Peep Show: A Hilarious Glimpse into Twisted Psyches

Over the past few months, I've slowly worked my way through eight series of Peep Show, the sitcom starring comedy duo, David Mitchell & Robert Webb. Peep Show is the longest-running comedy on Channel 4, and after you watch a few episodes, you'll know why.

The show's brilliance lies in the fact that it is filmed entirely in point of view shots. So you look directly at characters and their surroundings, which can be particularly amusing in romantic situations. More importantly, you don't just hear their spoken dialogue, but are treated to their inner monologues as well. These monologues drown out everyone else and reveal the twisted thoughts that plague these characters on a daily basis. Some of these thoughts might hit close to home as they represent what we all think when we're stuck in a boring conversation or are at a heinous dinner party. But in some cases, these are thoughts you would never have entertained in the whole of your existence.

David Mitchell plays Mark Corrigan, an uptight History enthusiast who works as a loan manager at JLB Credit. Robert Webb plays his flatmate, Jeremy "Jez" Usborne. Jez is a free-spirited, pot-addicted, sometimes-musician, who always thinks everything will turn out fine, unlike Mark who worries that everything is constantly wrong. It's a basic Odd Couple scenario, but the point-of-view effect and tightly-scripted episodes add a whole new layer of hilarity to the proceedings. And there are a plethora of incredible supporting characters, including Sophie Chapman (Olivia Colman), Mark's co-worker that he secretly pines for, and Super Hans (Matt King), Jez's drugged-out manic music partner.

All credit is due to the show's writers, Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong, who have consistently produced engaging scripts that keep you in stitches. Over the course of eight series, Mark and Jeremy's fortunes have risen and fallen in remarkable ways and you can never be certain what direction a series will take from the first episode to the last. Peep Show is yet another example of how British comedies can outdo American sitcoms simply because of their short series and emphasis on quality writing. Every episode of Peep Show is overflowing with jokes, sight gags, and observational humor of the highest caliber. So head over to Netflix or Hulu and get caught up before Series 9.