Peep Show

This wasn't a show that I ever turned on specifically, or looked forward to even, but if it was on, and it always seemed to be, I would give it a watch and feel slightly amused, perhaps even entertained... just enough to keep coming back.

Now I think the problem wasn't with the show, but with my waning love affair with the TV medium. The endless choice and endless dross at the start of the digital TV revolution really wore me down - I just watched for watching's sake and hated myself for it! Then came the epiphany that is 4od (channel 4 on demand), available free through my laptop, with a great archive to choose from. This means that, much like popping in a DVD, you can watch one or a series of episodes without ad breaks or having to wait for a certain time to watch what you want. And yes I know this has been available for a while through Virgin media subscriptions, but it just makes it so much better to not need a box or a TV or to have to pay! At all!

So, looking back at Peep Show from series one, episode one, my view of it has gone up. It's a superb idea to be able to see the world through the eyes of the characters and hear their most sordid inner thoughts - and what makes Peep Show good is its consistency in this format and its relentless approach to no taboo honesty about what it means to be a single (or not) man in the new millennium. The juxtaposition of the polar opposites of office geek Mark and overgrown indie-boy Jez is just very funny. They are frightened little boys trying to play adults in the real world and failing at every turn. Pathos is a fine art and the writing here is often spot on, allowing for more knowing chuckles than out loud belly laughs, but all the better for it.

Now in its fifth season and seemingly getting better and better, this will be the definition of Mitchell and Webb's career's whether they like it or not. Having seen their less inspired sketch show I feel very confidant in saying that. They are excellent writers and very good character actors, but they need the characters. I see their future lying in writing for others and perhaps some serious acting. I can certainly see David Mitchell especially having potential for that. I will look forward to it.