Inside No. 9

Radio Times review

I've been rubbing my hands in glee at the return of this superb anthology series written by and starring Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith - my modern comedy heroes. I also like to picture Julie Hesmondhalgh secretly dancing a jig that she let Corrie's Hayley die, thus freeing herself up for some cracking roles: Henry's forbearing sister Cleo in Cucumber and now a chance to play in a comedy of manners, bunked up in a confined space with this bunch.

As before, the shtick each week is to tell a new short-story set inside a location numbered nine. Here it's a couchette on a TGV hurtling across Europe. Mark Benton plays her amiable hubby, while Jessica Gunning (from Pride and That Day We Sang) plays an Aussie backpacker, who hasn't had a scrub round in days but still gets it on with a toff freeloader (Jack Whitehall).

Shearsmith and Pemberton give a mini-masterclass as an uptight, sleep-deprived prof and a German stoked up on Bier und Bratwurst. Only they could get such mileage out of flatulence in 2015. It's hilarious, sharply observed - and of course there's more than a sting in the tail.

Reece Shearsmith's TV nightmares

As a second series looms, Inside No. 9's star and co-writer Reece Shearsmith pays tribute to the creepy, unpredictable sci-fi and horror anthology shows that inspired it.

The brilliance of Inside No. 9

Successful scripted comedy is, for the most part, built on firmly established characters that an audience grows to loathe, love or basically care one jot about. Which is why Inside No. 9 is such a wonderful anomaly.

Everything you need to know about Inside No. 9

Fans of the BBC's Inside No. 9 rejoice for a second series returns tonight. For those who have yet to discover this dark comedy, here's everything you need to know.

Video: Shearsmith & Pemberton reveal No. 9's TV talent

Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith (The League of Gentleman) return with a new series of cult black comedy Inside No. 9 tonight, but while they wrote all six episodes, they certainly aren't the stars of the show as they told us.

Inside No 9 is back - and it's as creepy as ever

Ben Dowell meets Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton to discuss the return of their unsettling "comedy".

TV review: Inside No 9

This is classy TV, a cracking start to an anthology, in which each episode offers fresh delights unlike the last. Bring on No 2 in this bunch of No 9s.

TV review: Inside No. 9

Spattered with gags both smart and puerile - suicide and explosive diarrhoea have rarely gone hand in hand in such a climatic finale - and rounded off with the sort of smart, subversive closing moments Inside No. 9 has become known for, La Couchette is perhaps more accessible than some of its previous bedfellows, and a solid opening to a very welcome series.

Inside Number 9 review: 'deliciously wicked'

Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton gave us a ruthless dissection of human foibles, from an attempt to open a zip as quietly as possible to, well, murder.

'Inside No. 9' Season 2 Episode 1 review

But here's the thing: the two creators of Inside No. 9 are simply too good writers to be satisfied with simple fart jokes. More than that - and this is a separate point, though clearly related - they always make their scripts work very hard with every single line.