Inside No. 9 Online

I have always found everything Steve Pemberton and Reece Sheersmith have written and performed in together total mesmerising. Their stories are highly original and imaginative. All their characters are thoroughly amusing, sometimes poignant and usually down right odd! I love stories with a twist, and so far the tales in this series have not disappointed, they get you thinking and are full of anticipation, Steve and Reece, please keep writing together! I loved The League of Gentlemen and Psychoville and this is well on par with that. They appear to be influenced by the horror genre and their individual episodes are reminiscent of The Twiighlight Zone only more sophisticated. Their acting is so convincing and they can easily portray all the crazy characters without going over the top. Supported by some well known faces, it is interesting to see the interaction between the actors. In my eyes these guys can do no wrong! Can't fault the series so far!

Absolutely, one of the best shows I've seen in years. The only show that has good twists that neither my girlfriend nor I ever see coming. Amazing dark British humor at its best. Needs to expand its fan base into the US and Canada even more. Put it on BBC America and/or one of the streaming services. Some of my favorite episodes are: 12 Days Of Christine, A Quiet Night In, Tom & Gerri, The Harrowing, The Trial Of Elizabeth Gadge, La Couchette. Hopefully, the show has many more seasons to come. I can say for sure that this is one of the few programs that truly leaves me shocked. At the end of many episodes, I am left staring at the screen, with my mouth agape. I really cannot get enough of this brilliant show! More people need to become as obsessed with this show as I have become!

This is the funniest half hour I have had watching TV for a long time , it started with slapstick ,turned to hilarious comedy with the two hapless burglars ,and then came the bedroom /bathroom scene ,this was worthy of the best of any of David Jason's scenes in Fools and Horses ,I had to pause the programme to wipe away the tears of laughter. No sooner had the hilarity ended then we had a moment of high drama followed by more comedy with the dumb salesman and then the grand finale which took me completely by surprise . The plot twisted and turned and was brilliantly written and acted . I can't wait for the next Inside No 9.

Inside No. 9 is the brain child of Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith, the writer/actors party responsible for The League of Gentlemen, which I think is one of the best British TV comedies ever. With this new series, they retain the comedy with horror undercurrents basic idea but with each separate episode being a standalone teleplay. All stories occur in a place with the address no. 9. The format is such that the action in each instalment never moves from the one location. It reflects that these have been made on a pretty tight budget but despite this the writing is good and the cast does include several respected actors such as Katherine Parkinson, Denis Lawson and Gemma Arteton; Pemberton and Shearsmith themselves are of course brilliant character actors themselves and appear throughout the series too.

Season One:

Sardines – in a large country house, a game of sardines is played, resulting in everyone ending up in a wardrobe in one of the bedrooms. This is a claustrophobic opener.

Tom & Gerri – a man enters a downward spiral when he befriends a mysterious tramp. This episode is the best of the series. A genuinely dark tale.

A Quiet Night In – a couple of bugling burglars try to steal a painting from a luxury home. This is I guess the experimental episode. It plays out effectively like a silent movie.

Last Gasp – a pop star dies while making a home visit to a sick girl, his entourage and the family then squabble over a balloon which holds his dying breath. This is the weakest episode, with a definite lack of material.

The Understudy – an acting understudy eventually assumes centre stage but at a price. This one is an interesting atmospheric tale.

The Harrowing – a teenage girl is hired to house sit but it appears that there are scary things going on in this home. This is the most clearly horror influenced segment. It has interesting things going for it but it doesn't really amount to as much as it could.

Overall, the first season is good but not a great one. As a comedy it's really not all that funny, surprisingly so when you take into account just how hilarious The League of Gentlemen was. But to be fair, I don't honestly think they were going for laughs a lot of the time, quite often it seemed like it was the dark tone that was the main idea. Ultimately pretty uneven but certainly an interesting bit of work though.

Season Two:

La Couchette - a group of passengers share a Trans Europe sleeper carriage in a train where something very bad happens in the night. A good start to season two that benefits from some fine comic performances from a good cast of TV familiars. This one is quite a bit more obviously funny than most in the series.

The 12 Days of Christine - twelve key days in the life of a woman called Christine. I reckon that this has to go down as the best episode in all of 'Inside No. 9'. In fact, this is one of the best bits of television I can remember seeing for a long while. In half an hour, this fantastically constructed episode conveys a huge amount of genuine emotion in an interesting and original way. Sheridan Smith is quite brilliant here also.

The Trial of Elizabeth Gadge - two witch finders arrive at a village in order to interrogate a woman accused of witch-craft. The influence of the 17th century horror films of the British film studio Tigon is very much in evidence. A little more straightforward than most in season two, yet very satisfying all the same.

Cold Comfort - a new volunteer worker at a Samaritans phone line experiences a series of unpleasant events. Once again this is an episode that shows huge invention on the part of its creators. Shot from a permanent split-screen that shows the views of three static in-house cameras, the story is expertly told and uses this restriction to its benefit even if the final pay-off is perhaps slightly under-par.

Nana's Party - events at a family birthday party go from bad to worse. This one is typified by lots of psychological tensions maximised by a set of oddball characters that don't seem to know how to socially interact.

Séance Time - a bad tempered TV prankster gets more than he bargained for during a mock séance he set up. Like the final episode of season one, this is another that goes for a horror styling in a much more overt manner. Once again it works well, as a result of some strong acting, even if it isn't ultimately the best work of the series.

In summary, season two was a blinder and, for my money, noticeably stronger that season one. I think Shearsmith and Pemberton have really got into their stride here and there really aren't any weak episodes in this second batch at all. The level of invention is highly impressive and the quality overall is very high indeed.

While I'm not a "League of Gentlemen" fan; I loved Reece's performance in "A Field in England." Therefore I was prepared to give "No 9." a go. This series has an impressive line up of guest stars from Katherine Parkinson to Tamsin Greig. Each episode is a mini-play set in a different location. I especially liked the creepy mansion in the final one. The stories contain twists, humour & horror. Only one of them ("The Last Gasp") disappointed me. The make-up and costumes for Reece & Steve are great. "Sardines" has a terrific end to hook viewers in. "A Quiet Night In" is full of surprises. "Tom & Gerri", my favourite, is a compelling moral tale. "The Understudy" examines the price of success. "The Harrowing" is traditional horror with a scene stealing role for Reece. I look forward to a second series.

Every episode has a different storyline, each one extremely well written, keeping you guessing until the very end. In no way can you predict what is going to happen in any of the episodes. The best black comedy series I've ever seen, well worthy of a 10 star rating.

When asked if the Voyager space probe should carry an audio recording of J. S. Bach's music, Carl Sagan (or possibly Freeman Dyson) supposedly replied: "That would just be showing off." If we assume aliens have any concept of dark humour and visual storytelling, the same could be said about this series.

The first three episodes are absolute masterpieces of their respective (quite different) styles, which is even more impressive when you realise they were all written and directed by the same people.

Episode 4 is probably the weakest of the first series, but episode 5 is fairly solid and the finale goes back to near perfection, manipulating the audience's assumptions to deliver a surprise even after we've learned to expect it.

The second series can't quite live up to the first. There are a few stylistic highlights (especially the 2nd and 4th episodes) and a few laughs (especially in episode 3), but the plots are more disjointed, the twists more predictable, the direction blander, the endings less satisfying. Even the order of the episodes somehow feels "wrong". It's still better than 99% of what's on TV, and definitely worth watching, but it won't humiliate alien film-makers as thoroughly as the previous season.

Yes, it is short, and yes, I don't think it's long enough to make me satisfied every time. This is a really good show if you just sit down, be patient, watch it, and think. Steve and Reece are my favorite and two of the most talented producers and writers I know. Really want to support this show. Don't make it stop.

Inside No 9 is another creation from Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith who together had created Psychoville and were a huge part in creating The League of Gentlemen, two very good dark humour comedy shows with less then a decade between them and three years after Psychoville had ended Inside No 9 was born.

The best way to describe Inside No 9 is by calling it an anthology show with loads of horror, drama and comedy in it whilst being set in or around a number 9. Each episode has it's own story and they are usually creative, original and interesting which for half an hour per episode is very good.

Most of the episodes are amazing works of art whilst some others may not have what the others do to be great, but with it being an anthology show is good because if you do not like one episode you may like another.

The stories of this show are very good as you could have an episode about people playing sardines in a wardrobe, a witch trial or even an episode about an art exhibit. If this show lacks in one area it will more then likely make up for it somewhere else.

It is best not to say too much about this show as it can be easily spoiled, so if you think you will like this show give it a try the worst that can happen is that you will lose about half an hour, but if it goes well you will have a new show to watch.

If you like The League of Gentlemen or Psychoville there is a very high chance you will like this and also if you like dark humour you will probably love this show. Remember this is my opinion not yours, have a good one :)

But a lot better in many respects. With only one episode left this has been an interesting ride.

Shearsmith & Pemberton work/write very well together and their pedigree is indisputable. Some of the twists could have been less telegraphed but overall the quality of the work is high and evident and its diversity will find fans amongst most viewers.

What works well is the casting done afresh for each episode (other than Pemberton and Shearsmith who are chameleons.) It shares the love and lends separation between tales. A mix of big hitters and new blood can make the writing shine.

I confess that Sardines was making me impatient at first - the mortifying awkwardness of Ian for example - but when we finally are given the reason for "Stinky" John's aversion to soap and the darkness really begins to gather it becomes compelling.

Tom and Gerri was a really sterling tale. The twist was neatly concealed and delivered with a sting. Gemma Arterton was a great choice for Gerri with that rare combination of flawless beauty and earthiness that is the golden rock to which Tom's life is moored. The pathetic figure of Migg was so woebegone that it made the thing work - who couldn't feel sympathy for such a bedraggled battered figure? So when things turn sinister it feels like a betrayal.

Last Gasp fell a little flat for me though Tamsin Grieg added a frisson with salty language and a heartless character. The Understudy was fun, particularly Pemberton's drunken thespianic rants and the twist another kicker.

Overall a splendid work. I sincerely hope these gentlemen can produce more like this because contemporary television needs all the help it can get.

Plot twists seem to be a difficult thing to pull off well as they have a tendency to either be very predictable when done poorly - making continuing to watch feel pointless and the ending totally disappointing if you do continue after calling it so early - or they can just end up being so contrived and convoluted as to be completely ridiculous which feels equally as disappointing.

Inside No. 9 however is like some kind of plot twist master class where the twists are usually impossible to predict, or twist again if you did work it out or sometimes there is no twist at all... which is itself a twist when you're expecting something to happen. On top of this with the format regularly shifting from comedy, to horror to drama and episodes often being dark or whimsical it becomes quite impossible to have any idea what path it is going to take from the outset with the ending either playing out as one big punch line or one horrifying realisation regardless of how funny or dark the rest of the episode was.

Also impressive is the ability to generally set each story in such a confined space without it becoming claustrophobic or boring as is often the case with bottle episodes. Often achieving this through the use of interesting styles and settings like a lack of dialogue or playing around with the flow of time in the story which in itself would make for excellent episodes even if there were no cleverness to the story. So much intrigue and character is packed into every scene that you feel as if you could probably watch for hours without tiring of the repetitive setting.

Some episodes really are genius whilst a few are a little weaker but make it no less watchable but as a series because they keep you guessing and only make you appreciate the next episode all the more. I admit I almost gave up on the series during the first episode when it was described as comedy but was a little tedious and not overly funny but I am glad I didn't because episode by episode it has only become more engrossing, funnier, darker and ever perplexing.

The one drawback it has being quite so clever is it will never be as re-watchable as the League of Gentlemen or Psychoville unless you use electroshock therapy (or just bang your head against a wall) to erase the outcomes from your mind... so I can only hope they're able to keep it going for a few more series before the universe's supply of creativity is depleted.

From the writers and creators of The League of Gentlemen and Psychoville, when I heard the title I assumed it would be something to do with the house opposite No. 10 Downing Street, I could not be more wrong. Writers and stars Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton brought us another British series full of fantastic dark comedy, but this was not a sitcom or series of sketches, it is an anthology series. Each half hour episode focuses on a self-contained storyline with new characters and new settings, the stories are only linked by the fact that they take place at a number 9, e.g. house, flat, desk, dressing room, etc. Shearsmith or Pemberton, usually both, star in each episode, but each has a new cast, a number of well-known stars, these have included: 4.3.2.1.'s Ophelia Lovibond, The Musketeers' Luke Pasqualino, The IT Crowd's Katharine Parkinson, Four Weddings and a Funeral's Anna Chancellor, Green Wing's Julian Rhind-Tutt, The Mother's Anne Reid, EastEnders' Timothy West, Nativity's Marc Wootton, Oona Chaplin (Charlie's granddaughter), Denis Lawson, Fonejacker's Kayvan Novak, Gemma Arterton, Tamsin Greig, Sophie Thompson, Dead Set's Adam Deacon, Skyfall's Helen McCrory, Mark Benton, Coronation Street's Julie Hesmondhalgh, Jack Whitehall, Sheridan Smith, Paul Kaye, Another Year's Ruth Sheen, David Warner, Jane Horrocks, Tony Way and Alison Steadman. Stories in the first series included: a game of Sardines that turns dark, bumbling burglars trying to steal a painting from a mansion, a homeless man stepping into the lives of a couple and changing dynamics, a celebrity dying at a little girl's birthday and his last "valuable" breath being held in a party balloon, an understudy actor doing whatever it takes to steal the leading role of Macbeth, and a young girl hired to house sit in a Gothic mansion with bumpy noises and a disabled family member "not to be disturbed". Stories in the second series included: a French sleeper carriage with passengers coming in and out and a dead body in a bunk bed, a young lady's life is mixed and unravelled following a car accident towards Christmas and New Year, a woman is put on trial in the 17th Century as she is accused of witchcraft, a man starts working for a helpline company called Comfort Support Line and gets some disturbing calls, a grandmother's 79th birthday party with a a large fake cake for hiding someone underneath brings out some embarrassing but also life changing home truths, and a TV personality sets up a séance with an actress playing a spiritualist medium to prank unsuspecting members of the public, only for it to turn dark. It is a fantastically written and performed show by Shearsmith and Pemberton, each episode is full of great jokes, dark and sinister or moving and dramatic moments, believable domestic and social situations that become unusual, strange, cringing or twisted, and you never know what to expect, a must see British dark comedy anthology. It was nominated the British Comedy Awards for Best New Comedy Programme and Best Comedy Drama. Very good!

But I can see that it won't be everyone's cup of tea.There are no jokes,no funny foreigners,no silly voices and no kids,cute or otherwise. It is insidiously involving however and the first episode:- "Sardines" had a great cast and a killer ending. Set at a middle - class family party in a big old house where patriarch Mr.Timothy West thinks it's still 1955,a game of sardines is in progress with all the characters eventually hiding in a big wardrobe in a bedroom. Familial tensions simmer as the members are forced into close proximity with one another and an appalling secret is revealed at the end. With most of the action going on in what is in effect a large cupboard, the cast interact beautifully and here I must mention the great Miss K.Parkinson who is the first face we see and to whom the eye is drawn even when she is not the focus of attention. Mr S.Pemberton - the sublime Mick Garvey from "Benidorm" quietly seethes with hatred and resentment throughout what is actually nobody's idea of a TV comedy series - more a bleak tale of convoluted relationships and the things we humans do to each other and try to justify. With that caveat,don't expect many belly - laughs. But it is fascinating stuff nonetheless and together with "Uncle" and "House of fools",reason enough to think that the BBC has it's mojo back.

I am in awe. Completely engrossed in every episode and left slack-jawed by Pemberton and Sheersmith every time. Exceptional cast(s), fantastic writing that will tickle your funny bone as much as it wrenches your heart, sometimes simultaneously, this show is one of the best of all time.

Having been a fan of the League of Gentlemen I have closely followed the careers of Gettis,Shearsmith and Pemberton. All have had various success. But it's with Inside number 9 which gives Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton the perfect opportunity to showcase there wonderful talent for mixing the macabre with humour. Each show is a one off with the only connection as the title says is the number nine. It's fair to say some ideas work better than others but on the whole the vast majority are hugely enjoyable and very entertaining. 10/10

Every episodes depicts a different story. If you do not like one episode, you may like the next. You will not regret watching this show. And one of the common thing in these show is thriller. So if you are a thriller lover then you must try this one!

Reece sheersmith and steve pemberton have created a great dark comedy, each with its own unexpected twist at the end. Each episode begins as a comedy and slowely turns dark to reveal its twist. Some episode such as "twelve days of Christine" are more comedy and drama than horror, whereas episodes such as "the devil of christmas" are more dark than drama. Inside no. 9 ranges on 3 genres, each perfected by reece and steve's writing, this is a solid 10/10.

It took me a couple to really get into it. I actually tried watching this show a while back and couldn't make it thru the first episode, "sardines" which in my opinion was the weakest one of the whole 20 plus episode series; after watching all but the last season, which I can't seem to find in the US. Strange for me, Bc I love anthologies and usually give them a few eps before I make a judgment. Maybe I wasn't in the mood for British humor that day, but obviously I ended up giving it another shot a couple nights ago and binged the 6 episode seasons this week. The second episode was creative enough, as well as very well shot and set up from a film making perspective, while a little flawed in overall execution. It did indeed pique my interest enough to keep going; and boy am I glad I did. The first two seem to be the most extreme and straight up dry "British humor" of the entire show. The rest of the episodes get super dark, and less goofy, some straying away from pure comedy all together, whilst still maintaining a dark comedic tone. Some Hardly have any humor at all and resemble The Twilight Zone more than Mr Bean, these are also some of the best episodes. It's a truly eclectic mix, and some sick twists occur across the entire show, none that I really saw coming. I'm so glad I came back and watched this, good anthologies are far too few these days. As with all anthologies, however there are hits and misses, even their misses that I wished woulda been a little better have plenty of redeeming value, far far more hits than misses. All of the acting is superb. Stick with it if the first 2 episodes don't get really suck you in right away, honestly I would almost recommend starting with episode 2 or 3 and then going back to the first two after you get a feel for their style. I had never really heard of these guys before this but it seems they have a couple other shows they wrote together that have earned a watch from me, based on my enjoyment Of Inside No 9. Must watch for anthology fans. Go in knowing as little as possible.......

Shearsmith and Pemberton are genius in so many ways. The way they hint at the ending earlier on in the episode does of course require lots of skill, but there are other absolutely genius bits of writing and skill which go unnoticed. The way they structure the episodes, the way they develop characters and the way that they make sure that every line matters are incredibly difficult to do, but they manage it. All while adding hints of comedy. Yes, there are some episodes that aren't as interesting, but the series makes up for it with episodes that are some of the best that tv can offer.

The quality of the plots and the writing is excellent. The former (current?) league of gentleman X2 writers / actors / directors (?) make good use of mixing up the time-frames of different scene's so you have to follow carefully.

Each episode tells a different story some macabre, some funny, some bittersweet, shocking, dissapointing (you get the picture). However, the stand out performance for me was from Sheridan Smith in Season 2, Episode 2. This is the must watch episode and deserving of a 10/10.

Actually more miss than hit. Unfortunately! Having watched season 1 and 2 there are only three good episodes: 'Sardines', 'A quiet night in' and 'The 12 days of Christine', you can safely miss the others as the writers are trying too hard to be funny or come up with a surprising twist, that in my opinion mostly just fizzles out in the end. Not sure I will want to watch any more...

First two seasons are fine and then it's getting worse and worse... They pay too much attention to the twist and payoff part. Better stories are certainly required!

I won't comment on individual episodes all i will say is each episode is a different story with the one theme linking them being set in room or location that has the number 9.If you haven't already seen this you need to binge it now don't look at spoiler reviews just watch it and you will laugh,be creeped out,surprised and absolutely heartbroken at times.

Being a fan of League of gentleman I thought I'd give this a go. This is brilliantly written. One of the best shows I've seen in a while. The 1st episode is just people playing sardines in a wardrobe. You think this is a normal show, Then you are hit with the twist at the end. You then watch the rest of the episodes trying to work out what the twist is. You think you've got it. Nope. Guess again.

I don't write many reviews...actually, only one other so far. That being said, this show is absolutely one of the best shows I've ever watched. Incredibly well written, acted and directed. Production values are top notch. The show is beyond smart, witty and surprising. Twists are always unexpected and well hidden. So much is packed into a 30 minute episode it's absolutely surprising so little time passes. It would be remiss of you not to give this show a watch.