Inside No. 9 - S1E1 'Sardines'

Another thing you'll pick up on second watch is Rebecca's other sibling 'couldn't make it' they mentioned she has kids. The other sister didn't want to bring her kids to that place with her father around

Love the choice. You’re in for a great ride. Superb writing and acting in every episode. One of my favourites is next. Silent night. Enjoy!

I shouted "its Tim Key" multiple time hoping you'd hear me :)

Makes me think Jess would enjoy Jonathan Creek. Not strictly a comedy, but certain has its share of humor, but she’d enjoy the complex mysteries i’ll bet!

I could tell you loved this, because the first episode is easy to be confused by if you're not following the dialogue (I had to watch it twice myself the first time I saw it) so you were clearly riveted. Awesome!

Great reaction guys! And what a great choice! Inside No. 9 is so well written! Funny and dark with twists, I'm always amazed how much they can fit into 30 mins! Brilliant show!

I've watched a few of these but there's a lot of episodes that I haven't seen, so I am looking forward to watching along with you two. The both of you are becoming so well-acquainted with different British actors/actresses/comedians, it's such a joy to see you recognise someone playing another role! xxx

Was sad Peep Show is done, but I cant think of a better replacement. Im so glad you guys liked it. I think it's one of the best shows to come out of the UK in a while. The writing (how they get so much crammed into the timeframe and make all the characters feel like real, unique people in just 20 mins), the acting, the creativity etc. Also, imo, there is no other show that keeps a step ahead of its audience so well. How they kept on successfully pulling the rug out from under us, after nine seasons is remarkable. As it's an anthology, there are highs and lows, but even the lows are still brilliant TV imo. Cant wait to watch this with you both - and there are plenty more characters you will recognise along the way. Also, a few little seeds, you would be unlikely to get on first watch: -The third sibling (the mentioned sister) didn't come to the party and moved away - likely because she has young boys. -The gay brother's intimacy issues ('You have no idea about it') -Nice one for getting John's aversion to washing/soap, though.

Another great choice! I love how every episode is so different, you've got dark comedy, drama, thriller and horror, very Twilight Zone-esque as you mentioned. Reece & Steve are great writers and actors. Any spoilers and I will lick your apples and swap your cereals.

Easily one of the greatest BBC productions in its history.

Why are half the people already recommending other series, on episode one 😂 relax and enjoy this one for crying out loud! I’m so glad you got around to watching this, there’s so much subtext to enjoy in each episode.

You guys do not understand the shriek of excitement I let out at seeing this.

seeing Steve Pemberton makes me really want to see you guys react to Benidorm lol

Something else Mac is in (Which I've not seen recommended much) is A Touch of Cloth. It's a 6 episode comedy police series, written by Charlie Brooker (Who is also behind Black Mirror). Think Naked Gun, but British and modern. Well worth checking a trailer out to see what you think but it is very funny.

Amazing show! Apparently it's been shown here too (in Finland). How have I missed it completely, well now I can watch it for the first time with you. I was hooked after the first few minutes.

We've already got people naming episodes and episode numbers. Please stop. Just let them go in blind. Just comment on each episode after they've watched it. It's like beating your head against a brick wall 🙄

Yay! Wasn't expecting this.

A universally loved choice! Screenshot this comment section and frame it.

The good thing about it is, if you don't like an episode then the next one might be more suited to you. The bad thing is, if you loved one, then you'll never see that story again :')

Never seen it but will give out a go

Lots of famous faces in it you may recognise

Not enough people react to this show. Steve and Reece know their stuff when it comes to storytelling, it's such an experimental show.

I have a feeling Jess with love this given her comments in the thoughts. So many fantastic episodes.

Fawlty Towers link - Timothy West who played Andrew was the husband of Prunella Scales who played Sybil. They were married for 61 years until his death in 2024. She passed away the following year.

What a great way to end peep show and start this, personally. Absolutely love it

Hey guys! Challenge idea for you: there's a hidden hare statue in every episode. If you wanna have a competition like you did with Taskmaster, why not assign points to whoever finds it first in each episode? I’d say some are more difficult than others, and you’ll definitely miss a few, haha. But just have fun with it!

Now this is more like it....fantastic choice 😊

YES- brilliant show. can't wait for this

I was so sad that Peep Show had ended on Mondays, but delighted to see it replaced by Inside No 9! Such a good show!

Katherine Parkinson is such an underrated actress. The faces she pulls are just wonderful

So glad you picked this one! Just trying to think who else you are going to recognise as every episode has a different cast other than Reece and Steve (the two that were the couple in this one) One of the best episodes you'll definitely know the main character.

AND THE SHOW ONLY GETS BETTER!!

I love this show and can't wait to watch again this time with your reactions.

Welcome to the greatest TV series you’ll ever watch 😉

The dialogue is clever, often with double meanings that are often clues :)

I never watched this on television but love the guys who write it. Really enjoyed this episode xx

Great choice.please do ""the league of gentlemen ",after this guys.

So glad you've chosen this, it's a hell of a ride! There are episodes that still haunt me to this day.

Unusual choice. We got Inside Number 9 before Mighty Boosh. Respect for trying something actually different.

"what a posh twat!" you're one of us now hahaha

Monday - Inside Number 9 Tuesday - Blackadder Weds - Gavin and Stacey Thurs - Garth Merengi Fri - Green Wing Sat - Derek Sun - OFAH what a time to be alive

Inside Number 9 is absolutely incredible, was lucky to be in the front row for the stage Show they did and met Reece and Steve after the show! Jess immediately clocking the reason Stinky John didn't wash! I've seen so many reactions that didn't really get what just happened.

Normally it’s Mike making all the faces but it was funny as hell seeing Jess’s face making different faces trying to work it out

OMFG YES

Entire episode inside a cupboard... Fucking wild

Great choice..every episode is totally different..some comedy..horror..drama...tragedy...and weirdness.......sardines....1 hides and everyone else seeks....joining the hider as they find them

Another thing I've not seen as a Brit! RNTV bringing out all the bangers out the bag end of year 🤣

You must move to league of gentlemen next

The best show ever created.

I am so glad you are picking your own shows. This one is a gem but I would advise to watch a few series and then take a break? I just know you will adore This Country also if it's anywhere on your radar. Definitely your type of show. Loved this reaction . So many good episodes to come.

Yes! I love this show. Great choice.

Reece had me in histerics in the recent Last one laughing halloween special, when he played his joker 😂😂

Is there an update about when the remaining movies will be happening? Also good pick

Well researched guys, pushing out the boundaries, well done… 🕺 I’d forgotton how well written this was, top shelf…

If you love this you will definitely love The League of Gentlemen. It's dark comedy at its best! 👌❤️

OMG one of my favourite shows!

I'm from the UK and I've never even heard of this, manly because I don't watch much stuff that's less than 15 years old. Nice to watch something new with you guys, a good replacement for Peep Show, my 2nd favourite sitcom behind Only Fools.

Tim Key crops up everywhere

Idk how popular sardines is elsewhere but my friends and I played it a lot. One person hides, last person to find and hide with that person loses. Fun if you have a good location to play. One time we had about 8 people crammed behind a garden shed.

Stepping away from polls has been such a great move. I love not knowing what's coming next, and it feels like more variety now 🤩

Such an amazing, creative, unpredictable show

You're in for some TV gold and some great guest appearances with this show.

Oh what a great choice! This show is absolute class, very intriguing and very dark humour. Always amazes me how they manage to fit SO MUCH in just 28 minutes or so. As well as the top-notch writing, Steve and Reece portray a whole slew of crazy characters. Lots of twists upcoming!

'Stinky John' (Marc Wootton) is the morally-bankrupt estate agent in 'Gavin and Stacey'. Fantastic series. Some eps are genius.

Omg could not be more excited about this. This series just gets better and better. Shearsmith and Pemberton are magnificent 👌

Awesome! Great choice, Glad you liked it! x Every episode is like a mini play.

I think you have made a good choice. Inside No. 9 is great for people who like to try and puzzle out what is going on when watching the episode - which I think for Mike and Jess (especially Jess) should prove fun.

Oh hell yeah! Great choice guys, something a bit different for you. I feel like you've been needing something fresh, not for us, but for you. Hope this works for you, it's a brilliant show.

As others are saying this series is great but really got to take it as is. Its literally a blind bag/Mystery box/capsule machine. You'll get anything from best Tv you've seen to worst tv you've seen, to very funny/clever etc etc. Aslong as take each episode for what it is by the end think you'll love it.

These will take your breath away. Excellent choice of viewing.

Wow so glad your watching this brilliant show Its one of my favourites then when you have watched these and like them you can go onto The League Of Gentlemen you will be ready by then to be able to take that show hahahahah

This has long been on my 'To watch' list, so I'll join you in giving it a go!

Oh this is brilliant - you sre in for an amazing treat. Some of the best TV ever made. Dont you dare stop watching this

Great choice!

It's great to see you are covering this show. I hope you enjoy it.

You may recognise Reece from Max and Paddy's birthday party episode as the Bobster 🎶 The first cut is the deepest🎶

Ayyyy. So glad you’re checking this out. So few reactors have looked at inside no 9 but I’ve noticed it gaining traction now. Not watched your reaction yet but you’re in for a treat! Absolutely amazing writing, acting and different stories each time!

Inside No.9 is such a good show. Glad you picked this, you guys will enjoy it for sure Can't wait to rewatch some of these with you guys reacting along!

man down would have been more of a laugh ,

Very pleased you have decided to react to this series 👍👍👍

Amazing choice of show!

I am so happy you've gone for this! Perfect choice. No two episodes are quite the same, so you're in for one hell of a ride.

can we just start peep show again :D

I like this show but I would say that some episodes are better than others - it's quite variable. The next one is very good one. There's 55 episodes, so if start to feel that, you can choose to pick the higher rated ones (e.g. from IMDB) rather than all of them. Hope that doing this leads you to Psychoville in the future.(which I think you might like more than League of Gentlemen).

You absolutely have to do league of gentlemen if your doing this, the creators of these shows are comedy geniuses

Oh man Inside No 9 and Garth Marenghi, I am so happy with the way things are going right now!!!

Good choice and I like that you picked your own show!

Im having peep show withdrawals

Brilliant choice, what a ride this show is

I hope Mike and Jess stick with this, it's something different every week, which is good. But it will take over a year to complete with there being 56 episodes. 🤞

These choices have been so much better since you started choosing the shows yourselves 🙏

This was a nice surprise.. this show is excellent. Obviously its an anthology so episodes have different genres and storylines. But I really enjoyed this. I'm glad you are picking your own shows. So props to you for a good choice.

I’ve seen every actor in other things. Had to look it up to verify. Stinky John was the estate agent who showed some houses to Gavin and Stacey.

Been meaning to watch this!

Oh I'm so happy you chose this show. It's bloody fantastic.

Like this choice. Going to be quite a different type of reaction, with each episode different and the episodes are more suspenseful.

I got a tattoo the other day. Sat for nearly 4 hours, and had nothing much in common with the artist tattooing me. Then he brought up Reece Shearsmith and Inside No.9 and I knew I was in safe, if ominous hands. haha

Love Inside No. 9! I'm so excited for your reactions

great choice

That was fun. Never seen it before.

That was a great cast some true giants of british tv and theatre there . Timothy west, the dad, was married in real life , to Prunella Scales who you would know as Cybil Fawlty .

If you enjoy this then try the league of gentlemen next. Same actors, similar tone but more comedic, it’s not an anthology, it’s a continuing story set in a very strange small northern English village hahah amazing cast of characters.

The first cut is the deepest lol love Reece

OMG It's Leslie Tiller god rest her soul! :L Hot Fuzz. I had to search up that elderly lady as I knew I recognised her. I did it for the greater good.

Yeeess! So happy you’ve chosen this. What a lovely surprise to brighten up my Monday.

I can't believe you're doing this show! It's in my top 3 of all time. I know you probably won't do it all in one run but I am so intrigued to see what you make of this, and one of the universally-agreed best episodes (of anything ever) is very early on in S2. Episode 2 in this series is a great one too. Just watching the first two eps will give you a taste of how clever and versatile this show can be. Will watch after work. Also - as often - the first series is probably the weakest, with a couple of exceptions. But the fact they can tell these tales in 30 minutes is incredible. Oh and good luck trying to work out some of the twists in this show - I can guarantee you won't 😂 oh and be warned, there are a couple of real tearjerkers along the way. There's pretty much comedy always integrated somehow, but it can get very dark, and on a few occasions absolutely heart-breaking. And the writers love to play with form at times (you'll see what I mean as you go - the next one is an example).

You may recall the actor who plays Rachel in this episode. Ophelia Lovibond played The Collector's Slave in Guardians of the Galaxy. She has been in a number of other things as well. IN9 is so well crafted. Enjoy!

Wow! You’re on fire at the moment! Another great choice. As this is an anthology series every episode is a self contained play. They all feature dark humour and usually a big twist. They cover all sorts of genres. Some of the episodes are pretty out there! I hope you enjoy. Thanks to your growing exposure to British comedy you’ll encounter lots of familiar guest stars along the way!

Really disappointed by the suggestion that Pete should control his trauma. Massive let down on that.

YES!!! This show is SO different and so clever and the actors Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton are on another level.

👏👏

Oh cool I’ll be watching this for the first time, everyone speaks highly of it. Steve and Reece are amazing.

This is an absolute masterpiece of a show. You're in for an amazing ride!

So happy you are watching this

Omg, This is the best surprise. My favorite show ever, I hope you guys love it.

What a treat ❤️❤️👍🏻

Aww amazing you've decided to pick this series,we're all in for a treat🍻

You have such a journey ahead of you both

Cool surprise for a Monday morning, thank you Mike and Jess x

Great choice however I would have suggested watching league of gentlemen first

Love this show, some episodes are way better than others but the nice thing is it doesn't matter because the next one is always completely different

My first time watching this too. I loved The League of Gentlemen so I'm sure this is gonna be great.

Watch every episode! This the most entertaining show ever, it twists and turns and slaps you in the face in the end!

Incredible choice. Some of the most consistently tightly-written half-hour pieces in UK television. Pemberton and Shearsmith are genuinely two true masters of their craft. Hope you enjoy their tales. 🙂 Part of the beauty is that on the rare occasion where an episode doesn't quite hit the same heights for a given reason (everyone has their own favoured style/inspiration behind an episode/setting or theme, etc), the anthology nature of the show means that the next week is usually a very different tone entirely.

Oooo-eeee! Get ready for some of the best TV ever made 👍

Every single episode is written by Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith (who play the gay couple in this story). They also play characters in nearly every episode. The show is filled with the best of the best of British acting talent. Loads of famous faces appear throughout. Look out for the hare ornament, which secretly appears somewhere in every episode.

This comment is strictly for second or more times viewers. First timers dont read the rest, just enjoy the show and come back when you start again, you know you will ... Find the hare in each episode ;)

Well, Mondays are going to start darkly for the next few weeks

YES! 🙌🏼 Good choice guys. Let’s see how you like this one.

The old dad is married to prunella scales (Cybil from Fawlty Towers)

OMG nice! , ive been begging in past polls and stuff for this show like an annoying pest xD so glad this is on the books now , you guys are in for the ride of your lives from here on out with most episodes , very pleased 😃 im well aware that hyping stuff up with things like "oh it gets so good" "your gunna love it" ect are usually to the detriment of yall , BUT i genuinely think in9 is bulletproof in that regard hehe ✌️

Amazing series, I was SO excited when I got up this morning and saw the notification for the show 🙌🙌 brilliant episode, and it only gets better from here 😁😁

Amazing. A very unexpected treat on a Monday morning ❤️

Yes! Yes! 1000 times Yes! :) amazing choice :)

Now this has made my day! Spectacular choice of show to pick. You are going to love it. Some absolutely brilliant stories throughout. The twists to some of the stories of jaw-dropping.

Brilliant surprise here

I'm so happy!

Never saw this at the time even though it has some great people in it. Looking forward to seeing it.......Now that I've seen it, it's genius. Jess was right about stinky John, he said something about carbolic soap, hinting at trauma.

I've been telling people about this show and they don't seem interested. Their loss. These two fellas are brilliant at what they do. Stick with it, Mike and Jess!

Shut up. This is the best day ever! So Reece and Steve are the only constants in every episode (the gay couple in this one) and that it’s set within no.9. They’re fantastic writers, I honestly don’t know how they pulled this off.

Oh I am so exited that you're doing this, it's so good. I am looking forward to watching when I get home

The father was Prunella Scales husband

I've loved watching the whole lot of Inside number 9. Without giving too much away, each one is different, as you mentioned. It has actors that you will recognise every now and again. I look forward to you remembering them ( like the epic Sally Phillips reveal in Friday Night Dinner. Jess's recall was brilliant. hold on, hold on, hold on......It's Sally!! )

Definitely have to do the league of gentlemen after this 👏 👌🏻 😎

Oh hell yes. Pemberton and Shearsmith are freaking geniuses and you are gonna (hopefully) love this to bits. It's variable in quality, as all anthologies tend to be, but never less than very good.

Well done choosing this. I love it. Each one's completely different... some are absolute works of art but, be warned, there are a few duff ones along the way.

Inspired choice guys

Most episodes have another well known actor in it and are never brought back in any other episodes (with one exception I think).

Buzzing for this ! Great choice

Creepily creeping into the universe of the League

OMG ....... absolutely delighted you've chosen to do this show !!!!

Someone recommended this show and the thick of it to me, and got the premises mixed up. I thought the No.9 referred to an address on Downing Street and never watched it. Excited to start it now!

THANK YOU!!! this show is fantastic. I saw the live stage version they did in Liverpool. So good. Thank you again!!!!

Great choice - Inside no.9 is superb 👌

A great series from some of the most inventive minds in British TV. A brave choice to react to, good to see you shaking things up. Really hope you enjoy it!

If you like Black Mirror, you'l like this!

Yes! Brilliant series. Only Reece and Steve are in every episode, any other characters are different each episode.

This is an amazing choice. You will love it. Best show imo in the last 15 years

Guys, you’re gonna freek out and love these in equal measure.😵😵‍💫

I wonder how this will go down, it's such a bizarre show.

This is a surprise.