''
Peep Show
A peep show or peepshow is a presentation of a live sex show or pornographic film which is viewed through a viewing slot.
Several historical media provided voyeuristic entertainment through hidden erotic imagery. Before the development of the c ...
'' is a
British sitcom
A British sitcom or a Britcom is a situational comedy programme produced for British television.
Most British sitcoms are recorded on studio sets, while some have an element of location filming. A handful are made almost exclusively on location ...
starring
David Mitchell and
Robert Webb
Robert Patrick Webb (born 29 September 1972) is an English comedian, actor, writer, and television personality. He is one half of the double act Mitchell and Webb, alongside David Mitchell. Webb and Mitchell both starred in the Channel 4 sitco ...
. The series follows the lives of two men from their twenties to thirties who live in a
flat
Flat or flats may refer to:
Architecture
* Flat (housing), an apartment in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and other Commonwealth countries
Arts and entertainment
* Flat (music), a symbol () which denotes a lower pitch
* Flat (soldier), ...
in
Croydon
Croydon is a large town in south London, England, south of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Croydon, a local government district of Greater London. It is one of the largest commercial districts in Greater London, with an extensi ...
,
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
. Mark Corrigan (Mitchell), who has steady employment for most of the series, and his
lodger, Jeremy "Jez" Usbourne (Webb), an
unemployed
Unemployment, according to the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), is people above a specified age (usually 15) not being in paid employment or self-employment but currently available for work during the refere ...
would-be musician, are the main characters of the show. It was shown on Channel 4 from 2003 to 2015.
Major characters
Characters appear in all series unless otherwise specified.
Mark Corrigan
Mark Corrigan (portrayed by
David Mitchell) is the miserly, vindictive owner of the flat (in Apollo House) which he shares with Jeremy. Mark is portrayed to be responsible, articulate (both in his inner thoughts and his outer speech) and relatively intelligent, at least compared to most of the other characters. He is also pessimistic, unhappy and
socially and sexually awkward. He had a miserable upbringing, and is terrified of his father, who is gruff and difficult. He is a graduate in
Business Studies from the fictional
Dartmouth University, where he met Jeremy. He passed 7
GCSEs
The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is an academic qualification in a particular subject, taken in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. State schools in Scotland use the Scottish Qualifications Certificate instead. Private sc ...
, and he has a love of
history
History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...
, especially
ancient history
Ancient history is a time period from the beginning of writing and recorded human history to as far as late antiquity. The span of recorded history is roughly 5,000 years, beginning with the Sumerian cuneiform script. Ancient history cove ...
—which he originally wanted to study at university, before being pressured by his parents into reading business studies instead. He often makes references to history - including
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
and
The Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
- in relation to events that happen in his day-to-day life.
Mark is convinced that Jeremy's laziness, lack of logical rigour and indifference towards cultural pursuits are markers of low intellect, but often looks to him for social guidance. He is plagued by
paranoia
Paranoia is an instinct or thought process that is believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety or fear, often to the point of delusion and irrationality. Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs, or beliefs of conspiracy co ...
as to how others perceive him, and by doubts over whether his actions are normal. In spite of his thoughtful and sensible exterior and his tendency to act as the moral center of his surroundings, he has frequent bouts of
selfishness
Selfishness is being concerned excessively or exclusively, for oneself or one's own advantage, pleasure, or welfare, regardless of others.
Selfishness is the opposite of altruism or selflessness; and has also been contrasted (as by C. S. Lewis) w ...
,
schadenfreude and
impulsive behaviour. He loathes many aspects of modern culture, such as drug use and openness of sexuality; Mark often simply endures activities that others around him enjoy, as “the price you pay to avoid loneliness”.
Mark's political sympathies are arguably the most developed of any character on the show, and yet they retain some ambiguity. He appears to be politically rational, if socially the exact opposite. He is mildly
Eurosceptic and often ticks many
centrist
Centrism is a political outlook or position involving acceptance or support of a balance of social equality and a degree of social hierarchy while opposing political changes that would result in a significant shift of society strongly to Left-w ...
and a few
socially conservative
Social conservatism is a political philosophy and variety of conservatism which places emphasis on traditional power structures over social pluralism. Social conservatives organize in favor of duty, traditional values and social institution ...
boxes, although it is unclear whether this is out of true political political conviction or the aforementioned wish to blend into what he considers the center of gravity of society. In the second series he does not seem to mind to be associated with the notion that “
Tony Blair
Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007. He previously served as Leader of th ...
isn’t such a bad thing”, but in the fifth series, he claims "nobody wanted
New Labour
New Labour was a period in the history of the British Labour Party from the mid to late 1990s until 2010 under the leadership of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. The name dates from a conference slogan first used by the party in 1994, later seen ...
" and shows admiration for the
Liberal Democrats’
Paddy Ashdown
Jeremy John Durham Ashdown, Baron Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon, (27 February 194122 December 2018), better known as Paddy Ashdown, was a British politician and diplomat who served as Leader of the Liberal Democrats from 1988 to 1999. Internati ...
. What seems to be clear is that he is uncomfortable with and oft-irritated by political correctness and praises “the miracle of consumer capitalism”, albeit often with pessimistic acceptance rather than enthusiasm. And he seems to genuinely abhor
bigotry
Discrimination is the act of making unjustified distinctions between people based on the groups, classes, or other categories to which they belong or are perceived to belong. People may be discriminated on the basis of race, gender, age, rel ...
and
far-right politics, which in Series 2 causes him to lose one of the few true friends he had made onscreen aside from Jez. He often criticises those who
believe in God, but has been seen praying in times of extreme panic. Although it is never stated in the show,
his surname is of
Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
origin.
When the series starts, Mark has already been a loan manager at a London branch of JLB (a
Frankfurt
Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: , " Frank ford on the Main"), is the most populous city in the German state of Hesse. Its 791,000 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located on it ...
-based loan and credit company) for around four years, at least judging from the timing given by Jez in Series 2. His time at JLB comes to a close when the branch closes down in the first episode of Series 6; later on, Mark works as a waiter at the Mexican restaurant ''Banditos'', a bathroom equipment salesman at ''Bath, Bathrooms, and Fittings'', and finally again as a loan manager at the fictional ''Met City Bank'' with his former boss Alan Johnson. He is fired in the series finale, partly because of Jeremy's belated reaction to an abusive loan Mark had set up for him at the bank.
Mark's obsession with Sophie and his relationship with her (which is his first), is a major storyline of the first four series. Following their disastrous wedding and separation immediately afterwards, he pursues a series of other women during series 5, wondering whether each could be "the one". After a
one-night stand
A one-night stand or one-night sex is a single sexual encounter in which there is an expectation that there shall be no further relations between the sexual participants. It draws its name from the common practice of a one-night stand, a single ...
with Sophie following their breakup, she becomes pregnant and later gives birth to Mark's son.
Mark's only other relationship is with Dobby, whom he meets at JLB shortly after splitting from Sophie. Like with Sophie, Mark gradually succeeds in getting closer to Dobby and ultimately entering a relationship with her, but Dobby leaves him at the end of series 8 for a job in
New York. She returns in series 9 with an
American boyfriend, a new look and a more upbeat attitude, and Mark becomes less attracted to her as a result.
In the final series – 9 – he has a fling with April, whom he knew briefly years earlier, who is now unhappily married to a middle-aged man, Angus. Mark tries to poach her, but fails in the show's finale when he allows Jeremy and Super Hans to kidnap Angus and hold him captive in their flat, which she discovers.
Jeremy Usbourne
Jeremy 'Jez' Usbourne (portrayed by
Robert Webb
Robert Patrick Webb (born 29 September 1972) is an English comedian, actor, writer, and television personality. He is one half of the double act Mitchell and Webb, alongside David Mitchell. Webb and Mitchell both starred in the Channel 4 sitco ...
) is a "
work-shy freeloader" who lives in the spare room of Mark's flat. He is selfish, juvenile and arrogant, but considers himself to be immensely talented and attractive. He is confident, but can sometimes come across as spiteful and stubborn. Although more socially skilled than Mark on a superficial level, his over-confidence and
narcissism
Narcissism is a self-centered personality style characterized as having an excessive interest in one's physical appearance or image and an excessive preoccupation with one's own needs, often at the expense of others.
Narcissism exists on a co ...
mean that in practice he is equally socially inept.
Jez displays a readiness to engage in actions that are detrimental to his friends for his own gain, including ganging up on Mark with a bully, overdosing Mark on
paracetamol to save a
magic mushroom party and then angrily blaming him for the guests' departure, having sex with Sophie (and her mother), ruining some of Mark's onscreen relationships or relapsing Super Hans into drug addiction. His relationship with Mark, which is by far the most developed throughout the series, oscillates between mutual, albeit poorly timed demonstrations of inconditional loyalty and acts and thoughts of deep envy and petty vindictiveness. Jeremy shows a tendency to seriously sabotage Mark's love and work life in ways that are sometimes the result of selfish opportunism, but other times appear to be the unwanted outcome of genuine kindness.
Jez attended Dartmouth with Mark and graduated with a
degree in nursing. Jez was a
nurse
Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health c ...
for a while, but quit because he was "disgusted at having to help people". He also receives financial support from his mother, despite maintaining an estranged relationship with her. For most of the series, he pursues a musical career with his friend Super Hans, in a band with no consistent name, despite having little musical talent or skill. In later series he claims to become a "
life coach
Coaching is a form of development in which an experienced person, called a ''coach'', supports a learner or client in achieving a specific personal or professional goal by providing training and guidance. The learner is sometimes called a ''coa ...
", despite having no ability to do that either. As well as being lazy, Jez is financially reckless, never opens his bank statements, and has apparently spent a "nest-egg" given to him by his mother. He is unaware of how bank loans work, he expresses annoyance at the effort taken to travel to the
job centre
An employment agency is an organization which matches employers to employees. In developed countries, there are multiple private businesses which act as employment agencies and a publicly-funded employment agency.
Public employment agencies
One ...
once a week to claim
unemployment benefit
Unemployment benefits, also called unemployment insurance, unemployment payment, unemployment compensation, or simply unemployment, are payments made by authorized bodies to unemployed people. In the United States, benefits are funded by a comp ...
, and despite Mark's protestations, bizarrely claims that inheriting £20,000 from a great aunt will make him a "
millionaire
A millionaire is an individual whose net worth or wealth is equal to or exceeds one million units of currency. Depending on the currency, a certain level of prestige is associated with being a millionaire. In countries that use the short scal ...
". Neither the threat or the reality of becoming destitute encourages Jeremy to try and earn money and pay his own way.
Jez is free-spirited, popular with women in the short-term, and enjoys
recreational drugs
Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasur ...
as well as
casual sex
Casual sex is sexual activity that takes place outside a romantic relationship and implies an absence of commitment, emotional attachment, or familiarity between sexual partners. Examples are sexual activity while casually dating, one-night ...
, although he has several emotionally attached relationships. His first major love interest during the series is Nancy, whom he marries
in order to allow her to stay in the UK; she leaves him after he admits to having sex with Toni. He later has a fling with Big Suze, whom he split from shortly before the series began. She leaves him when he tries to convince her to have sex with Johnson for money. During series 6, he has a relationship with Elena, during which he discovers that she is in a long-term
same-sex relationship relationship with Gail; he later reveals the affair to Gail. In series 7 he has a fling with Zahra, who lives with her partner Ben. After Zahra and Ben separate, Jez resumes his relationship with her, but she leaves him after he attempts to have sex with Super Hans's girlfriend. In series 8, Jeremy discovers he is in love with Dobby and ruins Mark's plan to
propose to her, thereby putting a six-month hiatus on their friendship. In series 9, he enters a same-sex relationship with Joe - who is over a decade younger than him. Jez pretends to be a year younger than he is, which leads to Joe leaving him at his 40th birthday party, in the finale.
Super Hans
Portrayed by
Matt King, Jeremy's bandmate and friend, ’Super’ Hans is an untrustworthy selfish
fantasist
In psychology, fantasy is a broad range of mental experiences, mediated by the faculty of imagination in the human brain, and marked by an expression of certain desires through vivid mental imagery. Fantasies are associated with scenarios that ar ...
who very frequently uses recreational drugs. His musical skills are implied to be only marginally better than Jeremy's, and at least part of his role (which in Season 2 Jeremy is briefly asked to fill in for) seems to be to merely front for other bands, "hit a few keys on the sequencer, make a bit of a show". Hans' real name is Simon (as revealed during his wedding to Molly in series 9). He experiences a
crack cocaine addiction in the second series, remarking "that crack is really moreish", later referenced again in the final episode of the third series and in the seventh series.
In spite of the damage he routinely causes to his brain, he is portrayed to be a fast thinker, and the drug-addled stream-of-consciousness that passes for his normal speech is occasionally insightful and indicative of a huge volume of pop-culture knowledge. His professed political beliefs appear to be closer to the
far-left of the political spectrum (probably some warped, ''sui generis'' form of
left-wing anarchism combined with a
willingness to provoke outrage) but given that his thoughts are not audible as voice-overs, it is difficult to know how much he truly adheres to anything he says. He ostensibly had a rough childhood which included being locked up by his father to "monitor the home brew." He seems to be unfazed and unaffected by things that would shock, scare or repulse others, but he does appear to have his limits as well, as exemplified by a New Year's Eve party that is too disturbing even for him in the series 7 final episode.
Hans' contentious opinions often contradict Jeremy's ideas. His
tough-love attitude towards Jeremy thinly masks a readiness to betray him whenever it suits him, e.g. edging him out of band projects, stealing his love interests, claming sole ownership of shared song credits or having Jeremy take the blame for his own drug use and then leaving him temporarily homeless in order to save his marriage. His relationship with Mark, on the other hand, is tolerant - although the two have very little in common, Hans seems less concerned by Mark's social awkwardness than others, and even expresses sincere and unprompted appreciation of Mark's character and friendship on the evening before Hans' wedding, while Mark is often surprisingly forgiving of Hans'
eccentric and destructive behaviour.
He works in a recording studio in the first series. At the end of series five he and Jeremy join a religious
cult whose teachings resemble a cross between
Scientology
Scientology is a set of beliefs and practices invented by American author L. Ron Hubbard, and an associated movement. It has been variously defined as a cult, a Scientology as a business, business, or a new religious movement. The most recent ...
and the
theories of Wilhelm Reich, and Hans has (or feigns) a much deeper commitment to their beliefs than Jeremy. During the finale of the sixth series he says that he is father to eight-year-old twins who have an opaque connection to the
German language
German ( ) is a West Germanic language mainly spoken in Central Europe. It is the most widely spoken and official or co-official language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and the Italian province of South Tyrol. It is als ...
. In series five, he says that he is barred from entering some
EU countries. He is of constant surprise to the others, including in the last episode of the seventh series in which he has apparently found the love of his life, a previously unseen young
East Asian woman, who speaks no
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
, but a tiny bit of German. In the final series he marries a woman called Molly. Because of her hatred for Jeremy, Hans asks Mark to be his
best man
A groomsman or usher is one of the male attendants to the groom in a wedding ceremony and performs the first speech at the wedding. Usually, the groom selects close friends and relatives to serve as groomsmen, and it is considered an honor to be ...
at their wedding. However, she leaves Hans after he kidnaps Angus in an attempt to help Mark. At the wedding, it is revealed that Hans's real name is Simon, and two young boys are present who seem to be the aforementioned twins. At the end of the series, he decides to go to
Macedonia and open a
moped
A moped ( ) is a type of small motorcycle, generally having a less stringent licensing requirement than full motorcycles or automobiles. The term used to mean a similar vehicle except with both bicycle pedals and a motorcycle engine. Mopeds typ ...
rental shop.
Russell Brand originally
audition
An audition is a sample performance by an actor, singer, musician, dancer or other performer. It typically involves the performer displaying their talent through a previously memorized and rehearsed solo piece or by performing a work or piece giv ...
ed for the part. Hans was inspired by the character Danny from the film ''
Withnail and I
''Withnail and I'' is a 1987 British black comedy film written and directed by Bruce Robinson. Loosely based on Robinson's life in London in the late 1960s, the plot follows two unemployed actors, Withnail and "I" (portrayed by Richard E. Gran ...
''.
Alan Johnson
Alan Johnson (portrayed by
Paterson Joseph
Paterson D. Joseph (born 22 June 1964) is a British actor. He appeared in the Royal Shakespeare Company productions of ''King Lear'' and ''Love's Labour's Lost'' in 1990. On television he is best known for his roles in ''Casualty (TV series), Cas ...
) is a senior loan manager at JLB. Usually referred to and addressed simply as "Johnson", he becomes friends with Mark after meeting him at work. During series 2, he becomes Mark's boss. His approach to life in general and business in particular is basically an aggressive,
social Darwinian apology of the survival of the fittest and borderline
fascistic, as seen in his eulogy for Gerard in series 8. Although a confident, suave and intelligent businessman and apparently a pillar of the community, he was previously an
alcoholic
Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol that results in significant mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognized diagnostic entity. Predomina ...
for 15 years. Mark continues to get on well with Johnson despite some misunderstandings, and Johnson is one of the few people who takes Mark's side after the breakdown of his marriage to Sophie. Johnson and Jez dislike each other from the start, even more so after Big Suze leaves Jez for him. During series 6, after the termination of the UK JLB operation, he lives in a
council house
A council house is a form of British public housing built by local authorities. A council estate is a building complex containing a number of council houses and other amenities like schools and shops. Construction took place mainly from 1919 ...
with Suze, referred to by Mark as his "
recession
In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction when there is a general decline in economic activity. Recessions generally occur when there is a widespread drop in spending (an adverse demand shock). This may be triggered by various ...
residence" and shows delusions due to his fall from power. He swindles Mark out of £2000 by attempting to make him an executive in a new consultancy agency. In the final episode of series 7, he throws away his
sobriety during a
new year party. He drives an
E39 520i BMW, but later on during the show is seen being driven in an
E65 7 series BMW.
Sophie Chapman
''(series 1–7, guest series 9)'' Portrayed by
Olivia Colman, Sophie is a colleague and
love interest
''Gli Innamorati'' (, meaning "The Lovers") were stock characters within the theatre style known as commedia dell'arte, who appeared in 16th century Italy. In the plays, everything revolved around the Lovers in some regard. These dramatic and pos ...
for both Mark and Jeff. She is initially in a relationship with Jeff, but leaves him and starts a relationship with Mark. She marries him, then immediately separates from him. Her family live in the countryside, and she begins
drinking heavily and taking drugs. She is less friendly with, or respected by, their boss Johnson than Mark is. Dobby and Johnson are the only people in the office to take Mark's side after their disastrous wedding. At the start of series 6, she discovers that she is pregnant with Mark, Jez, or Jeff's child. By the end, a
DNA test
Genetic testing, also known as DNA testing, is used to identify changes in DNA sequence or chromosome structure. Genetic testing can also include measuring the results of genetic changes, such as RNA analysis as an output of gene expression, o ...
proves that Mark is the father. In the first episode of series 7, their son is born. Despite his greatest efforts, Sophie is let down throughout series 6 and 7 by Mark concerning his responsibilities as a father, including unintentionally missing the
christening of his son and therefore losing his rights to name his own baby as punishment. Sophie is mentioned - but does not appear - in series 8. She returns in series 9 for one episode where she offers Mark the chance to live with her and their son at her grandmother's cottage, which she had gained after her death. Mark initially agrees for baby Ian's sake, but changes his mind in favour of pursuing April.
Jeff Heaney
Portrayed by
Neil Fitzmaurice
Neil Simon Fitzmaurice (born 20 August 1969) is an English actor, comedian, and writer. He is best known for his role as Jeff, the love rival of protagonist Mark Corrigan, in the Channel 4 sitcom ''Peep Show''. He has written for a number of ot ...
. Jeff is a colleague of Mark and Sophie's at JLB and an intimidating, manly
bully from
Merseyside
Merseyside ( ) is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in North West England, with a population of 1.38 million. It encompasses both banks of the Mersey Estuary and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wi ...
. He repeatedly clashes verbally and occasionally physically with Mark, not least for the attentions of Sophie, who chooses Jeff but leaves him after he kisses another woman. In the later series, as Mark and Sophie's relationship takes its course, he is frequently seen mocking Mark. After their relationship falls apart, Jeff appears to gradually get close to Sophie again. Mark's anger over this peaks when Sophie even considers naming their child 'Geoff'. However, Sophie sees no connection between this name and that of Mark's rival, instead claiming that she takes it from her uncle. In series 7, he becomes the baby's
godfather when Mark and Jez both fail to turn up on time, and it appears that Jeff and Sophie are back in a relationship by the end of the series, which is a major torment to Mark, who constantly believes that his son will think Jeff is his father. Jeff confirms they are back together when he comes to Mark's house to collect the baby in series 8. Jeff returns in the very last episode in series 9, no longer with Sophie but once again working for Alan when Mark is fired from his new job.
Dobby
''(Series 5–9)'' Portrayed by
Isy Suttie
Isobel Jane "Isy" Suttie (; born 11 August 1978) is a British musical comedian, actress, and writer. She played Dobby in the British sitcom ''Peep Show'', and in 2013 won the gold Sony Radio Academy Award for her radio show ''Pearl And Dave''. ...
. Dobby works in the
IT department of JLB and is a self-described
misfit, much like Mark. She tells Mark that her real name is Debbie, but everyone calls her Dobby. She has many interests that are similar to those of Mark, including
MMORPGs. Mark meets her in series 5 episode 2 in the office canteen and quickly develops strong feelings for her, as does Mark's colleague Gerard soon after. Dobby expresses obvious interest in, and feelings for Mark in the first episodes, and even takes the bulk of the sexual initiative during their first encounters. However, Mark's failure to act on those first overtures and ask her out properly from the beginning, coupled with his general emotional and social immaturity once they start dating, as well as negative circumstantial influence (including Sophie's pregnancy and a disastrous Christmas lunch), leads to an at-times difficult relationship, and she is strongly implied to gradually lose interest in it. By the end of series 7, Mark invites Dobby to move into his flat, and he spends series 8 unsuccessfully encouraging her to do so, while Jez secretly falls in love with her. While Dobby wants to go
interrail
The Interrail Pass is a rail pass available to European residents. Residents of countries outside Europe may purchase the Eurail Pass instead. Types of Interrail Pass include the Interrail Global Pass and the Interrail One Country Pass.
The pa ...
ing across
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...
with Mark, he decides the best way to keep her is to
ask her to marry him in the
Quantocks, as he did with Sophie in series 3. However, Jeremy sabotages this event by revealing his feelings for her to Mark and creating an altercation that results in Dobby walking off to go to New York. In series 9, Dobby returns and meets Mark and the two are friendly towards each other. Just as Mark finally gets over his infatuation with her, he is beaten up by her boyfriend Gregory after he discovers that Mark has been
stalking
Stalking is unwanted and/or repeated surveillance by an individual or group toward another person. Stalking behaviors are interrelated to harassment and intimidation and may include following the victim in person or monitoring them. The term ...
her online for months.
Big Suze
''(played by
Sophie Winkleman
Sophie Lara Winkleman (born 5 August 1980) is an English actress. She is married to Lord Frederick Windsor, the son of Prince Michael of Kent, a paternal cousin of Queen Elizabeth II.
Early life
Winkleman was born in Primrose Hill, London. He ...
, series 3–7)''
Big Suze lived with Jez in a flat (which he nostalgically refers to as the "love shack") for around a year and a half, prior to the start of the first series of the show. She is occasionally mentioned from series 1 but does not make an appearance until her introduction as a major supporting character in the third series. Suze is posh and is an actress, but between roles works as a waitress in a café. Jez is desperate to get back together with her, and although they reunite briefly, she later leaves him for Alan Johnson. Her
nickname
A nickname is a substitute for the proper name of a familiar person, place or thing. Commonly used to express affection, a form of endearment, and sometimes amusement, it can also be used to express defamation of character. As a concept, it is ...
comes from her being tall. Her appearance in the third series was intended for Nancy, but
was unavailable.
During series 6, her relationship with Johnson is troubled, leading to their breakup in series 7, and her throwing a separate New Year's Eve party, resulting in Johnson relapsing into drinking alcohol.
Minor characters
April Danecroft
''(
Catherine Shepherd
Catherine Shepherd is an English comedic actress, writer and director.
Career
In the early 2000s Shepherd appeared in several BBC Radio 4 comedies, as Daisy in the sitcom ''Think the Unthinkable'' alongside Marcus Brigstocke and David Mitchell, ...
, (s2 & 9)''. A Dartmouth University student and shoe salesgirl who has the magical combination of beauty and low self-esteem. Mark pretends to be doing the same course as her at Dartmouth in order to meet her there. He fails in his attempt to have casual sex with her. She returns in s9 as a successful
historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the st ...
and is unhappily married to boring middle-aged historian Angus. She has a fling with Mark.
Gerard Matthew
''(
Jim Howick
James "Jim" Howick (born 14 May 1979) is an English actor and writer, known for his appearances in television series such as ''Peep Show'', ''Horrible Histories'', '' Stag'', ''Ghosts'' and '' Here We Go''.
Early life
Howick was born in Chiche ...
, s4–8)''. Mark's colleague at JLB, and later, his rival for Dobby's affections. He has health problems which sometimes result in a need for a tube up his nose. He has similar interests to Dobby - including
MMORPGs and
live action roleplay. Mark considers himself socially superior to him. In s7, he and Mark form The Dobby Club, an organisation of two who are committed to breaking Dobby up from her boyfriend Simon, deciding that the matter of which of them gets to date her if they succeed can be resolved afterwards. Each would readily betray the other if it meant getting what he wanted. Gerard dies of
flu
Influenza, commonly known as "the flu", is an infectious disease caused by influenza viruses. Symptoms range from mild to severe and often include fever, runny nose, sore throat, muscle pain, headache, coughing, and fatigue. These symptom ...
in the first episode of s8.
Gail Huggins
''(
Emily Bruni
Emily Bruni (born 1975 in Exeter, Devon) is an English actress. She trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. In 2000, she played Tanya in the drama Metropolis by Peter Morgan. She starred alongside Rik Mayall in the sitc ...
, s6-8)''. Elena's long-term girlfriend, a member of
Mensa and a musician. She manages a Mexican restaurant, hiring Mark until she fires him shortly after in s7. In s8, she campaigns to be chairman of the
freehold
Freehold may refer to:
In real estate
*Freehold (law), the tenure of property in fee simple
* Customary freehold, a form of feudal tenure of land in England
* Parson's freehold, where a Church of England rector or vicar of holds title to benefice ...
committee in Apollo House.
Simon
''(
Mathew Baynton
Mathew John Baynton (born 18 November 1980) is an English actor, writer, comedian, singer, and musician best known as a member of the British Horrible Histories troupe in which he starred in the TV series ''Horrible Histories''; as well as an a ...
, s7 & 8)''. Dobby's boyfriend for part of s7. During s8, Simon tries to get Dobby back after she reveals she is going to move in with Mark.
Ian Chapman
''(
Paul Clayton, s4–7)''. Sophie's
homophobic
Homophobia encompasses a range of negative attitudes and feelings toward homosexuality or people who are identified or perceived as being lesbian, gay or bisexual. It has been defined as contempt, prejudice, aversion, hatred or antipathy, m ...
, ultra-
conservative
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...
father who lives with his wife and son in the countryside. He dislikes Mark, but most of the time silently resents him, rather than trying to break Sophie and Mark up. After Mark
impregnate
Fertilisation or fertilization (see spelling differences), also known as generative fertilisation, syngamy and impregnation, is the fusion of gametes to give rise to a new individual organism or offspring and initiate its development. Proce ...
s Sophie, he tries to persuade Mark to get back together with Sophie. Mark and Sophie's baby is named after him.
Zahra
''(
Camilla Marie Beeput, s7)''. A young woman whom Jez meets in a hospital waiting room while her partner Ben is in a
coma. Ben regains consciousness and later employs Jez, in a role which Jez uses as a means to try to get close to, and eventually
seduce
Seduction has multiple meanings. Platonically, it can mean "to persuade to disobedience or disloyalty", or "to lead astray, usually by persuasion or false promises".
Strategies of seduction include conversation and sexual scripts, paralingual ...
, Zahra. She is interested in many refined subjects that are beyond Jez, such as foreign-language films and
classic literature
A classic is a book accepted as being exemplary or particularly noteworthy. What makes a book "classic" is a concern that has occurred to various authors ranging from Italo Calvino to Mark Twain and the related questions of "Why Read the Cla ...
, including ''
Frankenstein
''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' is an 1818 novel written by English author Mary Shelley. ''Frankenstein'' tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a sapient creature in an unorthodox scientific ...
'', which he pretends to know about and be interested in as a means to impress her. Jez and Zahra eventually have a fling, unbeknownst to Ben. When Ben and Zahra later break up, Zahra asks Jez to move in with her. She dumps him before he is able to accept her offer, because she finds out that he attempted to
cheat on her.
Elena
''(
Vera Filatova, s6)''. Elena is an
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is a subregion of the European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic connotations. The vast majority of the region is covered by Russia, whic ...
an immigrant who lives in the same block of flats as Mark and Jez. She works part-time as a
legal secretary
A legal secretary is a particular category of worker within the legal profession. Background
In the practice of law
In its most general sense, the practice of law involves giving legal advice to clients, drafting legal documents for clients, ...
in
human rights law and deals
marijuana on the side. She has a
sexual attraction
Sexual attraction is attraction on the basis of sexual desire or the quality of arousing such interest. Sexual attractiveness or sex appeal is an individual's ability to attract other people sexually, and is a factor in sexual selection or ma ...
towards fathers, is
bisexual, and in a long-term relationship with Gail. She hides the relationship from Jez at the start of their fling, which goes on to become a secret
affair. She likes
spelt bread as she is
wheat intolerant.
Nancy
''(
, s2 & 4)''. Arriving in Britain from the
US where she had a
conservative
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...
upbringing, Nancy is
hedonistic
Hedonism refers to a family of theories, all of which have in common that pleasure plays a central role in them. ''Psychological'' or ''motivational hedonism'' claims that human behavior is determined by desires to increase pleasure and to decre ...
and carefree. Her attitude towards love and relationships is affected by her upbringing and her
Christian beliefs clashing with her personality and desires, leading her to send her boyfriend Jez very mixed messages, from having adventurous, frequent sex to
abstaining completely. She marries him to stay in the UK, but does not reciprocate his love for her.
Toni
''(Elizabeth Marmur, s 1–2)''. The next-door neighbour of Mark and Jez, and an object of their affections throughout the first series of the show. She separates from her husband Tony (
John Hodgkinson) in s1, but the couple reunite during s2, although they still argue. Her father died when she was three and she appears to be seeking a
father figure
A father figure is usually an older man, normally one with power, authority, or strength, with whom one can identify on a deeply psychology, psychological level and who generates emotions generally felt towards one's father. Despite the literal te ...
. During her childhood she regularly went
skiing
Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow. Variations of purpose include basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee ( ...
. She has two sisters; one with
cancer
Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...
, and a half-sister. She is headstrong and
liberal
Liberal or liberalism may refer to:
Politics
* a supporter of liberalism
** Liberalism by country
* an adherent of a Liberal Party
* Liberalism (international relations)
* Sexually liberal feminism
* Social liberalism
Arts, entertainment and m ...
, and engages in casual sex with Jez on a few occasions. In s1 e2, she engages in
pyramid selling, but at the end of s2 she is working as a supervisor in a
call centre
A call centre ( Commonwealth spelling) or call center ( American spelling; see spelling differences) is a managed capability that can be centralised or remote that is used for receiving or transmitting a large volume of enquiries by telephon ...
.
Ben
''(Danny Babington, s7).'' Jez and Mark meet Ben - who is in a coma - and his partner Zahra in hospital where Mark and Jez accompany Sophie, who is giving birth to Mark's son. Jez works for Ben in order to spend time with Zahra, enabling Jez to have a fling with her.
Sarah Corrigan
''(Eliza L. Bennett, s3 & 6-8).'' Mark's sister, a
solicitor who aids Mark in regard to
custody rights over his son. She first appears having split up with her husband. Jez quickly seduces her, much to Mark's chagrin which worsens when he has sex with her the same night they meet. Jez finishes with her very soon after he finds out Suze is single, but she continues to show a sexual interest in him every time she appears. Although Jez tries to avoid her, he briefly moves in with her and her son Joshy in s8, when he agrees to move out of Mark's flat but realises that he has nowhere to go.
Megan
''(
Cariad Lloyd, s9)''. A barmaid whom Jez meets during Super Hans'
stag night :''Stag night is the UK, Canadian, Irish, Australian and New Zealand term for a Bachelor party.''
''Stag Night'' is a 2008 American horror film written and directed by Peter A. Dowling and starring Kip Pardue, Vinessa Shaw, and Breckin Meyer. The ...
. He gives her life coaching to help her pursue her dream job as an artist. Jez has an affair with her boyfriend Joe, and also ends up having sex with her behind his back. By coincidence, the two discover the other's cheating with Jez at the same time. Megan agrees to have a "
threeism" with the two men based on a set of guidelines, but a dispute on who gets to be with who on which day results in Joe leaving Megan for Jez. Despite her anger towards Jez, Megan attends his 40th birthday, where she reunites with Joe after Jez breaks up with him.
Joe
''(
Bart Edwards, s9)''. Megan's boyfriend. Jez has sex with him on an impulse, which results in an ongoing relationship between the two. Jez also has sex with Megan, but chooses Joe over her. His older age prevents him from keeping up with Joe, and Jez pretends to be a year younger than he actually is when Jez's 40th birthday approaches. Joe buys him some tickets to spend a whole week
raving
Raving may refer to:
* Rave, a party
*Raving, Iran, a village in Hormozgan Province, Iran
*Official Monster Raving Loony Party, a single-issue, parodical political party in the United Kingdom
* ''Raving'' (film), a film
*''Rayman Raving Rabbids
...
together, but Jez declines, so Joe returns to Megan.
Big Mad Andy
''(Liam Noble, s3 & 8)''. An emotionally volatile handyman whom Jez manages to befriend after Andy is tasked with repairing a bathroom door destroyed by Super Hans. Jez attempts to 'life coach' Andy in a futile and self-serving effort to treat Andy's patently urgent mental health problems. Andy is a heavy drinker who punches people when intoxicated in order to provoke a fight and have his own thoughts "punched out of him".
Jerry
''(
Tim Key
Timothy David Key (born September 1976) is an English poet, comedian, actor, screenwriter and radio personality. He is best known for playing Alan Partridge's sidekick Simon in '' Mid Morning Matters'', '' Alpha Papa'', and '' This Time'', as ...
, s9)''. Mark's colleague who moves in to Jeremy's old room. Although mild-mannered, cheerful, and ostensibly sharing a lot of Mark's more cultured interests (books, history), Jerry proves an irritant, and Mark wishes to return to his more low-brow domestic arrangement with Jeremy.
Overview
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Peep Show Characters, List Of
Channel 4-related lists
Lists of British sitcom television characters