18 Best TV Episodes Of 2017 (So Far)

17. Riddle Of The Sphinx - Inside No. 9

Inside No 9 Riddle Of The Sphinx
BBC

Over the course of three series Inside No. 9 - which comes from the dark minds of League of Gentlemen's Steve Pemberton and Reese Shearsmith - has established itself as one of the smartest, most inventive (and criminally under-watched) shows on television.

It really got to show off its genius in Riddle of the Sphinx, a gothic episode played less for comedy than it was a puzzle to be solved. Set in Cambridge, Nina - a young woman - seeks help solving a crossword from the professor who writes them.

It starts off with him teaching her how to solve cryptic clues, before gradually turning into something much deeper and darker. The entire episode was effectively turned into one puzzle, and viewers could only watch along as it was figured out in front of them, desperately scrabbling to pick up the same clues as the characters.

Even at just 30 minutes long it manages to be a complex maze of twists and turns, with numerous hints hidden throughout. It's expertly constructed by Shearsmith and Pemberton, and a dazzlingly clever, complex episode of television.

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Contributor
Contributor

NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.