Peep Show

Over the past 10 years or so as I angsted my way through the teen years I underwent a multitude of personal, emotional and mental transformations. One such change that I don't often think back on is I learnt to not idolize or look up to anyone. It wasn't a sudden conscious decision made after some soul-crushing encounter with the man I admired most or anything, but rather a natural and organic process that resulted from curiosity. Basically I would like a band or whatever and out of a desire to dig deeper I would discover things about the band, music aside, that I wasn't myself interested in. For example I loved the Smashing Pumpkins and still do, but I also think that Billy Corgan (their front man) is pretentious and weird. I liked Nirvana but I think Kurt Cobain was a bit of a rambling madman. So as time went on I learnt that people and their creative works are often very different things and I stopped treating people as idols and heros and instead opted to treat them as people.

But in more recent years I've changed again. As a result of treating people as people I've found that I've naturally sifted out the people who interest me least and I'm left with people who's personalities are more in line with my own. People who I genuinely respect because of what they say and think. David Mitchell is, as many of my close friends will confirm, one of these people. Now that's David Mitchell the British comedian/actor, not to be confused with the conservative politician, the author, the American voiceover actor or the Canadian lacrosse player all of the same name. It's been a relatively recent thing but I've spent many hours being amused by him as he makes guest appearances on QI or watching compilation videos of him going on hilarious rants on various other Britich panel shows. I watched his sketch comedy show and David Mitchell's soapbox. But it wasn't until recently I started watching Peep Show. Perhaps it was because I knew it wasn't written by David Mitchell or his comedy partner Robert Webb? But eventually at the recommendation of my brothers I decided to give it a shot.

Peep Show is, as the name doesn't suggest, about 2 best friends and room mates sharing uncomfortable, passive, withdrawn and dysfunctional lives together as they try desperately to find women and live fullfilling lives. Mark, played by David Mitchell, is a repressed history enthusiast eternally stuck on the middle rung of the corporate ladder in which he works. While Jeremy (often referred to as Jez) is more outgoing but crippled by incompotence, selfishness, unemployment and a dream of being a successful musician that will never come to fruition. Watching these two men try and fail to break away from these moulds is esentially the crux of the show. And it works, it's really funny.

But that's not to say it's perfect. If you're like me and watch things from beginning of series to end in large gulps rather than weekly nibbles will likely notice that the continuity from episode to episode can be a bit off. In a half hour comedy with very little in the way of an overarching plot it isn't really an issue but considering these two men really hurt and damage the people around them it can be a little strange to see these same people happily chatting away in the next episode as if nothing happened. But there's another more personal issue I've unearthed with Peep Show. The fact is that Peep Show kinda scares me. It's not an irrational fear that you might feel in regards to a hellish monstrosity of twisted flesh and infinite hunger. Nor is it an exhaggerated fear you might feel alone at night after watching Wolf Creek. It's a much more real and pure terror than that. The issue stems from the fact that Peep Show is relatable. And deep within this relatability nestled amoungst the laughter and the squeemishness there's a fear that maybe I could become this. Maybe I'll end up stuck in a rut, devoid of meaningful relationships and pining after women who will never love or connect with me. My podcasting pal Joey and myself often joke that our lives will be like Peepshow, but it is a joke that has just trace amounts of poisonous truth. The truth is that Peep Show can be hard to watch, even if it is hilarious and totally worth it. It's uncomfortable in very much the same way that Ricky Gervais' shows The Office and Extras are. David Mitchell has himself comically described the show as "constant footage of two palled men in their thirties aging in real time" which perfectly encapsulates the humour and nihilism that the show is constantly toying with.

So by all means watch Peep Show, because it is most certainly funny and engaging. But it might not be everyones cup of tea and if you watch it late at night it might just give you nightmares.