Tempting Fate

It's been another very strong, original, and entertaining series of inside No.9, and gladly the trend of closing with a darker, more macabre tail continues, Tempting Fate is definitely one of the show's highlights, it was intelligent, witty, dark and downright great. Series four has had some great episodes, but I was glad to see the writing take a darker turn, the episode focused on one of man's greatest failings, greed. It showed brilliantly the lengths someone will go to in pursuit of money, no matter how noble or selfless the cause. I love the eighties references, an era both were clearly influenced by, a great time indeed. Two excellent performances from Shearsmith and Pemberton, well supported by Nigel Planer and Weruche Opia. Once Removed has been the season favourite for me, but Tempting Fate is right up there. 9/10

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.

...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.

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.