Peep Show had such a small audience when it first aired that Channel 4 almost cancelled it but, if there was not love for two misfits sharing a Croydon flat in 2003, there certainly is now.
Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong’s comedy introduced the world to the perspectives of Mark Corrigan and Jeremy Usborne and is more popular than ever 20 years on, and eight years since the final series.
Mark, hard working but awkward, and Jeremy, a self-confident freeloader, made an unlikely pairing but the show gained a cult following thanks to its black humour, alternative perspective and quotable lines before entering the mainstream via Netflix.
Peep Show was just as famous for its secondary characters, the disreputable Super Hans, kooky Dobby and increasingly unhinged Sophie, who can be credited with introducing the world to Olivia Colman.
Here are the top 20 moments from 20 years of the El Dude Brothers, in no particular order – all chosen by me and leaving out many of my favourites.
“Your hand!"
In almost the very first scene, Mark faces a personal crisis of his own creation when his hand slips under the bum of his love interest, Sophie. After deciding against telling her, he decides to ride it out – only for Sophie to notice and then blank him.
“This crack is really more-ish"
More-ish, a word usually used to describe Pringles or bingeing on a TV series, is here applied for something much less innocent. We get an early introduction to Super Hans when he uses the odd phrase to describe crack – having earlier justified using it to “take the edge off”.
“You like the gun"
Peep Show has many classic one-off characters, but the least likely to have gained stardom is perhaps Gunny, the gun. Discovered when a relative of Jeremy dies, the housemates begin to enjoy the thrill of carrying around an antique weapon.
"They say I did a poo in the pool?"
Mark and Jeremy start going to a gym for different motives, Mark to have some time away from now-fiancée Sophie and Jeremy to try to win back his former lover Nancy. Innocently standing in the way of both men is fitness instructor Matt – and Jeremy comes up with a devious plan to get him fired.
“Merry’s been sectioned!?"
After Mark gets his mentally unstable friend Merry sectioned, Jeremy finds the mental health crisis centre is a good way of getting rid of his opponents – including Super Hans.
“Chance would be a fine thing"
Day one of Mark’s promotion and he is already facing mutiny when his company seems to be going under. He has questions from his co-workers, but he is at least armed with a dependable catchphrase.
“This guy is literally a moron”
Mark is a fish out of water in a nightclub but pretends to be on ecstasy. He gets a very sober view of his new friend’s antics, coming up with a gravelly put down.
“And is there a comprehensive history of the Byzantine church … for the general reader?”
After getting in too deep with his crush’s older lover, Mark encourages Angus to follow his dreams of writing a very, very niche book.
“If we succeed I’ll be Charles and you can be my Camilla”
Alan Johnson, Mark’s longtime boss, wants to discuss Project Zeus, an assignment Mark may or may not be allowed to be privy to. The legendary side character then delivers one of his most famous lines.
“Just to wet the whistle?"
Super Hans has unbelievably cleaned up his act at the point of getting married, but his stag do is so tame that even Mark gets bored. Jeremy introduces some beer to the gathering but Hans stays strong … until he has one to wet the whistle.
“That is so Gerard!”
Gerard started off as Mark’s friend until he too developed a liking for Dobby. The pair have a love rivalry until Gerard dies, of the flu – prompting Jeremy to comment “that is so Gerard”. His “irritating voice” then rings out in an answerphone message from beyond the grave.
“I win in the most minor way possible”
Jeff is Mark’s nemesis. When he wins Sophie from under Mark’s nose he asks the protagonist to buy condoms for the pair, a request to which the hapless Mark amazingly obliges. He makes sure to buy a brand that will make their sex as awkward as possible, mind.
“I could say that is ancient history now … he probably wouldn’t like that joke”
Jeremy thinks up a weak joke at Mark’s expense only to consider it would be in poor taste. But he tells the joke anyway.
“Men with ven”
Super Hans has a hard time with his plurals when promoting a new business.
“How thick is wall?”
Jeremy, wondering about the ins and outs of having a lover living next door, asks Mark a very stupid question.
“I am James Bond”
As the pair visit Sophie’s parents, Mark puts in the hard yards with his future father-in-law while Jeremy is getting to know the mother very well …
“Four naan? That’s insane”
Making a point, Jeremy orders four naan prompting Mark to deliver a line now much-quoted in Indian restaurants.
“Have some of the lamb pasanda. It’s incredibly rich and creamy”
Having spent Mark’s money on an Indian, Jeremy gets rumbled when Mark then orders an “incredibly rich and creamy” lamb pasanda. It would otherwise have been one of the nicest things he did for him.
“The honourable man”
In order to claim some money to do up his flat, Mark bids to become chairman of his block. But he slightly overcooks his presentation.
“He’s not even a good man …”
The final episode is about as close to sentiment as Mark gets in this, his half-hearted speech for Jeremy’s 40th birthday.
