Tempting Fate

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.

Definitely a memorable and outstanding season finale for Inside No. 9. The twists and turns are incredible, sort of like Once Removed, except in Tempting Fate we look forwards and backwards. Nigel Planer (The Young Ones) makes a brief appearance, yet his character pervades the episode. Weruche Opia also appears, with her character giving a bit of street cred to Inside No. 9.

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

Season four of "Inside Number 9" closes out with a loose retelling of "The Monkey's Paw" set around a council deep cleansing team who, amongst the detritus of a recently deceased man's council flat, discover a hare statue that apparently grants them three wishes. Though initially sceptical, this soon gives way to greed and suspicion. The wishes, however, come with at a terrible price for those who would use them for selfish ends.

Although I accept that confounding expectation is something that should be encouraged, I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed that this episode didn't stick to the early season's tradition of ending with a proper horror outing, like season 1's "The Harrowing" or "Séance Time" from season 2. Much of the set up for "Tempting Fate" felt like it could be heading in that direction, only for the ending to pull back somewhat, albeit with a grim twist (even for "Inside Number 9").

But rather than bemoan what it's not, I should instead focus on what the show is, which is another decent episode rounding off an excellent series of what remains a criminally underappreciated show. It's probably the funniest show of the run though, with Maz's relative youth to the older men leading to a number of jokes about 80's pop culture and technology, as well as a recurring hand gesture joke.

We were lucky to have two series of "Inside Number Nine" in quick succession, I fear that the wait until 2019 and series five with be interminable.

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.