The Thick Of It: The Specials

The picture and sound quality are fine – neither is particularly memorable, but they're clear and error-free. Subtitling is all present and correct too.

Given the semi-improvisational nature of the show, there are plenty of excellent deleted scenes that didn't quite fit in to the final cut. They're as funny as the main feature, and well worth watching.

The commentary is equally enjoyable. Various members of the cast and crew, including Armando Iannucci, Chris Addision, Will Smith, Peter Capaldi and Roger Allam, offer their thoughts on the production. Being such fine comic minds, their comments are genuinely funny. Although there's no deep insight about how the programme was made, it's a pleasure to listen to, rather than the chore that so many commentaries are.

(My review is based on the first special only – my review sample and replacement disc of the second episode didn't play. I assume I was either very unlucky or the problem will be fixed before it's finally released. Regardless, there's nothing to suggest that the high quality of the main feature or extras won't be continued to the second disc).