How to watch Inside No 9 - what’s it about and who’s in the cast?
A number, a hare statue and the co-creators are the only consistencies across Pemberton and Shearsmith's series of inventive, self-contained stories
In each episode of BBC Two’s anthology series Inside No 9, you can only be sure of two things: the plot will take place in or around somewhere having to do with the number nine, and a statue of a hare will feature somewhere on set. Otherwise, from plot to co-stars to the tone of the episode, each half-hour instalment of Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton’s black comedy is utterly unique.
How can I watch Inside No 9?
Inside No 9 is available on NOW TV, BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime, Netflix, iTunes and YouTube. You can also purchase the series on DVD.
How many seasons and episodes of Inside No 9 are there?
Four seasons of Inside No 9, each with six episodes, have aired so far. A fifth season will premiere in 2019. A one-off Halloween special aired in 2018.
What is Inside No 9 about?
Each episode of Inside No 9 is a self-contained story, penned by Pemberton and Shearsmith and usually featuring both men alongside a new set of co-stars. Episodes all link back, somehow, with the number nine, such as an address, a table number or a train couchette.
The writers said they think of the stories first, and then find a way to link each one back to number nine.
The comedy often addresses macabre and morbid topics using dark humour, typical of Pemberton and Shearsmith’s previous work, which includes The League of Gentlemen.
The inventive series never sticks to one tone. One episode about a cat burglary gone wrong has almost no dialogue and plays like a silent film. In a Shakespeare-inspired story, most of the script is written in iambic pentameter. Another takes its inspiration from classic train capers. In 2018, the series also featured a live episode.
One critic described Inside No 9 a la Forrest Gump: it’s like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.
Who is in the Inside No 9 cast? Who writes inside No 9?
Inside No 9 is written by Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton. Both writers appear in almost every episode, although occasionally only one of them has featured.
Previously, Pemberton and Shearsmith collaborated on The League of Gentleman, the BBC Two sketch show that began as a stage act in 1995. The pair also wrote and starred in Psychoville, a psychological thriller and black comedy about five people who all get blackmailed by the same mystery person.
- For the latest news and expert tips on getting the best deals this year, take a look at our Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday 2021 guides.
A number of notable guest stars have featured on Inside No 9:
In the first series, Helen McCrory stars as one of the owners of a creepy gothic mansion housesat by Katy, played by fellow Peaky Blinders star Aimee-Ffion Edwards.
Jack Whitehall is part of the ensemble cast in the series two premiere, a murder mystery set aboard a train.
Killing Eve’s Fiona Shaw is one of five attendees at a bizarre art exhibition in the series three finale.
Monica Dolan (Appropriate Adult) plays a woman moving house in a series five episode that uses reverse chronology.
When is Inside No 9 back?
Click here for more on season five, including casting announcements.
Some of our articles contain contextual affiliate links. You can support us by clicking on these as we may earn commission if you make a purchase. There is no extra cost to you and we never allow this to bias our content.
