In my life, I can be guaranteed to be in one of two states: waiting for a new series of Inside No. 9, or watching a new series of Inside N.o 9. Before I return to my former state, as the penultimate series came to a close last night, I am here to explore my thoughts on this latest instalment of the BBC2 anthology series. This programme has, unlike me, never failed to impress. So, without any further preamble, let me get into my thoughts on all six episodes of Inside No. 9, series 8.
Spoilers ahead, so please be warned.
- The Bones of St. Nicholas
This series began many months ago with the Christmas special, because who doesn’t want a pinch of creepy with their Christmas festivities? Frequently, the art of misdirection is an important factor in building to an episode’s conclusion for Inside No. 9, and this is a pretty textbook example of that. We were led to believe that this will be a ghost story, and were shown down that path so masterfully by the wonderful Simon Callow delivering the tale of this supposedly haunted church. Then, so subtly, we are introduced to the idea of premonitions by Shobna Gulati’s Posy, foregrounding something that only becomes clear in those final scenes. Sometimes I feel when writing these reviews that I am repeating myself, emphasising the way in which the writing and the acting marry to create something that is completely wonderful to watch, however that is what makes Inside No. 9 great. This is so clear in ‘The Bones of St. Nicholas’, and that final shot remains imprinted on my mind. I believe the whole episode was an example of what was to come, and in hindsight I wish I could have predicted that sooner.
- Mother’s Ruin
First and foremost, Reece Shearsmith’s cockney accent as Edward really made me laugh, not because it was bad but because it took me off guard for some reason. Regardless, I enjoyed the humour of this episode above all else. One of the things I considered so great about Psychoville was the way in which it combined the dark, the absurd, and the real. That is what we got from this episode, though with just a hint of the paranormal as well. I also have to draw attention to the practical effect used when Edward’s foot is cut off, I believe my exact words at the time were “bloody hell, that’s gnarly”. I would describe the episode on the whole as violent, but in a fun way, a bit like ‘A Quiet Night In’. It was definitely a nice reintroduction for series 8 after the long gap between this episode and the Christmas special.
- Paraskevidekatriaphobia
It took me until the next week’s episode aired to be able to pronounce the title for this one. This episode felt like another return to form, written like a comedy of errors with a dark undertone. It was nice to have an episode that actually felt distinctly humorous, with Shearsmith perfectly encapsulating the panicky and particular Gareth as an increasingly absurd cast of characters arrived at the scene. On the whole, it had all of the ingredients that make an episode of Inside No. 9 good, and I truly did not see the twist coming. Or indeed Dermot O’Leary being there, but that was nice too.
- Love Is a Stranger
“I saw the twist coming” announced every smart arse on Twitter after this episode aired. Well you know what, so did I, but that does not make this a bad episode by any means. I could write a paper on why I think that we as an audience being so trapped in the idea of the ‘twist’ takes away from the fact that the journey is almost always the most important part of the story. Yes, my initial instincts with this episode were correct, but the narrative structure which led me to that conclusion is what made this episode such a strong one in my eyes. Moreover, the directing was wonderful, and that panning shot to the jar with the finger in it particularly stood out as a simple but effective piece of visual storytelling. Claire Rushbrook had a great take on the character of Vicky, and I love seeing Asim Chaudhry in anything. Overall, a brilliant episode, leaving me with one question: was the line “are you a man or a mouse?” a Psychoville reference or am I reading too much into it?
- 3 by 3
Clever gits. This was a spectacular bait-and-switch, I don’t even know where to begin. The fact that they put the effort in to advertise an entirely different episode and then made a game show hosted by Lee Mack is one hell of a risk to have taken, and it really paid off. The Pemberton and Shearsmith writing duo have never been great for my trust issues, and this episode encapsulated that. I wasn’t sure what to expect at all when watching this one, but it’s safe to say that I was on edge for most of it. Not in the least because apparently I’m even competitive over fake game shows. It was a lovely way to mess with the format of the show and completely shift expectations, and ‘3 by 3’ will likely be one of my favourite episodes, definitely of this series if not the whole show. And Lee Mack is a great game show host.
- The Last Weekend
I think this episode is sending me through the five stages of grief, and I’m sure I’m at anger because why would they do that to me? Above all else, this exemplified what great actors and writers Pemberton and Shearsmith are, breaking my heart in 1000 different ways in one episode. This one had a ‘The Riddle of the Sphinx’ flavour to it, in that I don’t think I’ll ever watch it again but it was utterly mind-blowing. In fact, I think it might have ruined my life. All of that is absolutely complimentary, it did everything I want from an episode of Inside No. 9. The foreshadowing was perfect, the tone became unsettling at exactly the right moment, and I think the impact will stay with me for a very long time.
When Inside No. 9 ends, I will miss it dearly. Assuming I’m still doing these reviews when the final series airs (which I almost certainly will be) that will be when I wax lyrical about the genuine impact it has made on my life in far greater detail. The show holds a special place in my heart, and this series has not changed that, once again exceeding my expectations for the amount of story that can fit into a half hour slot. Now I’m going to try and erase the final images of ‘The Last Weekend’ from my mind.
~ Caelum
My previous Inside No. 9 reviews:
Short Reviews of Every Single Episode of Inside No. 9 [1/2] (Series 1-3)
Short Reviews of Every Single Episode of Inside No. 9 [2/2] (Series 4-6)
Another Series of Inside No. 9 Just Ended…So I’m Back (Series 7)
Caelum Reviews 