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You know, Dan, watching you try to be nice is like watching a baby smoke a cigarette. It's kind of cool, but also very disturbing.
– Mike

Fishing is the fifth episode of the third season of the HBO original series Veep. It originally aired on May 4, 2014.

Synopsis[]

Amy and Dan compete for the role of campaign manager, while Selina meets with a third candidate, Ericsson; Mike causes a stir collecting his semen while at work for IVF purposes; Gary worries that his shoulder pain may prevent him from keeping his job; Selina, Dan and Gary travel to Virginia to persuade George Maddox not to run for president.

Plot[]

Selina's campaign begins in earnest, as her staff prepares their underlings for the months ahead. Selina enters and addresses the group. She confronts Gary about the strong scent of Icy Hot on his injured shoulder, noting that the stench makes her nostrils feel "like Vietnam."

Afterwards, Ben confirms with Selina that she's lunching with Bill Ericsson, her ideal campaign manager. "He's Amy without a conscience, and he's Dan without the five percent that needs to be loved," he explains.

Gary heads to the men's room to wash the Icy Hot off his shoulder and bumps into Mike emerging from a stall with a cooler bag. Busted, Mike explains that he and Wendy are trying IVF and the bag is full of "little Mikes." He begs Gary to keep his secret. 

Selina lunches with Bill Ericsson. He points out the shortcomings of her staff and tells her she needs to fire everyone -- even Gary. "Do you really want him standing behind you for the next eight years like an asshole?" he asks. If she fires her entire staff, Ericsson promises to maximize her chances of becoming the most powerful person on Earth. 

Gary visits a doctor for his shoulder, who tells him he needs to stop carrying the Veep's bag. Defensive, Gary inquires if getting a new shoulder is a viable option. 

Sue informs Selina that Maddox has invited Selina to his country house. She's less than enthused about spending time in nature, but Amy reminds her they need to talk Maddox out of running because they perceive him to be a bigger threat than Danny Chung. With his IVF duties on his mind, Mike worms his way out of joining her, which forces Selina to choose between Dan and Amy. Though they promise not to read into her decision, Dan takes it as a clear victory when Selina chooses him.

Jonah, now Maddox's bagman, greets Selina, Dan, and Gary. Maddox invites Selina to fish with him, which really means that Dan casts her line every time Maddox turns his back. Selina tries to broach the topic of Maddox agreeing to be her Secretary of State, but they're interrupted when Selina gets a bite on her line.

Amy throws a dinner party with Ed, Sue, Mike, Kent, and Ben. She is uncharacteristically nice to everyone because she wants their support as campaign manager.

At Maddox's house, Selina notices Gary wincing from shoulder pain and worries that it could become some "permanent disability." To distract her, Gary blurts out: "Mike's masturbating at work!" Selina immediately texts Ben the news because she "can't have Mike getting what's-her-ass all knocked up and pregnant, becoming some sort of a dad during my campaign." Upon receiving the news from Selina, Ben tricks Mike into revealing his masturbatory efforts to the entire dinner party.

During dinner, Ed reveals that Jonah got his job with Maddox because his uncle is Jeff Kane, the man who controls the senior citizen vote in New Hampshire. Amy tosses everyone out, including Ed, despite it being their one-year anniversary. She calls Selina to tell her about Jonah and to order Dan to poach him. Dan tries to sweet talk his way into Jonah's trust but fails after implying Maddox hired him because of his powerful uncle.

Selina makes another attempt to bargain with Maddox. She offers to make him Vice President, but he tells her he'd rather she serve him because she's "already vetted." Selina storms out in a rage, declaring, "I'd rather be shot in the f*cking face than serve as Vice President again!"

The next day, Selina lunches again with Ericsson to tell him that she plans to fire "desperate Dan, flailing Amy, crippled Gary, jizzy Mike" when Dan appears by her side with inside polling data on Maddox. She tells him that she's making Ericsson her campaign manager, but Ericsson interrupts to tell her he's taking a better offer from another candidate, Joe Thornhill. Defeated, Selina makes Dan campaign manager.

Ben invites everyone to his "office," aka the bar, to tell them about Selina's decision when they all get a text from Dan informing them of his new role. Gary, already quite drunk on boilermakers supplied by Ben, attempts to lighten everyone's mood by suggesting that they throw Mike's "expired c*m" at Jonah's door since he lives just around the corner.

Quotes[]

Selina[to Ben] How much would I love to speak my mind on this campaign? Can you imagine if I did that? "Mississippi is chock full of assholes, I don't trust the Chinese, and I gotta tell you something. I'm not gonna be able to pass a single piece of legislation that's really gonna make any fuck of a difference in your life." So how's that for my platform?
Ben: Got my vote.

Starring[]

Main cast[]

Guest cast[]

Reception[]

"Fishing" received mostly positive reviews. The A.V. Club gave the episode a B, while Den of Geek gave the episode a 4.5/5, and Vulture gave the episode a 4/5.

Trivia[]

-This episode takes place in November 2015.

-This episode marks the first appearance of Bill Ericsson.

-Filmed November 5 - 10, 2013. The scenes with Bill Ericsson were filmed on November 18, 2013.

Gallery[]

Behind the Scenes[]

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