Peep Show and Gender - An Exploration of the 'Male Animal'
I had an interview last week. And in my comparatively short time on this Earth I've had a ridiculous number of interviews, and I know as well as anyone that interviewers get bored. They get bored of asking the same old pissy 'describe yourself' questions. But I'll admit that I was a bit caught off-guard when the interviewer asked, 'what would your 'specialist' category be on Mastermind?'.
He then seemed to respond as though 'Peep Show quotes' wasn't an acceptable answer.
Anyway.
For those of you that don't know, Robert Webb (Jeremy 'Jez' Osbourne in Peep Show), is somewhat of an activist for the right for male feelings. He wrote an autobiography (How Not to Be A Boy) examining gender through his experiences of his paternal relationship both with his father and as a father. It's pretty great.
There's also a few great quotes in a promotional interview Webb did with the Guardian newspaper - in which he talks about cooking and gender. Webb points out that despite cooking being a stereotype female activity, when men are seen to do it it is overmasculinised - "TV chefs were all these macho men, who made the kitchen a fantastically aggressive environment. It was like learning that florists were complete bastards, and worked 16-hour shifts: ‘That fucking petunia should never be next to that lily!".
In terms of the characters within the show - to me they almost represent two separate generations of thinking. Jez represents the youngest generation, a stereotype of millennials, with his non-specific sexual orientation and lack of fondness for labels, as well as his immaturity and lack of common sense in the outside world. But we can't forget that when we see Jez it is usually through Mark's POV - and who's to say that that is even particularly reliable, it is almost inevitably bias. What we see, is a stereotype image of the millennial as viewed by the predecessor generation.
Mark, on the other hand, represents an older generation, Jez's predecessor. And through this, is shaped his concept of masculinity. To Mark, masculinity becomes a duty. An aspirational, yet unreachable figure. A pressure, that is bearing down on his shoulders at all times, making him feel worthless, lonely and awkward.
That's why I think the gender representation in Peep Show is so interesting - whilst, yes, I think Jeremy is by no means a figure that viewers wish they were, nor is he a hopeful figure of future generations. But what Jeremy does possess that Mark does not is a clear set of beliefs concerning equality.
Though of course this is sometimes humorously subverted to ironically represent the character's lack of forethought - for example, one of my absolute favourite moments; when Jez is trying to impress and seduce a woman he says, 'you see, I'm a very strong feminist so I believe women should have whatever mad thing they want'.
Possession is also a key theme in Peep Show, Mark and Jez's dreams of gaining something (a relationship, a sexual conquest, a 'big break') speaks to humanity, it speaks of humans as animals. Especially in cases that, when gained, the object of their desire falls to nothing and does not fulfil them. Mitchell explained this in an interview with Andrew Anthony, and how this is not directly related to the gender nor sex of the characters:
“They are men and they do it in a male way, but the fact that they are constantly wanting something and haven’t worked out if the thing they want will make them happy is universal.”
It is also suggested within the interview that the failure of the characters to form lasting romantic connections - either with women or men, as Jez has relationships with both - was not designed as some deep exploration of 'gender truths' - but simply to refresh the show, it is a sitcom after all. And one with nine whole seasons. I think us literature nerds sometimes find that hard to accept.
There is also an interesting exploration of the character's sexualities at different points throughout the series. Both characters are given the opportunity to explore their own sexuality - admittedly Mark in his more, fusty, awkward middle-class, sexually frustrated, kind of a way and Jeremy in his more arrogant, self-important kind of way - but nothing is left binary.
Anyway, I'm aware I've rambled.
(I told you I fuckin love the show)
Check out these links for my references and more info:
How Not to Be A Boy - https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Not-Boy-Robert-Webb/dp/1786890119/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1526484130&sr=8-1&keywords=how+not+to+be+a+boy
Guardian Article - Interview with Robert Webb - https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/may/13/robert-webb-how-not-to-be-a-boy-david-mitchell-peep-show
Guardian Article - Andrew Anthony interview Mitchell and Webb on Peep Show - https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/nov/01/david-mitchell-robert-webb-on-peep-show-we-just-wanted-to-milk-it-interview
Happy reading!
He then seemed to respond as though 'Peep Show quotes' wasn't an acceptable answer.
Anyway.
For those of you that don't know, Robert Webb (Jeremy 'Jez' Osbourne in Peep Show), is somewhat of an activist for the right for male feelings. He wrote an autobiography (How Not to Be A Boy) examining gender through his experiences of his paternal relationship both with his father and as a father. It's pretty great.
There's also a few great quotes in a promotional interview Webb did with the Guardian newspaper - in which he talks about cooking and gender. Webb points out that despite cooking being a stereotype female activity, when men are seen to do it it is overmasculinised - "TV chefs were all these macho men, who made the kitchen a fantastically aggressive environment. It was like learning that florists were complete bastards, and worked 16-hour shifts: ‘That fucking petunia should never be next to that lily!".
In terms of the characters within the show - to me they almost represent two separate generations of thinking. Jez represents the youngest generation, a stereotype of millennials, with his non-specific sexual orientation and lack of fondness for labels, as well as his immaturity and lack of common sense in the outside world. But we can't forget that when we see Jez it is usually through Mark's POV - and who's to say that that is even particularly reliable, it is almost inevitably bias. What we see, is a stereotype image of the millennial as viewed by the predecessor generation.
Mark, on the other hand, represents an older generation, Jez's predecessor. And through this, is shaped his concept of masculinity. To Mark, masculinity becomes a duty. An aspirational, yet unreachable figure. A pressure, that is bearing down on his shoulders at all times, making him feel worthless, lonely and awkward.
That's why I think the gender representation in Peep Show is so interesting - whilst, yes, I think Jeremy is by no means a figure that viewers wish they were, nor is he a hopeful figure of future generations. But what Jeremy does possess that Mark does not is a clear set of beliefs concerning equality.
Though of course this is sometimes humorously subverted to ironically represent the character's lack of forethought - for example, one of my absolute favourite moments; when Jez is trying to impress and seduce a woman he says, 'you see, I'm a very strong feminist so I believe women should have whatever mad thing they want'.
Possession is also a key theme in Peep Show, Mark and Jez's dreams of gaining something (a relationship, a sexual conquest, a 'big break') speaks to humanity, it speaks of humans as animals. Especially in cases that, when gained, the object of their desire falls to nothing and does not fulfil them. Mitchell explained this in an interview with Andrew Anthony, and how this is not directly related to the gender nor sex of the characters:
“They are men and they do it in a male way, but the fact that they are constantly wanting something and haven’t worked out if the thing they want will make them happy is universal.”
It is also suggested within the interview that the failure of the characters to form lasting romantic connections - either with women or men, as Jez has relationships with both - was not designed as some deep exploration of 'gender truths' - but simply to refresh the show, it is a sitcom after all. And one with nine whole seasons. I think us literature nerds sometimes find that hard to accept.
There is also an interesting exploration of the character's sexualities at different points throughout the series. Both characters are given the opportunity to explore their own sexuality - admittedly Mark in his more, fusty, awkward middle-class, sexually frustrated, kind of a way and Jeremy in his more arrogant, self-important kind of way - but nothing is left binary.
Anyway, I'm aware I've rambled.
(I told you I fuckin love the show)
Check out these links for my references and more info:
How Not to Be A Boy - https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Not-Boy-Robert-Webb/dp/1786890119/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1526484130&sr=8-1&keywords=how+not+to+be+a+boy
Guardian Article - Interview with Robert Webb - https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/may/13/robert-webb-how-not-to-be-a-boy-david-mitchell-peep-show
Guardian Article - Andrew Anthony interview Mitchell and Webb on Peep Show - https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/nov/01/david-mitchell-robert-webb-on-peep-show-we-just-wanted-to-milk-it-interview
Happy reading!
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