--- title: "Inside No. 9: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/inside-no-9/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/inside-no-9" critics_score: 81 critics_reviews: 8 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Inside No. 9 (2014): what the critics said Critics' score 81 from 8 reviews: 8 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative. The critics are unanimous: all eight reviews are positive, and the praise clusters on the writing. Most describe the anthology as inventive and macabre, admiring how each half-hour builds a complete story with a twist inside a confined setting, whether a wardrobe, a heist or a Christmas ghost story. The performances of the two creators and their guest casts are singled out repeatedly, as is direction that gets a great deal out of a single room. The spread is narrow, from 70 to 90, and there are no real dissenters. The Times is the coolest, enjoying the debut’s tight, stage-like structure without matching the enthusiasm elsewhere. Later reviews, of the fourth series and of individual episodes, are if anything warmer than the first, with Digital Spy calling the fourth run the strongest yet. Where reservations appear they concern tone: Radio Times files the heist episode under silly fun, at the lighter end of a series most admire for its darkness. ## Empire — William Thomas Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 3 April 2014. The critic praises the dark anthology series as the latest twisted brainchild of its creators, highlighting episodes like a silent comedy about burglars and a queasy Macbeth update. It is described as beautifully written, performed and directed, ranking among their finest work. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/inside-9-review/) ## Radio Times Rating 4/5. 10 May 2021. The critic finds the heist episode silly fun on the comedic end of the spectrum, praising the cast's comic timing and the director's clever use of the environment in a unique, experimental showcase. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/comedy/inside-no-9-wuthering-heist-review/) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 31 July 2014. The critic finds the anthology series a stylish and entertaining resurrection of the short-story TV format, full of twists, misery and macabre humour across its six episodes. They single out the strong characters and inventive setups like the wardrobe-bound opener and the horror-tinged finale for particular praise. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2014/jul/31/inside-no-9-box-set-review-reece-shearsmith-steve-pemberton-league-of-gentlemen) ## The i Paper — Sarah Hughes Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 27 December 2016. The critic calls the Christmas special an immaculately conceived homage to Roald Dahl’s anthology series with piled-on twists and a nasty sting in the tale that Dahl would approve. [Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/essentials/inside-no-9-review-unexpected-tale-worthy-roald-dahl-38575) ## The Telegraph Rating 4/5. 21 February 2017. The critic praises the taut, claustrophobic episode as ingeniously plotted with head-spinning twists, wry black humour and Hitchcock-inspired scares, calling the series an underrated retro treat. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2017/02/21/inside-no-9-devilish-confection-haunting-aftertaste-review/) ## The Times — Andrew Billen Rating ★★★★☆. 6 February 2014. The critic enjoys the debut episode's tight, almost Aristotelian structure set in a single wardrobe during a game of sardines, noting it deals with dark themes in an Ayckbourn-like manner without prosthetics or excess fantasy. They highlight the inventive premise and cast as a welcome return to form for the creators. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/tv-review-inside-no-9-k8js2smnvg9) ## Digital Spy — Ian Sandwell Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 2 January 2018. The critic calls series four the best run yet, praising its macabre, inventive and emotional stories that deliver satisfying twists in the half-hour format. They single out the Shakespearean gimmick episode 'Zanzibar' and the moving 'To Have and to Hold' for particular praise. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a846486/inside-no-9-series-4-review-spoiler-free/) ## Den of Geek — Ryan Lambie Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 6 February 2014. The critic praises the series premiere for its bold, refreshingly different approach with top-notch writing and clever direction in a confined space, evoking classic TV drama and black comedy with hints of macabre. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/inside-no-9-episode-1-review-sardines/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/inside-no-9.md