Inside No. 9 series 5

[bgmnts]

Cab hive mind has decided.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Oh fuck off with that nonsense. No one is telling you what you should think, this is a discussion forum.

[bgmnts]

It was an affecting and touching drama, it made me think.

Braiiiinns.




I dont know what im doing.

Itchy tasty

[Pseudopath]

On the plus side, that's two shite episodes out of three (and the passable one was a Psychoville callback). Imagine how good the "good" episode is going to be this season.

^{Oh fuck...next week's is probably going to be a The Good Life pastiche now I've said that.}

[ishantbekeepingit]

Good joke.

Ta.

I mean, I'm not really sure what else to say.  It just didn't hold my attention at all.  It was like the filler episodes of a soap where all the action happened yesterday or somewhere off-screen.  Normally absolutely anything involving either a) Christmas or b) parental love, loss or neglect will have me weeping like a baby, guaranteed, but this?  Nothing.

[Blumf]

For those that liked this ep, there's a little know TV series called Eastenders that you'll love.

[Excellent_Biscuits]

I liked that one. Does that mean im in the cab hive mind now?

I've always wanted to be in a gang. The coolest gang.

[Hobo With A Shit Pun]

Simultaneously lovely and oblique. Effectively a non linear story despite being - save for Number Nine - relentlessly linear. For the life of me didn't put two and two together with the car repairs until the link was spelled out here. Pemberton being quiet can be as excellent as Reeston shouting.

[El Unicornio, mang]

I love the show but that is definitely my least favourite of all the episodes. I need at least some element of escapism in TV/film or I can't really see the point. Well acted, good characterizations, but I might as well have been hanging out in my Mum's kitchen when the family's over, but with added grim subplots.

[Former]

Far, far too many echoes of my real life there to be enjoyable. Brought back uncomfortable memories of living at home with a junkie brother constantly in hiding from creditors. The fear of hearing a loud knock on the door. The very fear.

[chveik]

It was. An episode like that could've easily fallen into the self-conscious trap of "Look, this is us being all serious and Ken Loachy!" But it didn't. It was really well-written and acted, a poignant Play For Today.

was it? I couldn't help but chuckle when Reece said "I miss my Sandra".

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

For those that liked this ep, there's a little know TV series called Eastenders that you'll love.

I haven't watched EastEnders in a while, admittedly, but the last time I looked it didn't resemble a low-key, semi-improvised kitchen sink drama in the vein of Ken Loach, Mike Leigh and Shane Meadows.

was it? I couldn't help but chuckle when Reece said "I miss my Sandra".

Fair enough. I found it very moving.

[kalowski]

Really fucking good.

[Norton Canes]

Really good, and anyone who thinks every episode of Inside No. 9 should be another shade of macabre horror tale is completely missing the point. Although actually, in this case that's pretty much what it was - just without the clichéd trappings.

Re. the improvised performances - I'm glad they tried it, because the whole point of the show is to experiment with different styles, but it's not a method I'm hugely keen on because the hesitations and verbal stumbles take me right out of the dramatic artifice. Yes, I know that's how people actually speak when their lines aren't scripted (i.e. in real life) but when it happens in a drama you can see that it's because the performers are suddenly unsure of what to say or do. It's the reason I love Mike Leigh's films so much - they're developed through months of improv work based on nothing but character notes but Leigh actually writes a proper script from those sessions and that's what the performers work from when it comes to actual filming. So although it sounds counterproductive, I think it's usually best that the rough edges are smoothed off.

I presume the hare was among the clutter on their shelves?

[holyzombiejesus]

That prom dress was horrible, wasn't it? Like the kind of nightie that Mildred would wear when trying to seduce George.

[ishantbekeepingit]

That prom dress was horrible, wasn't it? Like the kind of nightie that Mildred would wear when trying to seduce George.

Like two different pairs of curtains sewn together.

Actually, maybe that's how she made her copy.

[BritishHobo]

They're so good at little moments like the one where she's being grateful but the mum can see she hates it, and then overcorrects, pretending she thought it was a shit dress anyway. Great bits of half-unspoken human interaction.

[holyzombiejesus]

Yeah, definitely. Cared far more for these people after 10 minutes than I have after entire series (that I've enjoyed) by others.

[Dannyhood91]

I rated that episode highly.

[neveragain]

Really good, and anyone who thinks every episode of Inside No. 9 should be another shade of macabre horror tale is completely missing the point.

Yes, Reece and Steve are taking risks. Well, they have been since they decided to set an episode in a wardrobe, but they're not resting on their laurels or sticking to what a 9 episode is assumed to be at this stage, and that can only be commended. It's how creative work remains fresh.
Although, since it seems we do have some standard horror episodes to come (next week's seems to be, and the as-yet-unbroadcast one that was at the BFI screening has been reported as such), I still think they would have been on safer ground to put those episodes at the start of the series.

I also agree that Mike Leigh has perfected the use of improv, but it was fairly well deployed last night. Last note: Debbie Rush, Bobby Schofield and little Olly Hudson-Croker all gave terrific performances.

[olliebean]

Lots of people on twitter after that episode going on about how not every episode has to have a twist, seemingly having missed the somewhat understated twist that the episode did in fact have.

[Small Man Big Horse]

I thought it was okay, better than Eastenders but I've seen many a key slice of life drama that was more affecting, it would probably have worked better with a longer running time as the son's addiction seemed a bit cliched.

[Bazooka]

I liked it, just wanted some gags.

[Noonling]

Is it the first episode they've done with zero (or one) gags? Even the Fritzl episode had humour from what I recall. The only humorous bit was when the Christmas gadget went off when Pemberton was in the kitchen at night feeling spooked.

On the plus side, that's two shite episodes out of three (and the passable one was a Psychoville callback). Imagine how good the "good" episode is going to be this season.

^{Oh fuck...next week's is probably going to be a The Good Life pastiche now I've said that.}

Mm. If this was an episode in a different series I wouldn't mind as much because they are trying something different and I applaud them for the variety they've shown in the show over all. But so far we've had three episodes that I feel are mediocre at best. I'd rank them all as part of the worst 5 episodes of IN9.

Next episode is set in a magician's studio though, which sounds fun. Maybe that will blow me away so much I won't mind.

[bgmnts]

I think it's the opposite of risky actually, as people have said it's sub-soaps fodder, whereas the stuff they do do well is not stuff you see on telly all that often, and are quite clever little stories. Oh well.

[holyzombiejesus]

Is it the first episode they've done with zero (or one) gags?

Not watched 12 Days of Christine for a while but can't remember any jokes in that.

[fatguyranting]

I thought there were loads of jokes in it. These are people I recognise. I thought the writing was beautiful. Proper loved it. 

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Is it the first episode they've done with zero (or one) gags? Even the Fritzl episode had humour from what I recall. The only humorous bit was when the Christmas gadget went off when Pemberton was in the kitchen at night feeling spooked.

The Grandma's Knickers scene was lighthearted, and Pemberton's character, whenever he wasn't fretting over his son, was generally quite jovial and jokey in a naff yet likeable middle-aged dad way. There were moments of humour laced throughout the episode.

Not watched 12 Days of Christine for a while but can't remember any jokes in that.

I can't recall any jokes in that either. Love's Great Adventure was a rib-tickling hoot by comparison, and at least it offered a bit of hope at the end (even though their lives will probably go to shit again at some point).

[BlodwynPig]

Would have loved a car chase scene in that one

[Brundle-Fly]

It really reminded me of a Jimmy McGovern style TV drama more than anything else. This was like The Street. (not Corry) which is no bad thing. I thought it was really affecting, but come on lads, next episode can you both just 'sit in a pitch-black room and throw blood at each other'*


*_{Courtesy of SOTCAA Christmas Book. Edinburgh Fringe 2000} (Christ, was that really twenty years ago?)