Season 4, Episode 5: "Holiday"

UK air date: May 11th, 2007

NA air date: Never

Jeremy offering Mark some turkey

The El Dude Brothers get up to all sorts of dead dog-related hijinks on Mark’s stag weekend.

I try not to say this too often, but this really is one of the better episodes - marred only by the outlandish 3rd act nonsense with the dead dog.  At any rate, Mark and Jeremy hanging out in an unusual location is a good setup for an episode, even without the stag party aspect.

Some thoughts:

• Jez taking Mark out for his stag is a nice reminder that these two aren’t strangers always after each other but are, in fact, good friends.

• Sophie and Mark are probably the most believable, dysfunctional couple on television.  Like, not in a “funny ha ha” sort of dysfunctional, but the kind you might encounter in real life.  You can almost see the rickety house of cards their weird relationship is made of.  She, the desperate, aging woman who knows she needs a man with ten times Mark’s energy; and Mark, the man in search of a respectable, presentable wife at all costs.

• It never truly dawned on me until watching this about twelve times, but Jez is trying to engineer a foursome with two sisters and Mark.  How bizarre.  Even more bizarre, it seems the girls were up for it.

• Roy Jenkins on Churchill again.  Mark’s still plugging away at that.

• Gerrard mentioned, back before he was a more prominent character.

• As I mentioned, the whole situation with the dog is just a tad too outlandish, particularly the part where they have to eat it.  I mean, it’s funny, but still at-odds with the tone of this series.  I really do think this is one of the strongest episodes of the show, but the ending does push things a tad.

• In his youth (we must assume), Jeremy was a paperboy for one of the Murdoch papers.

• Jez’ and Superhans’ band’s name this time: Various Artists (“Just to fuck over people with iPods.”)

• Pedge mentioned once again.  Evidently married.  Gave his wife an aggressive yeast infection after having sex with a hooker in Estonia.  Will we ever meet Pedge?

Quotes:

Jez: You know how depressed you are about being married?
Mark: Let’s not drag that out now.  ‘I’m looking forward to it.’  That’s the line.  Besides, it’s possible I might find a way out.

Jez: Look, no matter how unpalatable it may be, the fact is I’m your best friend and I know you don’t want to hear it, but I love you.  And in your own dried up, dessicated, weird and unfriendly way, you love me too.  

"No, I'm definitely not one of those."

Mark, haltingly, in couples’ counselling: Right, well, I thought maybe that Sophie might be one of those people who find it difficult - or even impossible - to attain… to achieve…

Sophie, without hesitating: No, I’m definitely not one of those.

Mark: Right…

Sophie, when prompted to open up about their difficulties in bed: Right, well… I’d say that often, Mark, you ejaculate quite a long time before I’ve had time to feel like I’ve started to enjoy our sex.

Mark, stunned: Uh huh.  Thanks for that, Soph.  I’ll make a note of that.

Captain Corrigan

Jez, disappointed the canal isn’t as exciting as he expected: Right, but this is just it - this is totally it?  There’s not going to be any waves, or… mad shit?

Mark: No.

Jez: Can I waterski off the back?
Mark: You’re very welcome to try!

Jez, on his time with Mark: This weekend is going to be one massive dry hump.  Maybe the pressure will build until we actually try to fuck each other.

(one gets the sense that Jeremy has done something exactly like this in the past)

Mark, after Jez forces him to the pub: Oh god, I wish I lived with the chess computer.  The chess computer wouldn’t make me do things.

Mark: Oh, god, it’ll be an orgy.  Great.  Disappoint three people instead of just one.

Jez: Just don’t think about the dead dog.  If I don’t think about it, there’s always a chance it didn’t happen.

Jez: Mark, if I just get rid of the dog corpse, there’s a chance I still might get laid here.

Just a couple of yardies.

UK Stuff:

• This episode has introduced me to the UK’s extensive canal system, converted now for tourist use.  Mark and Jez are on the Shropshire Union Canal.  I believe a specific town is mentioned by Aurora, but I couldn’t make it out.

• Upon entering the pub, Jez sings “this is your stag!” in the style of Laurie Johnson’s theme to “This is Your Life.”  You, too, would know this if you purchased the irresistible collection of mid-century production music, Music for TV Dinners.

• Where are my yards of ale?  We should have these here, although I think there’s a limit to how much beer can be served to one person at a time (which you’ll discover upon ordering a pitcher for yourself).

• Jeremy mentions Yardies, which I know isn’t remotely a big deal but I’ve come to view that as one of the more hilarious terms Peep Show has introduced to me.

• Alan Sugar comes up once again.

• Jeremy Clarkson is mentioned.  I should say that since I started this review blog many moons ago, Jeremy Clarkson has become well-known enough up here that I don’t really feel the need to explain who he is anymore.

• It’s become increasingly clear that people in the UK call “doing the dishes” the “washing up.”

• “The Great Egg Race” is mentioned.  A bit difficult for me to understand just what this show was, precisely, but Wikipedia will tell you that “the show featured teams creating [overly-complicated] mechanical creations in an attempt to solve a problem set at the start of the show. The series obtained its name from the initial challenge of making a device capable of transporting an egg the furthest possible distance without breaking it.”

• Everyone here knows what a "stag weekend" is, but "bachelor party" is overwhelmingly favoured.

WW2 Stuff:

- Mark, talking in his sleep: I’m not wearing them.  They’re Hitler’s boots.  I’m not wearing Hitler’s boots.