What I've learnt from Peep Show
Usually, I don't watch shows, but I've been working through a few this year, all mainly sitcoms. At 54 episodes spanning nine seasons, Peep Show is by far the longest of the lot, and also one of the more satisfying ones.
For those who don't know, Peep Show's about two dysfunctional men, Mark - an office drone, and Jeremy - a work-shy, wannabe musician - who have one thing in common; they're both very socially awkward.
I can see lots of myself in Mark, he's quite uptight about rules and customs, and he's also somewhat isolated from everyone else with his interest in history. There's the misanthropy which radiates through him, and some of the things that have happened to Mark have also happened to me. I'm somewhat afraid of that fact, since I've not even started uni, and the similarities are rather uncanny - or maybe I'm just anxious :)
The first season is both the most down-to-earth, but also the most uncomfortable to watch, and I found myself frequently having to pause because of the cringe, and the unbearable realisation that Mark and Jeremy were going to make everything far worse. As the show progresses, things do get a bit more outlandish at times, so it does get easier and even rather bingeable.
Another thing about Peep Show that I quite like is that it uses POV perspectives for all the characters, and we get to hear the inner monologues of Mark and Jeremy as they bluff their way through life. I don't think any other show does this, and for that reason alone, I like Peep Show - it's quirky and willing to experiment, even if it's also very offputting. As far as influences on my writing go, it is up there.