In the Loop small roles, Samantha Harrington, Eve Matheson, and Will Smith. The only characters from the show, however, are Malcolm Tucker (Capaldi) and Jamie McDonald (Higgins), with brief appearances by Tucker's secretary Sam Cassidy (Harrington) and journalist Angela Heaney (Lucinda Raikes). The other "Thick of It" actors who appear play new characters, albeit very similar to the ones they portrayed in the series. Likewise, Anna Chlumsky went on to portray a similar but nominally different character in the subsequent American series, "Veep". The writing of "In The Loop" followed the methods developed during "The Thick of It" television series. Co-writer Jesse Armstrong
M*A*S*H of the franchise and was ranked #25 in "TV Guide"'s "TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time." Its final episode in 1983 was the most-watched in television history. "Trapper John, M.D." featured the character of Trapper John McIntyre, played by Pernell Roberts, twenty-eight years after the events of the "M*A*S*H" film and television series. It was the first spin-off to feature a character from the series in civilian life after the war. Legally, "Trapper John, M.D." is a direct spin-off of the "MASH" film rather than the television series due to licensing issues. The pilot episode briefly shows