Tempting Fate

Three local council contractors; Nick, Keith, and Maz arrive at the flat of Frank, a deceased hoarder who had been living in a dilapidated flat. Discovering a blood-stained floor is only just one of the unsettling things they come across after Maz happens upon a hidden safe. Within it is a bronze hare ornament and a VHS video tape; its footage reveals the sinister details leading up to Franks's death which involved a dark curse.

After the previous week's; ...And the Winner Is...which although a solidly satirical and entertaining offering proved to be relatively weak compared to what had gone before this series. This being the final episode of the current run, one would hope they'd end on something of a high note. Given some of the ingenious quality of the likes of; Zanzibar and Once Removed they certainly had their work cut out, and while not quite living up to this having already set the bar so high; Tempting Fate proves to be a fresh spin on the famous short W. W. Jacobs supernatural story; The Monkey's Paw. Yes, given this fact it doesn't showcase Pemberton and Shearsmith at the height of their imaginative prowess, but it does usher in a return to macabre form that had been sorely lacking in the last offering.

With Nigerian born Weruche Opia (a young actress who up until now I have been unaware of) providing a welcome guest appearance as Maz, the junior member of the trio of council employees with the series show-running stars playing her colleagues; Nick and Keith, the story already gets off to a promising start. Adhering to the basic minimalist approach that the series has become partially synonymous with; Shearsmith and Pemberton exploit it as they establish a sense of foreboding from the off as they enter and explore their dingy surroundings. Their combined aptitude for characterization really comes to the forefront early on as the differing attitudes and personalities are firmly established. In terms of rank; Keith is expediently observed to be the most senior and perhaps the most earnest as befits his position as he treats their combined duty as contractors with the reverence it deserves. Maz on the hand is a sharp contrast with her sassy demeanor and more irreverent approach to her occupation which clashes slightly with her superiors. Nick falls somewhere between both stools exhibiting a more equable acceptance of his youthful co-worker.

It's these contrasting personalities which predominantly drive the narrative as the dark nature of what happened to the flat's former inhabitant is disclosed as the plot unfolds. Themes of avarice, potential loss, desperation, and regret bestow the required incentives upon the discovery of the ornamental hare and the VHS tape; the latter of which upon its viewing releases a figurative genie from the bottle. Tempting Fate proves to be as apt a title for this episode as one might expect as it reads like the literary short story it's inspired by, it's something of a dark cautionary tale. One with the old adage of being careful what you wish for which could not be any more literal. Of course, it relies on the tropes that one would anticipate. The obvious plot device of the ornamental hare and the VHS tape aside there's Keith's skepticism in regard to Frank's backstory and what the trio comes to experience which is at odds with the opposing attitudes of his subordinates. Add to this Nick's fairy tale degree acting as an unashamed contrivance in explaining the significance of a Hare's symbolic roots in witchcraft which you could call a minor quibble if I were inclined to nitpick. It is however what is essentially all part of the fun of what is a cruel horror story. And given its twisted denouement, when all is said and done; cruel is by all accounts the appropriate word.

As with past episodes, the lad's propensity for nostalgic references is sporadically evident with eighties cultural nods to Roland Rat, Jackanory, et al. Which might have warranted the casting of the former; The Comic Strip Presents...and; The Young One's star Nigel Planer's relatively fleeting guest appearance as; Frank, the tragic former bearer of the supernatural ornament. It's without a doubt that his inclusion is of the overall standard of acting that is superb. Pemberton although it has to be said walks away with the acting honors this time around as the seemingly level-headed Keith. Shearsmith who is no less talented than anyone else in the small cast fares well enough but is outshone by his peers. It doesn't quite make up for the air of predictable finality in its downbeat finale. Tempting Fate in the end despite its few shortcomings rounds up what has been arguably the most consummate of its four series, and with it has already been renewed for a fifth series which I await with much enthusiasm. Having risen to the challenge of not always but fairly often exceeding my expectations, I can't wait to see if they achieve the impossible and do so once again.

...just watch out for specific animals within it! ;)

A hare raising episode.

Maz, Keith and Nick are council workers who clear out the houses for the deceased in a fast and efficient manner. Maz is new to the job, Keith is not keen on the banter between the other two.

The flat they are in belonged to elderly Frank Meggins who died falling down on a coffee table. Frank was a hoarder and it seems he had won a lot of money on the lottery. They then come across a video of Frank talking about an item he bought in India which he thought bought him luck but was in fact cursed. He then hangs himself.

The group realise that like the story of Aladdin they have three wishes that can come true but there is a heavy price to pay especially as Keith worries about his disabled son.

Another winner from Shearsmith and Pemberton, a well written episode and Nigel Planer turns up unexpectedly.

The start of this episode took a while to really engage my attention and was thinking I wouldn't enjoy it. However, around half-way it improves and I enjoyed the last moments. Interesting but not the best episode.

Inside No. 9 - S4E6 - Tempting Fate

A three-member team comes to the apartment of the deceased hoarder to clean up the clutter and the traces of blood. What awaits them there catches them off guard.

Not a particularly original premise about the consequences of greed, but the atmosphere is superbly built, the characters are believable, and the twists, although they later seemed logical and predictable, even clichés, still surprised me. The ending is very effective and poignant, one of the best so far.

This minimum amount of characters in reviews is quite irritating. They should get rid of it.

9/10.