Inside No. Nine Series One

Inside No. Nine is an anthology series that generally does whatever the hell it wants, but it also has a strict formula to it. That might sound contradictory, but it's true. Inside Number Nine has this sort of weird energy to it, it's got this format, where the entirety of the thing takes place inside a single location with a small cast of characters, usually tied off with a very sick sense of humor and a lot of twists. It has a style to it that makes is recognizable from other shows, which is sort of necessary when your audience has no characters to latch onto outside what the series gives you this week. Which makes it all the more surprising, frankly, this show got popular. Inside Number Nine feels like something that was destined to be a really niche series that would have a dedicated cult following but not have mainstream appeal, because quite frankly, it's an forbidding anthology show, that doesn't necessarily like it's audience, and minus The Twilight Zone or Are You Afraid of The Dark, it was really rare to have anthology shows take off back in the day. The show just feels like it was destined to drift into forgotten territory, with fans who REALLY liked, say, The Harrowing bugging the writers at conventions. It's all the more fascinating that the anthology show, a series concept that's sort of meant to be really strange thinking pieces, has got so popular with shows like this one, Love Death and Robots, or Black Mirror. Most anthology shows have a variety to them in tone, and so does Inside Number Nine really, but unlike most shows of it's kind, you'll probably know whether you like it or not by the end of the first episode.

The first episode of the show is called Herrings, and it starts out on an incredibly strong note. It's literally about one of those games of Hide and Seek where everyone packs in together in a small hiding place. The episode takes place entirely inside a walk-in closet, and as the episode goes on, more and more characters budge in, and more and more tensions run high. Immediately, this is basically what an Inside Number Nine episode is usually like, it's very proficient as a first episode, because it's got all of these sort of absurdist characters budging in on eachother in a small location and tensions running high, before this episode's immensely dark twist, though, to be fair, saying that there's a twist, and it's immensely dark, is kind of a given with this show. I really like Herrings, because it's in fact, so up-front, and goes in directions you wouldn't expect. One of the best episodes from the first series.

The second episode is A Quiet Night In. It's an episode done entirely in the format of a silent film. Like, literally. It's straight up Charlie Chaplin. But with graphic murder. I'm not sure I like this one so much as the others, but that's the thing with Inside Number Nine, it feels like it's a show sort of about personal choice. All of the episodes are of the same broad level of quality, but I liked some of them that weren't popular with the fanbase, and I sort of didn't vibe with this one as much even though it's immensely popular with the fanbase. It's a bit jarring, especially because most of the other episodes in the show, minus this one and in some ways, the Harrowing, are big talky pieces. But it's also good this one's up-front, because it lets you know the show's willing to do different things. It's pretty funny too, but some of the jokes were a little too dark for me, and they do kill a dog. So, maybe that turned me off it. Regardless, I liked it enough to continue on at the least.

The Third Episode is called Tom and Gerri, and I will be incredibly brief in that this episode is probably the strongest in series one, and it's also important you know as little about it as possible. It's a very strong story about how even being a good person can just result in awful things happening. But it's also not about that at all. 10/10, a must watch, but I do sort of feel these episodes are meant to be watched in order, even if there's not a particular reason for it. so I wouldn't start here. I dunno. (edited)

The Fourth Episode is "Last Gasp" which is evidently unpopular, but I thought was a great satire that really felt realistic despite it's very dumb premise. The whole thing revolves around how a celebrity at a kid's birthday party accidentally dies, and through a series of contrived circumstances, his literal last breath is stored inside a balloon. As the characters discuss this, everything sort of falls apart. A lot of criticism of this episode comes from the fact that it's not really funny, which I don't think is the point. It's a satire, and satires are sort of meant to go on and attack you a little. It's ridiculous premise is also the point. It's a drama about something ridiculous that happened with serious results. I'd change the ending though, I think I'd cut the episode off around three minutes sooner.

The Fifth is "The Understudy," which is sort of perfect for Theater Nerds like me, as it's sort of a weird expansion of Macbeth starring an understudy for an actor starring in Macbeth. It's remarkably odd, and also quite gruesome, as you'd expect from a Macbeth tale, which can turn people off. Seriously, this episode has a lot of gore in it. Either way, it's still an interesting thought experiment, that I did appreciate. The actors really manage to sell this one, because it's another episode in an exceedingly small area and entirely dialogue based. Ending sort of comes about a bit fast, though.

The Sixth and Final episode is "The Harrowing," which is strictly horror. I adore the first three quarters of The Harrowing, but I think it kind of loses a bit from being another horror story that sort of reveals too much about what's going on? The episode is much scarier in the 'build up' phase, and I think the characters explain too much near the end when a lot of the actual plot and themes could remain the same and be a lot stronger if not explained too strictly. Still, when it's first half is so damn good, you can sort of forgive the small step downward near the end. The actress for Narcissa Malfoy is in this, and she's clearly having a blast. I wish more horror stories would be more willing to give actors hammy roles - the main villains in this are absolutely ridiculous and over the top, but they're also scary as shit. It only makes things more entertaining.

Anyway, Inside Number Nine is super rad, though I'll be honest? it's really dark?? I loved it, but it isn't for everyone, especially episodes like The Understudy and The Harrowing, which can be actively uncomfortable. If there's interest, I'll continue on these review things with Series two in here, but yeah. show good