Jez gets involved with Mark’s sister, while Mark might have something going with Big Suze.
- Mark’s sister Sarah makes her first appearance, after having been mentioned twice (the first time was way back in the very first episode). She’ll show up in… one future episode? The party episode in season six, at least. (Which might just be the best one, incidentally.)
- The actress playing Sarah looks quite a lot like David Mitchell. I mean, not identical or anything, but one could honestly believe that these two people are siblings. Good casting.
- Sarah mentions (what my ears perceive to be) “Grange Terrace, before the move.” There’s a Grange Terrace in
- Sarah hasn’t met Jez until now. This isn’t particularly notable, given that Mark likes to stay as far away from his family as possible.
- Jez has symptomless Chlamydia. Can’t that be treated? Did he just recently acquire it?
- Sarah is 29. I’m not exactly sure why, but I think she’s older than Mark. It’s strange when your TV heroes are suddenly (at most!) your age.
- Big Suze is evidently an actor of some sorts. I could be wrong, but I don’t think this is ever mentioned in another episode.
- Mark believes Big Suze to be smart in this episode. Now, while she’s never an outright idiot, I would say that in none of her subsequent appearances has she ever come off as particularly perceptive or intelligent.
- Mark was privately educated until his dad’s British Aerospace shares “went kaput.” More Corrigan family insight.
- Mark’s reaction to jogging is just about right. It seems amazing for about 30 seconds, and then it’s painful and utter shit. Moments like this – shining a light on essential human experiences - are just pure Peep Show.
- When Mark and Big Suze are jogging, they set up very cleverly a few shots of Big Suze looking back at Mark. This show is very good about sticking to its POV rules.
- Jeremy is playing his sex mix from an earlier episode.
- There have been various infidelities in the Corrigan family. While hinted at in previous episodes, I think this is the first time it’s implied that these were a recurring problem.
- This episode suggests that Mark and Big Suze could have been an item, and it’s actually somewhat believable. It would be interesting to see this idea followed up in another episode.
- The final scene between Sarah and Mark (where Mark “breaks up” with his sister) hints at the dysfunctional Corrigan family dynamics.
“What an idiotic boob I was back ten or eleven seconds ago.”
Quotes:
- Mark, playing a video game: “Can’t stop now. Gotta win the war for the Nazis.”
- Mark, reacting to Jez putting the moves on Sarah: “Oh my god, he’s doing it – his routine. He’s doing his routine on my sister!”
- Jez, after Sarah gets him a job: “Turns out getting a job doesn’t involve spending hours and hours making sure you spelled every word on your CV right, eh Mark?”
- Jez: “Who still uses talcum powder?”
- Jez, excitedly: “Let’s crack open the gin!”
- Sarah, to Mark: “You’re loving this, aren’t you?” Evidently it’s not just Jez who uses this line. Perhaps Sarah picked it up from him?
- Mark and Jez meet up with Sarah at the Dolphin. An Internet search reveals this pub to be in Hanwell, in
- Digby, the biggest dog in the world: Some giant dog from a 1973 children’s film.
- Mark and Suze go to a Hawksmoor church. Nicholas Hawksmoor was an architect who designed a few churches in the 17th-18th centuries. Big Suze is related to a Hawksmoor through her mother.
- Mark playfully compares Suze to Christopher Wren, a rival – of sorts - of Hawksmoor.
- Jacket potato: A baked potato.
- Steve Cram and Steve Ovett – “Dominant middle distance runners” during the 1980s, Wikipedia asserts.
War references:
- At the very start of the episode, Mark is playing a real-time strategy game on his computer, “Blitzkrieg.” This game does, in fact, exist.
thanks for the breakdown!
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