The Harrowing

My favourite episodes of "Inside Number 9" are always the ones that lean more heavily into the horror side that the show has, so "The Harrowing" is right up my alley.

A teenage girl, Katy (Aimee-Ffion Edwards) is hired to house sit for an eccentric couple, Tabitha (Helen McCrory) and her brother Hector (Reece Shearsmith). With it's freezing temperature and artwork depicting the various demonic scenes, Katy is feeling a touch intimidated, so is happy when her friend Michelle (Poppy Rush) joins her in the house. Tabitha and Hector have another brother, bed ridden upstairs and though she's been told that they won't hear from him, she's left confused as to what to do when the bell by the side of his bed begins to ring.

This first emotion caused by watching the episode again now is sadness, given that we've lost Helen McCrory who, as she always was, is wonderful as Tabitha. She threads the line of the character perfectly, the threat, the sadness all whilst being cordial to Katy. Shearsmith as her brother Hector is channelling the "Carry On" horror film, an aging suit and make up to make his face an unnatural colour. There is no Steve Pemberton in this one, mirroring Shearsmiths absence from the "Last Gasp" episode - I wonder if these two were filmed at the same time, to save the budget?

There are some laughs to be had but as I say, this leans into the horror elements. The ending I can see is divisive in the reviews. I'd say that's my favourite part of it, the twist is that there is no twist. No escape from their fates and it's all the better for that. Along with "Lip Service" this was my highlight of rewatching the first season.

The finale of series one has less comedy and goes for creeps and gothic horror.

Schoolgirl Katy has been hired to house sit as siblings Hector (Reece Shearsmith) and Tabitha (Helen McCrory) go out for the evening to attend an event.

Left upstairs in the house is their bedridden older brother, Andras who is extremely disabled but supposedly he will not bother Katy.

After they depart Katy's schoolfriend Shell turns up. With no mobile phone signal, Katy feels uncomfortable in a house with paintings depicting hell. She then hears a bell ringing from upstairs.

Inside No 9 episodes usually depicts a twist and both the main writers starring in it.

Here Steve Pemberton is missing and I assumed he would be playing Andras. The twist actually happens part way through and it's not that Hector and Tabitha are creepy and eccentric.

The ending is straightforward and dark which is both satisfying in the context of the story and also frustrating.

The first season sadly ends rather weekly.

Just another of the generic horror movies I like to compare this favourably to. There's plenty of great horror (this show is only one example) but still...I am yet to see any remotely good scary movie that has a gerund for a title.

The action is enlivened by the parodic characters and its funny tone but the plot is stolen from a thousand bland haunted house pictures without any kind of freshness and parody just turns to derivation.

The budget was probably exceeded so this episode ended in a hurry. In fact, nothing remarkable happened in 30 minutes, except for a few sparks of humor, far from what we saw in the first 5 episodes. Nothing original, nothing to catch your eye, seems to have been made just for the pleasure of Pemberton & Shearsmith. It's a shame...

This story has comical elements reminiscent of Carry on Screaming within it. There are some fun characters and it's twee hammy vibe is sweet. A fun end to the first season.