TV Critics: Inside No 9; The Truth About Calories; Outlander

“Shearsmith and Pemberton gave us a ruthless dissection of human foibles, from an attempt to open a zip as quietly as possible to, well, murder. This was inventive, deliciously wicked and utterly characteristic of its creators.”
Gabriel Tate, The Telegraph

“Even if they don’t make you laugh, you have to concede this duo are the most febrilely inventive writers on TV. But to say they are an acquired taste is like mentioning that absinthe isn’t everybody’s tipple, and that human sacrifice takes some getting used to.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail

“Strangers trapped in a train compartment is hardly an original starting pointl, but Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith, who wrote and starred, scored a laugh every few seconds and then a home run with a savage resolution.”
Andrew Billen, The Times

“The odd scene from the sixth form drama competition reminded us that this was still, on series two, a bit of a punt; a risk in an increasingly risk-averse TV world. Our railways may be run for profit now but our national broadcaster, at least, still gives a chuff about talent.”
Matt Baylis, Daily Express

“The train setting in ‘La Couchette’ added a Hitchcockian elegance to Pemberton and Shearsmith’s usual mix of gothic-horror influences. Inside No 9 brought together several (mostly) unpleasant individuals with competing motivations, introduced unpredictable plot twist after unpredictable plot twist, and did it all in one briskly efficient half hour.”
Ellen E Jones, The Independent

“I can tell how well the narrative is crafted, appreciate the art of it, see how others find it hilarious. But I’m not on the same wavelength. It’s a bit like going on a date with someone who clearly ticks loads of boxes, but you realise they’re not for you because you’ll never be able to love them.”
Sam Wollaston, The Guardian

“This was one of the BBC’s decent-enough stabs at pop science. The handsome presenter Chris van Tulleken is undeniably personable and good at this sort of thing, offering both a light touch and enough gravitas to suggest that, while he’s unlikely to host Newsnight any time soon, he won’t be reduced to Celebrity Cash in the Attic either.”
Gabriel Tate, The Telegraph

“Dr Chris van Tulleken offered some genuinely useful advice on calorie counting (don’t bother) calorie expending (housework is more effective than the gym) and calorie cutting (order your steak rare and your soup watery) padded out with some less essential science experiments.”
Ellen E Jones, The Independent

“The whole hour was packed with unappetising discoveries. Dr Chris carried out a dubious experiment with a packet of crisps and a bottle of liquid oxygen that was supposed to show how much energy is contained in snacks — it appeared instead to be an instruction video on turning a packet of salt and vinegar into a firebomb.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail

“It was enormously refreshing to see an epic, gruesome fantasy series told from a female perspective, and Caitriona Balfe maintained a lovely balance of bewilderment at her situation, rational assessment and defiant competence in dealing with it.”
Charlotte Runcie, The Telegraph

“Fans of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander books may like the script’s fidelity. To the rest of us, it looks as if adaptor Ronald D Moore has not been unfaithful enough.”
Andrew Billen, The times