The 5 least popular episodes of Inside No 9 (and why I still like them)

[@CrazyBuffyFan1]

Of these, I actually really like Empty Orchestra. It was nice to have something that ended happily after so much intensity that season.

[@WeeLin]

It was such a dark series that the happy ending felt like the most unexpected twist of all. I loved it!

[@justrez3846]

@@WeeLin all of it

[@davidnelson9232]

Agreed it was on of the strongest episodes in my opinion.

[@rancidkippa4589]

I was expecting someone to horribly die at any point, so the lack of that was a nice twist

[@j.r.cilliangreen4083]

Me too!!! One of my favs

[@joethelion6016]

Even the less appealing episodes of this wonderful series are better than 99% of the nonsense on television

[@Sleve-McDichael]

You can praise something you like without denigrating other artists, you know?

[@joethelion6016]

@@Sleve-McDichael dry up. I never mentioned any other 'artists. You bored mate? 😆

[@jrobertheath]

What I love about And The Winner Is... is that the ending makes the first watch quite satisfying as throughout the episode, Jackie is mistreated by everyone, and in the end, she's the one who gets the last laugh.

[@WeeLin]

I hadn't thought of that, but yes, very true!

[@jamesmullen2231]

I absolutely loved "And the winner is...", I found the dialogue sharp & witty and the setting to be unique, a nice satirical fly-on-the-wall's eye view of a hidden process. I did kind of guess what the twist would be, but not from any clue in the episode itself, more from the meta-awareness that there would be a twist and the most likely one would be that someone was rigging the vote. It was still well played out though, even when I was 90% expecting it.

[@WeeLin]

Agreed - the writing in ATWI is sharp and brilliantly funny. I couldn't get my head round the fact that people didn't like it. And thanks - that does make sense for figuring out the twist. I almost never go in to the episode looking for it, as I like to be surprised!

[@FTZPLTC]

"Fuck you, you withered asshole" remains one of the best comebacks ever.

[@DavidZ4-gg3dm]

The characters aren't likeable, an unknown being invited to vote on a panel is unbelievable, it has no laugh-out-loud moments & the twist is weak compared to that of most Inside No. 9 eps.

[@endor8witch]

12 days of christine was what got me hooked to the show. it's just simple and emotional. such a ride!

[@WeeLin]

It's my favourite episode, and probably the one I'd show people to convince them to watch the rest.

[@dp-g5i]

​@@WeeLin Christine is probably one of the worst episodes for introducing someone to the show. Even though it's utterly brilliant, it doesn't give people an insight into what the show as a whole is like. I think they personally nailed it with Sardines as the intended introduction for the show, it's funny, it's cleverly written, it gets very dark and serious when it needs to and it's got a great cast.

[@drfabulous2804]

@@dp-g5i Sardines, A Quiet Night In and La Couchette are by far the best episodes, I also have a soft spot for Wuthering Heist, and the game show one with Lee Mack (I forget the name, something like 3X3)

[@cara425]

A lot of these episodes are the ones that get better after rewatching them

[@WeeLin]

I find the second watch is always the best watch - once you know what's going on, you can really appreciate the finer details in the scripts and performances.

[@cara425]

WeeLin definitely! Empty orchestra is one that i love from rewatching it. All of the little jokes can go so un-noticed.

[@hazeljaffray9020]

I love that you’ve shed some light on these episodes. I love all of them but have personal favourites rather than wanting to rank them so it’s nice to see analysis of the less talked about ones. Your channel is really good and I hope it continues to grow.

[@WeeLin]

I was surprised when so many people asked me to cover the less popular ones, but I'm really glad they did. I thought that would be more original than another ranking video, and that these episodes definitely deserved more love. Glad you liked it, and that you enjoy the channel!

[@grunkert]

Your channel is helping me get through some tough times. Thank you

[@WeeLin]

That's wonderful to hear - thanks so much for sharing that with me. It makes it all seem worthwhile. Hope things get better for you

[@heidihackleman7491]

I don’t think that they’ve made a bad episode to date. There are some I like less than others, but they are all good. Even if I’m rewatching them I never skip any. Thank you for your analysis

[@luuvfromeve]

I can't believe that some people don't like The Understudy! It's one of my favourite episodes, the lighting, the acting, the set design and the twist was all amazing!

[@eoj8371]

8:40 you’ve hit the nail on the head there as to why I love the show so much (aside from the amazing writing and acting) that I’ve never realised before. Almost every episode is about some usually untold, yet gleefully domestic or humane scenarios and occasions in life

[@WeeLin]

Thanks! I think everyone has a story to tell, and a truly great writer can always find meaning in the mundane. Thankfully, Inside No 9 has two great writers who can do just that.

[@nickpayne2102]

Almost every episode is worth a re watch. They get better the second time you see them

[@DiamantisHell]

Yup

[@peterhammond1701]

YES YES YES, an episode about Edward and Tubbs! Once again I must thank you for your insightful analysis and my housemate applauds your sense of humour (as do I). I'm using your vids to get him more into #9, with great success.

[@WeeLin]

Excellent! Glad you enjoy the humour and analysis, and I'm looking forward to talking about Edward and Tubbs (there's a surprising amount of material to get through!)

[@missjudd16]

I love how much effort you clearly put into each video - especially as inside no9 is such a little talked about topic on KZbin. Love your videos, thank you! x

[@WeeLin]

You're very welcome! I do put a lot of work into making these, but it's worth it because I love Inside No 9 and I wanted to hear it talked about more. Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and start the conversation yourself!

[@callumboyle1600]

Yay! A new video! You’ve quickly became one of my favourite creators, I love listening to your voice.

[@WeeLin]

Thanks very much! Nice to hear I'm doing something right.

[@danm3882]

Thank you for posting this Inside No. 9 doesn’t give enough credit or analysis it deserves. Easily the best show of the 21st century. Both of them excel at writing and are acting chameleons. Will definitely be watching all your videos and future ones

[@WeeLin]

Thanks! I think "chameleon" is the best word possible for describing those acting talents - Steve and Reece are literally different people every week in this show, not to mention the fact that they made up two thirds of the performers on League of Gentlemen. Who knows how many different characters they've played by this point?

[@karenhunter8095]

Thank you so much for all of these League of Gentleman run downs! Also I love your puns/jokes/commentary.

[@WeeLin]

You're welcome, and I can never resist the urge to pun, so it's nice to see that's appreciated!

[@joshuawilliams7734]

I like every episode featured on this list. I thought Last Gasp was a fantastically darkly comical episode and Nanna's Party, the winner is are both perfect examples of how an ensemble cast can present a lot of comedic potential that always manages to hit their marks everytime I watch them. I want to also say that I loved The referee's a W***er its my favourite along with Empty Orchestra is a lovely episode, has great characters, awesome songs with meaning and who doesn't love a good musical great video

[@WeeLin]

Thanks! I'm glad you appreciate these episodes too - you're spot on with the ensemble comedies, and they really know how to get the most out of their casts. I also loved The Referee's a W***** even though I'm not a football fan by any stretch.

[@heatherstephenson3559]

Love your videos on No.9 so much, they're great. Last gasp is definitely an underrated episode (and Nana's party and Empty Orchestra are some of my absolute faves). I also agree about 'Little Britain' taking ideas from other shows as, in my opinion anyway and I don't like being too critical, 'LB' can't hold a candle to the shows created by Steve and Reece as 'No.9' and all of their shows are infinitely better in basically every way.

[@carealoo744]

I just want to say I really appreciate that even though you acknowledge it feels a bit silly, you still give a spoiler warning for that Shakespeare play that I honestly had no idea saying its name was bad luck. I remember someone once said that a movie like Planet of the Apes doesn't need a spoiler warning, due to the fact that it has been out for so long, and not apparently it's any individuals own fault for not seeing it yet. Shakespeare's plays have been out for centuries though, and yet believe it or not, new people are born every single second who have not seen his plays, or the Planet of the Apes, and believe it or not, it's actually not their fault

[@WeeLin]

I totally agree with this! Sure, my "Shakespeare spoiler warning" was made partly as a joke (and honestly because I've no idea how well-known Macbeth is beyond my own experience), but it's always annoyed me when people assume that everyone in the world has seen a certain film, play or TV series. As you said, new people are born literally every single second. So what if the plays have been around for centuries? I haven't! And even as a former English lit student, I definitely haven't read or seen ALL of Shakespeare! But what really gets me is when people act annoyed or personally offended when they realise someone hasn't seen their favourite film. Why? It's not like they've avoided it their whole life just to annoy me! Just let people enjoy things and talk about them, or let them discover things in their own time and not spoil it for everyone else. Okay - rant over!

[@robparr2019]

Thanks for your acute analysis as always. It can be lonely, being a critic! You always hit the spot. I agree, there are no bad episodes of Inside Number Nine. The creators are touched by genius. I love Empty Orchestra. It is gratifying that evil is punished and good triumphs. Being disabled myself, it’s moving that there’s no sense that she is a cipher, but rather a real three-dimensional character

[@j.r.cilliangreen4083]

I love Nana’s Party for the whole family drama and crazy background...

[@WeeLin]

You really feel like you know the whole family by the end of the episode. Apparently the BBC were keen for Steve and Reece to develop this into its own sitcom, but they preferred to do the anthology series instead. Not sure where a whole series based on Nana's Party would have gone, but it's an interesting bit of trivia!

[@ChristopherHaleFilms]

You know I've always loved Nana's party, the use of music when everything is revealed made me shed a tear. However, I love your channel even more and I hope you keep producing content until the sun burns out x

[@WeeLin]

No pressure then! Thanks for that, and yes, I'm also a fan of that scene from Nana's Party. I love how the music choice starts as a joke between the hosts in the beginning, but then it ends up really fitting the drama of the scene. The bit where Carol says "I love you" just breaks me heart - she's so vulnerable in that moment.

[@Samcole0408]

I think the issue with most of them is there are no klings and there's to much acting

[@WeeLin]

At least we didn't get that Bradley Pith.

[@FTZPLTC]

Totally with you on the reading of Last Gasp's ending. I'm surprised that anyone thought Tamsin was supposed to be doing what she does to get revenge on the adults. From what we see of her, it would be pretty out of character, and it's much more fitting.

[@WeeLin]

I was surprised too - it seemed so obvious to me that she was sending Frankie to heaven! I also saw a review that said it was "not believable" that Tamsin would have asked for someone like Frankie on her Make-a-Wish bid. Again, I thought it was obvious that her mum pressured her into it, and it wasn't Tamsin's first choice, but she's a sweet kid who makes the best of things.

[@JAProductions494]

I think that The Understudy is my favourite episode of this batch I found it really intriguing and it is also the episode I reference the most. Seriously, the amount of times I saw “is that a dildo which I see before me” or “f*ck me, it’s a ghost” whenever I talk about Macbeth is not even funny However, I am shocked that Séance Time was an honourable mention. I LOVE that episode, why on Earth is it unpopular!?

[@WeeLin]

I went to a production of Macbeth about a month ago and had to restrain myself from shouting out when Banquo's ghost appeared!

[@cbfdxbxsb]

My issue with The Understudy is that the meta idea of a Macbeth-type story happening around a production of Macbeth has already been done, quite a few times. Just seemed a little obvious for a Number 9 episode.

[@WeeLin]

I could see that being an issue, though I think it was the first time I'd seen "meta-Macbeth" used as a premise before, so it was new to me at least!

[@cbfdxbxsb]

@@WeeLin That being said though, I actually really enjoy the episode despite that. It's still done very well even if it's not the most original episode they've done. The weakest that No 9 has to offer is still pretty great :)

[@sumaiya5602]

omg i loved nana's party its prolly one of my fave episodes of the entire series

[@WeeLin]

I love Nana's Party! I couldn't believe so many people weren't keen on it. It's just so hilariously tragic to me.

[@husseintawfik962]

You raised some good point great job, one of the few shows that at its worst is still good and mostly enjoyable

[@WeeLin]

At its worst, No 9 is probably still one of the best things on TV.

[@joeyeulo1489]

I just finished a proper binge of every episode...twice lol.... And it's easily become a favorite series and I absolutely agree that there hasn't been a bad episode. I actually like every one in this list but can see why some may not. Fantastic video, definitely subbing now 😊

[@WeeLin]

Glad someone else agrees! I often find the second watch is the best one with Inside No 9. Thanks for the sub!

[@Brickchild]

NaNas party was one of my favourite episodes that I’ve seen like I felt so so tense throughout

[@WeeLin]

I still feel tense watching it, even when I know what happens.

[@benjames9158]

id say nanas birthday is dark. people don't have to die, be kidnapped or exploited in whatever way for it to be dark. that last shot where he's just looking at his wife and daughter about to leave is just I guess harrowing

[@Callum_2613]

Nothing better than a Weelin inside no. 9 video to stave off the self isolation boredom. Tbh The Understudy is one of my favourites really and one of the big faults I think of is the cgi, but as you’ve mentioned they don’t have an MCU style budget so I can live with it. About ‘And the Winner is…” I’ve never ‘seen and ending coming’ in any No. 9 I think Reece and Steve are just way too smart for me. Great video as per 👍🏻

[@WeeLin]

Cheers! I only mentioned the CGI because I'd genuinely seen it mentioned as a reason why the whole episode was bad (yeah, it's poor quality, but it's like 3 seconds long!). I never see the twists either, but to be honest I don't look that hard for them. I like to be surprised.

[@Callum_2613]

WeeLin I think the only one I’d ever come close to “guessing” is the twist in misdirection really, but I was still pleasantly surprised with the ending of course because of how clever it all was

[@TFTNGaming2001]

Random McBeth fact: the character of Banqo is the reason we have the word banquet now

[@dzansuljanovic7741]

Me and my friend randomly found the show and didn't know anything about anyone's opinions and last gasp is probably in both of ours top 5 and I'm extremely shocked to see it here we found the characters simply amazing and hilarious to watch

[@sammour444]

My least favorite episode would be "The Harrowing" it had one plot twist which is her friend, unless there is anything else i haven't paid attention to. Anyway appreciate your reviews ❤️ we dont see much reviews for this show; because It's underrated and has no media coverage, sadly.

[@WeeLin]

I like The Harrowing, though it was more for the humour and horror than the actual plot (the ending definitely earned it a spot on my "most disturbing episodes" list). This show definitely deserves more reviews, and even when people do make reviews, these episodes don't tend to be talked about at all. I thought I'd give them the attention they deserve.

[@IfIHadMyTimeAgain]

8:54 is that a repo reference?

[@WeeLin]

Yes, and I'm amazed anyone actually got it! Trust me - anytime I say or write that phrase, I'm singing Repo in my head. Well done!

[@ssai90]

“Stay local” might be my new favourite lockdown slogan :P It’s nice to see some light shed onto the less popular episodes (I was a bit surprised at some of the ones that ended up low-ranked. Never knew Last Gasp was so unpopular!) I always read the “sister’s name” line in Nana’s Party to mean Carol either miscarried or terminated a pregnancy (and if it’s the latter there’s the possibility that Jim pressured her into it, which makes things considerably more grim.) Got to admit the opening of that one bothered me a little (would a stripper really arrive in what looked like an emergency vehicle? What was the line “doesn’t look good, does it? Hope I’m not too late” supposed to mean in context?) but I still love how the guy just happily launched into his routine, apparently without taking in anything that was going on around him!

[@WeeLin]

Someone on one of the League/Psychoville/IN9 fan pages posted a picture of Tubbs and Edward with the caption "stay local" at the beginning of the lockdown, and I've been saying it ever since. That, and I've seen pictures of actual signs from shops in villages and seaside towns saying "locals only". That show was freakishly ahead of its time! I've heard that miscarriage/termination idea said about the "sister's name" line before, which could be true, and would be grim as hell if it was. But then again, it might be that Carol has her heart set on having a baby and already picked a name (maybe she always wanted her own baby girl since Katie was born - she really does seem to adore her niece). Carol just gets sadder and more tragic the more I think about her. I think there was a mention of the "emergency vehicle" in the episode's commentary, saying that the stripper probably bought a disused car for work. Maybe he was running late for the booking, which "doesn't look good" for the agency, or maybe it was a comment on Nana's age? Either way, the main thing that struck me as weird on rewatch was that Katie was around for the whole routine, and she's like 14-15? Still a hilarious scene though!

[@ssai90]

...Ok yeah, I can buy that theory. Also explains why he was in such a rush to get the job done!

[@chloetaylor7476]

I can't confirm for sure but I'm pretty sure it is David Bedella's singing in the last gasp episode. He's Rocky horror live as Dr Frank n Furter, (can be watched on KZbin, he's fantastic in it) and his singing voice is extremely similar to the one in the episode. So my guess is it is his actual voice :)

[@WeeLin]

Since I made this video, I can confirm that it is David Bedella's voice. This is because I went to a No 9 event last year and they opened with David on stage singing One Day In Your Life before he blew up a purple balloon and collapsed!

[@Katielovegood44]

Would u do a ranking of all episodes? I know u love 12 days of christine but I would b curious to your Ranking of all

[@WeeLin]

To be honest, I'm not all that keen on doing rankings unless it's around a theme (least popular, most disturbing etc). My opinions change all the time depending on what mood I'm in and, while I have a few stand-out favourites, the rest are hard for me to choose between and I don't feel right putting anything from No 9 on the bottom tier! If enough people wanted me to do it then I might reconsider, but I'm not planning a full ranking video any time soon. Plus Steve and Reece are still making new IN9 episodes (yay!), so maybe I'll save that idea until the show wraps up. My goal until then is to review every new episode as it comes out and do an analysis of every episode up until that point.

[@Katielovegood44]

I completely understand that reasoning actually :) I just love how rated the most disturbing ones. You really think deep about it. So excited there will be more episodes!@@

[@TheBatmansbrother]

If I had to pick. It's 'Nana's party' and 'last gasp'. They aren't bad, it's inside number 9, there are no bad episodes, but those are the episodes I forget about. A lot of people seem to dislike 'Empty orchestra' and yeah, I can agree with some of the criticism, but in the end it's fun and the characters are well defined.

[@WeeLin]

Exactly - nothing wrong with having a fun episode now and then! And I badly needed it after watching Riddle of the Sphinx (still considered by me to be their most disturbing episode).

[@willorsomething4019]

Hi so a friend and I are performing Bernie Clifton’s Dressing Room to quite a large audience after all of this is over, it’d mean a lot if you were to cover the episode to help us improve our performance. Cheers!

[@WeeLin]

That sounds wonderful - best of luck to you both! I know you probably can't say just yet when you're due to perform (and really, who can predict anything at the moment?), but please do keep me posted. I think I might look at Bernie Clifton's Dressing Room after my League video, as it's an episode I wanted to cover anyway, not to mention one of my personal favourites. I really want to get deep into the emotions and history of the characters. Great idea to perform it as a live show. One last thing - do you know where you'll be doing the show?

[@willorsomething4019]

WeeLin oh it’s a school thing, last year so better make it count I guess

[@WeeLin]

@@willorsomething4019 Oh, right! All the very best with it then. You playing Cheese or Crackers?

[@willorsomething4019]

WeeLin Crackers myself, I think I suit the character a bit more! My friends playing Cheese and we’ve got a friend to play Len’s Daughter, very excited!

[@grlkisser666]

i dont know if anyones mentioned this because i think it'd be silly to comb the whole comments section lol, but something i noticed while watching "...and the winner is", especially after the group turns to gordon as a "token black voice" in regards to opinions on the actress, is all the other actresses photos are in black and white - but anna's (i think that was the actresses name?) was in color which... i think definitely very much speaks for itself. and i cant believe people didn't like nana's party? honestly i thought it was really good, lorraine ashbourne's portrayal of "insanely uncomfortably drunk relative" was SO accurate lol

[@WeeLin]

I haven't heard anyone mention the photo, and that's something I didn't spot myself. But it works, especially given the conversations that happen afterwards (you can practically sense every one of Rupert's comments before he even says it). I love Nana's Party, and Lorraine Ashbourne absolutely kills it! Both the performance and the party atmosphere - take your pick. I love Nana as well, she's brilliant!

[@xX88B88Xx]

Love all your content, thanks so much!!

[@WeeLin]

Glad to hear it, thank you!

[@elberno4243]

14:15 The "Visions" as you say, are anxiety daydreams, not premonitions. If Jim had blood on his hands, there could be foreshadowing, but he was innocent so pure fantasy

[@marcusorlandi8054]

Nana's Party is superb. Nice vid though

[@WeeLin]

I agree - I absolutely love Nana's Party and was surprised to learn there were people who didn't.

[@kittycattt93]

Can you do a video that shows where the rabbit statue is in every episode. Ove rewatched most the series and found it in most episodes but have struggled to find it in a few "La Couchette" is an episode I've repeatedly watched and still cant find it lol.

[@WeeLin]

La Couchette is a sneaky one for hare-spotting! Somebody told me where it was before I could spot it myself, but I doubt if I would have ever seen it otherwise. As for a guide to hidden hares, I'm planning to work that into a future video about the episode "Tempting Fate", in which the hare is given its own backstory. It also makes for some interesting fan theories!

[@Aannan]

36:22 Yes, it sounds like David Bedella's singing voice to me. You can compare the voice singing One Day in Your Life in this episode to Bedella's performance of Sweet Transvestite here on KZbin.

[@WeeLin]

I just looked up his performance of Sweet Transvestite - that was fantastic! Thanks for letting me know about it. I'll need to listen again and see if it's up there with the Tim Curry and Anthony Head versions.

[@TheUnitedView79]

I really enjoyed Empty Orchestra (to be fair i've loved all episodes so far, i'm on series 4).. It's because there was no dark twist that probably made it less engaging for most viewers

[@alagorical8001]

effing LOVE your channel! x

[@WeeLin]

Thank you!

[@ster2600]

Nana's party is hilarious

[@WeeLin]

Isn't it a scream? I love it!

[@ster2600]

@@WeeLin haha good reference!

[@zoebillingham8885]

Regarding Last Gasp - David Bedella played Frank N Furter in the stage version of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Not sure if his characters name Frankie is a nod to that, there is also a line in a song "I was a regular Frankie fan" - could just be a coincidence :)

[@WeeLin]

So there is! It's in the song "Rose Tint My World" if I'm remembering it right. Might be a coincidence, but I wouldn't be surprised if they did it on purpose.

[@samuelgethin9693]

ngl I prefer the random twist in Inside No 9 but Nanas Party and And The Winner Is are pretty good even though they didn't have a crazy twist.

[@WeeLin]

I've heard the creators saying "it's not all about the twist" before - sometimes it's just a good comedy, drama or horror. They do write some amazing twists though!

[@scarlettdamante4945]

Think its only bad luck to say Macbeth *in* a thearter

[@WeeLin]

I should issue a warning: do NOT play this video in a theatre!

[@special_patrol_group]

'and the winner is' is absolutely hilarious but the reason it is one of my least favourite is because of the argumentative nature of it. i just struggle to watch shows where everyone is constantly shouting at eachother.

[@WeeLin]

I'll admit, that's the kind of thing that I can sometimes struggle with watching myself. Especially people shouting over each other when people are trying to talk.

[@lemonlazer5687]

People love to say that they saw the twist coming a mile off like they are some unfounded genius that could pen an immediate seminal stage play or Oscar worthy film. I hate it when people casually claim to be the bastion of all intelligence when it comes to twists in fantastic TV shows/films such as IN9

[@lemonlazer5687]

Not that my favourite episode is the one about the team deciding the award but I find any criticism of perfect shows/films difficult to listen to especially when it has an air of arrogance about it. Love your channel. So much inside no. 9 content.

[@WeeLin]

Thanks - I like to think that arrogance doesn't suit me! And yeah, I'm familiar with the "I saw the twist a mile away and am very smart" brigade. Maybe I should start carrying a pack of cookies so I can hand them out every time someone says that about Inside No 9!🍪 🤣

[@lemonlazer5687]

@@WeeLin haha never expected a comment back after going on my rant. Many thanks pal. Looking forward to seeing your reviews of series 7? I’d say it was my favourite but like every series I have a personal favourite episode or two in each series.

[@lemonlazer5687]

@@WeeLin cookies are very welcome haha

[@davepaul3146]

So far I completely LOVE all of their shows, they're definitely regularly watched here lol

[@WeeLin]

Me too - huge fan of League of Gentlemen, and it's nice to see more people are discovering Psychoville too.

[@davepaul3146]

The League's their best but Psychoville is brilliant too and Inside No 9 is really different in comparison but equally as addictive

[@CagedWren]

the understudy is literally legendary and the winner is is so fun

[@WeeLin]

I never got the hate for And the Winner Is. I thought it was hysterical, and still do!

[@carolinejayes157]

Very good writing of scripts ,and acting.!

[@WeeLin]

It's such a great show, I love it!

[@chasidahL]

I love each & every episode of Inside No 9, but the opening episode of Series 6 was absolutely dreadful. Not sure if Covid scuppered the process, but looking forward to episode 2 & "normal service" resuming!

[@WeeLin]

It's been pretty divisive - it's a very over the top style that either works for you or it doesn't (I enjoyed it, but I can totally appreciate why it would be a bit much for others). But that's the beauty of No 9 - they can still take risks, and even if it's a miss then the next outing will be completely different.

[@chasidahL]

@@WeeLin - yes, I agree. Although it didn't hit the spot for me, it is very clever & razor- sharp, with scenes of comedy gold- Reece sinking in the armchair & ( after being kissed by "the hunk") exclaiming "there should be more men like him in the military!" Pure genius 👍. It is so important to think outside the box & try new material. I love their methods of working & finding ways to ensure the stories remain fresh & unique. Testament to their incredible talent!

[@jlyndyt1396]

Just as an idea maybe you could do one of those grading systems (s-f) and rank every no 9 ep in there, might take a while but I’m sure a lot of us would enjoy it during this lockdown

[@WeeLin]

Thanks for the idea! While it's nice to make videos people enjoy, and I know a lot of IN9 fans like doing lists, I find it unusually difficult to assign scores on an objective good-bad rating. I don't know why - it's just something I've never been good at. Honestly, I could write a full, in-depth review for each episode, then spent an equal amount of time staring at what I've written and trying to translate it into a number (I'm glad I'm not a teacher - grading essays would be a nightmare!). I'm not ruling it out, and I do plan to talk about every episode of IN9 at some point - I'm just not 100% sure what form that would take. But if it's long-form content you're after, then the next video is definitely shaping up to be a long one!

[@jlyndyt1396]

WeeLin well I’m happy to hear it, more content the better especially during these times

[@WeeLin]

@@jlyndyt1396 I only wish I was making more - despite the lockdown, I'm still working full time and doing freelance. But don't worry - new videos are still happening, and it helps that I genuinely enjoy doing the research!

[@peanutbutterboy3413]

Nanas birthday was funny cuz of nana

[@WeeLin]

Yes! And I don't think I've given her enough credit in this video - sorry Nana! She's hilarious.

[@Pingaheimer]

I know it's an unpopular opinion but 12 days of Christine is prob the one episode i've never gone back and rewatched, not much of a comedy element in there, and i just didn't think it fit within the tone of the series. Just not what i like in a no 9 episode, and no Steve or Reece is never a good thing. Oh and Nana's party is def in my top 10 episodes, one of the best acted and funny episodes imo. Plz don't roast me. Btw, i love ur voice. It's really soothing.

[@WeeLin]

No roasting from me! I love 12 Days of Christine, but it's not a comedy episode, and dark humour has always been a hallmark of Steve and Reece's work. While I love the episode, I can't say it's representative of their style - it's something different instead. Nana's Party on the other hand is exactly the kind of dark, tragic comedy that they've always done brilliantly and the acting is really fantastic! It's one I always look forward to when I rewatch the series. As I always say, taste is really subjective and everyone's entitled to their own opinion, especially with a show as diverse and different as this one.

[@cisrot]

My least favourite episode is definitely season 5 episode 5, “Thinking out loud”. Spoilers ahead// As someone who has friends with DID, the twist was not only obvious but really lazy imo. I never like tv shows that use DID as a twist. DID comes about due to severe, repeated childhood trauma and I always roll my eyes when a tv show or a film takes it and turns it into the scary twist or whatever. It’s painful because Steve and Reece are both incredibly talented writers and character actors and it was such a shame of them to waste their effort on that episode.

[@WeeLin]

I have to agree, as this was definitely my least favourite episode of series 5. It pains me to say that, as some of the monologues were great, Reece's performance almost drove me to tears and the singer was nothing short of sublime. But between the big, clunky infodump and cliche of the DID patient doing something scary and violent, it's one I can't really recommend. It could have been so much more - if they'd just steered clear of the whole murder subplot, focused on the alters and let us make our own connections it might have been something truly exceptional. They could have even taken the idea of a person tracking down a relative for revenge through a dating site and developed it into a whole different No 9, rather than use it in the DID episode. I know they did their research and tried to do a more sympathetic and accurate portrayal of DID, but for me (and many others apparently) it fell apart at the end. The episode would have still had some scary, thrilling moments for the audience without it, such as Galen appearing in Angel's room. So yeah, the episode is not without merit, but I wish it had been handled better and I know the writers were capable of much more. Shame really.

[@cisrot]

@@WeeLin exactly! Inside No. 9, at least in my opinion, is a show about misdirection and the subversion of genre. It doesn’t hesitate to poke fun at itself and the genres it plays with (kind of like how “Scream” and “Cabin in the Woods” deconstructed the horror archetypes), so to see the major twist be something that is so saturated in media and misunderstood by a majority of the population.. it felt really unsatisfying tbh. It’s why I really don’t like the movie “Split” because, again, despite the performances being great (Especially from James M) the way that a genuine mental illness is turned into a cliche horror genre really bugs me tbh. I remember when I was in secondary school I was in drama class for my GCSE’s (I don’t like acting, I’m more interested in what happens behind the scenes etc) I was roped into playing a part in this short form play written by one of the girls in the group that was supposed to be about this abused girl with schizophrenia/ DID. It felt lazy and ableist at the time but I had to go along with it to get a good grade, fml... so now when I see that stereotype and lazy writing in media it makes me cringe because that “twist” is no better than a sub-par script written by a teenage girl who thinks that mental illness is an edgy and original topic :-/ I did enjoy the performances from the actors too, though! There aren’t really any episodes of Inside No. 9 that I hate because the show is so diverse in its storytelling and you genuinely don’t know what’s going to happen in the second half of the episode (for example, without giving any spoilers, the most recently aired episode which have me genuine chills!), but I’ll always be disappointed in this episode. I can rewatch episodes of Inside No. 9 over and over again and never get sick of them because of how jam-packed with Easter eggs (🐇) it is! Thinking out loud will be the one episode I never rewatch though :( Great video btw! I went to uni for writing and film and listening to your video essays brings me back to a few years ago when I would ramble on about whatever we were studying at the time. I wish I had discovered Inside No. 9 during my time at uni!

[@kittycattt93]

I LOVED empty orchestra

[@WeeLin]

Me too! I think about now every time I hear any of the songs being played. It also makes me think of how much I miss karaoke.

[@paulflint6254]

Nana's party was really good, I don't think it's bad at all. I don't actually laugh at inside no 9 , I just love dark stuff. Last gasp is really good, how the unwell girl let's the balloon go is priceless. The Understudy is also good.

[@jamieadams3449]

Ngl the understudy is one of my favourite episodes.

[@CMonty31]

I love Empty Orchestra! The songs are great and utilised well that fits in with the story

[@WeeLin]

I love the song choices! Each one is perfect for the story and the characters.

[@Momofan69]

I'm pretty sure the song is real and from somewhere else because while we were watching it my mother started to sing one of the songs? If they were only made for this episode then I guess my mum is psychic.

[@WeeLin]

Apparently the one from the ending was an early Michael Jackson song - I'd just never heard of it before. Not to doubt your mum's psychic abilities, of course!

[@drfabulous2804]

I’m surprised these are the least favourites, I personally hate the Xmas episode and the one where it does those webcam monologues, and Hotel Zanzibar was a crappy one too.

[@fjcracing1318]

Wait?? People didn’t like last gasp? It’s one of my favourites, it’s a brilliant commentary while also being so darkly comedic

[@brunoulmkalns7187]

Shots fired at Little Britain. Fantastic video anyway.

[@WeeLin]

Ah, it was a cheap shot to be fair! Honestly, I actually quite liked the first series when it was on, and looked forward to the second, but then it felt like they'd ditched some of the weirder, less-popular characters and were focusing more on catchphrases (and the fact they slowed down Vicky Pollard just missed the point of her as far as I was concerned). They still had Tony Head in it though, so that was a plus! I do remember when I first saw it thinking I'd seen a lot of the same characters done better in League of Gentlemen years before, but then again that was one of my favourite shows. I guess there's room in the world for both!

[@lloroshastar6347]

I liked all of these episodes, though Last Gasp was probably my least favourite of all of them. I think Last Gasp was unfortunate to be the follow up to Tom and Gerri, which was the episode that said to me 'this is genius' after the first two episodes were already brilliant. It was getting better and better and peaked at Tom & Gerri, it was always going to be difficult to top that kind of momentum.

[@JackMatthews1998]

Coincidentally, 3 out of 5 of these episode are in my "Top 5 Least Favourite Inside No. 9 Episodes", being Nana's Party, And The Winner Is...and Last Gasp. Empty Orchestra was originally my least favourite, but my opinion changed as I understood it more.

[@WeeLin]

That's cool that you changed your mind on Empty Orchestra - I personally think it's a belter!

[@caesarisared1320]

Zanzibar was the only episode that I have thought was really bad.

[@jacke.7502]

Six months was still way too long for that musical to run for

[@WeeLin]

They must have sold a huge amount of tickets before the reviews came out! I always try to be fair and approach everything in good faith, plus I thought having Jennifer Saunders as the writer would have been a saving grace, and even thought I might experience a little bit of guilty pleasure through 90s nostalgia (my little sister was a big fan, so their music was always playing in our house). Even then, I had almost nothing nice to say about it at all. Did you see it? If so, you have my sympathy!

[@NoName-zw8id]

I really liked Empty Orchestra as well. I really don't think that Dwayne's "Pills Roulette" was a red herring. I think that when he says that to Connie, we really don't know if she has ever been to any of the office parties. Those guys don't put anything in the story for no reason. If true, I would like to know which got what drug.

[@WeeLin]

Huh, maybe I got that wrong then? Guess I forgot one of my own rules in fiction - just because a character says something doesn't confirm it's a fact! Characters can lie, or get things wrong. To me, it kind of felt like an idea they'd had during the development of the episode that they decided not to follow through on. But that's only a guess. Either way, I think many of us were expecting a drug-related mishap after the pills were introduced, but it never happened. I liked that the episode played with that expectation, and we got a happy ending instead.

[@NoName-zw8id]

@@WeeLin So, you didn't ever watch it over and over to try and see which character was influenced by which drug? I did. Its obvious that Roger got the Viagra. And, maybe, Dwayne got the ecstasy. Since he was so used to doing drugs, it helped him to overcome any predisposition that he had toward anyone that was handicapped. I'm betting that it was Fran that got the special k(again), and, Connie simply got drunk. I played with the idea that Fran got the laxative, but, in the end, it really was just a red herring, I guess. The actual, scary part(at me) introduced was when Janet entered the room. That's when I began to see things going awry. The sound changed, and, you didn't know what it was until you were shown that it was her while she turned the volume down on her hearing aid. The best thing that I like about these shows is that they are only 30 minutes long. There is so much to cram into one episode that one can really appreciate the brilliance of them two. On this episode, it was like, if you were watching it, and, someone came into the room while Dwayne was holding the Mike for his two backup "dancers" saying, virtually in Cockney, "Get yourself a job", It would be necessary for them to proclaim, What are You Watching?

[@WeeLin]

@@NoName-zw8id Ha, yeah - "out of context No 9" would be a bizarre thing to explain to someone who walked in! I'm trying to remember if that's ever happened to me. While I didn't rewatch trying to figure out who got what drug, I did a rewatch to see if the fact that they "thought" they were on drugs might have affected their behaviour, like a placebo effect. It's hard to tell, because they're all drinking as well, plus some of them might have started on the sauce before they arrived.

[@emmarevell6865]

i actually found the understudy not that bad and one i could watch again

[@WeeLin]

Me too. I really enjoyed the Macbeth parallels, plus Steve's character was a lot of fun to watch!

[@soulfoodie1]

Hope ok to add - the songs in 'Last Gasp' are not original Christian Henson compositions - 'One day in your life' was of course a hit for Michael Jackson (just thought maybe this is a further comment of the show on game) and '99 miles from LA was written by Albert Hammond and Hal David (I am Art Garfunkel's version)but agree that Christian Henson did a great job creating arrangements for the songs and also think it must have been David Bedella sang them

[@WeeLin]

Thanks SO MUCH for clearing that up! I've never heard those songs before, so for all I knew they were original works (really? One was a Michael Jackson song?) But yeah, in that case it was probably Christian Henson's arrangements (and that's no easy task in itself) and it does sound like David Badella's voice. I still consider that some top notch work for a single episode. Once again, many thanks for sharing that information! :)

[@happinesstan]

Last Gasp is my favourite.

[@carolinewheeler77]

Empty orchestra made me super happy because it’s an example of the bubbly girly girl not getting the short end of the stick for once.

[@WeeLin]

Yes! I hadn't even thought of that, but it's so true. Fran/Britney Spears could have just been another mean girl, but instead she's just a bubbly, good-natured soul who happens to have a mean gal pal (well, maybe not after that ending!) I'm glad Fran got the promotion, and that she also cut some of the rot out of her life while on a karaoke high.

[@divorcebabedivorce]

I like the understudy tbh I thinks its underrated but it's not the best but it's still good

[@alfje5492]

Like all of the Inside episodes, but I can see why Nana's Party is not popular: the paramedic scene is so over the top that the ending scene feels like a let-down and that's what sticks with you instead of the great performances.

[@gopaladhikari6664]

please mam make a review on( the #bill)

[@CrowLady0_0]

oh i liked nanna's party! i just watched it and i thought it was a pretty good episode!

[@WeeLin]

I love Nana's Party! It's got laugh out loud bits, and a really tragic undertone. Pure genius.

[@zandernewson9933]

I think my least favourite episode is the Harrowing. There was a lot of build up, and I was honestly expecting something big, but sadly my imagination got the better of me. Without blowing my own horn, the episodes ending didn’t compare with some of the speculations I had made in my head. The same was also true with Stakeout, but I could appreciate the gothic horrors and the blinding obvious vampire references upon rewatching it. The Harrowing was all garnish and no meat!

[@WeeLin]

The Harrowing's an interesting one for me - I completely understand why the ending was so underwhelming for many people. However, it was that same abrupt stopping and my imagination running wild that ended up making it one of the scariest episodes for me - when it finished, I was left lying awake, still picturing that thing moving closer saying "mischief" and dreading what it might do next. For this reason, it made my top 5 in the "most disturbing episodes" list, and it had a lot to contend with!

[@pastorcodymitchell1456]

The ending to last gasp was a little weird but I agree with u

[@WeeLin]

It's not your typical No 9 ending. And maybe that's the twist? But I think this is the idea they were going for.

[@pastorcodymitchell1456]

@@WeeLin ya truth be told that’s what I got out of it when I first saw it

[@rebeccalaird4124]

I've always liked The Understudy.

[@vilekid]

Damn I love Last Gasp

[@WeeLin]

Me too! Glad someone else enjoyed it.

[@Shmiguelly]

There is no such thing as a bad Inside No 9 episode. It's just the theme may not to be your taste. Lots love The Harrowing and Seance Time but I'm a horror-phobe so they're not for me.

[@WeeLin]

There's a No 9 for everyone, I think! If the horror doesn't do it for you, then the comedy, drama and unique settings and performances just might.

[@circle2867]

the last few years inside no 9 has been a real mixed bag imo. some unbelievable episodes, some pretty awful ones.

[@WeeLin]

I've had mixed feelings on a few episodes, though some of them grew on me more over time. What ones did you think were the worst?

[@circle2867]

my list would be: zanzibar, empty orchestra , the stakeout, seance time, the trial of elizabeth gadge, the understudy, last gasp. there's probably a few more but i can't remember them. best episodes: 12 days of christine , the harrowing, tom and gerri, nana's party(mainly just for the ending), once removed , thinking out loud and the devil of christmas.

[@StickItUpYrBumGugle]

Mama's Party was bad because the story was ridiculous. As if her and her daughter would just leave her mum there. She was panicking about the party and then she just leaves her mum with her emotionally distressed, cheating husband. It doesn't make sense. And nobody dies!

[@automat3000]

I love Empty Orchestra, The Trial of Elizabeth Gadge and The Harrowing. Empty Orchestra has a lovely euphoric ending which is nice. The ToEG is one the funniest imo, and The Harrowing is a great horror story, with a really creepy ending.

[@lucyhurst2534]

My problem with Empty Orchestra, is that it just felt so pointless.

[@kittygrimm7301]

I feel like Empty Orchestra is one of the palatte cleansers of Inside No 9, much like how San Junipero was for Black Mirror. Also, maybe it's because I'm a hopeless romantic but I absolutely swooned when Dwayne put Janet's hand on his chest so that she could feel his heartbeat. It was so sweet!

[@WeeLin]

Nothing wrong with being a hopeless romantic! I love when Dwayne lets Janet feel his heartbeat, it's so intimate and they both look so happy! I also loved that she put her hand to the speaker while he was singing, as if to feel closer to him by "feeling" his voice. Apparently a lot of those details were Emily Howlett's own ideas too. I'm a big fan of San Junipero, and I feel like that came after one of the darkest episodes of Black Mirror, as Empty Orchestra came after one of the darkest No 9s ("Riddle of the Sphinx", which topped my "most disturbing episodes list). I'd actually taken a break from watching Black Mirror after the ending of "Shut Up and Dance" broke me, so it was delightful to have a feel-good ending - definitely the last thing I was expecting.

[@mattierenton701]

couldn't agree more, I was filled with so much joy and shed more than a tear of happiness, it was just so eo sweet and lovely, i'm deffo a hopeless romantic too, maybe one day I will find that kind of beautiful connection with someone

[@siep3417]

San Junipero is one of my favourite Black Mirror episodes, I feel like the episode is a milestone for BM marking the transition from an average budget channel 4 show to a big budget show that’s marketed to an international audience. San Junipero for me is a story about letting go of lost love and allowing yourself to be vulnerable by opening up your heart to a new person. I know I’ve gone on about BM and not Inside Number 9 but…

[@siep3417]

I too really enjoyed ‘Empty Orchestra’, because after multiple viewings you start to notice the depth the story has and how it works on so many levels (I sound like Mark Cousins haha) - I like to think that the people watching the episode have to do as Janet does and lay our hand on the speaker so we can feel the story and not just hear it on a superficial level - Janet adds such authenticity too and she has many heartfelt touching moments in the episode.

[@ziggystardusk6629]

This is how I feel about it, too. I really really like this one.

[@hxllly]

makes me so sad that empty orchestra is on here. i loved it so much

[@WeeLin]

I love it too, but it kept turning up near the bottom of a lot of ranked lists. But at least it gave me an excuse to talk about it!

[@hxllly]

WeeLin i don’t think there’s any episode of number 9 you don’t love😂

[@WeeLin]

@@hxllly Ha! Guilty as charged

[@murrayjones694]

Personally I'm not a massive fan of it. I found it kind of boring, although I do appreciate there being an episode where things don't go wrong for once.

[@kittycattt93]

Nan's party was so on point for toxic families and the family gatherings

[@WeeLin]

You can just feel the tension in the air throughout - brilliantly done!

[@paulflint6254]

i love it, some dark humour and comic too.

[@thechazzler8934]

Genuinely it stuck such a strong cord with me cause I absolutely hate stuff like that soo much, made me really angry

[@АленаШарахматова-ж7э]

How can one not like Nana's party? The pacing is incredible, the characters are unexpectedly deep, Reece's performance makes me tear up a little every time I watch it and the ending never fails to have me laughing to tears. One of my most favourite episodes!

[@WeeLin]

That bit where Reece says "don't talk to her like that" always gets me. He seems like a joke at first, but there's a lot going on with his character.

[@exile9521]

When Pat said "I know." :-(

[@Connorsea]

I find them hatable

[@dp-g5i]

​@@ConnorseaThey're all hateable except Shearsmith's character. He was actually sympathetic and committed to his relationship despite many problems.

[@bazdog4464]

I really liked the last gasp's ending because it's like shes letting his soul (In his last breath in the balloon) go up to heaven

[@WeeLin]

I thought so too, and it's actually quite a sweet moment. Sadly, I think it was lost on a lot of viewers.

[@AndrewMcClenning]

I love "Empty Orchestra". I fuckin' love music. Telling a story through the chosen songs just felt right - "I Know Him So Well", perfect choice.

[@WeeLin]

Oh, totally the right song. I love that the two women are unintentionally singing a duet about the same man right in front of the entire office! I love anything musical - plays, movies, TV specials - so long as it's done with passion. Empty Orchestra absolutely was, and managed to tell a story as well. I'll never hear "I Know Him So Well" without thinking about this episode ever again!

[@AndrewMcClenning]

I'm the same way with "Shine" from 'Cold Comfort'.

[@dp-g5i]

Also laughed at Greg and Connie getting fired while the lyrics "fire away, fire away" were playing

[@Polytunnel]

"Empty Orchestra" is one of my favourites because of the comeuppance at the end, the inclusion of a deaf actor and the storytelling through song. I love their dark endings, but variety is important. Reece & Steve are amazing writers and actors. They are not afraid to experiment and they are generous to the guest actors. An occasional episode might disappoint, but that is always down to personal preference, not their talent.

[@WeeLin]

You've basically summed up in one KZbin comment what I've been waffling on about and trying to say for the entire video! :)