Jesse Armstrong: The Surprising Link Between Peep Show and Succession

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It’s unlikely that many people would connect HBO’s critically acclaimed show, Succession, with the British comedy Peep Show. They seem quite different. However, surprisingly, both shows were created by the same person, fifteen years apart.

Few TV shows are as compelling as Succession, which brilliantly mixes fast-paced humor with shocking twists as it depicts the dramatic downfall of a powerful family’s company. Similarly, Peep Show offers a unique perspective – telling the story of two men in their thirties struggling with life, all filmed as if you’re seeing things through their eyes.

Jesse Armstrong’s 2025 film, Mountainhead, felt like a continuation of his hit TV show, Succession, showcasing a similar style. However, his very first creative project from the early 2000s is surprisingly different from Succession, making the link between them quite unexpected.

Jesse Armstrong Created Both The Sitcom Peep Show & HBO’s Succession

Peep Show is a groundbreaking comedy that stands apart from traditional sitcoms. Instead of focusing on elaborate plots, it realistically portrays the everyday lives of roommates Mark Corrigan and Jeremy “Jez” Usbourne in South London. The show is unique for its use of a first-person perspective and the characters’ often gloomy inner thoughts. It was created by Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain, along with TV producer Andrew O’Connor, for Channel 4 in Britain.

Fifteen years after creating Peep Show, Jesse Armstrong launched Succession on HBO. This expensive, satirical drama focuses on a wealthy media family and their scandals as the patriarch ages. Though seemingly very different from Peep Show, both series share the same creator.

Succession & Peep Show Couldn’t Be More Different As TV Comedies

At first glance, Peep Show and Succession seem like completely different shows. Peep Show is a chaotic and hilariously self-aware comedy about two ordinary guys leading disappointing lives. It finds humor in everyday situations, using a unique and creative filming style, while keeping things simple and grounded.

One show is a gritty, realistic depiction of life in a media company, while the other is a grand, intense political drama centered on a wealthy family competing for power. Beyond their different themes, the two shows are vastly different in how they look, feel, and sound. It takes a keen eye to recognize the subtle similarities that actually connect them to the work of creator Jesse Armstrong.

Both Succession and Peep Show present a very pessimistic and critical view of society, shown through the often cruel behavior of their characters. The series immediately establish this tone: Succession opens with a shockingly insensitive prank by Roman Roy, and Peep Show begins with Mark and Jez both trying to manipulate their married neighbor.

These shows share a similar style of quick, witty dialogue and painfully awkward moments. However, beyond those comedic similarities, they don’t have much else in common.

Armstrong’s Work On Veep & The Thick Of It Clearly Informed Succession

Although Peep Show and Succession seem completely different, Jesse Armstrong’s work on other projects helps explain his creative journey. Before Succession, he worked on Veep, a highly praised political comedy, alongside Armando Iannucci, a frequent collaborator, and two other writers from his team.

The American comedy Veep is based on Armando Ianucci’s original British series, The Thick of It, with Jesse Armstrong as one of its key writers. Both of these shows share many similarities with Succession.

Armstrong also co-created the comedy-drama Babylon, which follows London’s police, alongside Danny Boyle and Sam Bain, a frequent collaborator from his Peep Show days. Regardless, his range as a TV creator—from his early British sitcoms to Succession—is remarkably rare in today’s television landscape.

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2025-10-31 03:28