Ep 8. Tears

Veep Season 1 Episode 8, titled "Tears," opens with Vice President Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) preparing for an important fundraising dinner for her party. However, her staff is distracted by a variety of personal issues. Alex (Reid Scott), her communications director, is struggling to keep his marriage together; Mike (Matt Walsh), her press secretary, is dealing with the fallout from an embarrassing tweet; and Gary (Tony Hale), her personal aide, is worried about his relationship with Selina.

Meanwhile, Selina is trying to win the support of a powerful senator, Doyle (Phil Reeves), who may be the key to passing her Clean Jobs bill. Selina's team strategizes ways to win over Doyle, but their plans are derailed by a series of miscommunications and embarrassing gaffes.

As the day of the fundraiser approaches, tensions are running high and Selina is feeling the pressure to land Doyle's support. However, when Doyle finally arrives at the event, it quickly becomes clear that he has his own agenda and Selina's Clean Jobs bill may not be a priority for him.

Throughout the course of the episode, Selina struggles to keep her composure in the face of mounting obstacles. She is repeatedly described as "on the brink" and "emotionally fragile," and much of the tension in the episode stems from the possibility that she may finally break down and cry.

The title of the episode, "Tears," is a reference to this theme of emotional vulnerability. Selina's staff members are each dealing with their own troubles, and the pressure of their jobs is taking a toll on all of them. However, Selina is the one who is most visibly struggling, and her tears (should they come) would represent a major turning point for the character.

As the fundraiser wears on, Selina's mood becomes more and more volatile. She lashes out at her staff and makes a series of embarrassing public comments. However, the turning point of the episode comes when Selina learns that her ex-husband is planning to write a tell-all memoir about their marriage. This news sends Selina over the edge, and she is finally pushed to the brink of tears.

Despite the chaos of the fundraiser, Selina manages to hold it together long enough to secure Doyle's support for her Clean Jobs bill. However, the victory is bittersweet, as Selina recognizes the fragility of her emotional state and the toll that her job is taking on her.

In the final scene of the episode, Selina retreats to the bathroom and begins to cry. Her aide, Gary, tries to comfort her, but Selina is unable to pull herself together. The show ends with a shot of Selina alone in the bathroom, weeping silently.

Overall, "Tears" is a powerful episode that explores the emotional toll of high-stakes politics. The writing is sharp and witty, and the performances are uniformly strong. Julia Louis-Dreyfus is especially impressive in this episode, portraying Selina's vulnerability and emotional turmoil with nuance and subtlety. Fans of the show will not want to miss this (potentially) game-changing episode.