The El Dude brothers are back for their ninth series, but some things have changed. Jez and Mark have not seen each other since their argument over Dobby, Mark has a new “rebound brother” flatmate, and Super Hans is sober. Of course none of this lasts long. Mark’s longing for the situation to degenerate is soon fulfilled, and we are returned to a format we know and love so well. Unfortunately, the transition from new to old dominates the entire episode, making it feel like an unnecessarily long exposition to the series, especially as each series has only six episodes.

The episode opens with a perfect conflict of internal monologues, which immediately makes one remember why the unique perspective is so loved by its loyal fan base. The fight over Dobby still divides them, and Mark has moved on while Jez sleeps in Super Hans’ bath. Jez’s pitiful optimism leaves us feeling even worse for him as Mark sells him a £3,000 loan from his new job in a phone-shop-esque bank. Mark’s new colleague and flatmate Jerry is all the boring bits of Mark without any of the endearing similarities he shares with Jez. Mark’s attempts to avoid a William Morris documentary are thwarted, and in trying to deter Jez from moving back in he seems to deter himself: “We’re stick-in-the-muds who like nothing better than watching Civilisation with Kenneth Clark whilst eating artichokes and sea bream.” Jez knows Mark far too well, and can see behind the façade of his breadstick cigar sophistication: “I’ve watched Grand Designs with you. That smile when some eco-glass gets delayed on its way from Antwerp and the nice couple gets pushed over budget. That’s the real you.” It is only a matter of time until Jez is in and Jerry is out.

Peep Show’s reflections on mundanity have gone nowhere, nor has Mark’s historic megalomania. Solidarity is created with the audience over futons, awkward situations, and balancing intellectuality with indulging simple pleasures: “I want to read my Napoleon correspondence AND watch Storage Hunters. Does that make me a bad person?” This is very much the essence of Peep Show – allowing us to watch a farce with an air of satirical superiority.

Jez and Mark both take advantage of each other and end up happier because of it (with the help of a conveniently-bagged Jerry). Discussions are had over “going Litvinenko” and beer waterboarding is employed, all in the name of re-uniting the El Dude brothers for one final series. After nine series it’s time to throw in the towel, which is sad but probably for the best. Even after the ninth instalment the format and humour doesn’t feel old, and I’d rather it didn’t get to that stage, especially given that part of the joke is that the characters are really getting too old to be cohabiting in a flat with no sense of life trajectory. If more series continued, they would be too old to be too old. So it is with a heavy heart, but a big smile, that I watch this final series.