Psychoville

Psychoville 2.6: cold Lazarus

I'm still of the opinion that series 1 had better momentum, a clearer story, and more laughs, but series 2 was a pleasing follow-up when taken as a whole...

The second and, by all accounts, final series of Psychoville draws to a close tonight. While it has a wonderfully twisting (and twisted) plot, it's in the details that this has impressed the most. Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith throw in pick'n'mix influences from Hammer horror, 50s schlock sci-fi, Lindsay Anderson's Britannia Hospital and much more. The secret of the locket is finally revealed - but who, in a show that has seemingly been intent on killing everyone off this series, will still be around to see it?

"I hate London. It's full of weirdos," says Mr Jelly, arriving at St Pancras station with Mrs Ladybird-Face and the head of a Nazi in an icebox. The tone is set for a superb finale that delivers on every count. It's hilarious, audacious, gruesome; the villains you loathe get their comeuppance, and villains you love may live to fight another day... While David Sowerbutts finds love at his lowest ebb and Jeremy Goode succumbs to the Silent Singer, events centre round company Andrews-nanotech and its director Grace (glammed up Imelda Staunton). At last she takes possession of the series' MacGuffin - Kenchington's locket. It's hard to guess where Psychoville can go from here, but let's hope the warped brilliance of Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith will find a way.

Psychoville series 2 episode 6 review: series finale

It's the final episode of the macabre Psychoville. But does it bow out on a high? Here's our spoiler-filled review...

Psychoville, 2.5: Say oops frozen head

This penultimate episode of Psychoville retained the momentum of last week and increased the revelations, which made for a very satisfying half-hour. I'm still not finding series 2 as funny as series 1, but I'm glad the story has taken shape recently (after a frustrating post-premiere slump), and looks poised to end on a high next week...

I can't think of any other comedy where the death count has been as high as it is in Psychoville - and we lose two more of the main cast in tonight's penultimate episode.

Tragically, one of them is the sublime Maureen Sowerbutts as the doctor warns her son, David: "She won't need to set the alarm for the morning." The irony of serial-killer-obsessed Maureen dying of natural causes won't be lost on her, but the second fatality tonight is altogether more shocking and, with a single word, crosses the line from black comedy to bad taste.

This can't match last week's episode for laughs, but, after the locket's mysterious contents were washed down the sink last week by ghastly make-up lady Hattie we discover why it's so valued from Jeremy, the obsessive, dog-napping librarian played by Reece Shearsmith. This comes courtesy of a flashback to Ravenhill Hospital where we also find out more about not just Nurse Kenchington but the The Secret Singer too.

Meanwhile, Mr Jelly undergoes a make-over to become Mr Jolly and has an unexpected reunion.

Murderous Maureen is on her last legs, but slow-witted son David has misremembered the one thing she'd like to do before she dies. It's not wine tasting in France. Mr Jelly, the misanthropic clown, has a makeover to become Mr Jolly and makes a disturbing discovery in Jolly's vault. We also learn that obsessive librarian Jeremy has an unexpected link to Ravenhill Hospital. This is perhaps the blackest instalment yet, with corpses and dismembered body parts piling up. The laughs may be diminishing, but Psychoville remains stylishly crafted and exquisitely performed. Just as in The League of Gentlemen, Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton manage to invest even their vilest characters with fl ashes of pathos. And who could resist another dose (in flashback) of Eileen Atkins as tyrannical Nurse Kenchington?

Psychoville series 2 episode 5 review

Psychoville reaches its penultimate episode, and it's full of drama and plot revelations. Here's our review...

Psychoville: series 2, episode 5

Unnerving comedy gets better and better.

'Psychoville' 2.4 review

I've been frustrated with Psychoville because recent episodes haven't develop the backbone of the storyline much, they just brought a few of the characters' lives to grisly ends... fortunately, episode 4 remedied many of my previous complaints and could be the catalyst for a more focused, illuminating half.