The Bill (''Inside No. 9'')

"The Bill"
Inside No. 9 episode
Episode no.	Series 3 Episode 2
Directed by	Guillem Morales
Written by	Steve Pemberton Reece Shearsmith
Produced by	Adam Tandy (producer) Jon Plowman (executive producer)
Editing by	Joe Randall-Cutler
Original air date	21 February 2017

"The Bill" is the second episode of the third series of the British dark comedy anthology television programme Inside No. 9. It first aired on 21 February 2017, being shown on BBC 2. The episode was written by Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton, and was directed by Guillem Morales. "The Bill" focuses on four men—Archie, Malcolm, Kevin and Craig—arguing over who should pay the bill in a restaurant at closing time, much to the dismay of the waitress Anya. It addresses themes of masculinity and competition, while the English north/south divide is a recurring issue; Craig, the visiting southerner, is wealthier than the other three, and unfamiliar with some of their terminology.

The episode was inspired by a real dispute seen by the writers and starred Pemberton as Malcolm, Shearsmith as Archie, Jason Watkins as Kevin, Philip Glenister as Craig, and Ellie White as Anya. Callum Coates also appeared in the episode. Critics responded positively to "The Bill", praising its humour, direction and acting. Glenister, Watkins and White were all singled out as providing particularly compelling performances. Despite considerable praise for the writing and timing, some commentators questioned the effectiveness of a twist in the closing minutes, with a number criticising the final scene.

Production

Philip Glenister (pictured, 2017) starred as Craig, a wealthy Londoner.

The second series of Inside No. 9 aired from 26 March 2015 to 29 April 2015,^[1][2] with a third series confirmed by the BBC in October 2015.^[3] Further information, including hints at settings and confirmed performers, was released when the series began filming in January 2016.^[4][5] "The Devil of Christmas", the first episode of this third series, was shown as a Christmas special on 26 December 2016 on BBC 2.^[6][7] "The Bill", the second episode of the third series and the first of a run of five episodes, following several months later, on 21 February 2017.^[8][9]

Inspiration for "The Bill" came when Shearsmith and Pemberton, the creators of Inside No. 9, saw a group arguing over a bill at a restaurant. Pemberton said that, unexpectedly, "they were arguing about wanting to pay it, and we just came out and thought, 'Could that be one episode?' ... And then it's about sustaining that one idea".^[10] For him, "when you're in the writing phase, you can see anything in day-to-day life that could spark your imagination"; after seeing this dispute, the writers immediately returned to their office to begin writing.^[11]

As each episode of Inside No. 9 features new characters, the writers were able to attract actors who might have been unwilling to commit to an entire series.^[12] "The Bill" starred Shearsmith as Archie, Pemberton as Malcolm, Jason Watkins as Kevin, Philip Glenister as Craig, Ellie White as Anya and Callum Coates as Tim.^[13] Watkins had previously starred in Shearsmith and Pemberton's Psychoville; though the pair generally have a rule against reusing actors from Psychoville in Inside No. 9, so as "to keep surprising and avoid familiarity", they broke their rule "because [Watkins is] brilliant".^[14] Pemberton explained that he and Shearsmith work hard to make roles attractive to accomplished actors, claiming that Glenister had hoped he would not like the script, looking for an excuse to turn down a week's work in his busy schedule.^[15][11]

Plot

External video

"No arguments" Craig insists that he should pay the bill

Anya closes a restaurant where four men—northerners Archie, Malcolm and Kevin are entertaining southerner Craig—have finished a post-badminton meal. After a misunderstanding between Craig and the thickly accented Anya, Malcolm takes the bill, but he and Archie both wish to pay. Craig insists that he will pay, as he is leaving, and wealthier than the others. The three argue, with Archie unable to pay as the card machine lacks paper. Malcolm suggests that the bill should be split three ways, with the northerners treating Craig, but Kevin claims to be the poorest. Archie, Malcolm and Craig thrust cards at Anya until Kevin offers to pay. He counts cash as Anya fetches drinks. Craig thanks the others for making his trip bearable, and offers to pay, restarting the argument. This becomes about Malcolm's position as badminton-club secretary, with Malcolm revealing that Archie has spent time in prison. Anya arrives with drinks, and Craig, paying the bill, speaks of craving excitement, only to have his card declined. He phones his au pair for a card, keen she not look in the wrong drawer, but Malcolm snatches the phone. He is about to pay, but Archie stops him. He reveals that he wanted to pay as he has an inoperable brain tumour.

Malcolm leaves the table only to return furious; Archie was lying. A heated debate ensues, and the four men wrestle over the bill until Anya tells them that the meal can be free. Malcolm insists it is not about the bill, and fetches a knife and chopping board. Archie and Malcolm are to play stabscotch, with the winner paying. Malcolm is quick but Archie is slower, repeatedly stabbing himself. Craig pulls the knife from Archie, inadvertently slashing Anya. She collapses as blood splatters. Anya is dead, and Malcolm formulates a story blaming Archie, but Archie has called a prison contact who will remove the body.

The clean-up will cost £200,000; it is needed tonight, in cash, meaning only Craig can pay. He calls his au pair, but he treads on Anya's hand, and she yells. Kevin declares the plan a failure; the four had been hustling Craig. Kevin, now in control, demands Craig's phone. Craig refuses, but is locked in the restaurant. In a final scene, a waiter closes the restaurant while the hustlers entertain the well-dressed Tim. "Archie" requests the bill, and "the waiter" is revealed to be Craig.

Analysis

"The Bill" opens with the mundane image of a number of men eating at a restaurant and arguing about the bill, but then "takes that familiar scenario and pushes it to impressively baroque extremes".^[16][17] In a reversal of the norm, all diners want to pay the whole bill, rather than wanting to limit their payment.^[18] In this dispute, "The Bill" explores themes of masculinity, losing face, competitiveness, passive aggression and rivalry.^[19][20][21] Andrew Billen, writing in The Times, compared this aspect of the episode to Mad Dogs, which had also starred Glenister;^[21] one critic suggested that Glenister's character in Mad Dogs and Craig in "The Bill" are close.^[19] The characters tell "well-rehearsed anecdotes and blokey jokes",^[20] while Craig is "all flash-cash and inappropriate comments to the waitress".^[22] Pemberton's Malcolm, for Michael Hogan of the Daily Telegraph, "appeared to have wandered in" from a Mike Leigh production;^[23] a number of critics commented on his striking hairpiece.^{[23][18][24][19][17]} All four of the men are unpleasant people.^[25]

The English north/south divide is a key feature of the plot and humour,^[17] with many references to north/south caricatures.^[25] Craig is unfamiliar with the northern phrases used by Archie, Malcolm and Kevin,^[23][17][19] including diddlum, piss-mints and bluecock (a "tight-fisted wanker").^[23][17] Craig is wealthier than the other characters, and mocks them with stereotypes about northerners as poor and stupid.^[17] For one critic, the significance of the north/south divide in the episode means that it could have been called "Revenge of the Northerners".^[17]

After the revelation in the closing minutes of "The Bill", the character of the episode changes.^[21] The biggest changes come about in Watkins's Kevin and White's Anya.^[20] Kevin changes from a penny pincher referred to as "the professor" apparently in jest to a menacing criminal mastermind.^[20][23] Anya, initially reminiscent of Manuel of Fawlty Towers or a character from 'Allo 'Allo, faces criticism for taking her characterisation too far,^[23][20] allowing the writers, for one critic, to have their cake and eat it.^[20] The writers also acknowledge the plot's "silliness" in an almost-fourth-wall-breaking piece of dialogue, with Shearsmith's Archie declaring that the characters' plan "was too elaborate".^[17]

For one commentator, "The Bill" was the closest episode of Inside No. 9 to The League of Gentlemen, an earlier project of Shearsmith and Pemberton's, due to its use of gallows humour and back-and-forth dialogue.^[17] Critics also compared the episode to Hustle,^[20] the work of Quentin Tarantino—including Reservoir Dogs—and Roald Dahl's "Man from the South". This latter story was adapted for Tales of the Unexpected, a key influence on Inside No. 9 as a whole, and by Tarantino for Four Rooms.^[19][23]

Reception

"The Bill" was generally positively received by critics, being given ratings of five out of five by Mike Ward of the Daily Express,^[26] four out of five by Hogan (Daily Telegraph) and the freelance journalist Dan Owen,^[23][19] three out of five by Andrew Billen of The Times.^[21] It was praised as "a tight, gloriously stressful half-hour",^[8] "hugely enjoyable",^[17] "an intricate, wonderfully well-executed tale"^[27] and "terrific fun".^[28] Mark Butler, writing for inews.co.uk, said that while there had been Inside No. 9 episodes "with greater atmosphere, invention or ideas", this episode, "as a 30-minute exercise in darkly comic suspense, ... did the trick".^[17] It was not, for Butler, among the best episodes.^[17] Similarly, the comedy critic Bruce Dessau identified "The Bill" as "quite a low-key opener for the series proper";^[18] he did not list it as one of his eight favourite Inside No. 9 episodes.^[29] Ian Hyland, however, writing in the Daily Mirror, identified it as a competitor with "The 12 Days of Christine" for the title of the best episode ever.^[24]

The episode was praised as genuinely funny,^[20][30] with a range of different kinds of humour.^[19] Praise was also directed at Morales, with both Louisa Mellor (Den of Geek) and Owen commenting on his ability to give the impression of movement, even while the episode revolved mostly around four men sat at a table.^[20][19] Critics commended the performances; Dessau called the cast "uniformly excellent",^[18] and Owen said that the script was "brilliantly performed".^[19] Ellen E Jones, writing for the London Evening Standard, praised both Glenister and Watkins;^[16] Hogan did likewise, but argued that Watkins "stealthily stole the show".^[23] Owen suggested that, in the episode, "Watkins again proved why he's one of the most underrated comic actors around right now".^[19] Mellor identified Watkins and White as offering the strongest performance.^[20] Hogan praised White for offering "estimable support",^[23] while Billen identified White as the performer who "stole the half-hour".^[21]

The story, for Mellor, was strong; "the shocks have the intended impact and the whole half-hour works a treat".^[20] She commended the "good writing [and] excellent structure".^[20] Hogan considered the episode "ingeniously plotted",^[23] and Owen called it "delightfully written".^[19] The timing was also praised.^[9][20] Critics were less convinced by the revelation at the end of the episode; though Butler called it "satisfying and surprising",^[17] it was criticised as lacking in meaning,^[31] and as "prosaically disappointing".^[30] For Billen, the reveal made the episode's premise "less interesting",^[21] and, for Owen, the characters were too quick to admit defeat.^[19] The final scene, in particular, was criticised, with some commentators suggesting that, if thought about too much, it was not fully convincing;^[20][23][19] it was described as "arguably unnecessary"^[17] and as offering the episode's only "punch [that failed] to connect".^[32]

References

Further reading

• "Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith Series 3 interview". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 30 April 2017. 
• "Jason Watkins interview". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 30 April 2017. 
• Mitchell, Nick (15 February 2017). "Inside No. 9 is a cure for box set fatigue: Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith talk series three". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 7 May 2017. 
• Semlyen, Nick De (29 December 2016). "Inside information". Empire. Retrieved 13 May 2017 – via PressReader.com. 

External links

• "The Bill" on IMDb
• "The Bill" at BBC Programmes
• "The Bill" at the British Comedy Guide