fifth episode second series british dark comedy anthology television programme inside broadcast april bbc written directed episode starred obsessive angela hosting party birthday mother played kelly angela husband jim played keen play prank pat angela brother law practical pat played carol recovering alcoholic pat wife angela sister played episode features angela jim teenage daughter seen beginning end episode episode plot revolves practical joke fake cake jim set attempt fool pat moving cake reveals head person hiding table mean time hidden character hear conversations taking place nearby unbeknownst joke episode plays viewers led arrival seen opening episode particular person table risk injury candles burn puts knife cake episode written shelved bbc executives instead suggested worked episode sitcom revisited modified script writing process inside second series writers aimed feeling suburban darkness reminiscent work playwright commentators compared episode work playwright screenwriter particularly play party story addresses themes including alcoholism affairs aging social class television critics responded positively praised typically strong instalment particular praise directed writing performances especially skinner performance angela performance performance pat production writing episode written programme creators bbc producers felt episode worked opening episode sitcom happy develop idea series given events plot script shelved revisited planning inside second series number changes original script concept revisited example added opening scene order add sense danger character angela borderline said episode focus grandmother birthday party felt domestic called domestic story describing playing classic british plot device family party going wrong suggested pleasant house episode feel sitcom said story went darker typical sitcom party writers wanted produce dark suburban citing playwright influence time episode written starring adaptation play absent friends writers intended play idea hidden character able hear conversations revealing secrets initial idea large parcel table birthday party birthday episode set absent characters repeatedly ask revealed head parcel idea developed possibility hollow cake hiding character device final episode writers humour characters spending time talking cake noted prop cake features resembling face editing stage production team kept cake order remind viewers presence original script ended knife fake cake followed revelation contrary viewers expectations time instead writers drama story making possible characters injured writers original plot sense darker characters got away wrongdoing way final version casting characters episode inside features new characters writers able attract actors unwilling commit entire series featured angela hosting party lived close skinner properly met members cast film life sweet starred skinner enjoyed funny script nice character trained nottingham television workshop starred angela daughter starred angela husband jim suggested costume look like character kelly played angela mother birthday episode set written mind knew kelly time sitcom played angela sister carol pat carol husband played carol favourite character series worried actor portray character hoped happy performance said thrilled working great admiration described character carol hilarious sexually frustrated sad reflect carol alcoholism whiskey mouth filming wore red wig play pat skin tone needed changed match hair necessitating white spray face morning order impression pat thief murderer simply practical directed pat set jokes plays seen beginning end episode scene featuring end episode longer final cut initially intended order character actions filming direction second series inside filmed end early filmed january final episode second series filmed writers saw number houses selecting episode wanted open plan home allow easy movement rooms chosen close added house garden despite sheds visible screen new added executive producer suggested shed term suggested site awful scenes bedroom room production team found room featured number books seen screen reminded script end inside second series episode set library room including ring day filming begun smell needed removed addition writing starring directed episode second episode jointly directed second series cold comfort directorial debut pair know writing series episodes directing meaning writing unlikely influenced knowledge intended try directing second series inside offered opportunity directed episodes series unable return second took directorial duties episodes decided direct remaining said interview pair considered directing episodes appear scheduling concerns left cold comfort episodes feature writers heavily represented directorial challenge screen relatively large episode pair took turns camera day acted watched day switched tired final episode series filmed required direction cold comfort larger number actors strongly cinematographer handled staging handled cinematography plot let house sounds panic earlier angela prepares host party birthday mother angela daughter heads room complete angela moves cake reveals head jim husband jim plans play trick pat practical husband angela sister carol recovering alcoholic hiding cake carol pat wearing wolf mask arrive house settle pat mobile charge jim asked angela prevent secretly places ice bucket carol privately drinks bottle ostensibly toilet mother flush angela proud party food marks carol angela middle class wants photograph food table carol lights cake candles burn fake cake jim hiding aunt insisting tell joke pat card angela blows candles room jim left frustrated shows tablet pair sit room visibly drunk carol enters talks importance having fun wants finish assures carol good mother jim persuades angela position table pat replaces soap toilet pat joins jim table returns vhs clear jim apparent love countdown actually cover pornography habit jim tries steer conversation away topic worried angela hear carol enters puts music pat sees carol prepares drink adam carol aggressively jim pat hands carol water throws face leaves carol confronts jim promises house angela jim remains terrified angela hear conversation enter talks pat frozen novelty ice distressed jim makes drink carol dances jim pulls carol away carol hits carol talks jim shouts pat stops carol storms tells jim knows distressed jim knife cake jim believing angela table angela enters kitchen reveals left buy real cake story jim told cover apparent absence wants talk mother chaos ice cube pat reveals contains fake spider carol enters face pat fake soap pat reaching charging phone emergency services hands wet ice bucket angela performs maneuver mother carol pat shouts help new cake pushed jim face answers door enters begins casualty theme performance revealed pat present later jim talks oblivious sees angela come stairs bags silence watches leave tells joke pat birthday card analysis following birthday party disarray common particularly plays episode similar theme included series inside revolves relatively mundane problems alcoholism affairs aging class theme angela jim representing typical middle class family working class writing times said like twisted version party critics episode drama critics saw influence work episode action revolves practical joke involving cake particular viewers attempts guess caused injury know coming angela alcoholic carol time bomb angela central character similar anxious version skinner character outnumbered stressed obsessive comedy critic compared characterisation carol characterisation afraid episode progresses carol increasingly abusive commentators variously described pat irritating writing independent pat character complex pat cheesy jokes lies desperately sad man standing caring wife love long gone pat carol honest relationship jim angela despite problems relationship jim pat weary nemesis classic jim pat like suburban straight drama unaware chaos instead distracted tablet plays game retelling birthday card joke suburban comedy depths beneath apparently happy families story progresses characters expectations irritating pat revealed caring husband alcoholic carol revealed recovering unsuccessful affair characterised episode ending lacking twist noting episode character dies reception critics responded positively radio_times calling writing sunday_times describing perfectly judged high wire walk comedy tragedy balanced evenly times called tightly wound hugely impressive half hour freelance journalist called great instalment worked terms episode writing praised writers displayed intellect noted skinner got lion share good lines felt ending affecting earned course review series claimed writers strengths pulling loose threads suburban life reveal worst humanity soft despite viewers assumption conclusion tragedy altogether story face betrayed total emotional collapse going writing claimed script able funny dark desperately sad review episode entertainment website den geek wrote tension story genre viewer expectations shift owen felt writing cast able save predictable episode picking skinner particularly compelling praised cast claiming skinner kelly strong gave best performance called cast great felt played perfection cited sources steve episode commentary retrieved april
Nana's Party