Inside No. 9; Secrets & Spies: A Nuclear Game | Critics

“Final evening’s sequence 9 opener did what Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton’s darkish comedy does finest: chuck a few of Britain’s finest tv actors collectively in a surprisingly easy scene and let the pacey script work its magic.”
Emily Baker, The i

“Set inside a Merseyrail prepare carriage, it did what Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith do brilliantly: set up characters in double-quick time whereas delivering a twisty, macabre plot, denouement and wonderful comedic dialogue, all in 29 minutes.”
Carol Midgely, The Instances

“It performs out like a cock-eyed Agatha Christie, as a result of we’re making an attempt to work out whodunit with out understanding what it’s they’ve achieved. The twist is first rate sufficient – I received’t spoil it for you should you’re but to observe – though for my cash it goes a step too far down the foolish sci-fi route. Not a top-tier Inside No 9 episode, however a neat state of affairs and a welcome alternative to see a few of our greatest character actors having enjoyable.”
Anita Singh, The Telegraph

“The Orwellian twist teetered on the sting of gauche scholar preachiness. This jejune flavour was heightened by the truth that not one of the characters appeared to have a life exterior the railway carriage — there was no point out of anyone’s youngsters, or a partner ready at house. Nonetheless, whenever you’ve acquired Matthew Kelly beaming in a efficiency from Planet WooWoo, who cares? And Charlie Cooper’s pitifully well mannered beggar was so convincing, I wished to present him a quid myself.”
Christopher Stevens, Every day Mail

“It’s all a bit foolish, clearly, and to be sincere, not up there with the easiest efforts by the Inside No. 9 group, but it surely’s a pleasant satire on our modern style for conspiracy theories and paranoia. The claustrophobic worry engendered by being remoted with a scattering of oddballs on the final Tube house is properly captured – we barely set foot out of the carriage. And the distinguished forged give us a gallery of numerous grotesques, all by turns bizarre and pitiable.”
Sean O’Grady, The Unbiased

“In contrast to different episodes, which are sometimes affected by handbrake turns, this time we find yourself sitting tight for the massive reveal. And it’s utterly unguessable – that violent shift in perspective executed with aplomb. Sadly, although (and it pains me to say this contemplating how absorbing the remainder of the episode is) the precise twist falls a bit flat. Nonetheless, an episode of Inside No 9 that leaves you barely nonplussed continues to be 100 instances extra creative and affecting than 99% of what’s pumped via our screens.”
Rachel Aroesti, The Guardian

Secrets and techniques & Spies: A Nuclear Recreation, BBC2

“Russian spies on British soil are nonetheless very a lot within the information. However there may be additionally a potent nostalgia in watching a sequence akin to this, now that a lot espionage is performed in our on-line world. Other than the spycraft, the archive information reviews transport us again to a time when politicians – and even political journalists – appeared to have a lot extra gumption and character than they’ve at present.”
Anita Singh, The Telegraph

“Spies are all the time mesmerising and this can be a nuggety, pacey sequence.”
Carol Midgely, The Instances