Ep 1. Black Mail

Psychoville is a dark comedy-thriller television show created by Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton, the duo who had previously been involved with the cult horror-comedy series The League of Gentlemen. The show is known for its unique blend of black comedy, surreal horror, and mystery. Season 1, Episode 1, titled Black Mail, effectively sets the tone for a series that is both macabre and absurdly hilarious.

In Black Mail, audiences are introduced to a peculiar and disparate assembly of individuals, each receiving a mysterious and ominous letter that simply reads, “I know what you did.” The episode cleverly interweaves the narratives of these seemingly unrelated characters, each with their own dark secrets and eccentricities, as they grapple with the implications of this threatening message.

The characters include Mr. Jolly, a clown who performs at children's parties but whose demeanor is far from the jovial persona one would expect. Jolly keeps to himself in a cluttered, somewhat depressing apartment when he's not performing in his trademarked creepy clown attire. When he receives the letter, it's clear that this isn't the sort of mail he's accustomed to getting alongside his bills and junk flyers.

Meanwhile, audiences are also introduced to Joy Aston, a nurse with an obsessively maternal attachment to a practice doll used to teach infant care. She treats this inanimate object as if it were alive, going to great lengths to protect and comfort it. Joy's unnerving dedication to the doll hints at a frayed psyche, particularly as the arrival of the mysterious letter threatens her unusual but precariously balanced life.

Then there's Mr. Lomax, an elderly gentleman who is blind and possesses a fanatical obsession with collecting rare and unique items. He maintains an especially intense fixation on a particular stuffed toy, which he counts among his most prized collectibles. Despite his blindness, he navigates his world with meticulous skill, suggesting a history of adaptation to his circumstances—until he's shaken by the reception of the letter, which hints at a disquieting past event.

Furthermore, audiences meet Robert Greenspan, an actor with dwarfism, who is desperately trying to transcend the stereotypical roles he is offered, dreaming of more significant parts. His passion for the craft and a desire for recognition are palpable, but his ambitions and insecurities are put to the test when he, too, is confronted with the black envelope that arrives at his doorstep.

Finally, there's the enigmatic David Sowerbutts, who lives with his overbearing mother, Maureen. Their relationship raises eyebrows, as does David's macabre fascination with serial killers. This fixation submerges him in a world of fantasy, where he often blurs the line between fiction and reality. It is thus no wonder that the letter's threat sends both him and Maureen into a paranoid frenzy.

As the characters grapple with the unknown sender’s message and its implications, the viewers learn that all of these individuals are connected by a shadowy event from their past. The letter serves as a catalyst, triggering a series of bizarre and sometimes ghastly reactions as each character seeks to protect their own secrets.

The episode’s strength lies in Shearsmith and Pemberton’s skillful storytelling and characterization. Each of the five main characters is richly drawn, with quirks that both amuse and unsettle the viewer. The humor is deeply woven into the fabric of the show, often emerging out of the absurdity and darkness of the situations that the characters find themselves in. Moreover, hidden clues and subtle connective threads planted throughout the episode entice the audience to piece together the mystery of the black mail and its significance.

The direction and production values amplify the atmospheric tension surrounding the narrative. The use of music, lighting, and setting contributes to a world that feels simultaneously ordinary and warped, a perfect playground for the show’s blend of comedy and horror. As the episode progresses, it becomes clear that the story is building towards an interconnected web of revelations that will further entangle these characters in the series' overarching mystery.

Black Mail promises a show that is anything but ordinary, asking viewers to buckle up for a ride filled with twists and turns, populated by characters that you cannot help but watch, even through the fingers that may cover your eyes. The episode sets a benchmark for what is to follow, a tantalizing puzzle that is as funny as it is chilling.