'Inside No. 9' - Series Two Trivia Quiz

Answer: A train

The second series of 'Inside No. 9' was first broadcast on BBC Two in 2015. Series two continues the template established and used so effectively in the first series of having each episode take place in a single location. Each episode is a stand alone story, with different casts, locations and even different genres, with the only thing connecting them being an appearance by one or both of writers Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith, and the fact they all take place behind a door marked with the number nine.

In 'La Couchette' the action takes place in a sleeper car on a French train, being shared by a cast of mismatched characters. The episodes showcases Shearsmith and Pemberton's flair for mixing genres as, what appears to be a broad farce takes a dark turn when the inhabitants of the sleeping car make a grizzly discovery. 'La Couchette', like every other episode of 'Inside No. 9' is written by Shearsmith and Pemberton.

Answer: Julie Hesmondhalgh

This episode features stand-out performances from the entire impressive cast. Doctor Maxwell, played by Shearsmith, is on his way to a very important job interview and grows increasingly enfuriated by the antics of his fellow passengers who seem determined to prevent him from getting the good night's sleep he desperately needs.

The other passengers include chatty Kath, played by Julie Hesmondhalgh, and her husband, played by Mark Benton, who are travelling to their daughter's wedding, a comically coarse German called Jorg, played by Pemberton, an Australian backpacker called Shona and Hugo, the posh boy stowayay with whom she has hooked up, played by Jessica Gunning and Jack Whitehall respectively. Julie Hesmondhalgh is a highly respected actress who makes regular appearances on British television and radio.

She first came to widespread public attention with her role as Hayley Cropper, the first regular transgender character to appear in the very popular and long-running British soap opera 'Coronation Street'.

Answer: Sheridan Smith

'The 12 Days of Christine' depicts twelve episodes in the life of the titular Christine. I would rather not say too much more about this episode as it would risk spoiling one of the most extraordinary and moving half hours of television I have ever seen.

Not only does the episode break new ground for just what 'Inside No. 9' can achieve, it also showcases Shearsmith and Pemberton's incredible flair for compelling story-telling. Christine is superbly portrayed by Sheridan Smith, a highly acclaimed and versatile British actress who began her career in the late 1990s and early 2000s in sitcoms such as 'The Royle Family' and 'Gavin and Stacy' before moving on to a number of critically praised drama performances on British television.

Sheridan Smith has also starred in several successful West End Musicals, including 'Legally Blonde' and 'Funny Girl' as well as releasing two albums of her recordings of popular songs.

Answer: Witchcraft

'The Trial of Elizabeth Gadge' marks yet another departure for 'Inside No. 9', the show's first episode to be set in the past. 'The Trial of Elizabeth Gadge' takes place in a makeshift courtroom in an old barn in 17th century England during the show Trial of the elderly Elizabeth Gadge, played by Ruth Sheen, who has been accused of witchcraft.

The local magistrate, Sir Andrew Pike, played by David Warner, seeing an opportunity to put the insignificant village of Little Happens on the map, invites celebrated witchfinders Warren and Clarke, played by Shearsmith and Pemberton respectively, to oversee Gadge's trial.

Shearsmith and Pemberton wanted to make an authentic period piece rather than a historical parody. While there is a great deal of bawdy comedy in this episode it is based on some of the more ridiculous accusations which the writers came across while reading transcripts of some of the real witchcraft trials that took place in England during this period.

The duo's love of classic British horror movies such as 'Blood on Satan's Claw' and 'Witchfinder General' was a very significant influence on this episode.

Answer: A crisis helpline

his excellent episode further showcases the show's seemingly endless inventiveness as it is filmed entirely through CCTV footage. This presented a number of technical challenges for the cast and production team as scenes had to be filmed in one long shot, meaning actors had to deliver flawless performances in order to avoid having to re-record the whole scene from scratch.

However, this approach also provided distinct advantages. Not only does it give the episode a distinctive look, but it allows the viewer to see two characters in different parts of the building appearing on different screens simultaneously, meaning that we are often aware of happenings of which the other characters are ignorant.

This makes for an extremely compelling, atmospheric and increasingly tense episode which builds to a particularly chilling twist ending.

Answer: Jane Horrocks

This episode follows a team of volunteers working on the Comfort Support Line, a helpline which offers support and a listening ear to people in crisis. Newcomber Andy, played by Steve Pemberton, has joined the team and is introduced to fellow volunteers, manager George, played by Reece Shearsmith, Liz, played by Jane Horrocks and Joanne, played by Nikki Amuka-Bird. Each of the cast put in superb performances, allowing us to learn a surprising amount about their characters in the half-hour we spend with them.

While there are some very funny moments in this episode, it is perhaps the darkest installment of series two as we listen to the increasingly disturbing and upsetting calls that Andy has to deal with. Jane Horrocks has enjoyed a long and distinguished career in television, radio and film, but is perhaps known for her role in the popular sitcom 'Absolutely Fabulous'.

Answer: Alan Ayckbourn

'Nana's Party sees 'Inside No. 9' exploring yet another genre. In this case Shearsmith and Pemberton offer us a classic example of a very English domestic farce, as exemplified in the works of the celebrated playwrite Alan Ayckbourn. Ayckbourn's work is typified by contained, domestic comedies featuring repressed and disfunctional family dynamics and complicated and complex inter-personal relationships. 'Nana's Party', similar to an Ayckbourn play, appears, superficially, to be a simple farce about a wacky family organising a birthday party for their matriarch.

However, we learn that the family may not be as harmonious and jolly as they appear at first sight. However, while there are some slightly dark elements to the story, 'Nana's Party' is the most straightforwardly comic episode of the second series.

Despite indications that something gruesome or tragic may be about to happen, this episode is surprisingly free of the trademark shocking twists and turns that have become associated with this show in many viewers' minds, demonstrating that, sometimes the twist is that there is no twist!

Answer: Claire Skinner

'Nana's Party' is, on the face of it, quite a simple story. It sees Angela organising a seventy-ninth birthday party for her mother Maggie, Elsie Kelly. Angela is something of a control freak whose party-planning is somehwat hampered by the antics of her practical joker husband Mike, played by Pemberton, who is preoccupied with trying to pull the perfect prank on his brother-in-law Pat, played by Shearsmith who is married to Angela's sister Carol, a recovering alcoholic, played by Lorraine Ashbourne. Once all of the guests have arrived at the party the episode descends into beautifully choreographed and well-paced farce, with several excellent comic set pieces.

While all of the cast put in brilliantly funny turns in this episode, the episode also finds time to explore some of the sadness and frustration the characters are experiencing, but in a way which doesn't detract from the comedy. Claire Skinner is a familiar face on British television, perhaps best known for her role in the BBC family sitcom 'Outnumbered'.

Answer: Scaredycam

Like 'The Harrowing', the last episode of the previous series', Shearsmith and Pemberton return to their comfort zone for this second season finale with a tale of horror with some very dark comic touches. The episode opens as a young woman, played by Sophie McShera, attends a seance in a creepy Victorian villa where events begin to take a terrifying supernatural turn until it is revealed that the happenings are staged and are being filmed for a hidden camera show called 'Scaredycam'. 'Scaredycam' was cancelled a few years earlier after one of the pranks went tragically wrong but it is now set to return on a new channel.

The show's host, Terry, played by Shearsmith, is keen that the new series should be a success and is very unwilling to discuss the unfortunate events that ended the series last time around. Once the cameras stop rolling, the horror really begins as a series of increasingly frightening events begin to occur on set.

Shearsmith and Pemberton had long wanted to make a programme about seances and they were able to indulge in many horror tropes connected with the genre in this episode.

However, the episode also exposes the sometimes cruel practices used in the making of reality television, which are almost as scary as the supernatural elements of the story.

Answer: Alison Steadman

Alison Steadman does a wonderful job portraying the deliciously spooky medium, Madam Talbot, who holds the titular seance at the beginning of the episode. When the setting shifts to behind the scenes on a hidden camera show, Steadman is equally convincing in another delightfully monstrous role as the demanding theatre actress Anne.

As befits the finale of this brilliant sophomore series of 'Inside No. 9', this episode boasts an extremely impressive cast including Cariad Lloyd, Alice Lowe and Dan Starkey. Alison Steadman has had an extraordinary film, television and radio career spanning over fifty years.

She first rose to fame starring in her, then Husband, Mike Leigh's celebrated television plays 'Abigail's Party and 'Nuts In May' in the 1970s.

Other notable roles have included a BAFTA-nominated performance in the cult 1980s television series 'The Singing Detective' and a role in the recent thriller series 'Orphan Black'. Alison Steadman is also a regular voice on BBC Radio 4, appearing in a number of radio comedy series including 'Gloomsbury' and 'Hamish and Dougal: You'll Have Had Your Tea'.