on his watchmaking! How did you get her to return? And she can't really allow herself to question that sacrifice. This was a really [important] scene, and we wanted to make sure it gelled, so we worked on it in for a while to find the flow of it. Yes, maybe not specifically worrying about wheres Catherine and not specifically worrying about wheres Kent [Gary Cole], but all of that hits her. They were switching over to the movie side, so the lights came up, and there was no one saying like, And now well go over here. They were taking a pause, and the pause allowed the laughter to keep rolling, and people kind of stared back at us. How did you react when you read the script? It would have just had less of the footage of The Money Pit and whatnot. How many takes did you get to nail Gary and Selinas final scenes, first their goodbye and then their final glance once the FBI comes? To me, what defines the worst is that theres nothing you can do. So, when she first mentioned Gary, theres just this subtle thing on her face thats just so wonderful. Yes. Shes not one to examine her own feelings, but is she sad, angry, and disgusted at herself for turning on Gary and on everyone and everything else?The great thing about my job these last four years is, I get to write very simple things or talk to Julia about very simple concepts and go, Now play that. Then she does four million things with her face and I get to sit back and revel in it. All Rights Reserved. I dont know. ANALYZING THE ANSWERS: The majority got it right (K-lumsky). The more the phone rings, the more there are things to do, shes fine. Thats what was so beautiful about the way Dave [Mandel] wrote and directed the episode. 22 TV Characters Who Deserve Their Own Spinoff Series, The Voice Needs to Make This Change in Season 23 and We Mean Immediately, The Voice Needs to Make This Change in Season 23 and We Mean, The Last of Us Director Liza Johnson on Crafting the Perfect Post-Apocalyptic Teen Mall Date in Episode 7, The Last of Us Reveals Ellie's Tender First Love -- and Loss --in Left Behind Flashback Episode: Read Recap, March Streaming Guide: What's New on Netflix, Amazon, Disney+. "There was just an enormous amount of restraint. Even though I think Selina is a little bit anti-Semitic, shes not nearly as anti-Semitic as the entire Trump administration, so its hard to compete.. It was lovely that he came to New York for the premiere, and obviously, hes busy with [upcoming HBO space comedy Avenue 5]. Weve been gone a year, and were back, and were not taking any prisoners. Given that Mike never winds up giving that heartfelt eulogy for Selina, could you finish the job right now?I would personally eulogize her as the most wonderfully complicated character I ever got to write. MANDEL RESPONDS: I just make it a policy never to say Annas last name, he says. And then I told him that there was a callback to the pilot. That, to me, is the absolute saddest picture of her legacy. Before the moment turned into something more shattering, though, she was jolted out of her daze when the Israeli prime minister calls, and she quickly reverted to charm mode. I really do love Mike becoming the Walter Cronkite, the most trusted man in America. Because the others do, and she doesnt. The coming to terms with what youve done and what you did is somewhat horrific. She could be a fierce fighter for womens rights and equality. Sydney Grullon spoke more generally: I dont think shes inherently awful, I think deep down she thinks what shes doing is good, at least what she was doing while in office. Prakram Bhushan, meanwhile, was incredibly specific: Selina is a good lover. Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. In some ways, the lack of her courage to ask him almost makes it worse. So much for Labor Day loyalty. What conversations, if any, did you have with him about the ending and wrapping up the show?We saw each other at the premiere in New York. So I think probably the last 15 years of that prison sentence was spent dealing with that and all those feelings. Tricky. Exactly. ANALYZING THE ANSWERS: Season 5s Mother in which Selina lost both her mom and, perhaps more importantly, the popular vote got three times the nods of any other episode. And so in becoming president, Montez would have held on to her, and that there would have been a moment or two when we went back to the Montez White House, or even maybe trying to call Montez and Sue would have answered the phone, some version of that. We even had a [scene], it just didnt quite exactly work, where she was watching the funeral, sort of laughing. In August 2016, Gomez cancelled the last legs of her Revival world tour to reportedly deal with complications from lupus, including anxiety, panic attacks, and depression. She had given into that much of her selfishness and narcissism. Goddammit. Viagra Trial Drama Men Up Coming to BBC From Russell T. 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