I am doing EXCELLENT posting.

November 22, 2004 7:04 AM

Peep Show. Ah, now that's lurid-sounding. What it is, however, is a comedy from BBC that's way, way funnier than The Office. Reviewers chatter about the Herman's Head-like gimmick -- you hear the characters' thoughts -- but the better gimmick? Excellent writing.
posted by mimi (26 comments total)

I find it very hard to believe that ANYTHING could be funnier than The Office, much less "way, way." My Tivo and I will sort this out.

The Herman's Head comparison does not help your case.
posted by ColdChef at 7:13 AM on November 22, 2004

But Yeardley Smith, man! Yeardley fucking Smith!
posted by cortex at 7:26 AM on November 22, 2004

I'll see your Yeardley, and raise you a Hank Azaria. And even that couldn't keep it from sucking wind.
posted by ColdChef at 7:29 AM on November 22, 2004

Yeah, I know that HH reference didn't do much, but I was starting to get annoyed at how many people thought "ooh! Hearing thoughts!" was original.
posted by mimi at 7:30 AM on November 22, 2004

Definitely funnier than The Office. Strays into the same excrutiating territory from time to time, but the hearing thoughts aspect makes that funny and intelligent.
posted by leibniz at 7:37 AM on November 22, 2004

Psst. All first comments are supposed to contain the word "Mothra." Welcome!
posted by cortex at 8:12 AM on November 22, 2004

I have to disagree with mimi, it wasn't funnier than The Office. The Office had me from the first minute, Peep Show took some getting into.

It was good, don't get me wrong. I'm stunned at the stuff they get away with. If this was American network TV, the censors would have cut the show down to the opening credits.
posted by m@ at 8:22 AM on November 22, 2004

Love this show. My favourite line from this series so far has to be, 'Who needs romance when you're doing it up the bum'.

The internal monologue device is funny but I think the two main characters are really the basis for the comedy. They're like the original odd couple, oh wait...
posted by isthisthingon at 8:24 AM on November 22, 2004

Love this show. My favourite line from this series so far has to be, 'Who needs romance when you're doing it up the bum'.

That doesn't hold a candle to "Can we stop talking about my dead mother's breasts?" in my opinion (that's from the Office special).
posted by me & my monkey at 8:27 AM on November 22, 2004

It's not by the BBC. It's by Channel 4. BBC did, however produce the equally great The Smoking Room, coincidently also starring Robert Webb.
posted by salmacis at 8:31 AM on November 22, 2004

BTW - I presume, mimi, that you're posting about series 1 of Peep Show? Series 2 has just started in the UK. Annoyingly I've managed to miss both episodes so far.
posted by salmacis at 8:33 AM on November 22, 2004

Yeah, I suppose it is the first season here. We just had the episode where Mark might move out to go to Cardiff with the smooth Mr Johnson / The Bad Thing. Thanks for the additional information, salmacis. The Smoking Room looks interesting!
posted by mimi at 8:37 AM on November 22, 2004

Herman's Head became a progressively stronger show the more it moved away from the internal dialogue theme. As is usually the case, peoples' external life is more interesting than their internal life.

And if you want good Hank Azaria, check out Huff.
posted by solid-one-love at 8:42 AM on November 22, 2004

I think the Smoking Room is a massively underrated gem: I much prefer it to the Office, by a mile. It's so acutely observed in a similar way to the Office, but it is observing the middle ground of normalish people, not TO's cast of wanks.

They're not going to overlook THIS post, no way, this'll have them all hooked and then she'll like me because I posted here. Oh yes.
posted by bonaldi at 8:43 AM on November 22, 2004 [1 favorite]

I am most intrigued by any show that is supposedly "way, way funnier than the Office." That would make it some sort of highly powerful neutron bomb of humor, destroying all life while leaving buildings standing.

Oh, and one of my old professors was the head writer of Herman's Head. Who wants to touch me?
posted by Sticherbeast at 8:43 AM on November 22, 2004

Does a punch in the mouth count as a touch?
posted by salmacis at 8:47 AM on November 22, 2004

Series two seems better so far than series one. In terms of popularity, it definitely isn't "The Office". I've yet to hear anything by way of water cooler conversation. I don't really notice the "Thinking Head" gimmick anymore and it's still funny. I suppose that's a degree of how little the show needs to rely on it.

Funny. Excruciatingly embarrassing. Rude.
But it's not "The Office."
posted by seanyboy at 8:57 AM on November 22, 2004

What's with all the better than worse than stuff? I loved 'The Office', I also find 'Peep Show' funny. Not once while watching either show did it occur to me to compare the two. They're not even that similar.

Of course if I had to pick one I'd say 'The Office' by a (Gareth's) nose.
posted by isthisthingon at 9:17 AM on November 22, 2004

The Office isn't The Newsroom.
posted by jb at 12:10 PM on November 22, 2004

Peep Show's great, no doubt about that (I'm really annoyed I've missed the beginning of the new series). But it's got its problems - while the dialogue (and especially the internal monologues) are genius, the writers aren't so great on plotting and character development, which can get a bit incoherent. Also, David Mitchell's character is so much better than Webb's, it gets a little unbalanced.

But yeah, it's excellent. I have to say, I preferred The Book Group, though.
posted by flashboy at 12:34 PM on November 22, 2004

The first series was great, the interior dialogue worked particularly well during the word association test at the psychiatrist.

Excellent show, the first episode of the new series was business as (un)usual.
posted by hippyboy at 3:40 PM on November 22, 2004

Surely you people should be watching Garth Marenghi's Darkplace instead?
posted by ArmyOfKittens at 3:23 AM on November 23, 2004 [1 favorite]

It's fantastic and getting better all the time. Last Friday's episode on Channel 4 was the best so far IMO. It isn't getting much attention yet because it's target audience are all down the pub when it's on. I force everyone who comes round my house to watch it on Sky Plus (TIVO).

My favourite line so far: 'this crack is rather moreish'. It's full of killer lines though.

BTW is it wrong to fancy Jez? I didn't think so.
posted by Summer at 4:12 AM on November 23, 2004

Hmm..caught a bit of Darkplace and didn't find it particularly funny I'm afraid.

Sky Plus is the mutt's nuts, eh Summer?
posted by salmacis at 8:44 AM on November 23, 2004

It so is. it's a whole entertainment revolution.
posted by Summer at 8:02 AM on November 24, 2004

Okay, so I've seen a few episodes of Peep Show now. It's funny. Last night's "cancer" subplot especially. I'll be taping it weekly.

But The Office is still funnier to me. YMMV.

Thanks for the post. If I was just going by those awful commercials, I never would have tried this show.
posted by ColdChef at 6:09 AM on December 16, 2004