Peep Show

[Vince the Shirker]

Watched the entirety of this over a month recently.

In terms of generating big laughs, it's probably better than any other sitcom I've seen. In terms of depicting a world that is grim, squalid and miserable beyond belief, it is also probably better than any other sitcom I've seen. It should really be utterly depressing, and yet it's not, far from it.

Anyone else a long-term fan or someone who'd belatedly gotten round to watching it way after everyone else?

[The Crumb]

Loved it for the first few series, gradually went off it as the quality dwindled. I did really enjoy the last series where it went more fully absurd, the dinner party episode had me in stitches. Makes sense for Mark especially to go off the rails having realised he's failed pretty much every metric of success in his life.

It is fantastic for little details and quirks that make its world weirdly convincing. One of my favourite early ones is Mark and Jez 'going for a drink' in the bathroom, topping up their drinks with a shower hose.

[Snrub]

I think there is something in every single episode and series. I think it always delivers on laughs every single episode, but on character apart from Mark and Jez, pretty much every other character could be wildly inconsistent from series to series - and the female characters suffered particularly from this.

Funnily enough at the time of Series 4, I thought it had gone a bit wacky and lost it, as every episode seemed to be set somewhere totally different and rarely in the flat. When the "eating the dog" ep came on, I thought that would be the shark jump moment, but loads of other people seemed to think it was a series high. I've warmed more towards Series 4 and that moment over the years but still think it's a bit odd.

The Christmas episode is probably one of my all time favourite Christmas eps of anything - loads of great observations and moments.

[QDRPHNC]

S1 stone cold classic, S2 and 3 were exceptional, then a very steep decline with 4, the rest of it is patchy with a few gems here and there. The aforementioned dinner party episode captured the madness of the first series really well, and I liked the Trapped in the Netherzone episode too. And I liked the little story arc with Tim Key, wish he's been in it a lot more, although there might have been few places to go with someone even more nebbish than Mark.

It never felt as wonderfully squalid as it did in S1. And after S1 it quickly lost the element that we were listening into Mark and Jeremy's mad thoughts ("white for pudding"), and the inner dialogue stuff was used more for narration and punchline purposes.

Also, big mistake showing Mark's dad. Big mistake. The dog eating absolutely was the moment it jumped the shark. Not that it wasn't funny after that, it just wasn't as good. Was there anything in particular that accounted for the big shift in tone between 3 and 4 I wonder.

[Simply_The_Bestest]

I did a full re-watch a year or so ago and had a brilliant time. Watching it in a lump actually made the very quick final final shot a bit of a weird gut punch - I'll miss my horrible friends.

I was surprised how well I knew the first three series, rinse and repeat DVD watches in the 00's cementing lines of dialogue in my head, Simpsons-style.

Love the grungier, fish-eye, real flat, look of the first series, but glad it got cleaned up a bit, very much of it's time. Digital DVCam noise etc.

Definitely has high and low points, but yeah, something I can imagine re-watching again at some point, when the time is right.

[The Crumb]

I wonder if it was a conscious choice to reign in Mark's more emotional and vulnerable side after S1 or it was tuning the character to his more composed version. One thing I like with the final series on a rewatch is that it felt a bit like the mania he'd kept (badly) repressed after that had burst out again.

[sevendaughters]

been watching some US youtubers react to it recently, interesting to note what they like and don't quite connect with.

i enjoy all the series now but i have to consciously try and forget the 'narrative' and just revel in the language and character aspects as we trundle past series 4, otherwise it becomes Mark Is Spineless and Jez Is Immoral: A Farce.

Am watching Succession at the moment and it really starts to hit heights when there is a clear 'Jesse Armstrong' voice in there (though some lines are ad libs by actors).

[neveragain]

been watching some US youtubers react to it recently, interesting to note what they like and don't quite connect with.

What sort of things don't they connect with?

[sevendaughters]

What sort of things don't they connect with?

the one I watch doesn't seem to connect with a lot of Mark's interior monologue, and obviously some of the very British references that don't leap out as obvious British references, if that makes sense? Some aspects as well like Jez's aggressive use of 'yeah' ie. "it's Friday night YEAH, most people don't do their shopping on a Friday night, YEAH?" (which to me is very funny)

He likes the show though!

[MrVentham]

What sort of things don't they connect with?

Probably the presence or absence of logos in the foam. "Oh, I've got a clover in me foam, I'm so important. Eh? Shithead."

[Psybro]

Personal highlights:

1) "That's right, Jeff!"
2) "Oh well, that's all ancient history now!"
3) After making Jez weep in A&E on his stag do, Mark indicates that he and Hans should do something, and Hans motions that they do a runner

The funniest bits of the latter two entirely without dialogue

[Sebastian Cobb]

Personal highlights:

1) "That's right, Jeff!"
2) "Oh well, that's all ancient history now!"
3) After making Jez weep in A&E on his stag do, Mark indicates that he and Hans should do something, and Hans motions that they do a runner

The funniest bits of the latter two entirely without dialogue

I know there's 0% chance of it ever happening but the idea of an exasperated doctor telling people 'you've had your fun with the sectioning' is fucking brilliant.

[sevendaughters]

do you literally want me to buy a puppy the size of Digby the Biggest Dog in the World?

[Red82]

Love all 9 series and will think back to it and quote from it constantly.

I even hear Jez's sex mixtape when I'm shagging.

[TommyTurnips]

This whole scene never fails to make me laugh. Maybe I need to be sectioned.

[sevendaughters]

who is the worst person on Peep Show who isn't a regular character? let's say 3 episodes maximum.

I'll start the bidding with Saz.

[fucking ponderous]

who is the worst person on Peep Show who isn't a regular character? let's say 3 episodes maximum.

I'll start the bidding with Saz.

For some reason the bit that's been rattling around in my head lately is Super Hans derisively referring to Mark as "Mr. Ocean Color Pants"

[QUICK EDIT to say that though I hate Gwyn I always thought the "particularly after my parents died" line was a bit hacky. Don't think he's self aware to make that joke or unself aware to make it by accident.]

[mr. logic]

[QUICK EDIT to say that though I hate Gwyn I always thought the "particularly after my parents died" line was a bit hacky. Don't think he's self aware to make that joke or unself aware to make it by accident.]

Don't know about that- think he's definitely the latter

[Billy]

As a teenager who was 15 when S1 was on I saw this show as educational, what not to be like when I grew up and what not to do - I had a genuine fear I was going to become Mark (or to a lesser extent Jez) if I went down the wrong path so noted down everything in my head, dog eating and all. The absolute favourite ep to me though is April's first appearance in Series 2, the only time the show genuinely broke my heart and I am a bit sad that such a brilliant one off character returned in such a diminishing way in the final series.

I would also go as far to say that while, yeah, those first few series are the best, I still massively enjoyed it all the way up to and including Series 7 as I really liked Dobby's character, with S8 the first to make me go "yeah this isn't as great anymore" as I was disappointed in how her character progressed. On a lockdown rewatch they all held up nicely though, interesting to watch the world of 2003 (now firmly retro in my mind) slowly shift to the almost-today-but-the-phones-are-smaller recent world of 2015.

[dontpaintyourteeth]

It's good and that don't get me wrong but I find it too depressing to rewatch.

[Red82]

As a teenager who was 15 when S1 was on I saw this show as educational, what not to be like when I grew up and what not to do - I had a genuine fear I was going to become Mark (or to a lesser extent Jez) if I went down the wrong path so noted down everything in my head, dog eating and all. The absolute favourite ep to me though is April's first appearance in Series 2, the only time the show genuinely broke my heart and I am a bit sad that such a brilliant one off character returned in such a diminishing way in the final series.

I would also go as far to say that while, yeah, those first few series are the best, I still massively enjoyed it all the way up to and including Series 7 as I really liked Dobby's character, with S8 the first to make me go "yeah this isn't as great anymore" as I was disappointed in how her character progressed. On a lockdown rewatch they all held up nicely though, interesting to watch the world of 2003 (now firmly retro in my mind) slowly shift to the almost-today-but-the-phones-are-smaller recent world of 2015.

I like to think of myself as a brilliant mix of Mark, Jez and Hans. I'm now hearing there's something wrong with this. Fuck you, Bush.

[shoulders]

who is the worst person on Peep Show who isn't a regular character? let's say 3 episodes maximum.

I'll start the bidding with Saz.

Mark's Dad

'Elf an' safety, innit?

Over and out

[non capisco]

'JLB Credit, FUCK OFF please!' from the first series is one of my favourite examples of comedy swearing. Not even Mitchell's over-reliance outside of Peep Show on saying 'fuck' in one of his 'rants' can dilute its majesty.

"I'm hot....like Pol Pot."

[Thosworth]

I remember on the DVD commentary to Series 1 they said one of their hard and fast rules was not to do toilet humour. Then in Series 3 with Mark and the bathroom with no door I thought well if you're going to break a rule you may as well kick it to fucking death.

[Ornlu]

Mark's Dad

'Elf an' safety, innit?

Over and out

"Merry Christmas Marko... yyyyyep"

[frajer]

Super Hans, reading from a puzzle book: "I have a mouth but do not speak, I have a bed but never sleep - What am I?"

Mark: "A river."

Super Hans, checking answer page: "Nicholas Lyndhurst."

[badaids]

It's good and that don't get me wrong but I find it too depressing to rewatch.

This is how I feel.  It's so funny, but watching Mark throw it all away over the course of the series is bleak as fuck.

[Matthew Dawkins Jub Jub]

Stick that up your dojo.

[Fambo Number Mive]

This is how I feel.  It's so funny, but watching Mark throw it all away over the course of the series is bleak as fuck.

I agree

[The Crumb]

I remember on the DVD commentary to Series 1 they said one of their hard and fast rules was not to do toilet humour. Then in Series 3 with Mark and the bathroom with no door I thought well if you're going to break a rule you may as well kick it to fucking death.

I'm fairly sure one of the first Jeremy POV scenes him pissing all over the place thinking 'Big Suze, your toilet seat regime is OVER!'.