Current Events > I watched the first episode of Inside No. 9 (the Black Mirror-esque TV series)

(+) Yeah! (+)

It was an interesting episode. The whole "twist" saved for the end is definitely reminiscent of Twilight Zone and Black Mirror (more the former than the latter).

The whole "Sardine" game was an interesting way to highlight family troubles arising when everyone's brought together for some event. It's honestly pretty impressive how the entire episode takes place in one single space for most of it (a closet), and yet it never feels like it outstays its welcome.

If I have any problem with the episode, it's that everything was setup specifically to make the twist work. The Sardine game is necessary, but we really don't get much of an idea as to why this is such a family tradition. It just kind of is, and the audience is told to accept it and all its awkwardness at face value. To its credit, it acknowledges throughout the episode that it's just something that they do and that most people don't actually like it. I suppose you could take it to mean that it represents the family's begrudging willingness to stay together even in the worst internal circumstances, but that still leaves us with this bizarre game presented without context.

That, and the twist is kind of sudden. All information relevant to the twist is given within the last five minutes of the episode, and then it just plays out. It's not a bad twist in concept, but I felt like the execution could have been improved.

All that being said, the first episode succeeded in setting the tone for the series. I now have no doubts regarding the kind of show that it is. And it was interesting enough that I definitely want to check out the next episodes. I just hope the storytelling gets a little bit tighter.
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