I don't know whether to be happy that I've got another horror episode of "Inside Number 9" now, or slightly disappointed that they are perhaps not holding back to end on one. I've said in my other reviews that the more horror an episode has, the more that I like it and that was certainly true here, though admittedly I'd have preferred just one more notch up on the scary scale.
Whilst struggling with producing his 9th symphony, a disturbed Nathaniel Burnham (Eddie Marsan) locks himself in his room and then takes his own life. Several years later, Jonah (Reece Shearsmith) a piano tuner and fan of Burnham's work comes to the house to work on the same piano that he used to produce his masterworks. He finds some musical notation inside the piano and presents it to Burnham's widow, Lillian (Natalie Dormer). Along with her lawyer Dickie (Steve Pemberton) they explain about the curse of the 9th symphonies, which has affected many composers, and reveal that Burnham is buried with the rest of his final, unplayed, work. Later the maid, Devonshire (Hayley Squires) presents Jonah with a horrible idea.
Horror and Natalie Dormer. They're really spoiling us with this one. I really liked it from the moment that .. something .. steps out of the shadows behind a working Nathaniel. Anything you don't get a good look at helps in horror stories and with the embodiment of The Curse largely kept in the shadows, or only seen in reflections it is very effective. There's quite a horrific effect at the end that's really well done for the relatively small budget the show would have. Performances are great as you'd imagine from a stellar trio of guest stars. Hayley Squires, who appeared with Reece in Ben Wheatley's "In The Earth" has been great in everything but this is the nearest thing to a comedy she's done and genuinely appears to be able to do it all.
The plot twists backwards and forwards in ways you might have anticipated and in ways you might not and there were some comedy lines that made me laugh. If it was just that tiny bit scarier then it would have been an absolutely top tier episode. As it was it's probably the strongest of this season so far - and with only one last chance to beat it!
Whilst struggling with producing his 9th symphony, a disturbed Nathaniel Burnham (Eddie Marsan) locks himself in his room and then takes his own life. Several years later, Jonah (Reece Shearsmith) a piano tuner and fan of Burnham's work comes to the house to work on the same piano that he used to produce his masterworks. He finds some musical notation inside the piano and presents it to Burnham's widow, Lillian (Natalie Dormer). Along with her lawyer Dickie (Steve Pemberton) they explain about the curse of the 9th symphonies, which has affected many composers, and reveal that Burnham is buried with the rest of his final, unplayed, work. Later the maid, Devonshire (Hayley Squires) presents Jonah with a horrible idea.
Horror and Natalie Dormer. They're really spoiling us with this one. I really liked it from the moment that .. something .. steps out of the shadows behind a working Nathaniel. Anything you don't get a good look at helps in horror stories and with the embodiment of The Curse largely kept in the shadows, or only seen in reflections it is very effective. There's quite a horrific effect at the end that's really well done for the relatively small budget the show would have. Performances are great as you'd imagine from a stellar trio of guest stars. Hayley Squires, who appeared with Reece in Ben Wheatley's "In The Earth" has been great in everything but this is the nearest thing to a comedy she's done and genuinely appears to be able to do it all.
The plot twists backwards and forwards in ways you might have anticipated and in ways you might not and there were some comedy lines that made me laugh. If it was just that tiny bit scarier then it would have been an absolutely top tier episode. As it was it's probably the strongest of this season so far - and with only one last chance to beat it!
