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Inside No. 9

Inside No. 9

2014–2024Ended9 seasons55 episodes~30 min/epTV-MAMidcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

An anthology of darkly comic twisted tales, each one taking place behind a door marked 'number 9'.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Inside No. 9?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Inside No. 9 to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Rent / Buy

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Highlights

What stands out about Inside No. 9?

Inside No. 9 earns 11 badges, led by Modern classic and Top 5% of shows.

Show 3 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Cast

Reception

Is Inside No. 9 worth watching?

Inside No. 9's Midcredits score is the 97th percentile of all shows, from 25K ratings across 2 sources. 92% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

97th percentile

Better received than 97% of shows

97th percentile among Comedy97th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)95th
Approval (how many liked it)96th

Acclaim

Universally Loved: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

84 /100

95th percentile of all shows

96th percentile among Comedy95th percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

Ratings pile up at 9–10 with almost no detractors — near-universal love.

Approval

How many liked it

92% liked it

96th percentile of all shows

96th percentile among Comedy96th percentile among 2010s
92% rated it 7–108% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

95th percentile

24K ratings across platforms

93rd percentile among Comedy94th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 10% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both fans and detractors recognize the show as a darkly comic anthology built on writer-performers Shearsmith and Pemberton's talent, with each episode built around a self-contained twist.

Fans praised

  • clever, twist-heavy writing across standalone half-hour stories
  • Shearsmith and Pemberton's chameleonic acting in every episode
  • impressive tonal range from black comedy to horror to drama

Detractors panned

  • stories feel gimmicky with twists overriding substance
  • Shearsmith's performance can come across as forced and calculated
  • series declined after early seasons, becoming repetitive or grating

What stands out

OriginalityDivisive88

Innovative format experiments and genre blend, but detractors see them as merely clever

Acting85

Shearsmith and Pemberton's versatility praised, though one detractor finds Shearsmith's style forced

DialogueDivisive82

Witty, dark one-liners and verse experiments, though a detractor finds dialogue forced at times

Plot and storyDivisive80

Twist-heavy standalone stories praised for cleverness, but detractors call them gimmick-driven

AtmosphereDivisive80

Dark, claustrophobic mood and filmic style, with Hammer horror homages

EndingDivisive78

Twist endings mostly lauded for shock value, but detractors find them overworked

CharactersDivisive75

Well-drawn cameos and supporting roles, but some find character depth sacrificed for puzzle-box plotting

HumorDivisive75

Silly British humor and black comedy landed well for fans, but detractors find it uneven

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 28 points higher than critics.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 12 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 3 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 2 points apart

Episodes

9 seasons

Series 9 · 2024 · 6 episodes · 7.6 average across 6 rated episodes

  • S9E1

    Boo to a Goose

    May 8, 202429 minTMDB rating 7.2
  • S9E2

    The Trolley Problem

    May 15, 202430 minTMDB rating 7.4
  • S9E3

    Mulberry Close

    May 22, 202430 minTMDB rating 8.1
  • S9E4

    CTRL, ALT, ESC

    May 29, 202429 minTMDB rating 8.3Season best
  • S9E5

    Curse of the Ninth

    Jun 5, 202430 minTMDB rating 6.8
  • S9E6

    Plodding On

    Jun 12, 202430 minTMDB rating 7.6Finale

Watch experience

What is Inside No. 9 like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, dark and intense — an even-paced watch that leaves you thinking.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
TenseAbsurdDread
Heaviest: throughout
Dark humor
Register
Wry · 7% of shows: Amused and slightly dry about it.Cynical · 1% of shows
Told as
Single location · 1% of shows: Confined to essentially one place throughout.Nonlinear · 5% of shows: Events shown out of chronological order.Anthology episodes · 6% of showsNew arc each season
ToneThe series presents its macabre tales with a wry, knowing humour and a cynical view of human nature, while always playing the drama straight within each episode.
The rideThe series maintains a consistent tone of tense, darkly comic dread across its run, though some episodes lean more purely comedic or purely horrific.
StructureEvery episode is confined to one location, and many episodes employ nonlinear timelines to deliver their twists.
Episode formatEach episode is a completely self-contained story with its own setting, characters, and premise, linked only by the recurring location theme of a house numbered 9.
Season formatWhile each episode is independent, seasons group episodes together; there is no overarching serialized plot, but seasons function as collections of new, self-contained stories.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Thought-provokingUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe series leaves viewers pondering its clever twists and feeling unsettled by its dark revelations.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MysteryEnigma
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8% (this title): Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1% (this title)
  • No archetype 40%

Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered. · Enigma: The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).

8% of shows fit this archetype

with Tragedy underneath

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe series is an anthology; each episode presents a self-contained enigma with a twist, often involving closed groups, supernatural elements, or mistaken identities.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfIsolationSociety
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6% (this title)
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10% (this title): Community 25% · Isolation 3% (this title) · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% (this title) · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Society

Isolation · 3% of showsDeception · 6% of showsFate · 1% of shows
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe series repeatedly explores characters caught in confined, isolated spaces (the house number 9) where secrets, lies, and cruel twists of fate come to light.
StanceThe series interrogates isolation and deception through tight, character-focused scenarios where hidden truths unravel.

The world

ContemporaryDomesticInstitutionalStylized realism
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score
SettingVarious British houses and buildings numbered 9

Content guide

Is Inside No. 9 okay for kids?

TV-MA

Inside No. 9 is rated TV-MA. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (82/100), sexual content at moderate (49/100), language at intense (62/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at intense (77/100). Overall it is heavier than 59% of TV-MA shows.

Ratings in 10 other countries
  • UK15
  • Germany18
  • France18
  • Ireland15
  • Brazil16
  • Austria16
  • FinlandK12
  • Spain16
  • Switzerland18
  • Türkiye18+
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 78% of all showsHeavier than 59% of TV-MA shows
Violence & Gore
Severe
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 74%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 42%
Profanity
Intense
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 37%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
light for a TV-MA show
heavier than 12%
Frightening / Intense
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a TV-MA show
heavier than 78%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence, frightening material, and language. Everything else sits at or below what TV-MA shows usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does Inside No. 9 have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Inside No. 9?

Cast

2 award-winning performances in the cast.

Reece Shearsmith
as Reece Shearsmith
BAFTA win: BAFTA Award — Scripted Comedy
Steve Pemberton
as Steve Pemberton
BAFTA win: BAFTA Award — Best Male Performance in a Comedy Programme
Katherine Parkinson
as Katherine Parkinson
Sian Gibson
as Leanne
Amanda Abbington
as Amanda Abbington
Rosie Cavaliero
as Kirstie
Tim Key
as Ian
Jason Watkins
as Jason Watkins
Mark Gatiss
as Callum
Kevin Bishop
as Arlo, a Fool

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