The hits keep on coming, season after season from the genius of Steve Pemberton and Reese Shearsmith. An excellent follow up to the terrific Kid/Nap. This episode was bloody good, double O, double O.
12 Reviews
Double O
davidditka1812 June 2022
What about Bob?
southdavid26 May 2022
Warning: Spoilers
"Inside Number 9" has generally leaned into two particular genres, Comedy and Horror. That is not to say that there haven't been domestic dramas, meditations on loss and witty musicals - just that, generally, funny or scary has been the calling card. This is the first episode though that you might consider science fiction.
Zach (Noah Valentine) and his mum Helen (Jessica Hynes) have been struggling to connect as he has become a teenager and is resentful that his father is not in his life. When a bird crashes against their window, Bob (Steve Pemberton) knocks on the door and helps get the bird back to good health. Acting as a tutor to Zach he ingratiates himself into the family, but he has a secret. Could it be linked to lessons on physics from Rudolph (Reece Shearsmith) that intercut the story?
It is. Of course, they're linked, but there's plenty of misdirection on the road to the revelations about what's really going on. I don't know what it says about him, or me, but my first thought was that Bob was going to be some sort of sex offender, worming his way into an teenagers bedroom and though I'm not going to reveal much more about the true motivations of the character, I will say that it's not that. The science fiction elements, when they arrive, blend well with the domestic drama that had been the episode thus far and give the whole episode a sweeter and more melancholy feel in retrospect - particularly once the episode has played out.
Jessica Hynes is great, as is Noah Valentine. The episode plays with our history with Steve Pemberton's characters for early unsettlement, but then, as I say those expectations are rather confounded.
This was the best episode of the season so far, for me.
Zach (Noah Valentine) and his mum Helen (Jessica Hynes) have been struggling to connect as he has become a teenager and is resentful that his father is not in his life. When a bird crashes against their window, Bob (Steve Pemberton) knocks on the door and helps get the bird back to good health. Acting as a tutor to Zach he ingratiates himself into the family, but he has a secret. Could it be linked to lessons on physics from Rudolph (Reece Shearsmith) that intercut the story?
It is. Of course, they're linked, but there's plenty of misdirection on the road to the revelations about what's really going on. I don't know what it says about him, or me, but my first thought was that Bob was going to be some sort of sex offender, worming his way into an teenagers bedroom and though I'm not going to reveal much more about the true motivations of the character, I will say that it's not that. The science fiction elements, when they arrive, blend well with the domestic drama that had been the episode thus far and give the whole episode a sweeter and more melancholy feel in retrospect - particularly once the episode has played out.
Jessica Hynes is great, as is Noah Valentine. The episode plays with our history with Steve Pemberton's characters for early unsettlement, but then, as I say those expectations are rather confounded.
This was the best episode of the season so far, for me.
Astonishing
Mr_Wobbly25 May 2022
Once again, they have written an astonishing piece of fiction that hits many bases and somehow only takes thirty minutes.
As always, darkly funny and both moving and thought-provoking with an ending that slams into the viewer unexpectedly.
Pemberton and. Shearsmith are national treasures, up there with Shakespeare and. Pinter.
As always, darkly funny and both moving and thought-provoking with an ending that slams into the viewer unexpectedly.
Pemberton and. Shearsmith are national treasures, up there with Shakespeare and. Pinter.
A fabulous episode.
Sleepin_Dragon28 May 2022
What I've always loved about this show, is the variety, Shearsmith and Pemberton's ability to shock, stun and astonish, this is one of those episodes where they do all of that.
One almost insignificant incident, ie the bird, can lead to something almost jaw dropping.
How on Earth it goes from the start, the story of that poor bird, to the unexpected ending is beyond me, but it does, and it works, I thought the script and plot were astonishing.
I adored the dynamic between Jessica Hynes and Noah Valentine, I thought the pair were superb together, I really did believe in the parental relationship, it felt natural and real, great acting.
I don't know how on Earth they've done it, but they've managed to produce something incredible once again, another episode that drew a tear it two.
Fantastic, 10/10.
One almost insignificant incident, ie the bird, can lead to something almost jaw dropping.
How on Earth it goes from the start, the story of that poor bird, to the unexpected ending is beyond me, but it does, and it works, I thought the script and plot were astonishing.
I adored the dynamic between Jessica Hynes and Noah Valentine, I thought the pair were superb together, I really did believe in the parental relationship, it felt natural and real, great acting.
I don't know how on Earth they've done it, but they've managed to produce something incredible once again, another episode that drew a tear it two.
Fantastic, 10/10.
Wonderful, thought provoking, and very Black Mirror
ianspittle25 May 2022
This was the best of the series so far. A great premise, wonderfully written, with superb acting. The twist wasn't that much of a surprise this time, but that didn't matter. A great episode, and this excellent show is back to near its very best.
A Random Act of Kindness
Prismark102 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Helen (Jessica Hynes) is a single mother with a deteriorating relationship with her teenage son Zach who is studying sciences at college.
One day a small bird hits the window and is injured. Bob Bliss (Steve Pemberton) knocks on the door to help the bird get back to health.
Bob also ends up tutoring Zach and tries to get through to him to be nicer to his mother. However Helen later becomes suspicious of Bob.
In the meantime Rudolph (Reece Shearsmith) appears in scenes giving lesson on Newton's Laws of Motion.
This was very much a domestic drama that was very well acted. There were no laughs, another episode from this season where humour was in short supply.
Eventually I did twig that Bob has travelled back in time. The later twist with Rudolph was probably not needed. It might also have issues regarding time travel paradox rule.
One day a small bird hits the window and is injured. Bob Bliss (Steve Pemberton) knocks on the door to help the bird get back to health.
Bob also ends up tutoring Zach and tries to get through to him to be nicer to his mother. However Helen later becomes suspicious of Bob.
In the meantime Rudolph (Reece Shearsmith) appears in scenes giving lesson on Newton's Laws of Motion.
This was very much a domestic drama that was very well acted. There were no laughs, another episode from this season where humour was in short supply.
Eventually I did twig that Bob has travelled back in time. The later twist with Rudolph was probably not needed. It might also have issues regarding time travel paradox rule.
My favourite episode of the season so far!
becky-9234631 May 2022
Warning: Spoilers
A Random Act of Kindness (Inside No.9 S7 E5, 2022) follows a mother and her teenage son after a mysterious stranger enters their home. This was such an amazing episode that was incredibly in-depth, it's definitely one of my favourites from the whole show!
The cinematography was brilliant again and all the shots were very easy on the eye. The lighting was good, and all the shots were clear. I also really liked the camera tracking for each character.
All the performances were absolutely stellar, and the relationships between them were very real. I loved Steve's character in particular, he was mysterious and unnerving. The portrayal for his character's OCD was super realistic too and a very refreshing take on the mental illness.
The sound techniques used helped to set the tone and create an atmosphere. The audio mixing was perfect and you can tell a lot of effort went into it! The score was nice and subtle, but also pretty original.
Lastly, the episode was paced well and flowed perfectly. I'm glad No.9 have finally had a sci-fi episode! This episode really shows how talented Reece and Steve and all of the crew are. The episode is actually very smart and reminded me a lot of the Netflix series Dark. I guessed the main twist but was very happy about it, it was a great twist! The ending was emotional and made me tear up!
The cinematography was brilliant again and all the shots were very easy on the eye. The lighting was good, and all the shots were clear. I also really liked the camera tracking for each character.
All the performances were absolutely stellar, and the relationships between them were very real. I loved Steve's character in particular, he was mysterious and unnerving. The portrayal for his character's OCD was super realistic too and a very refreshing take on the mental illness.
The sound techniques used helped to set the tone and create an atmosphere. The audio mixing was perfect and you can tell a lot of effort went into it! The score was nice and subtle, but also pretty original.
Lastly, the episode was paced well and flowed perfectly. I'm glad No.9 have finally had a sci-fi episode! This episode really shows how talented Reece and Steve and all of the crew are. The episode is actually very smart and reminded me a lot of the Netflix series Dark. I guessed the main twist but was very happy about it, it was a great twist! The ending was emotional and made me tear up!
Great idea but some small problems with execution
nickbasire26 May 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I actually really enjoyed the massive majority of the episode, but the future sections reminded me of what people in the early 1940s thought the year 2000 would look like. I have got to presume that Reece and Steve were trying to get some humour out of it, especially when Reece pulls out a 70s style laser gun. But I feel like those sections ruined some of the realism that the episode was going for thus far. I thought the acting in the episode was brilliant and I could've watched the chemistry between them for at least double the time. I just wish it didn't feel like they were making a parody, especially with such an emotional episode.
A Top 3 Episode of the whole Series
rian-lennon25 May 2022
The past couple of seasons I've been a little worried about Inside No9. Not that it would ever become a bad show, but that it's slowly declining from excellent to 'just' very good.
And then this episode comes along and hits some of the highest highs the series has ever reached.
And then this episode comes along and hits some of the highest highs the series has ever reached.
Charlie Brooker would be proud
safenoe12 June 2023
Warning: Spoilers
A Random Act of Kindness is pure Inside No 9 and Black Mirror for sure. I loved it. In fact, in the Inside Inside No 9 podcast, Reece and Steve acknowledge the Black Mirroresque tone of A Random Act of Kindness, and Charlie Brooker would be giving a hat tip for sure.
On a domestic level, the mother-son relationship was so realistic and really was so real on all levels. The terminal illness diagnosis of the mom was a gut punch, and you wondered where was this episode going. The time travel part was uplifting until the end when it got sour and all Black Mirrorish. It's a shame because I wanted a happy ending.
On a domestic level, the mother-son relationship was so realistic and really was so real on all levels. The terminal illness diagnosis of the mom was a gut punch, and you wondered where was this episode going. The time travel part was uplifting until the end when it got sour and all Black Mirrorish. It's a shame because I wanted a happy ending.
Giving this 8 stars for...
Joseph-Molion22 September 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This is a nice story, but it fell into the same trap as damn near every other time travel story. They left the loop open. This story will repeat over and over ad finitum. Bob goes back, saves his mom & her relationship with him. Goes back to his present, presumably gets killed by a jealous Graham, which prevents him from going back to save his past self's relationship with his mother.
This, in turn, means he goes to Singapore, becomes the big physicist he was meant to be; he and Graham develop the wormhole time machine tech, and then Bob goes back yet again to save his mother.
On and on the carousel goes.
I'm just not sure what Graham did to Bob in the future; that part is very fuzzy.
I do love me a time travel story, but this one didn't really stick the landing, due to the paradox. Time does not like paradoxes.
This, in turn, means he goes to Singapore, becomes the big physicist he was meant to be; he and Graham develop the wormhole time machine tech, and then Bob goes back yet again to save his mother.
On and on the carousel goes.
I'm just not sure what Graham did to Bob in the future; that part is very fuzzy.
I do love me a time travel story, but this one didn't really stick the landing, due to the paradox. Time does not like paradoxes.
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