Peep Show rewatch

[St_Eddie]

Bit of pro-Jeff propaganda - when Daryl makes the comment about Johnson's lot being better at sports Jeff doesn't smirk or lap it up - he looks horrified like a normal human being would.

You're not supposed to be racist, you don't get extra points for not being racist.  Jeff has plenty of other nasty personality traits, which is why he's a grade A arsehole.

[paruses]

True - it's more supporting evidence that he is just an arsehole rather than a borderline danger (like Mark).

He is massively letting himself down in S2E5 thought.

[Ferris]

Oh yes - and Mark and Johnson talking over the sausage is beautifully framed. I hadn't noticed how funny Paterson Joseph's postures are before.

"My prints are probably all over it now"

Fantastic

[Lemming]

Oh god, what episode are we at? Is it just a mad free-for-all? Should we do a series per week instead of a couple episodes?

To avoid getting left behind, I've watched S2E3, another fantastic episode. Probably some of the best Johnson material, and I'm really not looking forward to the way his character changes in the third or fourth series (although there's still plenty of gold - "don't be alarmed, Mark, it's just Tai Chi")

Another point for the Jeff defence squad - while he hits Mark at basically the most childish, pathetic provocation ever, he does refuse the opportunity to do it a second time and seems pretty sincere when he suggests Mark has something properly wrong with him.

It's an interesting episode to try and think about things from Sophie's perspective. I heard Olivia Colman was the one who suggested to the writers that Sophie was a total shithead trying to play Mark and Jeff off against each other, but I'm not sure I see it. It seems more like she's trapped between two unpleasant people who keep fighting over her (with "laddish" bullying in Jeff's case and manic stalking and self-harm in Mark's case) and she's just sort of ineffectually flitting from one to the other in the hopes that it'll all inexplicably work itself out, or in the hopes that she'll come to appreciate one of them eventually. She looks completely upset when Jeff's whispering to her in the Aberdeen meeting, and completely upset when she's having drinks with Mark at the end. It stuck with me so much that I went to that quote gifs site just to get screencaps:




Raw desolation.

I'm going to keep an eye on the Sophie-Jeff relationship. Do they end up together? I can't remember much of the last two series at all.

Also, NIM NIM NIM NIM FUCKING NIM

[paruses]

Oh god, what episode are we at? Is it just a mad free-for-all? Should we do a series per week instead of a couple episodes?

To avoid getting left behind, I've watched S2E3, another fantastic episode. Probably some of the best Johnson material, and I'm really not looking forward to the way his character changes in the third or fourth series (although there's still plenty of gold - "don't be alarmed, Mark, it's just Tai Chi")

Sorry  I am just watching ahead as I leave it too long otherwise. To be honest that has always been how I consume Peep Show - all or nothing; I hardly watched it when it was on C4 and then bought the box sets and caned it and now it's just sitting in the ether for when I get the urge.

Yes - I am looking forward to discussing the degradation of the characters. But that Tai-Chi scene is great - that quote always surfaces into my brain when I talk to someone who is stupidly competitive to where they miss the point of things - "It should take 45 minutes; I'm done in 10." 

[Ferris]

Well ostensibly we are doing 2 eps a week, and S2 E3&4 are this Monday's homework.

That said, people are rushing ahead or straggling behind which seems fine to me. I'm going to stick with 2 a week and chime in as appropriate to maintain a semblance of structure, but if you want to rocket through or take them a little slower at your own pace, that seems fine by me.

Should I post a timeline with episodes? Would that be easier for people to follow?

[vainsharpdad]

Well ostensibly we are doing 2 eps a week, and S2 E3&4 are this Monday's homework.

That said, people are rushing ahead or straggling behind which seems fine to me. I'm going to stick with 2 a week and chime in as appropriate to maintain a semblance of structure, but if you want to rocket through or take them a little slower at your own pace, that seems fine by me.

Should I post a timeline with episodes? Would that be easier for people to follow?

Most other rewatches do that - can't hurt.

[New Jack]

The degradation of Johnson's voice

[Gregory Torso]

I'm afraid I've gone skipping along like a hasty snail baby all the way to the end of series two. But I am happy to confirm that Jeff is a massive cunt. Ep 5, really nasty little speech at the photocopier to Mark, you know the one, "you could have your cock in her and you wouldn't have the balls to fuck her". Jeff is weff. A grub. I mean, everyone in Peep Show is a prick on some level, but anyone who is still on the Jeff fence, time to hop off onto a big compost heap marked "JEFF IS A BUNCH OF WANKERS".

[New Jack]

With all Jeff has had to endure from Mark trying to sabotage his relationship, I think it's unfair to isolate that, as it's a pretty true summation of Mark!

Mark does not have the stones to be directly confrontational or even directly anything, instead he weasels, he connives, he tries to prise Sophie away with lies, stalking, accusations. I think it's also a bit metaphorical, and pegs Mark quite well. Indeed, Mark tries to put his move onto Sophie to counteract this claim, and fails - Jeff was right. Sophie literally laughs at his attempt to 'fuck'!

What would you do if you were Jeff in that episode? A creepy workmate after your bird won't leave her alone? To the point she's pretending you banned him, just to get him the fuck away? But he comes up to you, blaming you, trying to sidle in again, not taking the hint... Don't pretend you'd be fine with Mark's behaviour. He acts like he owns Sophie, and goes against her wishes. Jeff, however, was not even behind the banning - his balls metaphor is simply illustrative of why. Yet he's right. And I notice no criticism of Sophie for wanting Mark away. You can't make a guilty man jump!

I admire his restraint. A one liner? That's all it takes to be a cunt? Mark must be a super duper ultra mega cunt by this point of the series!

[Dr Rock]

I agree that Jeff is only a cunt to Mark, who is a love rival, and one who is not a good guy at all. But he's much more likeable from our perspective.

[Gregory Torso]

Jeff is a cunt. Sophie is a cunt. Mark is a cunt. They all deserve each other in their horrible twisted snake nest love tangle.

[Gulftastic]

Is episode 5 the brooming of Geoff? I remember punching the air in delight watching that scene.

[paruses]

Is episode 5 the brooming of Geoff? I remember punching the air in delight watching that scene.

It is the brooming.

S2E5 is peak Jeff nastiness, surely. After this it's digs at Mark and general schandenfreude - the price he pays for it is taking on Sophie (which can't be easy) and Mark's child.

Jeff did seem particularly nasty in this one - he hits Mark (or is that E4) but then when Mark goes for the second round to get it on tape Jeff acknowledges Mark's mental state and walks away.

Jeff - a wanker not a cunt IMO but season 2 Jeff is him at his worst (given my already acknowledged terrible recollection of Peep Show I will be preparing to spin things even more when it turns out I am wrong)

[St_Eddie]

Jeff is a cunt. Sophie is a cunt. Mark is a cunt. They all deserve each other in their horrible twisted snake nest love tangle.

I said as much earlier within the thread and it's still absolutely true...

Mark, Jez, Sophie and Jeff are all terrible people.  What's all this nonsense about arguing over who's the least rotten out of a bunch of bad apples?

This pro-Jeff talk is interesting but it's also utter and complete bollocks.  He's a shit.  Mark's a shit.  They're all shits.

[Thomas]

Nim's alright.

[St_Eddie]

Nim's alright.

Look, if you love Nim so much, why don't go and find him and screw him?

[Ferris]

Nim, Nim, fucking Nim.

[QDRPHNC]

Jeff's "you wouldn't have the balls to fuck" line is one of the most brutal moments in all of Peep Show - it pierces Mark right in the heart of all of his insecurities. Jeff's been tolerating this loon, and when the times comes to fight back, does so with a single line more direct and devastating than any amount of Mark's sneakiness and duplicity could ever accomplish.

+1 for Jeff, in my opinion.

[Pebble_Mill]

Warm copies DO make everything better tho

[St_Eddie]

Warm copies DO make everything better tho

I like to have a digestive with my morning's warm copy.  Sometimes I'll also have a piece of toast, spreadsheet with butter.

[Gregory Torso]

Last episode of series 2 now, "Wedding" is a great one, with some genuinely touching moments between Mark and Jez. I feel so bad for Jeremy, he's lovely in this episode and Mark is by far the worst person here. The way he treats Karen, who Sophie tries to set him up with...
Jeff shows his human side although it's kind of played for laughs, it's just very confusing whether we're supposed to take Marks side when he confronts Jeff (for picking up his own things from his ex girlfriend's house!).

[magval]

Is that the one where Jez cries and says that everything's turned to shit? Always thought that was some excellent crying. Almost too effective for a show like this, even.

[Gregory Torso]

Is that the one where Jez cries and says that everything's turned to shit? Always thought that was some excellent crying. Almost too effective for a show like this, even.

Yeah, it is. Not really a fan of Robert Webb but he's great in this episode. His enthusiasm when Nancy asks him to marry him is so adorably pathetic too.