Season/Series - the first of Inside No.9

While I am going to enjoy the second season of Inside No.9, I can try to throw a glance back at the first season.

Inside No.9 is a British series classifiable in the 'dark comedy' genre. The first season consisted of six half-hour episodes. It is an anthology series, meaning that each episode is a story in itself and is self-contained. The common theme, in addition to death and the dark side of the human soul, is the fact of being always set to the 'number 9' of something. An apartment, a house, a dressing room, and so on.

The authors, Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith, appear in almost every episode interpreting very different characters. They were also the authors of the series Psychoville, for those who knew it. There are, in fact, some similarities between Psychoville and Inside No.9, although in my opinion the latter is far superior.

The pilot, Sardines, is perfect and inspiring, and it is why I immediately dedicated myself to the series. The story begins with a game of hide and seek in reverse, with the various players hiding gradually, like sardines, in the same cabinet. The dialogues introduce the characters and the various relationships with excellent style, and the dark side emerges, subtle, until the unexpected ending. I found it amazing how such a complete story has been stuffed into an half-hour episode.

The second episode, A quiet night in, shows an attempted theft in a villa. Very little dialogue, this time. Almost none. It is all played on alternating the characters in the rooms of the villa. Perfect timing, and a story that emerges by itself. A few laughs, despite the dramatic side. One of the best episodes.

The talent of the authors shows great again in Tom and Gerri, an actual thriller in which an aspiring writer is in trouble when helping a homeless man becomes a threat to his own identity.

Back to light tone in Last gasp. The death of a famous pop star while he is inflating a balloon becomes the occasion for conflict when everyone tries to appropriate the balloon itself, valuable 'last breath' of the famous singer.

In The understudy we have a thriller again. The protagonist is replacing a famous stage actor and is, after a serious accident of the star, having the opportunity to make a real change to his career. But whoever arranged this chance?

The arrowing ends the season with a gothic horror. A baby sitter is invited to watch the mysterious older brother of two very obscure and bizarre characters. Many jokes accompany the increasing tension up to the room of the 'brother' and the striking final.

A good season, a beautiful series. If you like british humor, even when it passes a little bit the comfort zone, and if you like well written and well performed stories, then it is definitely worth watching. It is time well spent.