And the Winner Is...

Inside No. 9 - S4E5 - And the Winner Is...

The jury gathers to choose the winner for the best female TV role. This time, in addition to people from the industry, there is also a representative of the audience on the jury.

The idea is cute, the acting is good, the humor can come through, and it's somewhat entertaining, but far below the standards that Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith set for themselves from the start. A tame, mildly witty satire of the world of film and television, without the strong atmosphere and shocking twists we're used to. Classic filler episode, if you ask me.

4,5/10.

The theme of this show seems to have changed in the fouth series. Different atmosphere. Not to my liking. Its lost its edge and dark feel to it

A story about actors, their vanities and insecurities. Their insensitive opinions and behaviour - all of this rings true, these days too true with the current revelations about Noel Clarke (playing a boorish director) adding a very discomforting level of interpretation that was (unless Pemberton and Shearsmith were truly creepily prescient) not intended at the time. Relatively gentle twist at the end compared to the discomfort portrayed. Good show with newly added layers of meaning.

It was, in retrospect, unlikely that this series of "Inside Number 9" was going to be able to maintain the standard it's established throughout the whole fourth run and whilst "And The Winner is . . " is by no means bad, it pales in comparison with what's come before.

The episode revolves around the machinations of a room of actors and industry professionals trying to determine who wins Best Actress at an unnamed awards ceremony. Despite the great real actors that took part in the episode, the characters that they play are a bit too clichéd to get much joy out of. Fenella Woolgar is a disgruntled journalist, criticising because she can't create; Kenneth Cranham is an aging RSC thespian; Phoebe Sparrow is a dull member of the public, who likes everyone; Noel Clarke is a young popular director desperately avoiding the professional advances of fellow jury member Clive, played by Reese Shearsmith, who has a script he's trying to sell; and finally Zoe Wannamaker is a fading star, about to embark on a disappointing West End run, who recites the soundbites her assistant provided because she hasn't watched any of the performances in question.

It's a decent premise for an episode, and I would imagine the tangential reasons provided to justify why someone isn't suitable of winning is probably closer to the truth than anyone actually involved in award shows would like to admit, but when Shearsmith and Pemberton don't bring anything from the horror side of their repertoire, usually the comedy makes up for it - unfortunately, this one just isn't funny enough to make up the difference.

It's hard to write anything negative about Inside no 9 as even when it's not on form it has superior writing and acting. This episode fails on every level, the 'twist' is aparent in the first 5 mins but you stay with it thinking no they are going to pull something out of the hat but when the end comes and it fades to black you are left thinking 'oh they did just have one idea for the episode and did write the characters as lazy stereotypes'. This is the one blip in a constantly brilliant series and is expecially disappointing after the last episode which was the best in its four series run. I am sure next week will be back on form as being a benchmark of what can be done on tv in 30mins.