#psychoville series 2

[katiesteedart]

Two TLOG characters and one psychoville feels wrong.

It needs to be 3 TLOG, 3 psychoville...

And then 3 INO9 characters..(that I have no clue who I'll choose).

And then I'll have my 9

#katie steed art #art and painting #painting #horror #horror art #meme art #im a fucking idiot #reece shearsmith #steve pemberton #memes #the league of gentlemen #tlog #psychoville #psychoville series 2 #pauline campbell jones #mr jelly #mr jelly and mrs ladybirdface #mrs laddybadfusz #Val #Val Denton #mark gatiss #jeremy dyson

[prof-ramses]

What we (indirectly) learned from the TADC update

So many adventures and characters announced!

Where do we start? How about we do (sort of) chronological order

Starting with...

The only one we have a name for! This is also the one we see the most of, so it's probably in episode 2.

And here we have some colorful denizens of the seeming medieval and western confectionary realm:

So we have a gummy-gator sheriff, a chocolate blob, what might be a more distinct varirent of Dr. Football (the bath mannequin) and a literal Candy Queenie.

This just proves to me that TADC will pull a Psychoville and give the oldest main cast member the first spotlight episode. The actual character significance is something we'll get to later.

Now, adventure no. 2. Spudsy's!

You can see the brand name on the bag, btw.

The glove might belong to Spudsy, themselves, it might actually BE Spudsy, or it might just be a floating glove. Time will tell.

But Jax being so freaked out makes me wonder if this will actually be his episode. I'm actually not sure if this is episode 3 or 4 and, again, we'll get back to this.

We also learn the blue sphere person is (likely) the base template of the Spudy's customers.

Now, The Ghost Manor!

The only confirmed shots we get of it are of a little ghoulie and the Ghost Hostess from the teaser. This is my other contender for episode 3 or 4. The reason I'm unsure is this:

We get these very similar shots of a recorder classed as a new character, and Kinger beating someone with a shotgun. The light makes it seem like this might be in the ghost episode, or it might be a Kinger's backstory related flashback/delusion.

And lastly, the sport adventure we get teased with:

As the only unrelated asset we see, I'm guessing this will be in episode 5.

On the production side, we have this in the description:

From how she's talked about it before, it seems Goose currently plans on 1 season while planning to leave enough room to continue the series with a second season at some point.

And most importantly, we're looking at May as a likely, though importantly, not confirmed, release window for episode 2.

In conclusion, GET HYPED!!!

#the amazing digital circus #tadc #tadc Kinger #tadc Jax #tadc news #tadc theory #tadc prediction #gooseworx #glitch productions #the amazing digital circus theory

[eliebluebell]

TLoG, Psychoville and Inside No.9's fandom archives

Google Drive 1: for DVD Extras of all three series, TV interviews related to the shows, audio commentaries by league members on other films, etc. Google Drive 2: Doctor Who Confidential with Mark Gatiss, Documentaries with, again, Mark, DVD extras of others projets than TLoG, Psychoville and Inside No.9, films and plays that haven't been commercialized/are not finable elsewhere, TV shows where Mark, Steve or Reece appeared, and funny little videos.

I hope you'll enjoy!

#The League of Gentlemen #TLoG #Psychoville #Inside No.9 #Jeremy Dyson #Mark Gatiss #Steve Pemberton #Reece Shearsmith #in9 #League archive #dvd extras #inside no 9 #inside number 9 #league of gentlemen #Ian Hallard #Doctor Who Confidential #DVD commentaries

[fandomsmeantheworldtome]

2023 Character Wrap

Share your top ten characters of this year

Tagged by the lovely and huge talented @the-20th-century-girl thanks dear❤️

Furfur - Good Omens series

An obsession for a character and actor that came out of nowhere and i didn't even asked for it😂i was so in love with Aziraphale even before season 2 was out and then this little demon showed up and change everything, i tried to fight back this obsession for him at first "who is that character?"i remember asking myself and why i feel so attracted to him?( You already love Aziraphale you don't need another good omens distraction i replied to myself 😂)" but i could see also the actor behind the character and that actor got me more than intrigued,i needed to know everything about him.The rest is history for me but i am glad i answered the call of my heart

All Reece Shearsmith characters in The League Of Gentlemen,Inside no 9, Psychoville and every other project he's been in and i had the chance to discover and watch it

(please be patient of me i am head over the heels for that man so of course i will add here all his characters 😂)

Choosing an Ollie gif though because he honestly deserves the world

Aziraphale - Good Omens series

Even from the start of this year February i think i was so excited we would have season 2 of Good Omens in summer and i was waiting to see my beloved Aziraphale again,i have an undying crush on Michael Sheen since 2019 and good omens s2 restored that flame to the fullest😂

Renfield - Renfield movie 2023

I am sorry i am not so active now in the Renfield fandom but i still love Renfield and Nicholas Hoult with all my heart

Stede Bonnet - Our Flag Means Death

Stede Bonnet is my sunshine,my sweet baby my fave from Our Flag Means Death but he also evolved so much this season i am so proud of him

Izzy Hands - Our Flag Means Death

Tbh i didn't like Izzy Hands in first season as much as i do now but oh god he had the best character development this season, i love him so much😭

Spock and Christine Chapel- Star Trek Strange New Words

Choosing both of them because their chemistry and arc this season was everything to me and was the main reason i got back watching the second season of Strange New Worlds

Dale Jennings - The Newsreader series

Still in my heart always in my heart,i love Lestat too but Dale is the sweet bi disaster of my heart, Sam is so precious as Dale i can't hardly resist

Tim Laughlin - The Fellow Travelers series

I already had a crush on Jonathan Bailey when Bridgerton first aired but in Fellow Travelers he looks so different,hotter? and so cute i love Tim so much

Ouroboros- Loki series season 2

I will never stop loving Loki and Mobius as characters but Ouroboros was for me the highlight of S2,there were lots of moments where Ke Huy Quan was stealing the scene with his quirk,nerdy sweet funny persona as Ouroboros it would a crime not to love a character like this one

Tagging some lovely mutuals @edscozyblanketfort @neverswungonswingingstars @eames-with-two-roses @almost-born-in-1893 @a4chocolate @amalthea9 @whizbang-cap @gavetheflamingswordaway @lilac-paeonia @parnagfegg @haras24 @9leaguesofmirrors @ollieplimsollsgf @lapis-lazuliie @sherlockig @merry-andrews @coiled-dragon @mandycantdecide @its-all-ineffable and everyone who wants to do it

[pinkandpurple360]

So it might be cuz I'm just binged it's first season, or because we just got the first promo for the next season of the show it's creators are currently writing, but I'm still on a huge Psychoville kick and kind of have an idea for an HB au of it.

But first I have to explain the series premise (both so you understand the idea of the au and so you watch the show here)

Five strange and seemingly unconnected people (including Mr. Jelly) are all being blackmailed by the same mysterious figure. That's the setup for the first season and things only get wilder from there.

The reason I think an HB/Hellaverse au of it could work, both with demon and human versions of the characters, is because a better way of worldbuilding for the Hellaverse would've been through Psychoville's structure, follow various hellborns from all the rings amd occasionally have them cross paths.

I've already said Jelly is Fizz if he became a bitter failure after getting his prosthetics, but just the first episode will be enough to show why I think Crimson could work as Mr. Lomax and Chaz as Michael/Tealeaf. And as we've discussed at length, Hattie from season 2 matches Stolas weirdly well.

If you do watch the show, I'd love some feedback for this "Hellaville" :)

Sounds interesting I might try it out

[commonpigeon]

psychoville series 1 was genuinely terribleee but series 2 was actually a little fun. and im sad they didn't get a series 3 but at least they finished it in that one inside no 9 episode

[crusheswhimsandfancies]

Watching Psychoville S1

I saw it when it first aired and haven’t had chance to go back to it since then. Here’s some thoughts:

Reece and steve are not in it enough (well I’m never satisfied unless they’re on screen constantly!)

The whole eBay bidding war thing was so of that time!

I’d somehow entirely forgotten the character of Brian! How the fuck?! But fuck me when he walks out in ep 2 with those tighter than tight trousers on, my damn jaw was on the floor🤤🤤🤤

Mr Jelly my beloved🥹🥹🥹I could watch an entire series about him. I’d forgotten his backstory, but I knew I loved him, and I can now confirm I would die for himmm. The whole clown court scene where he’s in a suit but still has his make-up on, I love it so much🤡

I don’t know what Reece’s daughter Holly looks like now but at age 6 she was the SPITTING IMAGE of Reece oh my god!!! The nose, the lips, the eyebrows! It’s incredible!

I didn’t remember all of the episode with the wax works and the song!! Maybe I missed it originally, but I loved seeing it now!

I’d forgotten the David and Maureen backstory too, very tender and tragic. God Reece and Steve are just too damn good.

What I love about it overall is how utterly they can create these worlds. Like the world of Royston Vasey, I feel totally submerged in the world of Psychoville when I’m watching it, and when I’m not watching, I’m still thinking about the characters. Something has happened to them to make them appear to be these freaks and oddballs, and as it slowly gets revealed you find yourself changing from laughing at them to sympathising with them. R&S are masters of that and I am in awe and utter delight about it!

And now to watch the commentaries!

#it’s funny what you notice when you watch something again #especially once the crush has been activated #thoughts for posterity #just keeping track #psychoville #Also the bit “somewhere quiet with no people around” #and Brian says “Wolverhampton hippodrome” I was DYINGGGG😂 #except it’s not a hippodrome #oh well 9/10 for effort lads #this and no 9 makes two mentions mocking my home town and I am thanking them for it

[lboogie1906]

Daniel Kaluuya (born February 24, 1989) is a British actor and writer. He began his acting career as a teenager in improvisational theatre. He portrayed Posh Kenneth in Skins; he co-wrote some of the episodes. He was praised for his leading performance in Sucker Punch at the Royal Court Theatre in London and he won both the Evening Standard Award and Critics' Circle Theatre Award for Outstanding Newcomer. In 2018, he received the BAFTA Rising Star Award. In the late 2000s and early 2010s, he gained further notice for his performances as Michael "Tealeaf" Fry in the BBC dark comedy series Psychoville, Michael "Mac" Armstrong in the BBC Three horror drama series The Fades, Barclay in the Doctor Who Easter special "Planet of the Dead", and Bingham "Bing" Madsen in the Black Mirror episode "Fifteen Million Merits". He appeared as Agent Colin Tucker in Johnny English Reborn and as Black Death in Kick-Ass 2. He had a supporting role in Sicario. He achieved a career breakthrough after starring in Get Out, which garnered him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor. This was followed by roles in Black Panther, Widows, and Queen & Slim. For his portrayal of Black Panther Party leader Fred Hampton in Judas and the Black Messiah, he won the Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Critics' Choice Award, Golden Globe Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actor. He became the seventh-youngest winner of the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He is the first British actor of African heritage to win an Academy Award. He attended Torriano Primary School, and St Aloysius' College, Highgate. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence https://www.instagram.com/p/CpC8WXeLnKu/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[britcommentaries]

Psychoville: Halloween Special - (Steve Pemberton, Reece Shearsmith)

#psychoville #steve pemberton #reece shearsmith #it feels like i post reece and steve too often but they do have 7 series 2 live shows and a films worth of commentary together #so whose fault is it really

[9legzakimbo]

“Our gardens are beautiful enough, why does there have to be fairies at the bottom?”

I love Reece’s little Douglas Adam’s paraphrase in the Psychoville series 2 interviews

#psychoville #reece shearsmith #steve pemberton #douglas adams #the likeness is a pair of glasses

[pop-sesivo]

Unexpected endings: How 'Inside No. 9' tells a story

By Gonzalo Jiménez

The unfortunate consequence of any narrative formula is the predictability of its results. They end up boring and not very exciting. Undoubtedly, many producers and screenwriters resort to formulas because they offer the viewer familiarity and guarantee a result that can be replicated. But they sell out soon because the narrative twists are seen coming from a distance.

How can a formula surprise? Here is one of the benefits of television anthologies. In anthologies there is a main and dominant theme, which identifies the series and which must be evident to the viewer. But each episode has its own autonomy, with different stories, new characters, and even a different cast.

This different narratives is what arouses the surprise in the viewer. It is the key to evading the straitjacket of the narrative formula. This is perhaps the reason that explains how the horror genre and science fiction are the themes that have worked best in television anthologies, since their promise to the viewer is clear and direct: “come back next week, we will surprise you with a new scare". People already know what to expect.

Perhaps because it has not been discovered by the general American public, the British series Inside No 9 has remained a cult work outside of the United Kingdom. But it occupies, from our humble opinion, a place within the five best anthologies of world TV. Yes, its quality is worthy of being featured alongside The Twilight Zone, Alfred Hitchcock Presents and Black Mirror.

Behind closed doors

The creators of Inside No. 9 are Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith, who write the scripts and star in most of the episodes. To date (August 2021), Inside No 9 has six seasons of six episodes each, to which is added a special Halloween episode broadcast in 2018.

In Spain, season 6 opens on August 31st, 2021 on the Filmin platform. In the United States, it can be seen on the Britbox, Amazon Prime Video and Hulu platforms. In the United Kingdom it is broadcast in an open signal on the BBC and streaming on iBBCPlayer.

What unites the different stories of Inside No 9 is that they all take place in a closed space, identified with the number 9. It can be a house, an apartment, a restaurant, a train car, an office cubicle or a karaoke room. It's a confined space, in which history is constrained by physical space.

But beyond the confined space in which the story unfolds, the key to Inside No 9 is that each episode has an unexpected ending. And Shearsmith and Pemberton have proven to be masters at this narrative device, becoming the television heirs to the unexpected turn and its main architects in the literary field, Roald Dahl and O. Henry.

Horror and humor

The tone of all Inside No 9 stories is black humor. Its comedy is terrifying, with fine references to British pop culture and the idiosyncrasies of the United Kingdom (I wonder sometimes if this is what alienates some American critics).

Most of the episodes are based on reality, betting on psychological terror, satire, suspense and crime, although there are seven chapters that address supernatural horror.

The originality of the stories imagined by Shearsmith and Pemberton never ceases to amaze me, how they manage to combine such different genres and situations within one season. His scripts are meticulously conceived, with an overwhelming logic and a wealth of language in which the dialogues fit like a crossword. Nothing is left to chance.

And what makes the difference are the unexpected endings of each episode. The entire repertoire of narrative turns makes an appearance in Inside No 9, although rarely in its pure state: anagnorisis (the revelation of the true nature or identity of a character, as occurs in Oedipus Rex or The Empire Strikes Back); the unreliable narrator, in which the narrator has manipulated or invented the preceding story, causing the viewer to question what he saw; peripeteia, which is the sudden (but logical) change in the protagonist's luck; the red herring, the non-linear narrative, and the reverse chronology (Memento-style, in which the story begins at the end and ends at the beginning).

Writer Flannery O'Connor wrote that "endings should be surprising but inevitable." Pemberton and Shearsmith have followed that advice to the letter and enriched it, as their stories display a deep understanding of 1970s British horror, in the style of Brian Clemens' Thriller series (1973-1976).

In Inside No 9 there is horror, but there are also very human and tragic stories that move and make us shed tears; there is also suspense and humor. There is social realism in Mike Leigh's vein, but also a scathing critique of acting awards; there is Folk Horror (so in vogue today), a silent episode and a chapter with the dialogues recited in Elizabethan verses.

Inside No 9 is the evolution of Shearsmith and Pemberton, creators (along with Mark Gatiss and Jeremy Dyson) of the series The League of Gentlemen (1999-2017) and Psychoville (2009-2011).

The League of Gentlemen dominated the structure of sketches with recurring characters and was a brutal and perverse satire on the customs of a small English town, as if it had come from the imagination of the painter William Hogarth (1697-1764). The League of Gentlemen contains repulsive images but from which it is impossible to look away.

Instead, Psychoville has a more conventional structure as it shows the lives of five different characters --all bizarre and strange-- whose destinies intersect. Inside No. 9 will rescue two characters from Psychoville and include them in an episode of the fifth season but this connection is just a nod from Shearsmith and Pemberton, as the tone between the two shows could not be more different.

I suggest watching Inside No 9 in order, from the first season to the sixth, not because they are connected but to discover how the narrative concept of Pemberton and Shearsmith --who are also two extraordinary actors-- matured, how inventiveness and originality are sustained and increases. Inside No 9 is a perfect TV series for lovers of unexpected endings, meticulously crafted scripts, and memorable performances.

My favorite episodes per season are: A Quiet Night In (season 1); Cold Comfort, The 12 Days of Christine (season 2); The Devil Of Christmas, The Riddle Of The Sphinx (season 3); Once Removed, Bernie Clifton’s Dressing Room (season 4); and Love's Great Adventure (season 5).

#Inside No 9 #BBC #TV series #Steve Pemberton #Reece Shearsmith #Horror #Anthology Series #The League of Gentlemen #Psychoville #Filmin #Youtube

[katiesteedart]

Title - But no...

I love how angry Mr Jelly is in this episode but the anger is fully justified! Mrs ladybirdface is queen!!

This painting took two days because it's quite small and detailed.

#art and painting #horror #psychoville #mr jelly and mrs ladybirdface #painting #katie steed art #reece shearsmith #steve pemberton #series 2 #mr jelly #mrs laddybadfusz

[thedollface221b]

The long road to 9

It's a very weird thing to think about, but if the tragedy of a 14 year old boy being murdered in Chicago in 1924 had never happened, we very very likely would not be watching our beloved Inside No 9 today. 🤔

In May 1924, Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb kidnapped and murdered 14 year old Bobby Franks in an attempt to fulfil Nietzsche's philosophy of the Übermensch (Superman) - and also for the sheer thrill.

In August 1948, Director Alfred Hitchcock released the movie 'Rope', based on the eponymous stage play. Rope is based on the Leopold and Loeb murder, and is notable for taking place in real time and being edited so as to appear as a single shot through the use of long takes. This produces a tense, claustrophobic feel.

In Psychoville in June 2011, Steve and Reece were asked to produce a cheap 7th episode for series 1, and came up with episode 4, 'David and Maureen'. This is lovingly dubbed 'The Rope episode' as it is an homage to the Rope film, as it begins the same way, is done in only 2 long cuts and is all set in one room. League of Gentlemen star Mark Gatiss also appears in this episode. (You will also find a lot of references to Superman between David and Maureen, often in their music choices).

It was this self-contained episode that lit the spark for Inside No 9 when Psychoville was not commissioned for series 3.

So, thanks to a horrid, grizzly (bad?) murder almost 100 years ago, we have a television show that continues to shock, amaze and astound as it spans genres, melts brains and twists our melons, man.

#inside no 9 #reece shearsmith #steve pemberton #mark gatiss #murder #bad murder #leopold and loeb #superman #ubermensch #psychoville #rope #alfred hitchcock #bobby franks #neitzsche

[sarnie-for-varney]

in9 moments that haunt you? 👀

Thank you @lapis-lazuliie for the suggestion!

THIS CONTAINS SPOILERS!!

Series 1:

The Understudy - The scene at the end when Kirstie admits to all the stuff she's done. I'm not sure why, but its SO unsettling. Especially even she says "I'm always watching" ✋🏻😨

The Harrowing - The end scene honestly scares me so much. When she's screaming and mostly naked, it's just so disturbing to me. The fact that she's playing a teenager and she's in that plight just makes my stomach turn. I know the actor probably isn't a teen but uGHHH its gross 😂

Series 2:

Cold Comfort - This whole episode made me feel super uneasy and uncomfortable. I think it's super unsettling to see George actually SPEAKING as Chloe. Like that is disturbing, especially because we know how much it's affecting Andy's mental health. Also the darkened office scenes, I was fREAKED out. I thought something was gonna jump out. The whole CCTV camera thing was eerie, honestly

Series 3:

The Devil of Christmas - Do I even need to expand on this one? That end scene is one that will forever terrify me. Because as the director says, you can really see the genuine fear on her face as she realises it's real. (Obviously it's still acting, but it's a whole other thing to act badly on purpose and then make it seem so genuine). And just... the disturbing concept that she's surrounded by all these sick and twisted people as she's being killed. Freaking horrifying.

The Riddle of The Sphinx - Honestly, I was already uncomfortable when Squires starts... touching her while she's vulnerable but that wasn't even the worst part! When Tyler cuts that cHUNK out of her, and knowing she can still feel pain but can't even react is just the most awful thing ever. And then watching Squires eat it 🤢🤢. THEN HE FINDS OUT ITS HIS DAUGHTER OMFG- IT'S A SHIT SHOW!!

Diddle Diddle Dumpling - I really don't talk about this episode often, but the ending really made me think. When we find out that he did all this because of his lost child, I was like bRO- but then finding out he mURDERED that guy. I was like 😱

Series 4:

To Have and To Hold - I'm not sure why but there's something so unsettling about Adrian feeding that woman a Pot Noodle and then unzipping his trousers. Honestly glad he fell down those stairs, ngl

Tempting Fate - AHHH when Maz gets that sPIKE in her head omfg I almost vomited. But when Nick wished for Charlie's recovery, I was like oh GOD NO-

Deadline - This whole episode scared the shit out of me. The way they broke the fourth wall with it. I was watching it on iPlayer and it still tricked me, I'm not even kidding. And when they went back to the A Quiet Night In, and the strange ENTITY- I shat myself.

Series 5:

Death Be Not Proud - I know this was a tribute to Psychoville and it wasn't really that scary but like... when he's about to plop that baby into the boiling water, I was like MATERNAL MODE: ACTIVATED! The way I cRINGED as it got closer to the boiling pot, my face looked like I'd sucked a lemon.

Thinking Out Loud - Most of this episode was unsettling to me. It's one of my favourite episodes, but one of the most terrifying. Galen is a SCARY character and the way he looks at the screen, completely lifeless and interacts with us. The fucking jumpscare too, I was like 'rEALLY?!'. But it was unsettling also when the music builds up as Nadia starts to understand that none of these people exist, and she's just one person. AND again, the ending was just jarring. The way Galen appears and murders Bill, but then Nadia steps back covered in blood. Gosh, actual chills!

The Stakeout - AHHH this one, cHRIST! That dagger going ALL the way into his neck, nO- sorry, I cannot handle gore and my toes curled. And the way the feeding scene seemed to go on for so long, it was sooo haunting!

Series 6:

Wuthering Heist - My jaw dropped when Pantalone sliced Collie's throat, and just the way she fell to the ground and reached out for help. How the others just stared at her as she died, it was quite disturbing. (Also what Scaramouche was going to that gun, but we'll skip past that)

Simon Says - Do I really need to elaborate? "We don't want him looking at us, do we?" YEESH-

How Do You Plead? - I know this episode was all Dr. Faustus-y with Lucifer and like... evil things but that kid choking up that orange? Gross and horrifying.

Last Night of The Proms - Three words: The Sailor's Hornpipe. Yeah... because this was the episode I chose to watch with my dad. The murder didn't bother me, and neither did Brian's groping but when Penny starting throwing it back... nah-

I hope that answered your question!

#ask #asks #ask response #question #questions #suggestion #suggestions #lapis-lazuliie #inside no.9 #in9

[localhorrornerd]

Horror Shows for the Halloween Season

I was gonna do the 31 horror movies like I did last year, but that took up way too much time that I do not currently have so - Here’s a list of 10 horror shows you may wanna check out for the season!

1. Ghost VRos

A fairly short horror comedy series consisting of eight 10 minute or so episodes, it focuses on a duo who runs a sort of ghost hunting business in which they talk to ghosts through VR technology. It’s just a fun little thing you can watch in one sitting, and I think it’s fairly enjoyable!

2. Lost Tapes

So if you watched Animal Planet back in the day you probably know this show. It’s basically an anthology show where each episode discusses a different cryptid/monster and also shows ‘found footage’ of it on tape. It always discusses the creatures as if they could be real and it’s honestly a lot of fun! Especially if you watched it when younger I’d say to give it a rewatch for nostalgia. 

3. Goedam

Another short little series consisting of eight short episodes, this focuses more solely on horror, and it’s basically just a series made up of different short films. There’s not too much for me to say without going into talking about each short, but I’d say it’s worth the watch (warning for a lot of body horror though)!

4. Psychoville

So this series is actually done by the same people who did Inside No.9! Though this one is not an anthology series and is about a group of people all connected by someone sending them weird letters all indicating that they know that they did something wrong. It’s a lot more comedic than horror, but it still has those aspects!

5. Slasher

So this series currently has 3 seasons, and each season has a different plot. I would recommend the first season the most, but that’s just my personal preference. I will give a heads up though as Slasher has a lot of triggering content.

6. Re:Mind

A group of classmates all find themselves waking up in a room with them trapped together and their feet locked down to the floor. They’re all trying to figure out why and how they got there, but in the process start uncovering many secrets about each other.

7. Two Sentence Horror Stories

Another anthology show, though this one is based off of the short two sentence horror stories that float around the internet. Each episode focuses on a different story where you see the first sentence at the beginning and the second at the end. It’s a lot of fun and is confirmed it will have at least two more seasons!

8. Strangers from Hell/Hell is Other People

If you’re looking for a show about serial killers, well look no further. This centers around a man who moves into a cheap residency- the only place he can afford- and starts to learn quickly his new neighbors might not be all that they seem. And that he might just be risking his life by living there. This series was actually based off a webtoon/comic and I believe is very interesting.

9. What We Do in the Shadows

This one is definitely more comedy than horror but it does not matter to me because I feel like everyone needs to go watch the TV series for this - which was originally a movie. Especially if you like vampires as it’s a mockumentary type series that follows a group of vampires living in the modern day world, and it’s really fun. It currently has two seasons with a third planned.

10. The Haunting of Hill House/Bly Manor

Okay, I’m sure most know about this series already, but I’m bringing it up as it has a second season (Bly Manor) about to come out on the 9th. The second season will be a completely different story from the first, but the first focuses on a family who’s lives were pretty much ruined from a Haunted House they lived in as kids. If you haven’t seen it, I do suggest you go watch it now before the second season comes out.

#horror #horror shows #the haunting of hill house #the haunting of bly manor #what we do in the shadows fx #What We Do in the Shadows #strangers from hell #hell is other people #lost tapes #ghost vros #goedam #psychoville #slasher #re:mind #two sentence horror stories #horror recs #Horror recommendations #horror show recs

[authenticdesperation]

A Review of Every Single Episode of Inside No. 9 [2/2]

Disclaimer: my opinions are not definitive but they are bloody good. There may be spoilers so read at your own risk. This is the final part of my pointless little project. You can see the first part here.

Series 4

1. Zanzibar

This is my mum’s favourite episode. I read about it being written in iambic pentameter and was initially worried that it would feel gimmicky, but it’s done so seamlessly it feels like you’re enjoying a modern Shakespeare play. It’s funny and lighthearted with some great references peppered around. The colour scheme of the set is so aesthetically pleasing and the directing was, in my opinion, impeccable. 

2. Bernie Clifton’s Dressing Room

I love seeing Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith acting opposite each other with such an intimate storyline. The ending is bittersweet and appears as another lovely examination of grief, but in a far less bleak way as it has been seen before. Among much more complex storytelling methods, this episode is more paired down and that is far from a criticism. 

3. Once Removed

Now this is a clever one. The reverse chronology is a fascinating setup that is initially quite confusing but truly genius. Shoutout to Reece for playing an assassin that probably could have quit while he was ahead at some point. It’s also one of the most creative locations of the “No. 9″ as the final ten minute segment shows.

4. To Have and to Hold

I am probably the best audience member for Inside No. 9 as I do not think, I just let Steve and Reece drag me around with the stories and I try not to predict the endings. As a result, this episode hit me like a freight train. Initially, I felt like it was an episode that was moving fairly slowly and was simply a look at an unhappy marriage; I did not expect a Josef Fritzl situation. The marriage vows are a creative way to separate the scenes that lull you into a sense of security to begin with. Honestly, I can’t look at Pot Noodles in the same way. 

5. And the Winner Is... 

Okay. This is my least favourite episode of Inside No. 9. While it’s not necessarily a bad episode, it’s one I often find to be rather unremarkable. However, on the far more positive side, there are some great funny moments and Zoë Wanamaker is a particularly delightful presence. 

6. Tempting Fate

And we are back on the comfortable praise train from the mild criticism carriage. My mum and I decided to actively look for the hare that is in the background of every episode during the first time watching Tempting Fate. Imagine how irritated we were. Mild bitterness at the hare placement aside, I think this episode is brilliant. It’s funny and clever and the setting of the flat truly feels like the home of a hoarder. There’s something genuinely sad about the setting: a council flat filled with miscellaneous crap (it must have been fun to dress that set). A final note is that the sound of the rat made my cat want to fight the TV.

Bonus: Dead Line

Watching this episode on BBC iPlayer does not make it hit as hard as seeing it live would have been, but it did not stop me falling for it hook, line and sinker. I am, to this day, completely furious with Steve and Reece for baffling the living shit out of me the first time I watched this episode. The whole thing is absolutely glorious and it’s always nice to see comedy veteran Stephanie Cole.

Series 5

1. The Referee’s a Wanker

I do not understand football and nor do I care to, but I do enjoy this episode. First, I have to give credit to the costume department for making Mitch’s mascot outfit look like all animals and none at the exact same time. Then I would like it to be noted that I live for gay shit and, as a result, love this episode. I think this episode is one of the funniest with a nod to genuine issues of being openly queer in sport. Though somehow Reece Shearsmith seems to be playing the gayest character in the room, but more on that later. 

2. Death Be Not Proud

There are two things I love: Psychoville and John Donne poetry. This episode has both of those things. It also has terrifying hoover placement, a dreadful pun about babies and bathwater and references to serial killers that I understood to a disturbing degree. Watching this episode with people who haven’t seen Psychoville is interesting: they understood it, but the sense of humour wasn’t to the taste of my dad who found it too dark at points. I, meanwhile, think the episode is fun and ridiculous. Extra points for the dance number. 

3. Love’s Great Adventure

A blink-and-you-miss-it twist. I blinked and I missed it the first time but happily I’ve watched it another two times since the first so I now fully understand the plot. The use of the advent calendar is another clever visual choice, and Guillem Morales’ (a director I expressed my admiration for in the last post) choices in this episode feel ever so slight Ken Loach-esque. There’s a familiarity among the cast that makes them incredibly believable as a family. Simple and deeply effective.

4. Misdirection

Reece, your magic nerdiness is showing. The setup of the flashbacks early on really settle you into the style of the episode as a viewer and I think that Misdirection holds the record for the earliest Steve’s character has been killed off (and in quite a brutal way as well). The entire concept of the episode is a real winner and I could rant about the directing choices for hours - which my friends and family can attest to. 

5. Thinking Out Loud

Do I have some dubious feelings on this episode due to the stereotypical portrayal of dissociative identity disorder? Yes. Do I feel that Maxine Peake’s character is completely justified in her crime? Absolutely. Steve directed this episode solo and an impressive job he made of it as well: making what is essentially a series of talking heads interesting is no mean feat. Shoutout to the character of Galen for making me jump so much; Inside No. 9 is not good for my blood pressure.

6. The Stakeout

At no point while watching this episode did I predict the twist. It felt so out of left field it took me a while to appreciate The Stakeout for what it was. Now, I appreciate the peppering of clues you get throughout and the dynamic between the characters. Bonus points if you caught what the name ‘Varney’ is a reference to before I did, which was about thirty seconds ago when I started writing this review. 

Series 6

WARNING - The reviews for this series will have excessive use of the words ‘fruity’ and ‘camp’. As a gay man, I feel confident in my assessment of characters as such.

1. Wuthering Heist

Right, when I first saw this episode I was right in the middle of studying Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights and when writing an essay kept spelling ‘Heist’ instead of ‘Heights’ so I’m annoyed about that. Otherwise, I love this episode. It’s funny and it’s clever and it’s stacked to the gills with dreadful puns. Furthermore it begins the trend of series six: Reece Shearsmith exclusively plays the fruitiest characters in the room. 

2. Simon Says

Somebody watched Stephen King’s Misery recently and it shows. I am absolutely terrified about the fact that Steve and Reece clearly did a lot of research into fandoms for this one, mostly for their sake. The whole episode had an uneasy sort of edge to it that was incredibly compelling. There are also some brilliantly framed shots in this one, all the sort of things that I find dead exciting. The character of Simon continues the fruity trend.

3. Lip Service

I think this episode might have actually given me whiplash. The twists in this one made me so happy and the atmosphere of the whole episode was so beautifully curated, it was the perfect sleazy hotel. I have to give Steve some serious credit for his performance which was both sympathetic and slightly unsettling at all the right moments; as well as a special mention to the moment with the phone call, in which Sian Clifford’s character gives voice to Felix’s wife. And though we don’t see much of him, the hotel manager appears as both untrustworthy and slightly camp.

4. Hurry Up and Wait

This one is interesting because I honestly thought I was going to be incredibly underwhelmed by the ending. Thankfully, I was not. This is the episode that made me the most uncomfortable of the whole series: it had a genuinely strange mood to the whole thing and that is not a criticism. By no means is this my favourite episode of the series, but I think it has it’s merit as a mystery perpetuates throughout that, as a viewer, you want to get to the bottom of. Bhavna Limbachia gave an excellent performance in what was really quite a small role but one that reminded us of the context of the situation. 

5. How Do You Plead?

In this episode the lighting gets darker as it progresses, something I didn’t notice until I had to shut the curtains because I couldn’t see. It’s a little detail from Morales that is so satisfying. Every single aspect of this episode is what I love about Inside No. 9: it has comedy, mystery, intertextual references, and Reece playing the fruitiest of fruits. It is also worth noting I was completely right not to trust Steve playing a seemingly minor role. 

6. Last Night of the Proms

I mean...I can’t work out what to say about this one. I don’t mind saying that I do not fully understand what was happening here. If I’m being honest, the few times I’ve watched this episode I’ve been distracted trying to repress memories of terrible family gatherings. Reece with a beard can absolutely get it. I think that might be all of my feelings.

#inside no. 9 #inside no 9 #reece shearsmith #steve pemberton