The brilliant Inside No. 9 has tended to be one of the hardest TV shows to write about for fear of giving away spoilers. But actually the first episode of the new series is pretty straightforward to describe so hopefully reading this will not spoil your enjoyment. Well, I say straightforward, but as with everything Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton are involved in it is not without a few delicious surprises.
Zanzibar is set in a hotel, where the lives of various guests quickly intertwine. There's a prince and his plotting chum, a Derren Brown-style mentalist, a tight northerner about to propose to his girlfriend, a dotty old lady who has a habit of going walkabout and a troubled old man. There's a bit more to tell but we won't give that away. The starry ensemble cast is enough of a selling point on its own. As well as Shearsmith and Pemberton it includes Rory Kinnear, Hattie Morahan, Bill Paterson, Kevin Eldon, Tanya Franks, Marcia Warren, Helen Monks and Jaygann Ayeh.
Oh, did I mention that the script is mostly in iambic pentameters, a form much-loved of Shakespeare? In fact there is a big Bard influence here. If you want you can play spot-the-play as various strands involve mistaken identity, political intrigue and, erm, golden showers (no, I don't recall that in Twelfth Night either).
The other big stylistic influence is farce as doors are slammed and guests start switching rooms. Cleverly – and something that must've made the bean counters smile – we never actually see inside the rooms. All of the action takes place in the corridor. There is a hint of Wes Anderson's Grand Budapest Hotel in the neat, tidy aesthetic, but only a faint hint.
Anyone expecting something dark and nasty may be disappointed. This episode, directed by David Kerr, is probably one of the jolliest Inside No. 9 episodes yet. But if you want to know exactly how jolly it is you'll have to see it for yourself. Trust me, it is well worth checking in.
Inside No. 9, Tuesdays, BBC2, 10pm. Catch up here.
Inside No. 9: To Have And To Hold.
Inside No. 9: Bernie Clifton's Dressing Room.
Inside No. 9: The All-Time Top Six Episodes.
Picture: BBC/Sophie Mutevelian
