"The Bill" is the second episode of the third series of the British dark comedy anthology television programme Inside No.

It addresses themes of masculinity and competition, and the English north–south divide is a recurring issue; Craig, the visiting southerner, is wealthier than the other three, and unfamiliar with some of their terminology.

"The Bill" starred Pemberton as Malcolm, Shearsmith as Archie, Jason Watkins as Kevin, Philip Glenister as Craig, and Ellie White as Anya.

Commentators compared the episode to the television series Hustle, the work of the director Quentin Tarantino—including his 1992 film Reservoir Dogs—and Roald Dahl's 1948 short story "Man from the South", which was adapted for both the television series Tales of the Unexpected and the 1995 anthology film Four Rooms.

Despite considerable praise for the writing and timing, some commentators questioned the effectiveness of a twist in the closing minutes, several criticising the final scene.

Anya closes a restaurant where four men—northerners Archie, Malcolm, and Kevin are entertaining Londoner Craig—have finished a post-badminton meal.

Malcolm suggests that the bill should be split three ways, the northerners treating Craig, but Kevin claims to be the poorest.

Anya arrives with drinks, and Craig, paying the bill, speaks of craving excitement, only to have his card declined.

In a final scene, a waiter closes the restaurant while the hustlers ("Archie", "Malcolm", "Kevin", and "Anya") entertain the well-dressed Tim.

"Archie" requests the bill, and "the waiter" is revealed to be Craig, who has joined the hustlers to satiate his cravings for excitement.

[4] Further information, including hints at settings and confirmed performers, was released in January 2016, around which time the series was filmed.

[11][1] Richard Bean's stage version of the 1987 film House of Games, meanwhile, was identified by Shearsmith as sharing an "intensity" with the more violent moments of "The Bill".

[16] "The Bill" starred Shearsmith as Archie, Pemberton as Malcolm, Jason Watkins as Kevin, Philip Glenister as Craig, Ellie White as Anya, and Callum Coates as Tim.

[15] Prior to filming, Watkins had not met White, a less-well-known performer, who was sought out by Pemberton and Shearsmith due to her appearance in People Time, an acclaimed pilot that was shown as part of BBC Three's Comedy Feeds.

[23] In this dispute, "The Bill" explores themes of masculinity, losing face, competitiveness, passive aggression, and rivalry.

[24] The characters tell "well-rehearsed anecdotes and blokey jokes",[25] while Craig is "all flash-cash and inappropriate comments to the waitress".

[27] Pemberton's Malcolm, for Michael Hogan of The Daily Telegraph, "appeared to have wandered in" from a Mike Leigh production;[28] several critics commented on his striking hairpiece.

[30] Craig is unfamiliar with the northern phrases used by Archie, Malcolm and Kevin,[22][24][28] including diddlum, piss-mints, and bluecock (a "tight-fisted wanker").

[25] Kevin changes from a timid penny pincher referred to as "the professor" apparently in jest to a menacing criminal mastermind.

[25] The script also acknowledge the plot's "silliness" in an almost-fourth-wall-breaking piece of dialogue, when Shearsmith's Archie declares that the characters' plan "was too elaborate".

9 to The League of Gentlemen, an earlier project of Shearsmith and Pemberton's, due to its use of gallows humour and back-and-forth dialogue.

[22] Critics also compared the episode to the television series Hustle,[25] to the work of the director Quentin Tarantino—including the 1992 film Reservoir Dogs—and to Roald Dahl's 1948 short story "Man from the South".

[26] It was praised as "a tight, gloriously stressful half-hour",[9] "hugely enjoyable",[22] "an intricate, wonderfully well-executed tale",[33] and "terrific fun".

[23] Ian Hyland, writing in the Daily Mirror, considered "The Bill" a competitor with "The 12 Days of Christine" for the distinction of the best episode of Inside No.

[24] Praise was also directed at Morales, both Louisa Mellor (Den of Geek) and Owen commenting on his ability to give the impression of movement, even while the episode revolved mostly around four men sitting at a table.

[36] For Billen, the reveal made the episode's premise "less interesting",[26] and, for Owen, the characters were too quick to admit defeat.

[24] The final scene, in particular, was criticised, some commentators suggesting that, if thought about too much, it was not fully convincing;[24][25][28] it was described as "arguably unnecessary"[22] and as offering the episode's only "punch [that failed] to connect".