Psychoville

Brings me back to the days of Roald Dahl's Tales of the Unexpected. No other shows have that effect, that underlying menace, the unknowing, the uncertainty of where you're being dragged. Love it. Same with Inside No 9.

Fantastically original and absolutely hilarious. Really enjoyed both series. Great cast and well written storyline. Watched this after seeing Inside #9, which was generally very good.

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!

OK. So it's not the League, but it maintains all the best bits and continues to disgust and mesmerise as if it is being beamed into your skull from a malign planet of terror.

The first episode opens with some of the most delightful characters; a hook-handed clown who arrives at the kids bash in a hearse, the midwife who delights in the pain of childbirth and many more sikos. Where does the humour come from? I'm sure it comes from being unbalanced by a knowledge that I've met these people in rural England.

The performances are strong and suited, the script and comedy timing is near perfect, mostly because it all been lifted from other successful hits like Murder Most Horrid, League of Genltemen and the premise of I Know What You Did Last Summer. This is why I recommend you get a return ticket to PSYCHOVILLE!!!!! Mooohahahahahaha.

I had better start this review by saying I was/am a fan of the league of gentleman. However I wouldn't describe myself as a huge fan boy and not a lover of all of their work. I found the film to be a disappointment. The point Im trying to make is this review is fair and not just from a fan who will love anything........Plus i happen to think this is better than their previous work! We get to meet a vast amount of characters over two series and a Halloween episode, some that stand out for me are David, Mr Jelly and of course the silent singer. However I think all the charachetrs warrant a place in this excellent series.

What sets this apart from the league of gentlemen is the depth of both the story and the character arks. The tone remains the same but the whole journey just seems meatier and more fulfilling.

i wont go into how the story twists and turns through a serious of dark plots and I shall keep this short - ITS A MUST WATCH