The Curse of the Ninth

They've really spoiled us with this one. I am not usually a fan of the horror based episodes and most of them seem to hang about at the bottom of my list but this one had a totally different feel to it. I loved the edwardian setting and the mix of daft humour and stately backdrop was just perfect and a bit different for one of their more paranormal offerings.

As usual the acting was 10 out of 10 in this episode and both leads are captivating and entertaining.

The only part I was slightly let down by was the ending but that's because I'm not usually drawn to the horror episodes.

Overall, a solid episode which I will rewatch.

I don't know whether to be happy that I've got another horror episode of "Inside Number 9" now, or slightly disappointed that they are perhaps not holding back to end on one. I've said in my other reviews that the more horror an episode has, the more that I like it and that was certainly true here, though admittedly I'd have preferred just one more notch up on the scary scale.

Whilst struggling with producing his 9th symphony, a disturbed Nathaniel Burnham (Eddie Marsan) locks himself in his room and then takes his own life. Several years later, Jonah (Reece Shearsmith) a piano tuner and fan of Burnham's work comes to the house to work on the same piano that he used to produce his masterworks. He finds some musical notation inside the piano and presents it to Burnham's widow, Lillian (Natalie Dormer). Along with her lawyer Dickie (Steve Pemberton) they explain about the curse of the 9th symphonies, which has affected many composers, and reveal that Burnham is buried with the rest of his final, unplayed, work. Later the maid, Devonshire (Hayley Squires) presents Jonah with a horrible idea.

Horror and Natalie Dormer. They're really spoiling us with this one. I really liked it from the moment that .. something .. steps out of the shadows behind a working Nathaniel. Anything you don't get a good look at helps in horror stories and with the embodiment of The Curse largely kept in the shadows, or only seen in reflections it is very effective. There's quite a horrific effect at the end that's really well done for the relatively small budget the show would have. Performances are great as you'd imagine from a stellar trio of guest stars. Hayley Squires, who appeared with Reece in Ben Wheatley's "In The Earth" has been great in everything but this is the nearest thing to a comedy she's done and genuinely appears to be able to do it all.

The plot twists backwards and forwards in ways you might have anticipated and in ways you might not and there were some comedy lines that made me laugh. If it was just that tiny bit scarier then it would have been an absolutely top tier episode. As it was it's probably the strongest of this season so far - and with only one last chance to beat it!

What is the curse of the 9th symphony. Musical composer Nathaniel Burnham (Eddie Marsan) could never complete it and took his own life.

Piano tuner and failed composer Jonah (Reece Shearsmith) comes to tune his piano and finds a lost page of the unfinished 9th symphony.

Nathaniel's wife Lillian (Natalie Dormer) doesn't believe in curses but dangles a juicy carrot in front of him.

The maid Devonshire gauds Jonah on. What if he can retrieve the rest of the manuscript and finish it. That would be worth something. Jonah needs to find a way to shake off the curse.

This is a real mish mash of genres. A ghost story, a musical mystery and so many double entendres. Talbot Rothwell is spinning in his grave.

There is a story about a curse that follows classical composers, according to which they die shortly after composing their ninth symphony. An unrealized composer, now a piano tuner, was invited to the home of one of them who committed suicide before completing his ninth.

I don't know where to begin. The scenography, the atmosphere, the horror story imbued with just enough humor, the acting, the dialogues, the twists and turns, the directing... everything is just perfect. If the final twist were just a shade stronger, this would be a clear ten and perhaps the best episode of the entire series. And as the icing on the cake, the lead female role is played by the mesmerizing Natalie Dormer.

9/10.

Jonah Quigley, a piano tuner travels to a grand house, to put the Burnham's piano right, whilst conducting his work, he finds a piece of work, supposedly the last composition of the late and great composer, Nathaniel Burnham.

I loved it, I've read a few mixed reviews about this one, so my expectations were perhaps a little lower, the realisation, a huge reward.

My first thoughts, it felt like a quality Ghost Story for Christmas, it had that M. R. James vibe to it, only much, much better than the recent adaptations.

You can definitely see that the boys had a bit of fun with this one, it's a terrific production, it looks wonderfully authentic, and the piece de resistance of course has to be the presence of Natalie Dormer, she was terrific.

I loved the daft bits of humour, especially Jonah's constant troubles with Devonshire's name.

I am so excited for the final episode next week, although I don't want this show to end.

Wonderfully macabre.

9/10.