A Quiet Night In

Last updated

"A Quiet Night In"
Inside No. 9 episode
Inside No 9, A Quiet Night In poster.jpg
"A Quiet Night In" poster, designed by Matt Owen [1]
Episode no.Series 1
Episode 2
Directed by David Kerr
Written by Steve Pemberton
Reece Shearsmith
Featured music Christian Henson
Original air date12 February 2014 (2014-02-12)
Running time30 minutes
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
← Previous
"Sardines"		Next →
"Tom & Gerri"

"A Quiet Night In" is the second episode of the British dark comedy television anthology series Inside No. 9 . It first aired on 12 February 2014 on BBC Two. Written by Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton, it stars the writers as a pair of hapless burglars attempting to break into the large, modernist house of a couple—played by Denis Lawson and Oona Chaplin—to steal a painting. Once the burglars make it into the house, they encounter obstacle after obstacle, while the lovers, unaware of the burglars' presence, argue. The episode progresses almost entirely without dialogue, relying instead on physical comedy and slapstick, though more sinister elements are present in the plot. In addition to Pemberton, Shearsmith, Lawson and Chaplin, "A Quiet Night In" also starred Joyce Veheary and Kayvan Novak.

Contents

Shearsmith and Pemberton had originally considered including a dialogue-free segment in their television series Psychoville , but ultimately did not; they found the format of Inside No. 9 appropriate for revisiting the idea. Both journalists and those involved with the episode's production commented on the casting of Chaplin, a grandchild of the silent film star Charlie Chaplin, in an almost entirely dialogue-free episode, though her casting was not a deliberate homage. Critics generally responded positively to the episode, and a particularly laudatory review by David Chater was published in The Times , prompting a complaint from a reader who found the episode more traumatic than comedic. On its first airing, "A Quiet Night In" was watched by 940,000 viewers (4.8% of the market).

"A Quiet Night In" was submitted to the British Academy of Film and Television Arts for the 2015 awards, but it was not nominated. Pemberton and Shearsmith have said that they have no plans to do further silent episodes, but have compared "A Quiet Night In" to the highly-experimental "Cold Comfort" from Inside No. 9's second series, a sentiment echoed by some television critics.

Production

Reece Shearsmith.jpg
Denis Lawson cropped.jpg
Reece Shearsmith (left, pictured in 2003) co-wrote "A Quiet Night In" and starred as a moustachioed burglar, while Denis Lawson (right, pictured in 2006) starred as a wealthy homeowner.

Writers Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith, who had previously co-written and starred in The League of Gentlemen and Psychoville , took inspiration for Inside No. 9 from "David and Maureen", episode 4 of the first series of Psychoville, which was in turn inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's Rope . "David and Maureen" took place entirely in a single room, and was filmed in only two shots. [2] At the same time, the concept of Inside No. 9 was a "reaction" to Psychoville, with Shearsmith saying that "we'd been so involved with labyrinthine over-arcing, we thought it would be nice to do six different stories with a complete new house of people each week. That's appealing, because as a viewer you might not like this story, but you've got a different one next week." [3] As an anthology series with horror themes, Inside No. 9 also pays homage to Tales of the Unexpected , The Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock Presents . [4]

The format of Inside No. 9 allowed Pemberton and Shearsmith to explore ideas which are less practical for other approaches to storytelling, such as the possibility of a script with little dialogue. [5] Prior to writing "A Quiet Night In", Shearsmith had spoken with directors, including Ben Wheatley, about the possibility of producing television without speech. The directors had expressed doubts, Shearsmith explained, because the success of dialogue-free television comes down entirely to the visuals and filming. [6] "A Quiet Night In" was inspired by an idea Shearsmith and Pemberton had discussed for Psychoville. [6] The writers had considered omitting dialogue from a ten-minute section in an episode, [5] or even from the whole episode. [6] Pemberton explained that this was not possible as there were "too many good jokes" which they wanted to fit into the sequence. This episode, like "A Quiet Night In", dealt with a break-in. [6]

The mostly dialogue-free episode starred Oona Chaplin (pictured, 2016), a great-grandchild of the silent film star Charlie Chaplin. Oona Chaplin 2016.jpg
The mostly dialogue-free episode starred Oona Chaplin (pictured, 2016), a great-grandchild of the silent film star Charlie Chaplin.

Inside No. 9, for Pemberton, offered the "perfect vehicle" for revisiting the possibility of dialogue-free television. [5] Shearsmith said that, at the start of the writing process, the pair did not have the intention of scripting the entire episode without dialogue, and that it would be "great" to have ten minutes without it. [6] [7] However, Pemberton said it was easier to write once they had entered the correct "mindset". [6] Once half an episode had been written, Pemberton said, the pair thought "we've just got to keep going". [5] The only dialogue in the episode is right at the end; "what a great thing to get to the end and just have one line of dialogue", Pemberton suggested, comparing the concept to that of the Mel Brooks film Silent Movie . [5]

The story of "A Quiet Night In" revolves around a break-in, which, combined with an argument between the people living in the house, means that the characters all have a reason to be silent. [5] [6] [8] At 18 pages of stage directions, the script contained every joke in the episode, an exercise in planning atypical for Shearsmith and Pemberton. [6] The story contains multiple "reveals"; Pemberton explained that he and Shearsmith "hope there's an 'oh my God' moment. There is always a desire to wrong-foot the viewer. That's what you strive to do". [9] Pemberton said that writing for a silent episode "makes you inventive in a completely different way". [5]

The episode was filmed at the White Lodge, in Oxted, Surrey. [10] The episode's burglars are played by the writers; the pair were quoted as saying "we didn't want to dominate [the series], so we sometimes play fairly minor characters. But we know that, say, if we were writing something about two burglars, we'd be the burglars." [3] Pemberton suggested that a partial influence for the episode may have been the children's television series Brum . He said that he and Shearsmith had "always wanted to be a couple of robbers in that, so that might be where the idea came from". [8] Both writers agreed that their roles were "great to perform", and Pemberton described the resulting episode by saying that it "worked out better than [they] could have dreamed". [6]

As the format of Inside No. 9 requires new characters each week, the writers were able to attract actors who may have been unwilling to commit to an entire series. [2] In addition to Pemberton and Shearsmith, "A Quiet Night In" starred Denis Lawson, Joyce Veheary, Oona Chaplin and Kayvan Novak. [11] Pemberton commented on the appropriateness of casting Chaplin, a grandchild of the silent film star Charlie Chaplin, in an episode with little dialogue. Shearsmith stressed that the episode should not be considered a silent film in the same way as Charlie Chaplin's, [6] elsewhere saying that the casting was "almost an accident but maybe a little nod". [8] Bruce Dessau, writing in The Independent , described the casting choice as "a satisfying nod to silent cinema". [9] Both Oona Chaplin and the Inside No. 9 executive producer Jon Plowman stressed, however, that there was no significance in the casting. Chaplin also said that her character was very unlike herself, explaining that the "big boobs, the heels, the blonde wig ... freed [her] up amazingly". [12]

Plot

Gnome-mime-audio-openclipart.svg
Opening section
Middle section
Closing section
A recording of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2. After Gerald turns on a music player at the start of "A Quiet Night In", an arrangement of the piece can be heard throughout most of the episode.
Problems playing these files? See media help.

Inside a large, modernist house, [13] Gerald (Lawson) turns on Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 and sits down to soup brought by his housekeeper, Kim (Veheary). Through the windows behind him, burglars Eddie (Pemberton) and Ray (Shearsmith) are seen. [note 1] Ray enters the house, then lets in Eddie while Gerald is using the toilet. Eddie is shocked to see that the pair have come to steal an almost completely white painting. Ray starts to dismantle the painting while Eddie keeps watch; he tries to guide a Yorkshire Terrier out of the patio window, but inadvertently lets in an Irish Wolfhound. As Ray releases the wolfhound, Eddie accidentally throws the terrier into the window, so Ray stuffs the dog into an umbrella stand.

Sabrina (Chaplin) walks down the stairs, and Ray puts the painting back and hides. Sabrina turns down Gerald's music to watch EastEnders . Gerald returns, sitting away from Sabrina. He turns up his music and the pair fight over the television remote, before leaving through the patio door and arguing, though their voices are muffled. Ray cuts away the canvas and replaces it with kitchen roll. When Sabrina reenters, she unknowingly stands on the canvas. Kim picks it up, mistaking it for laundry, and heads into a laundry room as Sabrina walks upstairs. Eddie follows Kim and she sprays something into his eyes. Ray knocks out Kim and sees the canvas in a laundry basket, which is sent up a laundry chute. He runs upstairs, while Gerald remains outside.

Sabrina packs a holdall, including the contents of the laundry basket. She locks the case and heads into an en suite. Downstairs, Gerald retrieves a pistol and heads back outside. Ray attempts to steal the key from Sabrina's discarded trousers and he sees that Sabrina is a transgender woman. On the patio, Gerald points the gun into his mouth, as Eddie stumbles around in the lounge area, having accidentally pushed chilli peppers into his eyes. Ray hides under Sabrina's bed as she reenters the room; lying on a sex doll with both a penis and breasts, he is almost discovered. Eddie washes his face, and Gerald starts to play "Without You". Sabrina makes her way downstairs, taking the holdall's key. Sabrina and Gerald dance.

Ray drags the case to the top of the stairs and meets Eddie. Gerald lays Sabrina down on the sofa, places a cushion over her face and shoots her. Gerald turns off the music as the doorbell is heard. Answering the door, Gerald sees a man (Novak) who holds up a sign reading "Hello, my name is Paul. I am deaf & dumb." The reverse of the sign reads "Do you need any cleaning products today?" Gerald heads inside and hides Sabrina's body as Paul waits. Gerald splashes his soup onto the blood and invites Paul to clean it. Ray runs down the stairs and meets Paul; he proceeds to buy rope before returning upstairs. Paul continues to clean, but sees the bullethole in the cushion, and then the suitcase being lowered outside the window. Gerald heads outside to investigate, but Eddie and Ray drop the case on his head. The burglars run past Paul and look out to see the canvas in the pool, before both being shot by Paul. Paul rings someone and says "Hello, it's me. Yeah, it's done." He looks to the fake painting, and says "I've got it right here. Yeah, it's fine. Not a peep out of anyone." He takes down the painting and walks out, as the real canvas is seen sinking in the pool.

Analysis

The style of "A Quiet Night In" is experimental [14] and represents a creative risk. [15] While Pemberton and Shearsmith's characters provide comedy, the relationship of Lawson and Chaplin's characters adds an element of darkness. [15] The two storylines are brought together with the violence towards the end of the episode, [15] resulting in the juxtaposition of elements reminiscent of both the Chuckle Brothers (slapstick) and Quentin Tarantino (bloody violence). [9]

Though the comedy remains black, [16] [17] the comedic style of the episode differs considerably from that of "Sardines", the previous installment of Inside No. 9. "A Quiet Night In" offers a kind of "sadistic slapstick" humour; [18] physical comedy, toilet humour and buffoonery are utilised, [15] [19] with the episode effectively becoming a farce. [19] [20] [21] "A Quiet Night In" builds upon silent comedy tropes and norms, [15] [18] but, for the comedy critic Bruce Dessau, the tone is closer to that of Kill List or Sightseers than to the work of Buster Keaton. [18] The episode features various twists, and these are generally in keeping with Pemberton and Shearsmith's typical approach, though one is reminiscent of the Farrelly brothers. [18]

Reception

External videos
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg "A quiet evening meal"
While Gerald eats his soup, Eddie and Ray attempt to enter the house
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg "A canine inconvenience"
While Kim works in the kitchen, Eddie and Ray are almost revealed by a dog

Critics generally responded positively to "A Quiet Night In". David Chater, writing for The Times , gave a highly laudatory review, saying the episode was "the funniest, cleverest, most imaginative and original television I have seen for as long as I can remember – one of those fabulous programmes where time stands still and the world around you disappears". He chose not to reveal too much about the plot for fear of "spoiling the fun". [16] Chater later described the episode as "mindboggling in its originality", [22] and "one of the funniest, most imaginative programmes shown on television in the past 15 years". [23] Jane Simon, writing for the Daily Mirror , called the episode a "triumph", [24] while writers for Metro described the episode as "quality comedy", [25] and journalists writing for The Sunday Times characterised it as a "brilliantly conceived and choreographed mime". [26] Jack Seale, writing for the Radio Times , also stressed how the episode was "beautifully choreographed", praising Pemberton and Shearsmith's "willingness to attempt difficult concepts". [21]

Dessau considered the episode "genius", and described the twist ending as "genuinely unexpected". [18] In The Observer , Mike Bradley called "A Quiet Night In" a "priceless silent farce", [20] but, in the newspaper's sister publication The Guardian , Luke Holland was more critical. He said the episode was "an almost wordless half-hour of physical comedy", and that "it plays out like a French farce, its comedic strokes far broader" than those of "Sardines". "If you find two men silently mime-arguing about how long it takes to have a poo funny", he continued, "you're on sturdy ground here". [19] Later, a review by Phelim O'Neill of the Inside No. 9 series 1 boxset published on theguardian.com described "A Quiet Night In" as "engaging, tense, funny, frightening – and accessibly experimental". [14] The episode was compared positively to "Last Gasp" by Rebecca McQuillan of The Herald , who said that "A Quiet Night In" was "something close to comedy genius". [27] An anonymous review in the South African newspaper The Saturday Star picked out "A Quiet Night In" as the strongest episode of the first series. [28]

After the episode had aired, The Times received an email complaint about Chater's positive review of the episode, which was discussed by the journalist Rose Wild. [17] Part of the complaint read:

I told my husband how it was supposed to be the funniest thing ever, but we were horrified! I'll never be able to forget the little dog being thrown against the window and then stabbed to death by an umbrella – nor the gay man killed by his lover, nor what they had under the bed – nor the deaf man killing the thieves. Having thieves tiptoe comically around the house before having their heads blown off did not make up for my trauma. [17]

In response, Wild said: "I am sorry if we left any permanent damage. In our defence, we did say 'black' comedy." Wild agreed with the reader's comment that she and her husband "must be very different kinds of people" from Chater. [17]

Viewing figures

On its first airing, the episode received 940,000 viewers (4.8% of the market). This was lower than the 1 million (5.6% of viewers) of the series's debut, "Sardines", and lower than the 1.8 million (7.4%) of Line of Duty which immediately preceded "A Quiet Night In" in most UK listings. [29] A repeat, shown on 26 May on BBC2, attracted 900,000 viewers, which was 4% of the audience. On this occasion, the episode followed The Fast Show Special . [30] The series average, based upon the viewing figures of the first broadcast of each episode, was 904,000 viewers, or 4.9% of the audience, lower than the slot average of 970,000 (5.1% of the audience). [31]

Legacy

"A Quiet Night In" was submitted to the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), but was not nominated for a 2015 BAFTA award. In an interview with Digital Spy, Shearsmith said that this surprised him, saying "I was upset, I did think it was a shame that it's not been recognised. You want people to have seen it and to have recognised the work, and innovation, but I think people are doing that. I get told that every day on Twitter, or in meetings." [32] A number of journalists expressed surprise that Inside No. 9 had received no BAFTA nominations, [22] [33] [34] with Julia Raeside, of The Guardian, describing "A Quiet Night In" as "one of the most inspired pieces of mute theatre I've seen on television". [33]

In 2015, Shearsmith said that he and Pemberton had no intention to write any further silent episodes, as they would not want viewers to think they had run out of ideas, [35] while Pemberton separately said that the pair had no desire to do what would be an inferior version of "A Quiet Night In". [36] "Cold Comfort", the fourth episode of the second series of Inside No. 9, was compared to "A Quiet Night In" by Pemberton, Shearsmith and some critics. [32] [36] [37] [38] "Cold Comfort" was also filmed an experimental style, with most of the episode shot from fixed cameras and displayed on a split screen. Despite this—with its focus on listening and the fact that it was mostly static—"Cold Comfort" could, for Pemberton, be seen as the "polar opposite" of "A Quiet Night In". [36]

In June 2016, there was a screening of "A Quiet Night In" at Arnolfini as part of Bristol's Slapstick Festival. The one-off event, entitled "A Quiet Night In with Reece & Steve", also featured Pemberton and Shearsmith discussing the episode on-stage with Robin Ince, followed by a question and answer session with the writers. [39] [40] In an interview with Craig Jones of the Bristol Post , Shearsmith said that he was "very excited to come to Bristol", and that he and Pemberton had been wanting to be involved with Slapstick Festival for some time. He said that "It is a lovely thing to be part of and it is great to see how respected slapstick still remains." [7]

Notes

  1. ↑ As the episode is mostly without dialogue, most of the characters' names are not revealed until the credits.

Related Research Articles

<i>The League of Gentlemen</i> British comedy television series

The League of Gentlemen is a surreal British comedy horror sitcom that premiered on BBC Two in 1999. The programme is set in Royston Vasey, a fictional town in northern England, originally based on Alston, Cumbria, and follows the lives of bizarre characters, most of whom are played by three of the show's four writers – Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton, and Reece Shearsmith – who, along with Jeremy Dyson, formed the League of Gentlemen comedy troupe in 1995. The series originally aired for three series from 1999 until 2002, and was followed by a film The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse and a stage production The League of Gentlemen Are Behind You!, both in 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reece Shearsmith</span> British actor, writer, comedian and magician (born 1969)

Reeson Wayne Shearsmith is an English actor, writer, comedian and magician. He was a member of The League of Gentlemen, with Steve Pemberton, Mark Gatiss and Jeremy Dyson. Jointly with Pemberton, created, wrote and starred in the sitcom Psychoville and the dark comedy anthology series Inside No. 9. He has had notable roles in Spaced and The World's End.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Pemberton</span> British actor and comedian (born 1967)

Steven James Pemberton is a British actor, comedian, director and writer. He was a writer and actor for BBC's The League of Gentlemen with Reece Shearsmith, Mark Gatiss, and Jeremy Dyson. Pemberton and Shearsmith also co-wrote and starred in the black comedy Psychoville and the anthology series Inside No. 9. His other notable television performance credits include Doctor Who, Benidorm, Blackpool, Shameless, Whitechapel, Happy Valley and Mapp & Lucia.

<i>Psychoville</i> British television series

Psychoville is a British psychological horror-thriller black comedy mystery television series created and written by and starring The League of Gentlemen members Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton for the BBC. It debuted on BBC Two on 18 June 2009. Pemberton and Shearsmith each play numerous characters, with Dawn French, Jason Tompkins, Daniel Kaluuya and Eileen Atkins in additional starring roles. The first series was followed by a Halloween special, broadcast on 31 October 2010, which saw Imelda Staunton and Jason Watkins added to the main cast. The second series was first broadcast on 5 May 2011 and ended on 6 June. Reece Shearsmith has said that there will not be a third series. In February 2020, Shearsmith and Pemberton's follow-up series, Inside No. 9, crossed over with Psychoville and brought back five of the characters for the episode "Death Be Not Proud".

<i>Inside No. 9</i> BBC TV dark comedy series

Inside No. 9 is a British black comedy anthology television programme written and created by Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith. It aired on BBC Two from 5 February 2014 to 12 June 2024, running for 9 series and 55 episodes. Each 30-minute episode is a self-contained story with new characters and a new setting, almost all starring Pemberton or Shearsmith. Aside from the writers, each episode has a new cast, allowing Inside No. 9 to attract a number of well-known actors. The stories are linked only by a setting related to the number 9 in some way, and a brass hare statue that is hidden in all episodes. Themes and tone vary from episode to episode, but all have elements of comedy and horror or perverse humour, in addition to a plot twist.

Sardines (<i>Inside No. 9</i>) 1st episode of the 1st series of Inside No. 9

"Sardines" is the first episode of the first series of the British black comedy anthology series Inside No. 9. Written by Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith, it premiered on BBC Two and BBC Two HD on 5 February 2014. In the episode, a group of adults play sardines at an engagement party. Rebecca, the bride-to-be, finds a boring man named Ian in a wardrobe; he introduces himself as a colleague of Jeremy, Rebecca's fiancé. The pair are subsequently joined by family, friends and colleagues of Rebecca and Jeremy. As more people enter the room and step into the wardrobe, secrets shared by some of the characters are revealed, with various allusions to incestuous relationships, child sexual abuse, and adultery. The humour is both dark and British, with references to past unhappiness and polite but awkward interactions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom & Gerri</span> 3rd episode of the 1st series of Inside No. 9

"Tom & Gerri" is the third episode of British dark comedy anthology series Inside No. 9. It premiered on BBC2 on 19 February 2014. The episode was based on a play that Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith had written while living together prior to the development of their series The League of Gentlemen. While the play had originally been around two hours in length, the episode was only half an hour. "Tom & Gerri" follows a difficult period in the life of Tom (Shearsmith), a primary school teacher and aspiring writer, and his girlfriend Gerri, a struggling actress, after Tom invites the homeless Migg (Pemberton) into his home. Conleth Hill stars as Stevie, a man worried about the mental health of his friend Tom. The entire episode takes place inside Tom's flat.

Last Gasp (<i>Inside No. 9</i>) 4th episode of the 1st series of Inside No. 9

"Last Gasp" is the fourth episode of the first series of the British dark comedy anthology television programme Inside No. 9. It first aired on 26 February 2014 on BBC Two. The story revolves around the ninth birthday of the severely ill Tamsin. Tamsin's parents Jan and Graham have arranged with the charity WishmakerUK for the singer Frankie J Parsons to visit as a treat for their daughter. Frankie dies after blowing up a balloon, leading to arguments between Graham, the WishmakerUK representative Sally, and Frankie's assistant Si over the now-valuable balloon containing Frankie's last breath. The story, written by Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith, was inspired by someone Pemberton had seen on Swap Shop who collected air from different places.

The Understudy (<i>Inside No. 9</i>) 5th episode of the 1st series of Inside No. 9

"The Understudy" is the fifth episode of British dark comedy anthology series Inside No. 9. It was first broadcast on 5 March 2014 on BBC Two. The episode was written by and starred Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith, and guest-starred Lyndsey Marshal, Julia Davis, Rosie Cavaliero, Roger Sloman, Di Botcher, Richard Cordery, Bruce Mackinnon and Jo Stone-Fewings. Pemberton plays actor Tony, who is starring as Macbeth in a West End production of Shakespeare's Macbeth, and Shearsmith plays Jim, Tony's understudy. The plot of "The Understudy" partially mirrors the story of Macbeth, exploring the theme of power and the lives of actors.

The Harrowing (<i>Inside No. 9</i>) 6th episode of the 1st series of Inside No. 9

"The Harrowing" is the sixth and final episode of the first series of British dark comedy anthology series Inside No. 9. It aired on 12 March 2014 on BBC Two. The episode was written by Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith, and stars Shearsmith, Aimee-Ffion Edwards, Helen McCrory, Poppy Rush and Sean Buckley. While comedic in places, "The Harrowing" makes extensive use of gothic horror elements transmuted into a modern context. The plot follows Katy (Edwards), who has been hired to housesit for eccentric siblings Hector (Shearsmith) and Tabitha (McCrory). They rarely leave the house, but have an event to attend. They tell Katy about their bedridden, disabled brother Andras (Buckley), who cannot speak but will ring a bell if he needs assistance. Katy is joined by her friend Shell (Rush) once Hector and Tabitha leave, and, upon hearing Andras's bell, the pair reluctantly head upstairs. The episode takes place in Hector and Tabitha's mansion, which is kept deliberately cold and filled with paintings depicting Hell. The writers experimented with a variety of possible endings, hoping to make the episode's close both interesting and scary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">La Couchette</span> 1st episode of the 2nd series of Inside No. 9

"La Couchette" is the first episode of the second series of British dark comedy anthology Inside No. 9. Written by Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith and directed by Guillem Morales, the episode is set in a sleeper carriage on a French train. English doctor Maxwell, who is traveling to an important job interview, climbs into bed. He is disturbed first by drunk, flatulent German Jorg, and then by English couple Kath and Les. Later, while the others sleep, Australian backpacker Shona brings posh English backpacker Hugo back to the cabin, but the pair make a surprising discovery. The episode stars Pemberton, Shearsmith, Julie Hesmondhalgh, Mark Benton, Jessica Gunning, Jack Whitehall and George Glaves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The 12 Days of Christine</span> 2nd episode of the 2nd series of Inside No. 9

"The 12 Days of Christine" is the second episode of the second series of British black comedy anthology series Inside No. 9. It first aired on 2 April 2015 on BBC Two. It was written by Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith, and directed by Guillem Morales. The episode tells the story of Christine, a young woman living in a small flat, over 12 years in her life, focussing on key days and life events in that time. Christine is played by Sheridan Smith, while those who play an important part in her life are played variously by Tom Riley, Stacy Liu, Michele Dotrice, Paul Copley, Pemberton, Jessica Ellerby, Joel Little and Dexter Little. Shearsmith plays the Stranger, an unknown figure apparently haunting Christine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Trial of Elizabeth Gadge</span> 3rd episode of the 2nd series of Inside No. 9

"The Trial of Elizabeth Gadge" is the third episode of the second series of the British dark comedy anthology television programme Inside No. 9. It was written by Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton, and directed by Dan Zeff. It first aired on 9 April 2015 on BBC Two. The story follows a 17th-century witch trial. Elizabeth Gadge, played by Ruth Sheen, stands accused of witchcraft by inhabitants of the village of Little Happens, including characters played by Sinead Matthews, Jim Howick, Paul Kaye and Trevor Cooper. The magistrate Sir Andrew Pike, played by David Warner, has summoned the famed witch-finders Mr Warren and Mr Clarke, played by Shearsmith and Pemberton, to try Elizabeth, but is more concerned with bringing visitors to the village than finding the truth.

Cold Comfort (<i>Inside No. 9</i>) 4th episode of the 2nd series of Inside No. 9

"Cold Comfort" is the fourth episode of the second series of the British dark comedy anthology television programme Inside No. 9. The episode, which was written and directed by Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith, was first broadcast on 16 April 2015 on BBC Two. Most of "Cold Comfort" is composed of a stream from a fixed camera on the desk of Andy, the protagonist, with smaller pictures on the side of the screen, in the style of a CCTV feed. "Cold Comfort" was filmed over two and a half days in Twickenham, and was, like "A Quiet Night In" from Inside No. 9's first series, highly experimental. It was Pemberton and Shearsmith's directorial debut.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nana's Party</span> 5th episode of the 2nd series of Inside No. 9

"Nana's Party" is the fifth episode of the second series of the British dark comedy anthology television programme Inside No. 9. It was first broadcast on 23 April 2015 on BBC Two. Written and directed by Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith, the episode starred Claire Skinner as the obsessive-compulsive and aspirational Angela, who is hosting a party for the 79th birthday of her mother Maggie, played by Elsie Kelly. Angela's husband Jim, played by Pemberton, is keen to play a prank on Pat, Angela's brother-in-law, who is a practical joker. Pat is played by Shearsmith, while Carol, a recovering alcoholic who is Pat's wife and Angela's sister, is played by Lorraine Ashbourne. The episode also features Eve Gordon as Katie, Angela and Jim's teenage daughter, and Christopher Whitlow as a paramedic seen at the beginning and end of the episode.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Séance Time</span> 6th episode of the 2nd series of Inside No. 9

"Séance Time" is the sixth and final episode of the second series of the British dark comedy anthology television programme Inside No. 9. It was first broadcast on 29 April 2015 on BBC Two. The episode was written by Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith, and directed by Dan Zeff. It stars Pemberton, Shearsmith, Alison Steadman, Alice Lowe, Sophie McShera, Dan Starkey, Cariad Lloyd and Caden-Ellis Wall. The episode begins with Tina (McShera) arriving at a Victorian villa for a séance. Hives (Shearsmith) sits her at a table and then escorts the ominous, shrouded Madam Talbot (Steadman) into the room.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Devil of Christmas</span> 1st episode of the 3rd series of Inside No. 9

"The Devil of Christmas" is a Christmas special of the British dark comedy anthology television programme Inside No. 9, and the first episode of the third series. It was first aired on 27 December 2016 on BBC Two. The episode was directed by Graeme Harper and written by Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton. Stylistically, it took heavy inspiration from classic 1970s anthology programmes, such as Beasts, Thriller, Tales of the Unexpected and Armchair Thriller, and was filmed using authentic equipment. Pemberton intended the episode to be a recreation of this kind of classic programming, with critics characterising it as a homage, pastiche or loving parody.

The Bill (<i>Inside No. 9</i>) 2nd episode of the 3rd series of Inside No. 9

"The Bill" is the second episode of the third series of the British dark comedy anthology television programme Inside No. 9. It first aired on 21 February 2017, on BBC Two. The episode was written by Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton, and was directed by Guillem Morales. "The Bill" focuses on four men—Archie, Malcolm, Kevin, and Craig—arguing over who should pay the bill in a restaurant at closing time, much to the dismay of the waitress Anya. It addresses themes of masculinity and competition, and the English north–south divide is a recurring issue; Craig, the visiting southerner, is wealthier than the other three, and unfamiliar with some of their terminology.

The Riddle of the Sphinx (<i>Inside No. 9</i>) 3rd episode of the 3rd series of Inside No. 9

"The Riddle of the Sphinx" is the third episode of the third series of the British dark comedy anthology television programme Inside No. 9. It first aired, on BBC Two, on 28 February 2017. The episode was written by the programme's creators, Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith, and directed by Guillem Morales. "The Riddle of the Sphinx", which is set in Cambridge, stars Alexandra Roach as Nina, a young woman seeking answers to the Varsity cryptic crossword, Pemberton as Professor Nigel Squires, who pseudonymously sets the crossword using the name Sphinx, and Shearsmith as Dr Jacob Tyler, another Cambridge academic. The story begins with Nina surreptitiously entering Squires's rooms on a stormy night and being discovered; this leads to Squires teaching her how to decipher clues in cryptic crosswords.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Empty Orchestra</span> 4th episode of the 3rd series of Inside No. 9

"Empty Orchestra" is the fourth episode of the third series of the British dark comedy anthology television programme Inside No. 9. Written by Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith and directed by Guillem Morales, the episode was first shown on 7 March 2017, on BBC Two. "Empty Orchestra" is set in a karaoke booth, and follows a group of colleagues—Greg (Shearsmith), Fran, Connie, Janet and Duane —celebrating the promotion of Roger (Pemberton). Rebekah Hinds also stars.

References

  1. ↑ "A Quiet Night In poster". BBC. Archived from the original on 11 April 2015.
  2. 1 2 Dean, Will (5 February 2014). "Inside No 9, TV review: A top-drawer cast puts these twisted tales in a league of their own". The Independent . Archived from the original on 18 January 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Inside No. 9, BBC2". Broadcast . 22 August 2013. Retrieved 6 February 2014.(subscription required)
  4. ↑ Lawson, Mark (5 February 2014). "Inside No 9: How Shearsmith and Pemberton have revived a lost genre". theguardian.com. Archived from the original on 18 January 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Inside No. 9: interview with Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton". BBC. 30 January 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Why did you do a silent episode?". BBC. 12 February 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
  7. 1 2 Jones, Craig (8 June 2016). "Will The League of Gentlemen return? Creator Reece Shearsmith reveals all". Bristol Post . Retrieved 9 June 2016.[ permanent dead link ]
  8. 1 2 3 Dessau, Bruce (February 2014). "New interview: Reece Shearsmith & Steve Pemberton". Beyondthejoke.co.uk. p. 1. Archived from the original on 18 January 2015.
  9. 1 2 3 Dessau, Bruce (2 February 2014). "Gentlemen in a league of their own: Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton discuss their new series" . The Independent . Archived from the original on 2 February 2014.
  10. ↑ "Episode 1.2 – A Quiet Night In". British Comedy Guide. Archived from the original on 22 February 2015.
  11. ↑ "Inside No. 9, A Quiet Night In". BBC. Archived from the original on 14 February 2014.
  12. ↑ Franks, Alan (12 February 2014). "Oona Chaplin on Inside No 9: I hope my grandfather Charlie Chaplin would have been proud". Radio Times . Archived from the original on 2 March 2014.
  13. ↑ "Inside No. 9". BBC. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
  14. 1 2 O'Neill, Phelim (31 July 2014). "Inside No 9: a gutsy dark comedy of misery and mayhem – box set review". theguardian.com. Archived from the original on 20 March 2015.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 Upton, David (26 March 2014). "'Inside No. 9' is a bit like a box of chocolates, albeit one full of dark, bitter sweets". PopMatters. Archived from the original on 19 January 2015.
  16. 1 2 Chater, David (12 February 2014). "Viewing guide". T2, The Times . pp. 12–3.
  17. 1 2 3 4 Wild, Rose (15 February 2014). "Why it has been all quiet on the royal front". The Times . Retrieved 21 February 2014.(subscription required)
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 Dessau, Bruce (February 2014). "Review: Inside No. 9: A Quiet Night In, BBC2". Beyondthejoke.co.uk. Archived from the original on 19 January 2015.
  19. 1 2 3 Robinson, John; Stubbs, David; Holland, Luke; Adewunmi, Bim (12 February 2014). "G2: TV and radio: Watch this". The Guardian . p. 22.
  20. 1 2 Bradley, Mike (9 February 2014). "The New Review: Television: Wednesday 12: Picks of the Day: Comedy: Inside No 9 BBC2, 10pm". Observer Review, The Observer . p. 44.
  21. 1 2 Seale, Jack (3 February 2014). "Inside No 9; Series 1 – 2. A Quiet Night In". Radio Times . Archived from the original on 6 January 2015.
  22. 1 2 Chater, David (17 December 2014). "Wednesday's TV: The British Comedy Awards 2014". The Times . Retrieved 6 January 2015.(subscription required)
  23. ↑ Chater, David (2 April 2015). "Viewing guide". T2, The Times . pp. 12–3.
  24. ↑ Simon, Jane (12 February 2014). "Fleming's mother saves new drama while Inside No 9 is a triumph without dialogue". Daily Mirror . Archived from the original on 18 February 2015.
  25. ↑ "Television; the best of what's on". Metro . 12 February 2014. pp. 42–3.
  26. ↑ James, Martin; Kinnes, Sally; Clarke, Mel (9 February 2014). "Choice". Culture, The Sunday Times . pp. 80–1.
  27. ↑ McQuillan, Rebecca (26 February 2014). "Now the league of thieves". The Herald . p. 19.
  28. ↑ "Humour so dark it'll leave you astonished". The Saturday Star . 23 August 2014. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015.
  29. ↑ Farber, Alex (13 February 2014). "Line Of Duty audience halves". Broadcast . Retrieved 21 February 2014.(subscription required)
  30. ↑ Price, Stephen (6 June 2014). "Charts: BBC2's joy of Springwatch". Broadcast . Retrieved 11 June 2014.(subscription required)
  31. ↑ Farber, Alex (13 March 2014). "C4 space season blasts off with 1.6m". Broadcast . Retrieved 18 April 2014.(subscription required)
  32. 1 2 Jeffrey, Morgan (4 May 2015). "Reece Shearsmith on crafting Inside No. 9 – and hopes for a third series". Digital Spy . Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  33. 1 2 Raeside, Julia (8 April 2015). "The Bafta TV awards nominations spread the love around". theguardian.com . Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  34. ↑ Hogan, Michael (8 April 2015). "Bafta TV awards 2015: who says there are no great roles for women?". The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  35. ↑ "Reece Shearsmith: 'We live in terror of people accusing us of doing the same thing twice!'". What's on TV . 20 March 2015. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
  36. 1 2 3 Pemberton, Steve (20 March 2015). "Reopening the doors Inside No. 9". BBC. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  37. ↑ Boyd, Phoebe-Jane (17 April 2015). "Inside No. 9 series 2 episode 4: Cold Comfort review". Den of Geek . Retrieved 17 April 2015.
  38. ↑ Owen, Dan (18 April 2015). "Inside No. 9, 2.4 – 'Cold Comfort'". Dan's Media Digest. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  39. ↑ "A Quiet Night In with Reece & Steve". Colston Hall and the Slapstick Festival. Archived from the original on 5 May 2016.
  40. ↑ ""A Quiet Night In" with Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith". Slapstick Festival. 6 May 2016. Archived from the original on 9 June 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2016.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.