Mark also had to contend with the return of ex-boss Johnson (Patterson Joseph), who is now working from a terraced house on a new management consultancy startup business. While the possibility of being part of something big and lucrative is attractive to unemployed Mark (I guess he didn't get that historical walk job?), Johnson's tenuous grasp of reality, general lack of common sense (particularly regarding a "wireless" printer that needs wires), and insistence that Mark must contribute £2,000 to be an equal partner, has him unsure how he should proceed.
When Jez is eventually told of Elena's cheating ways by Mark, his head-in-the-sand attitude turns the situation into a positive after he learns Elena's partner is in fact a woman, Mensa "genius" Gail (Emily Bruni). Wrongly expecting a sexy threesome to naturally present itself, Jez instead became a rather tragic figure -- forever sneaking away for quickies with the manipulative Elena whenever Gail's away, and eventually finding himself stuck outside on her freezing cold balcony when Gail makes a surprise return.
Gail herself gets Mark a job at Banditos, a tacky Mexican restaurant, where on his first night he's horrified to discover his workplace is the venue for Johnson's meeting with a potential client. Mark's forced to try and juggle his waiting duties with presenting himself as Johnson's loyal "wingman" to two businessmen, which inevitably proves impossible.
There was also the return of Big Suze (Sophie Winkleman), whose relationship with Johnson appears to be hitting the rocks, no doubt because they're living far beneath the executive lifestyle she was accustomed to now that JLB has closed. She didn't really get much to do, but I suspect her reintroduction will be of greater consequence in the final two episodes. Is she destined to get back with Jez? His relationship with Elena isn't likely to last, after all.
This fourth episode was another comedy masterclass. It's proving difficult to come up with fresh ways to say the performances and scripts are sublime, so I'll just reiterate that fact. However, I'm not sold on Vera Filatova as Elena, who isn't always convincing when talking to what is, in reality, a cameraman. Indeed, there can be occasional "disconnects" with guest-star performances in Peep Show, as the regular actors are so accustomed to this filming style that it's become second nature to them -- meaning new actor's inexperience can lead to a less credible performances, as it has Filatova.
It was also great to see the outrageous Johnson back, although I sometimes find myself torn with Paterson Joseph's performances. His character's so broad and crazy that he's the least plausible character in a sitcom that goes to great lengths to present itself as painfully realistic (if heightened for comic effect.) Fortunately, you can't deny Johnson's never anything less than magnetic to watch, but I do sometimes wish his character was less of a cartoon...
I take it everyone else loved this one?
9 October 2009
Channel 4, 10pm
written by: Sam Bain & Jesse Armstrong directed by: Becky Martin starring: David Mitchell (Mark), Robert Webb (Jez), Vera Filatova (Elena), Patterson Joseph (Johnson), Emily Bruni (Gail), Sophie Winkleman (Big Suze), Phillip Brook (Father) & Jasper Jacob (Colin)
