Jez (Robert Webb) is blissfully in love with the beautiful Elena, so much so that he's unaware she's essentially controlling him -- making him do her ironing, take the blame (or "wank bullet") for porn found on her work computer, and travel to Hastings to buy her favourite bread -- but loved-up Jez is happy to oblige. Meanwhile, Mark (David Mitchell) is presented with a career opportunity by Dobby (Isy Suttie) that, rather unimaginably, seems like something he'd both be good at and enjoy– being the tour guide on a history walk. However, Mark's ambition to present a fact-based tour with none of the sellout theatricality doesn't really work, so he's forced to adhere to stereotype and clutch a Holmesian pipe to keep an audience...
As usual for Peep Show, it's not so much the plot that's a joy (although this episode's was stronger than some), but the characterization and internal monologues we eavesdrop on – like Mark mentally correct Jez's bad grammar during a discussion. The external dialogue is just a brilliant: from downloading porn safely ("always wipe, Mark; discharge your pipe, then have a wipe -- that's the rhyme) to Dobby's summation of the medium ("men like looking at distressing images of heroin addicts showing their genitals for money.") It's a smorgasbord of perfectly-delivered quips, asides, and comic statements – shaming years worth of other sitcoms in a single sitting. The great thing is that a good 25% of the gems pass you by on first viewing, so Peep Show lends itself to repeats far better than you'd expect.
The comic situations presented were also very funny, particularly Jez going through his rehearsed explanation for why Elena's computer had porn on it (bluntly claiming he's a sex addict who masturbates twelve times a day), or Mark already secretly regretting having a child with Sophie (Olivia Colman) because it's destined to endure his childhood and repeat his mistakes. Speaking of which, I still suspect Mark's not the father but he's the best option available to Sophie right now.
Overall, what more can you say? Funny, heartfelt, cynical, sarcastic, desperate, uncomfortable, awkward, hilarious comedy at its finest. Peep Show's what I hold up to anyone who doubts British comedy these days, as the format and bravery is light-years ahead of what anyone else is doing, and it's proven itself unexpectedly robust. You'd expect the joke to have worn thin by now, but it's just getting funnier. I fully expect to see Mark and Jeremy as two sad old men in a nursing home one day.
2 October 2009
Channel 4, 10pm
written by: Sam Bain, Jesse Armstrong & Simon Blackwell directed by: Becky Martin starring: Robert Webb (Jez), David Mitchell (Mark), Olivia Colman (Sophie), Vera Filatova (Elena), Isy Suttie (Dobby), Penelope Beaumont (Jan), Justin Brett (Michael), Rufus Jones (Peter) & Robert Popper (Annoying Man)
