Reece Shearsmith

Inside No. 9, Series 4

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That familiar tinkle of the Inside No 9. theme has gradually become a strange source of nostalgia for me over the years. That 10-second-or-so piece of music signals the beginning of another journey into a mysterious, multi-layered microcosm of our world, each episode seemingly a polar opposite to the last. The latest series of Inside No. 9 was broadcast on BBC2 throughout January and February, and here is a (spoiler-free) breakdown of each episode.

Zanzibar

Zanzibar, the first episode in this new series of Inside No. 9, is a beautiful production of yellows, golds and greens, as a group of unconnected strangers are brought together by something as simple as their hotel room numbers. Smiling bell boy, Fred (played by Jaygann Ayeh) and bright-eyed gem, Colette (Helen Monks) make a great, ditsy pair, contrasting perfectly against the asides and Shakespeare-like soliloquys from the episode’s somewhat shadier characters. This is an episode that really showcases the skill of its diverse cast, from Marcia Warren to Kevin Eldon and, of course, Rory Kinnear. The rhyming couplets are always pleasing, and the music score is wonderful. Zanzibar is a humorous culmination of disastrous misunderstandings and sly underhands; very cleverly executed indeed.

Inside No. 9, Zanzibar © BBC

Bernie Clifton’s Dressing Room

Bernie Clifton’s Dressing Room is the tale of Len Shelby and Tommy Drake, previously known as comedy duo Cheese & Crackers. Their material is now unbearably outdated, yet they meet for the first time in thirty years in order to attempt to rekindle their old material. Tommy, or ‘Thomas’ as he now prefers to be called, appears starchy and emotionally detached from the very moment Len walks in, often coming across as horrendously rude. But as the story progresses, the pair’s old emotional ties, deep friendship, and pure love of comedy become clearer. They’re not the people they used to be, in different ways for each man, but there is an old, almost brotherly love that shines through despite the unbearable tension. This episode really shows not only the acting skills of Pemberton and Shearsmith, but the great connection the two share whilst performing.

Once Removed

Beginning with the arrival of a removal man from a company named Handle Me Gently, Once Removed begins rather cheekily, but quickly progresses into a series of shocking catastrophes. Most of the episode is spent working out who each character is, where they’ve come from and why they’ve done what they’ve done. The viewer is always left one step behind (or, in this case, one step in front) of the goings on. It’s certainly a bit of a brain exercise, but a very satisfying one when the order of the narrative becomes less foggy. It’s not easy to keep a track of what’s happening, even after multiple viewings. Perhaps watching it backwards might help you make sense of it, but that might spoil all the fun. 

To Have and To Hold

This episode is another turbulent ride full of mystery and realisations. Adrian and Harriet have become a frustrated and loveless couple over the years due to past issues, which are soon brought to the surface. In order to reignite their love for each other, the pair are preparing to re-take their wedding vows, but it is not easy to rekindle feelings when so much bad air stands between them. To Have and To Hold is a rather bleak story, quickly transforming into something disturbing, even quite sickening in parts. And with such a dainty, innocent-seeming piano score accompanying a large portion of this twisted fairy tale, To Have and To Hold really packs a punch.

Inside No. 9, To Have and To Hold © BBC

And the Winner Is…

A group of largely intolerable actors, directors and critics are stuck between four walls, unable to leave until they reach a verdict on who is to win a Best Actress award.  The premise is unique but refreshingly simple, and the idiosyncrasies of the characters are allowed to naturally bloom. Pemberton and Shearsmith are undeniably skilled at assembling a bunch of diverse characters in a relatively plain setting and allowing them to slowly reveal their personalities, humour and hang-ups. Featuring Zoë Wanamaker and Noel Clarke, this episode doesn’t shy away from the silly, and serves as a bit of light relief from other recent episodes in the series.

Tempting Fate

‘Glorified bin men’ Keith, Nick and Maz are beginning the task of clearing out the council flat of deceased hoarder Frank, when they come across a mysterious parcel locked away in his safe. Although not quite as punchy as other episodes in this series, Tempting Fate is characteristically sinister and multilayered. Maz’s character (played by Weruche Opia), as opposed to most characters written by Shearsmith and Pemberton, doesn’t seem to be as sensitively written. Her blunt mannerisms and lack of empathy lead to quite a patronising view of the type of person her character represents, but in a way she serves as an interesting contrast against the world-weary seriousness of Keith (Pemberton) in particular. This story is about the disturbing inner workings of fate and shows how easily our greed can get in the way, with disastrous consequences.

Inside No. 9 is, and shall remain, a dear favourite of mine. Everyone you speak to will have a different favourite episode (though the name Migg often crops up in my house when discussing standout storylines). As ever, I eagerly anticipate the next series, so much so that I’ve even started the whole lot again in an attempt to find every hidden hare.

SERIES 1 AND 2 (THOUGHT NOT YET 3 AND 4) OF INSIDE NO. 9 ARE AVAILABLE TO WATCH ON NETFLIX

Inside No. 9, Series 2

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Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton have produced another series of their critically acclaimed Inside No. 9, which was, for me, undoubtedly one of the best pieces of television to come out of 2014. And the ingenuity of the plot development and sharpness of the writing have certainly not been diluted.

I marvel at the innovation of Shearsmith and Pemberton who seem to be continuously crafting such carefully constructed and hilarious pieces of comedy. They understand the importance of character development, as well as appreciating the value of the underdog: characters that we may lazily write off as “boring” are explored in great detail and the effects are astonishing. The number of core characters in each episode is limited to enable the writers to get close to the action and get inside the heads of those involved. Plot twists are a key aspect of each episode, which we come to expect but are still somehow caught off guard on every occasion. Shearsmith and Pemberton know how to incorporate shock elements into their writing, despite viewers already expecting to be shocked, which is an unequivocally admirable craft. The resultant effect is that these creatives have yet again shown their uncanny ability to disturb audiences with multi-layered impacts and heavy undertones.

Sheridan Smith is a remarkable actress, and her role as the lead in The 12 Days of Christine made that starkly obvious to anyone that wasn’t already aware of her talent. This episode was a favourite amongst critics with its disjointed and truly gut-wrenching storyline; its powerful emotional impact was aided no doubt by Smith’s inspired performance. The characters in The 12 Days of Christine have depth and are incredibly well-developed for a stand-alone episode. I can’t help but wish we’d been given time to get to know them better, and maybe that’s what makes the story so compelling. My personal favourite, however, was Cold Comfort due to its definite sinister edge and uncomfortably bitter humour. I didn’t know it was possible to build such levels suspicion and mystery into thirty minutes of stand-alone television, but this episode cleverly established a powerful snapshot image of the goings on at a crisis helpline call centre with its subversive characters and ominous service users. But if unnerving comedy isn’t your thing, there might still be something for you, shown in the diverse cast, which includes the likes of Tim Key, Jack Whitehall and Claire Skinner.

Inside No. 9 is one of those pieces of television that demonstrates such undeniably skilled writing that it is near impossible to not be inspired to the point of envy. For me, Shearsmith and Pemberton have created a piece of televisual art that investigates the human condition and what it means to be a part of society. It helps shed a new light on eras we may have forgotten, or people who appear to be easily forgetful themselves, and I honestly believe it is one of the best things to be created for television this decade.

CATCH UP WITH SERIES TWO OF INSIDE NO. 9 ON BBC IPLAYER

Christmas Round Up

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The Christmas period presented multiple comedy gems to our television screens last month, and here is a summary of a few of my particular favourites:

Derek

Ricky Gervais’ Derek reached its natural conclusion with a wedding, a fight and a baby. Gervais has shown a great subtlety in his writing that I had not noticed in his other projects that often displayed, in fact, quite the opposite. I found the episode to be dealt with sensitively and with great humour, with the character of Derek remaining endearing yet dignified throughout, as was noticeable from this year’s series two. Available on 4OD.

House of Fools

House of Fools has been one of my favourite sitcoms since it first aired in early 2014, as it is written by, and stars, the incredible Vic and Bob. This Christmas spectacular presented many problems for the duo: Erik has demanded a particular bobble hat for his present but it has been set on fire. The strange gathering must set off to steal a replacement, and meet Father Christmas (Reece Shearsmith) on the way. Available on BBC iPlayer.

Not Going Out

Not Going Out has been consistently and delightfully cringe-worthy with frequent small laughs and a few brilliant lines per episode (and there have been an impressive seven series, so that’s some great feat). This final episode did not disappoint, and audiences were finally given an answer to the age-old question: will Lee and Lucy ever actually become a couple? Available on BBC iPlayer.

Gadget Man

Richard Ayoade returned with a Gadget Man’s Guide to Christmas with special guests Adam Hills, Jessica Hynes, Stephen Merchant, Jonathan Ross, Reece Shearsmith and Robert Webb. With a wonderful array of toys and vehicles and strange household items, Ayoade presented us with an entirely new take on Christmas gifts and dinners. Available on 4OD.

Charlie Brooker’s 2014 Wipe

Charlie Brooker brought his infamous positive little rays of sunshine to Christmas by overviewing a seemingly awful year for everyone in the entire universe. From Farage to Ebola, Charlie’s typically sarcastic and cutting commentary overed it all, with help from Barry Shitpeas and Philomena Cunk. I should probably warn off people who are prone to depression from watching this programme but Brooker’s wit really takes the edge off, as does the wonderful song at the end. Available on BBC iPlayer.

Man Down

Man Down has to be one of my favourite new sitcoms from the past couple of years because it stars a couple of my most loved comedians: Greg Davies and Roisin Conaty. The Christmas episode was a beautiful tribute to the late Rik Mayall, who played Dan’s father in the show, and sent both Mayall himself, and the character he played, off in a hilarious but touching fashion. Available on 4OD.

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The League of Gentlemen

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The League of Gentlemen is a dark comedy classic, full of hideous characters and disturbing events. It is often a very difficult show to watch, if not only for the sheer number of times we must see Mark Gatiss die in the most brutal of ways. That would be pretty traumatic for anyone.

Royston Vasey is a place for misfits; a place for the flawed, the unsettled and the peculiar. It is obvious when there is an intruder in the village, and we all know what happens to intruders, to un-locals. From the iconic married couple: Tubbs and Edward, who insist that their shop is a “local shop for local people”, to the patronising head of the Job Centre: Pauline (who would have guessed that Steve Pemberton would make such a wonderful woman?), The League of Gentlemen covers a wide range of characters and sketches.

There is one advantage to being fifteen years late watching this programme and that is that I can clearly see how it has influenced, and shares similarities of, our British comedy culture today, especially shows like Little Britain and The Mighty Boosh. Another development that should be clear to today’s viewers is that of Inside No. 9: the most recent work from Shearsmith and Pemberton, and another dark and twisted comedy delight.

It is clear that a huge amount of care and general hard graft went into the making of this programme and this is evident in the fragments between sketches, such as posters for crazy things like missing fingers and downright disgusting things like an exploded tortoise stuck to the roof of a taxi. The camera work is wonderful at sweepingly through the village and showing some of the various absurd places and people.

The League of Gentlemen is a programme that no comedy-lover should miss, though I expect most people haven’t missed it at all; it was only I who was stupid enough to do that.

Inside No. 9

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I had the whole series of Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton’s Inside No. 9 recorded to watch when my exams were out of the way and with three exams left and half a day at home I managed to watch all six episodes in the space of a few hours.

Inside No. 9 is my favourite kind of comedy: dark, twisted and thought-provoking. Each episode is an entirely different storyline with new characters and setting yet they are all set at ‘Number 9’, be that a house or a dressing room in one case. With this vague link connecting the stories, it enabled Shearsmith and Pemberton to explore many entirely different groups of people, which I found fascinating. Each episode is given half an hour so the situation always gets worse and worse until the end and they just cut off. Resolutions aren’t really important for Shearsmith and Pemberton which I think is very brave and very unnerving.

Two episodes stood out for me as the cleverest and creepiest (what’s not to love?) and these were episode one: Sardines and episode three: Tom and Gerri. I’m going to give a brief overview of these as my heart is fully invested in them.

EPISODE 1, SARDINES

This episode featured the beauty that is Katherine Parkinson and generally had a very quaint, slightly ‘off’ feel. That is something I think Shearsmith and Pemberton are very skilled at: creating an atmosphere and evoking a reaction without necessarily relying on laughs to do so. The story follows a well-to-do family who are playing their traditional party game: Sardines, which is like hide-and-seek except once you find the person, you must join them in their hiding place until everyone is there. A magnifying glass is held up to the group dynamics and many dark secrets are hinted at and eventually revealed at the very end. The plot of this episode is incredibly clever and a wonderful start to the series.

EPISODE 3, TOM AND GERRI

This episode freaked me out because it’s all about the stability of the human mind, which I personally find terrifying and I’m guessing the writers must do as well. The basis of the story is that Tom is a primary school teacher living in a comfy apartment with his wife, Gerri, and one day he lets a ‘tramp’ come into his home for a few hours in return for him bringing him his wallet that he somehow, conveniently, lost. This is the beginning of a drastic downward spiral for the stranger rapidly begins to take over his life and, in turn, Tom’s health and motivation for life decreases. It is a tragic tale and I’m still a little confused by it in all honesty as the audience are left questioning which parts are real and which are fabrications from Tom’s distressed mind, but that doesn’t detract from my emotional connection to it. I also like the way the names Tom and Gerri may have been a hint at the idea of a cat and mouse chase, like the cartoon, which made it particularly poignant.

The other episodes were all brilliant with many laughs, but also many shivers of absolute disgust. Many talented actors popped up throughout such as Tamsin Greig in episode four: The Last Gasp and Julia Davies in episode five: The Understudy. I think it’s hilarious that Julia always gets given the role of ‘the bitch’ (think, Dawn from Gavin and Stacey or Jill from Nighty Night). Of course I’m not suggesting that’s anything to do with her own personality, just that she is stupidly good at playing it!  One fabulous moment was in episode six: The Harrowing where Katie is asking about Tabitha’s disabled brother: “That’s Andras, milk and rusks, that’s all he can have.” “…the disability?” “That and the fact he doesn’t have a mouth.”

This series has been punchy, eery and absolutely fantastic and I am genuinely so excited for some more from Shearsmith and Pemberton (and am so annoyed that I can’t find anywhere to watch Psychoville online!).