Peep Show is without a doubt one of the best sitcoms of the decade. You don't have to take our word for it - that's what most people are saying. Ricky Gervais called the show "the last thing I got genuinely excited about on British TV" and went on to say he thought it was "the best sitcom since Father Ted" whilst the Guardian called it "the best comedy of the decade".

There's a lot of things which make Peep Show the great comedy it is. Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain's sharp, dark, scripts and intelligent dialogue are definitely a major factor; the unique filming style (e.g. seeing the action through the eyes of the characters) is clearly a contributing element; as are the performances of Mitchell and Webb (who fit perfectly into the shoes of Mark and Jeremy).

Although the camera work certainly makes for interesting viewing it is a bit of a gimmick. Much more satisfying is the cringe-making embarrassment and excruciating faux pas inserted into the show via the dark and twisted inner-monologues of the characters.

Much of the show's humour is best described as 'close to the bone' so it isn't for the masses - maybe this is why, despite all the praise and press, the show has only managed 'average' audience numbers to date (around 1.5m)?

Thankfully C4 have confirmed they're standing behind the show despite the low audience numbers so there is no longer an axe looming over the show (info). Bring on series five!

See our in-depth article for more analysis