I know, I know. It’s now 2024, but I’m still within my rights to finish this series! And what an episode to be the penultimate in the series. Yes, my second favourite Christmas episode of all-time is Peep Show‘s delightful Christmas episode from its seventh series. It’s highly likely that most of the memes you’ve seen from this show come from this episode and there’s a good reason for it. Not only is this a great Christmas episode but it also ranks among the very best episodes of this classic’s entire run.
Part of what makes it so special is the peak-behind-the-curtain quality of the episode. Aside from his sister Sarah, this is the first we see of Mark’s family. The dynamic between he and his dad is encapsulated so perfectly in under 15 minutes and informs so much about the characters. I mentioned in previous installments how the awkwardness and family dysfunction of family gatherings at Christmas can be mined for drama and comedy, and this is the pinnacle of that. Between Mark’s hesitance to tell his parents about his relationship, Mark’s father’s constant belittling of his son and Sarah’s insistence on trying to flirt with Jeremy. Fan favourite Super Hans’s unexpected appearance only adds to the hijinks.
For the kind of show that Peep Show is, the best episodes tend to be the ones with the most uncomfortable social interactions. Dobby indirectly calling out Mark for his shit behaviour is an episode highlight as is Jez’s “chicken run” turn in charades, but it doesn’t get better than the final section of the episode where things reach a real boiling point. The unbearable tension becomes active aggression. Mark’s father’s dismissive treatment of Dobby is hard to watch, especially given Mark’s delayed reaction. But there is definitely some catharsis to Mark’s eventual standing up for himself, even if, in typical Peep Show fashion, our lead characters are never really happy or dignified.
There isn’t much to say about this one aside from just recapping the events. It’s a comedic masterpiece, and at just 25 minutes, it’s an easy one to throw into your Christmas watchlist every year. In fact, I don’t think any one episode of television has ever captured the true experience of Christmas day like this one does. If you’ve never watched Peep Show, please do, and once you get to this episode I can assure you that you’ll understand why it’s got the silver on this ranking.