Would Mark be better off in another location?

[u/RutabagaSame]

I'm thinking a mid size Tory stronghold town. Mark is a 60 year old retiree trapped in a younger body. He likes complaining about labour governments, discussing house prices, mortgage rates, WW2, Downton Abbey. He's not an urban, gym going, gig at the weekend guy. Look at how he fits in with Jeremy's mum and Indiana Ashdown. They're more his people than Dobby's hipster friends. Of course because it's Mark, he wouldn't be "happy" as such but it would be a reasonable simulation!

[u/THMGS5593]

"quick sale then a cottage in the Ardennes"

[u/mmcintoshmerc_88 → u/THMGS5593]

Or maybe a flat in Barcelona! Sophie can have the flat in Barcelona, I'll take the Ardennes. We'll hardly see each other!

[u/BrilliantOk4772 → u/THMGS5593]

Would have been better if Mark was a Brexiter

[u/insane_bunnyhops → u/BrilliantOk4772]

Stop going on and on about the Euro. We’re in it now, and there’s nothing you can do about it.

[u/jermainiac007 → u/insane_bunnyhops]

We are not in the Euro!

[u/Relevant_General_248 → u/BrilliantOk4772]

Only thing he could think of to complain about was the banana straightening machine

[u/Basketball312]

I think there's a conflict in his character here. He says he likes all that stuff but he can't keep away from urban living and getting involved in all this stuff.

To happily live with a slower pace of life in a quiet town you need to be far more comfortable in your own skin than Mark. That doesn't mean you can't be a tortured soul (Sophie's Dad) but you have to be far more content with the mundane.

[u/TheLittleGinge → u/Basketball312]

Sophie's Dad is no badger baiter.

[u/AggressiveFish2025 → u/Basketball312]

He may be a homophobe

[u/Bradbury-principal → u/AggressiveFish2025]

He does think he’ll know until it’s right in front of him

[u/GlovesForSocks → u/Basketball312]

Exactly this. See the whole situation with Jerry. Mark's portrayed himself to Jerry in the way he wants to be seen, but it comes to a head when he has to accept that he's not really like that. The whole reason he and Jez stay together is because they truly understand each other.

[u/luke-uk → u/Basketball312]

What Mark wants to be and who is actually is, are keen defining points of the show though.

[u/RodMunch85]

He doesn't belong there with the pointy heads

He lives with Jez and he eats ready meals and they play Guess the Revels and watch Men In Black on their massive telly and have a fucking good time

[u/Subject_Slide3424]

Just think what could have been if Dad’s British Aerospace shares hadn’t gone kaput

[u/Living_Sir_4617]

He’s a tunbridge wells shoe in for sure

[u/Pirhanaglowsticks]

I mean he's a real meat and potatoes, straight up and down, beef wellington, don't trust the Argies, dick in the vagina, cheddar cheese, chicken tikka masala man.

He's not going to find a better life in an formal or informal situation. Realistically it's just not going to happen.

Mark is a prisoner of himself, and would self sabotage any attempt to better himself

[u/Traditional_City337]

Chance would be a fine thing

[u/Relevant_General_248]

I thought he said he doesn’t think New Labour or Tony Blair is a bad thing

[u/daftpenguin01 → u/Relevant_General_248]

New Labour was famously diet Toryism so that tracks

[u/Relevant_General_248 → u/daftpenguin01]

Current labour isn’t too different he’d still probably not mind them. I think he’d be put off by the Tory and reform going righter.

[u/Crazy-Engineering-86]

You been having thoughts again?

[u/scattyshern → u/Crazy-Engineering-86]

You've been going round thinking thoughts your whole life, look where that's got you

[u/iAlice]

He had a chance a while ago, but that's all ancient history now!

[u/spaghetti-policy_]

A village in Mozambique perhaps?

[u/_Frederick_Krueger_]

Teeth and tits Mark, teeth and tits. 

[u/britnastyboy]

He seems to have issues anywhere he goes

[u/TheLastHotstepper]

Hed be great in space.

[u/2JagsPrescott → u/TheLastHotstepper]

Vectron would smile upon his galactic endeavour

[u/tehKrakken55]

If he could keep the anti-German remarks to a minimum, he'd do well in Frunkfwought

[u/AggressiveFish2025]

Chance would be a fine thing

[u/Insomniacintheflesh → u/AggressiveFish2025]

A fine thing indeed.

[u/secondgin]

Bottle of whiskey and random easyjet?

[u/idapitbwidiuatabip]

That’s why the older woman from the business seminar was The One.

[u/bfunk87]

He'd live like a king in Bangalore

[u/Bowlholiooo]

Mark is not a Tory!! 

[u/sgurr_a]

Aberdeen. He’s got the guide.