Psychoville is the brainchild of two League of Gentlemen members, Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton. If you like this sort of thing...comedy that plays off the grotesque and horrific...don't bother reading any reviews, just get your hands on this series and watch!
Season One has many memorable moments, but perhaps none more than the episode that pays homage to Hitchcock's movie Rope, being filmed in one long, continuous take without edits. It's brilliant stagecraft, and includes a guest appearance by fellow Leaguer Mark Gatiss.
The Halloween Special follows, a one-off that can be watched independently, but also links the two full seasons. It's an homage to those cheesy horror anthology movies of the 1970s, with horrific vignettes featuring the Psychoville characters. Brilliantly done.
And Season Two is even better, with a corker of a plot that steadily builds to a stunning climax. Imelda Staunton joins the cast and creates an indelible impression as the high-tech villain. She's got to be one of the greatest actresses in the English-speaking world.
Alas, the latest word has it that there will be no Season Three, and Psychoville has come to an end. But what a wild ride it was!
