The Best Episodes Directed By Armando Iannucci

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

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?

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.

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?

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

The civil servants at DoSAC are preparing for a visit from the DoSAC shadow minister Peter Mannion. For Mannion and his team, this informal pre-election briefing is a good opportunity to measure up for new curtains. For Terri Coverley, this principally means putting on a bit more make-up. For Nicola Murray, it is simply another distraction on a day when nothing seems to be going right. All she really wants to do is get Glenn and Olly to kick-start the Fourth Sector Pathfinder Initiative. And then she gets a call.

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?

There's a reshuffle in the offing and the PM's new 'blue skies' advisor is making trouble...

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.

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?

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.

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

Selina and the staff prep for her debate with George Maddox, Danny Chung, congressman Owen Pierce and Joe Thornhill, a major-league baseball manager who recently entered the race. Dan returns with a rosier outlook. Wendy, Mike's wife, arrives to do a style piece on Selina, but eyes a bigger story involving Ray.

With the ship divided, both sides find themselves in an all-out fight to survive. Then, Ryan takes part in a shotgun wedding, and Rav reaches a personal breakthrough.

While Selina fields questions from the press, members of her staff testify before a congressional committee about whether the Families First vote was intentionally sabotaged – and who was really behind the data breach.

Alan talks to charity cyclist Jim Jones whilst waiting for celebrity guest Anthea Turner, before struggling to talk military tactics with special forces Afghanistan veteran Tommy Gaskell.

Alan and Simon ask their listeners some thought-provoking questions, such as 'How often should you wash your towels?' and 'What is the best thing?'.

Alan and Sidekick Simon continue to entertain north Norfolk's avid radio listeners with their inimitable mix of edgy banter and compelling anecdotes.

Alan joins North Norfolk breakfast host Terri Cohen, filling in for her regular co-host to review the morning's papers. On his own show, Alan is joined by internet millionaire Daniel Langford to talk about technology.

On a fundraising trip in Silicon Valley, Selina is challenged by an anti-fracking mom and visits the campus of Clovis, a tech company with an ambitious young CEO. In D.C., Jonah makes a crude viral video of the Selina-mom encounter, and Dan, with Ben's help, gets an idea for a rumor he can spread against Chung.

After being prepped for a “puff piece” interview at the VP residence, Selina is thrown by Janet Ryland’s “gotcha” questions.

In the Season 1 finale, an Ohio gubernatorial candidate balks at Selina's endorsement due to her current unpopularity, but Mike and Amy try to make the best of the vice president's emotions during their meeting. Meanwhile, Dan can't shake the clean-jobs bill debacle, especially when it could be the subject of a Congressional hearing.

Dan and Amy try to figure out if an Asian-American war hero-cum-governor could be a political threat to Selina. Meanwhile, Selina and Mike prep for her "Meet the Press" interview; and Gary and Amy make a startling discovery about Selina's romantic life.

Selina attends a healthy eating event at Camden Yards with some very grumpy fast-food executives, where she also confides a secret to Amy. Mike holds a press briefing for some local news pals, save for the inquisitive Leon West. Later, with the Veep delayed, Amy and Dan are forced to entertain elementary school children.

After getting good news on a clean-jobs bill, the staff brainstorm for a photo-op idea, but the trip to a local frozen-yoghurt shop is delayed by a stop in the White House Situation Room and a gastrointestinal illness that's going around.