Inside No. 9 | Paraskevidekatriaphobia (2023) Series 8 Episode 3 Honest Review

[@UnleashTheGhouls]

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[@joshuawilliams7734]

Loved it I like the emphasis on Comedy of the more farcical nature, like a John Cleese Basil Fawlty kind of way where Reece character Gareth feels like, having taken the episodes ending and double twist into consideration. Gareth is effectively Typhoid Mary given his backstory to his phobia and what happens at the end. Because he is sort of a carrier of bad-luck in the way someone might be a carrier of an infection but he doesn't seem to have any of it rub off on him which is both lucky and unlucky I also like the line where Gareth turns to his therapist during the amateur dramatic groups little routine and says - 'and you think I should be in therapy' comedy gold that line. I'm really excited for what Steve and Reece have in store. Its a shame they're not doing their podcast this year inside inside no 9, because part of the fun is hearing how steve and reece came up with these ideas. Oh well at least it leaves us no 9 fans some room to play around and share our thoughts about the episodes great stuff as always guys 👍 ☺

[@cerburrows9380]

Can you review all the other episodes of the show please? I particularly wanna hear your opinion on "A night at the Proms"

[@UnleashTheGhouls]

@@cerburrows9380 Thank you for asking! I have reviewed all previous episodes. Look for the INSIDE NO. 9 playlist in our Channel Playlists menu ☺️

[@annierosewrites]

just thought I'd attempt to explain the very ott theatrical intervention. There is a very real therapy technique called 'flooding' which is when the sufferer is bombarded with the thing that makes them anxious until their fear levels naturally come down. This is because whilst you can be scared for extended periods you cannot maintain the peak of a panic attack for very long at all. The human body can't sustain it because we don't have that energy. 'flooding' isn't usually this extreme granted haha but it is a real and genuine technique and I speak as someone who was treated with 'flooding' as a young child and saw very positive results.

[@elliemay1228]

i actually quite enjoyed this episode! as much as i love the horror of some plot twists, i can’t help but enjoy the comedy episodes too. especially with this one, it was perfect psychology revision for me, as the ‘therapy’ gareth goes through is actually a real treatment to phobias called ‘flooding’. very unethical. very traumatic. often works, though!

[@UnleashTheGhouls]

I'm really glad you enjoyed it Ellie!

[@bi_cycle]

I knew flooding was something used in animal training (equally unethical) but had no idea it was used on humans, damn!

[@elliemay1228]

@@bi_cycle omg yeah it’s crazy! it’s supposed to treat phobias but i can only imagine it can make it worse!

[@soulfoodie1]

I think.the message of the episode is that belief in superstition can be grounded in trauma and the random nature of tragedy. Gareth is obviously traumatised and his wife wants to help him resolve this trauma. But both good fortune and tragedy will come anyway. Just my thoughts

[@UnleashTheGhouls]

That's a great interpretation of the episode Soul!

[@soulfoodie1]

@@UnleashTheGhouls thank you,!

[@jrobertheath]

I thought the reason the cash prize being 130,000 was adding another unlucky 13.

[@UnleashTheGhouls]

That's exactly the reason within the context of the 'bad luck' theme of the episode. I thought about it outside of that context though, where a £130,000 prize for a One Millionth caller is a really specific number for a radio show prize when you take out the bad luck theme

[@amazingpurplegirl0903]

Yeah, I saw that final scene coming. I was getting cross at the locksmith bringing his granddaughter to work as she sat in the kitchen on her own! I didn't even twig on the hypocrisy of the actors' own superstition, clever. And £130,000 is just a big number with "unlucky" 13 at the beginning

[@Maxbev14]

I loved this episode. What's great about No.9 is you never know where it's going and I think this one delivered. If you have an obsessvie phobia, you always fear that 'what you fear WILL happen' - albeit in a farcical way, this episode highlights this. I understand that you may feel that Gareth's wife might have been cruel here, sure, but exposure therapy does work and has been done in a more intense ways in real life, just look at Derren Brown's more contempororay specials. Also, Gareth Beckman is 13 letters ;)

[@UnleashTheGhouls]

Really glad you enjoyed it! And a brilliant observation about Gareth's name as well!!!

[@miarose5156]

As someone with OCD that is focused around superstitions e.g. saluting magpies, or having to touch wooden objects when someone says something bad might happen this episode really spoke to me as someone that can find superstitions debilitating. But I do agree the method of confronting those phobias was not the right way to go about it. But overall I really enjoyed the episode and enjoyed the humour to it! Really good review can’t wait to see your take on series 9 😊

[@magenta1488]

I was really excited about the episode like one of the other comments mentioned,I wasn’t disappointed because any episode of Inside Number Nine has me excited but this one just was a little too complicated and wordy at times,the ending though was classic Steve and Reece!!

[@bi_cycle]

The ending is definitely my favourite bit, the suddenness and the subtly is chilling

[@beckybookreviews7820]

Going through the list of key things that happen/ are in this episode relating to bad luck there are 13 of them (not counting the 130k cheque 😆): black cat, magpie, ladder, salt, mirror, umbrella, shoes, shirt, horse shoe, peacock feathers, shower, tie and door. I might be wrong but if you count all the characters including the reflections of the school friends, there may be 13 of them too

[@UnleashTheGhouls]

That's a brilliant observation Becky!!!

[@beckybookreviews7820]

@@UnleashTheGhouls thank you! Can you tell I analyse data for a living? 😆

[@UnleashTheGhouls]

@@beckybookreviews7820 Your skillset is perfect for Steve and Reece!

[@Neil_TheShiningMile]

I liked this episode. It had laugh out loud slapstick moments, such as the water coming out the wrong shower head or the ladder falling back when the door was opened. I felt the accident revelation could have been done a little better - I just felt it lacked some impact. I was hoping that £130,000 / 9 would be something related to 13. It’s actually 14,444. Which then confirms why it was £130,000 (£10k x 13 on Friday the 13th).

[@krgkrg1]

Great humour throughout and it was deliberately farcical I thought so pushed characters and coincidences to the extreme. It was also obviously a tribute to “Shutter Island”. I enjoyed it. And it’s clearly stated that the £130,000 was because it was Friday 13th. Hated “Mother” btw.

[@UnleashTheGhouls]

Glad you enjoyed it! It was indeed clearly stated about the prize money. I still found it a bizarre prize amount, regardless of the date. It was because Gareth was the millionth caller. That millionth call could have came on any day, so the prize money being £130,000 and being won on the 13th of the month makes it even more coincidental

[@ChubbyChecker182]

The wife should have dodged the car at the end, would have been a clear message about the stupidity of such phobias etc, and an unusal happy / poosiitve ending for No.9...but they went for the usual No.9 ending there really. Very Shutter Island ish, quite an enjoyable episode, but the idea felt like it could have benefitted from being an hour long, did not fit the 28 minute forma, too rushed in the second half.

[@marknewbold2583]

She wasn't looking where she was going, nothing to do with superstition

[@isobelryan818]

I thought this episode was one of the best they've done in a while. I thought it was more funny then the others and more clever. 8.5/10 for me

[@UnleashTheGhouls]

Really happy you loved it Isobel!!

[@JamesLMason]

Last Night of the Proms always gets a bad rap. I actually really like that episode.

[@UnleashTheGhouls]

I'm delighted you like it James!

[@csb7376]

That was a masterpiece compared to this.

[@DCSMedia]

Whilst not the best of the season, I’d argue it was the episode from Series 8 I had the strongest reaction to. I really helped with the farcical comedy, I found it funny, and the revelations of Gareth’s past hit like a ton of bricks to me. Genuinely one I loved, even if there are plot flaws, I appreciate how bold it goes

[@DCSMedia]

*I really Gelled with the farcical comedy, not helped, I didn’t write the episode 😂 Autocorrect is a tosser

[@demonknuckles7]

This is one of my favourites, personally for how interesting of a character Gareth is Viewing it with Gareth's perspective in mind really enhanced this episode for me Instead of being a comedy, the first half felt more of an anxiety inducing, completely exhausting romp on the worst day possible. In a really really good way, it made the first half really painful to sit through, and makes the twist alot more cruel and morbid The scene with "Sue" and "Barry" constantly shilling their acting chops while completely ignorant to Gareth's emotional state, right AFTER putting him through his own hell, was horribly brilliant There's some self awareness as well. Gareth kinda felt like a opposite to Wuthering Heist's Columbina. The meta girl who felt completely invulnerable at the fact, only to be one of the first ones killed, whereas Gareth's constantly in fear of his life, thinking something will happen at any given moment, to being well alive and way richer at the end.

[@UnleashTheGhouls]

This was a brilliant breakdown Knuckles! Thank you for sharing your honest review with us!

[@-b_i_b_b_y-]

That was quick! Personally I found this episode a bit boring and ended up reaching for my phone, which I'd never usually do during No. 9- it was just a bit too... weird? Like, it didn't feel like a proper Inside No. 9 episode for some reason. I think you're right that it's the pacing. I am looking forward to next week though, I think it's going to get creepy!

[@UnleashTheGhouls]

Looking forward to the next one!

[@ragman1960]

As excellent as always, clever and innovative ❤

[@UnleashTheGhouls]

Delighted you enjoyed this one Ragman!

[@kieranmoore8501]

I thought I was the only one who found this episode 'meh'. Glad it's not just me.

[@kennyp9616]

I enjoyed it but the ending reminds me of John Newman's Love Me Again music video

[@Mia-dt3gl]

What the wife did was very abusive towards Gareth, so the ending felt like karma.

[@paulflint6254]

I was personally looking forward to this episode as I fear Friday the 13th too, but expected it to be a lot better. The only part I enjoyed was the end when his wife gets run over. Good review.

[@UnleashTheGhouls]

Thank you Paul! What is your experience tackling your fear like?

[@parker9627]

I enjoyed it. There were lots of quotable funny lines. I’m not going for a crafty poo 😂 Reece is a master of physical comedy. They fooled me near the end too. They can’t go with it was all a dream ending I thought 😂 I loved the Kylie ending. Was it darker than what we thought. Was he lucky to get rid of his manipulative wife 😂 poor woman. They should have just gone to the bingo together on Sat the 14th and hoped for the best.

[@UnleashTheGhouls]

Really happy you enjoyed it Parker!

[@bi_cycle]

I absolutely loved the tonal shifts, but thats just me

[@JamesLMason]

The pay off of this episode was pretty obvious, I was waiting for the car accident.

[@jamesstewart7736]

As much as I love your channel and reviews and agree with 80% of what you said about this episode I have to say I think you missed the point slightly about the actors reaction to Macbeth. Reece's character said straightaway "are you sure it's me that needs therapy?" Or something like that.

[@UnleashTheGhouls]

That is indeed his reaction, though was performed as a jibe response for that moment. It's ironic that the people used to fix superstitions have superstitions themselves. Reece does identify this straight away, but I felt that this moment came across more as silly than as a perspective shift. What did you think of the episode overall James?

[@jamesstewart7736]

@Unleash The Ghouls that's true actually. I felt the same as you really. It was OK but definitely not one of the strongest.

[@ArthurChappell]

The prize money amount starts with 13

[@Brummieboy]

The 130k is because it starts with a 13

[@UnleashTheGhouls]

Yeah that's true, I know why it was that number in relation to the 13 superstition. I just found it to be an oddly-specific figure for a millionth caller prize giveaway

[@nicolascott1110]

@@UnleashTheGhouls that’s a good point. I forgot about the fact is was for being the millionth caller. They could’ve gone with it’s a Friday the 13th giveaway and his complaint call was accidentally registered as an entry? Making him even luckier because he didn’t actually enter?

[@UnleashTheGhouls]

@@nicolascott1110 Ah yes that's also very much a possibility!

[@criticalboot2567]

​@@UnleashTheGhoulsas I saw the cash amount I just assumed it was one of those special events themed around something, and it just happened to be a fri13th themed giveaway

[@michaelreffold3170]

Not my favourite episode, well done and acted but felt a little 'Thinking Out Loud' with the abrupt and lengthy explanation dump towards the end. Agree that some of the humour falls flat. A high concept that doesn't quite work. But nobody can accuse Shearsmith and Pemberton of not taking risks and being ambitious with their storytelling. And it never hits the low depths of Last Night at the Proms. I hope that remains the absolute nadir of this show.

[@UnleashTheGhouls]

Great comment Michael! Oh don't worry I completely adore Shearsmith and Pemberton!

[@mt1qua]

Wasn’t the car accident the continuation of the good luck, seeing how his wife traumatised him so much, he would be better off without her after what she did imho

[@UnleashTheGhouls]

Now ain't that the truth!

[@alxndr27]

I predicted that it was the wife who set it all up and i predicted ending too but i thought the episode was actually quite decent. Kinda camp and lighthearted.

[@victoriajane_]

It's always confused me how Last Night At The Proms gets shit on so much. It's definately one of the better episodes.

[@holyghost_963]

This kinda felt like a madlibs, fill in the blanks, inside number 9 story where the 3 parts of the story (superstitious guy, people in his life are actors and guy has past trauma) didn't mesh well for me at all. The slapstick superstitious stuff was fun but it felt like the switch to the actors was far too sudden and the past trauma felt forced in. Downgrade from last week's episode.

[@kellymorgan3104]

Im quite superstitious so I Really enjoyed it till it turned out to be a set up. Why put your partner through all that.. wouldnt it make them worse.. kinda glad she got run over 😂

[@UnleashTheGhouls]

She deserved that car!

[@FTZPLTC]

This was a strange one, but tbh, I think it would've worked a lot better if they'd woven the reveal in a little better. The explanation of the origin of his phobia could've been hinted at at some point. Instead it just feels weird - his wife basically just tells him what he already knows about his childhood for the audience's benefit. Kinda reminded me of "Thinking Out Loud" in that respect - it spelled things out a bit too much near the end when ideally they would've built to that.

[@leejones8582]

A much funnier episode I enjoyed it

[@GuyWithACamera23]

It was very Shutter Island. A pretty much forgettable episode though.

[@tabathastaples7884]

Do you know where America is mentioned in the Bible ??????? Shepherd's Chapel Network !!!!!!!

[@filmunion8194]

Was demot real

[@csb7376]

I thought it was one of the weakest episodes they've ever done. Hopefully it's the weakest of the new series otherwise it's going to be disappointing. Edit: Love is a stranger was a lot funnier despite it being a dark thriller type episode. Mcuh more like it, although you guess the ending about 5 seconds in, with only "The Neg" throwing you off the scent temporarily.

[@judgeberry6071]

Shouldn't it be called Triskaidekaphobia?

[@Chiggins_]

Nope, that's just a fear of the number 13. Paraskevidekatriaphobia is specifically a fear of Friday the 13th.

[@judgeberry6071]

@@Chiggins_ Yeah I get that. However, without sounding too pedantic it is neither really. The character has a fear of superstitions. So really it's just a severe case of OCD and paranoia 😆