Pathos? Check. Knob gags? Check. Bloody violence? Check. Slapstick comedy, innuendoes and silly one liners? Check, check and check.
Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith once again prove the genius they possess with this brilliant introductory episode to Series 6 of Inside No. 9. It's like a 'best of' with all of the above, plus the kitchen sink thrown in, and you know what? It works. Performances are absolutely spot on (with Shearsmith stealing the show as Scaramouche for me), lines delivered with pinpoint dead-on timing ("Trinidad & Tobago" had me in stitches") and of course, a twist which, with the exception of 'Love's Great Adventure', we all expect to come, and either shocks, surprises or amazes us.
Sure, the fourth wall gets broken more often than a load of crockery in a china shop when there's a bull in there, and sure, some of the one liners are blatantly landing in 'dad joke' territory, but it's all just done with such panache and invention, that I for one can't wait to see what Simon Says next week.
9/10.
Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith once again prove the genius they possess with this brilliant introductory episode to Series 6 of Inside No. 9. It's like a 'best of' with all of the above, plus the kitchen sink thrown in, and you know what? It works. Performances are absolutely spot on (with Shearsmith stealing the show as Scaramouche for me), lines delivered with pinpoint dead-on timing ("Trinidad & Tobago" had me in stitches") and of course, a twist which, with the exception of 'Love's Great Adventure', we all expect to come, and either shocks, surprises or amazes us.
Sure, the fourth wall gets broken more often than a load of crockery in a china shop when there's a bull in there, and sure, some of the one liners are blatantly landing in 'dad joke' territory, but it's all just done with such panache and invention, that I for one can't wait to see what Simon Says next week.
9/10.