Mark is finally in a relationship with someone he likes, Jeremy has a job he enjoys and Super Hans is cleaning up his act. Can it be that the nation's favourite losers are finally on a winning streak? Of course not. That would completely ruin what is turning out to be the finest series of Peep Show yet.

On Friday, as we reached the halfway point in series seven, both Mark and Jez were struggling with trouser-led dilemmas: Jez lusting hopelessly after the dense but beautiful Zahra, and Mark, although now loved-up with Dobby, worrying about his performance in the bedroom. Which made way for the introduction of a new character called Kenneth. Mark's discussion with himself about Kenneth was the highlight of the series so far – when he told Kenneth to "remain at Brize Norton" I actually had Gillian McKeith-style head-swims I laughed so much.

The season got off to a flying start with the birth of Sophie's baby. There is no situation more laced with comic potential than a maternity unit waiting-room and the script was positively bulging with gags – my favourite being Jez's reaction to hearing Sophie might need a cervical sweep: "Chim-chim-cheree!" Somehow, amidst all the funnies, the episode ended on a truly emotional note as Mark was handed his son for the first time. They hardly ever do real pathos on Peep Show because they're too busy making us recoil in mild, comic horror but this was deftly handled. My eyes leaked.

We progressed to Mark and Gerrard's joint pursuit of Dobby. Gerrard is the only character who makes Mark feel superior so he adopts this sort of Fisher Price alpha-maleness when he's with him. No one's really convinced by it, least of all Mark himself but it's great to see him pretending to be "the man" while obviously being about as forthright and decisive as Vera from Coronation Street.

Jez, meanwhile, is still pretending to be someone else in order to attract thick but beautiful women. The scene between him and Zahra after they'd been to see Amélie (she thinks Amélie is the pinnacle of French cinematic achievement) was wondrous. "See you tomorrow then," she said as her taxi pulled away. "À demain!" she added. "No, you da man," replied Jeremy. Just so neatly done.

It would be nice to see some more intelligent, or indeed likeable, female characters in this series but then I suppose no woman with normal brain activity would stay around these two clowns for long. I love the stagnant nature of Jeremy's character – it's totally believable. While Mark is at least having some life experience (getting married, having a child) Jeremy has no reason to grow up, so doesn't. Yet they both run round and round and always end up where they started.

The way the producers have managed to keep both men in stasis for seven series is brilliantly clever. It does give the show potential to run and run. Even if they went away for a bit, I still need to see Mark and Jeremy's midlife crises. Can you imagine?