The League Of Gentlemen: All Their Other Shows Ranked From Worst To Best

Three years after The Worst Journey In The World, Gatiss returned to BBC Four with another story of turn of the century explorer-adventurers, once again featuring himself in the lead role, along with the same director and many of the same cast (including non-speaking cameos from Shearsmith and Pemberton).

As with The Worst Journey In The World, this adaptation of H.G. Wells' 1901 tale of early lunar astronauts demonstrates Gatiss' great affection for the adventure stories of the period (and manages to be narratively the most faithful version of Wells' story, despite a frame narrative set during the real moon landings in 1969). The seeds are clearly sown here, and in Gatiss' love of Wells, for his later, more high profile work on Doctor Who, particularly his last episode Empress Of Mars.

However, also like The Worst Journey In The World, it suffers from being made on the slenderest of shoestring budgets. The special effects reference George Melies' A Trip To The Moon, in part though because they are barely superior. The moon-dwelling aliens are uninspiring and, despite the best efforts of Gatiss and co-star Rory Kinnear, the story drags a bit in the middle. An interesting effort, but far from the best work of anybody involved.