Peep Show: Series 2, Episode 4 – “University Challenge” (2004)

Peep Show is a British sitcom that Netflix has dangled before me on numerous occasions, though I’ve never watched it before today – so much TV, so little time, and all that. So, when I saw that PC had appeared on the show, I decided to take this episode for a spin.

The show follows Mark and Jez, two friends and roommates, through the usual life-and-love misadventures that always plague sitcom twenty-somethings. As a hook, the episodes are filmed entirely through the characters’ POV, and the camera shifts with every head movement.

“University Challenge” sees the duo traveling back to their alma mater, where Mark poses as a “mature student” to get in good with the coed/shoe salesgirl who’s caught his eye. Along the way, he tries to capture the university experience he’d always wanted.

PC comes into this as Professor Alistair MacLeish, the ancient history professor that Mark dreamed of impressing back in the day. As far as professor archetypes go, MacLeish is the well-bred intellectual who cherry-picks promising pupils for mentoring and low-key shindigs at his house, where the wine is expensive and brainy conversation is the height of excitement.

It’s a fairly standard role, and PC handles it capably. He’s best when Jez, a loud-mouthed would-be rocker, crashes the soiree and tries to single-handedly dismantle the ivory tower. His pretentious intellectualism clashes nicely with Jez’s alcohol-soaked ranting.

Accent Watch

Scottish all the way. I like that – RP is the typical accent of the well-bred intellectual, and it’s nice to see a Glaswegian getting his scholar on.

Recommend?

In General – Not sure. I think it’s hard to really gauge a show by one out-of-context episode, standards like Seinfeld notwithstanding. “University Challenge” didn’t leave me clamoring for more Peep Show, but I wouldn’t be against seeing more, given time.

PC-wise – Maybe. Enjoyable enough, though it’s not a heavy hitter. If you’re in need of a quick PC fix, it’s short and sweet.

Warnings

Swearing and drug/sexual references, but not intense. More sitcommy.