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Paraskevidekatriaphobia is the third episode of Inside No.9 Series 8.
The word means to have a fear of Friday 13th. For me, that date is the only time things DO go right for me!
However, for Gareth (Reece Shearsmith), he’s superstitious all over! So, he lives at house No.9…not, 13 😉
Seriously, he’s staying home on this date with zero communication from the outside world, while wife Dana (Amanda Abbington – Desperate Measures) heads out for the day. However, postwoman Sue (Samantha Spiro) needs him to sign for a parcel, the pen runs out, and when he goes looking for a new one, everything falls out of the drawer… And then Sue needs to come in to use the toilet!
Still, while he’s fretting about all sorts of things, I’m getting on edge about the fact he’s wearing shoes on carpet!!! Am I worse than him?!
This feels similar to how Darren Aronofsky’s Mother! started, almost, and you’ll see from my review of that 2017 Jennifer Lawrence movie started, especially with Michelle Pfeiffer coming into her house and heading where she wasn’t wanted. Sure, that’s a very 18-cert movie and Paraskevidekatriaphobia doesn’t head down that path, but the same effect is felt in terms of people invading your space.
Add in locksmith Barry Styles (Steve Pemberton), and beyond that, if anything can go wrong, it will go wrong. In fact, it’d be easier to just make a list of things going right: Perhaps the end credits play out without a hitch, I wondered?
“I don’t need any more bad luck, today”, moans Gareth… We can all feel that.
Additionally, at one point, Gareth says Friday 13th happens “twice this year, twice next year, and once the year after”. And he made me check, and he’s right!
Even when it was just 2/3 done, I was thinking that Paraskevidekatriaphobia is like the worst of nightmares… for Gareth, that is.
Overall, this episode was absolute genius from start to finish.
Paraskevidekatriaphobia is broadcast on BBC2 on Thursday May 4th at 10pm.
Inside No.9 Series 8 is available to pre-order on DVD, ahead of its release on May 29th.
There’s also Inside No. 9: Collector’s Edition: The Scripts: Series 1-3 in Hardcover.
After broadcast, each episode will be on the BBC iPlayer.
Check out reviews of more Inside No.9 episodes.
Also available to buy:
- Series 7 on DVD
- Series 6 on DVD
- Series 5 on DVD
- Series 4 on Blu-ray
- Series 4 on DVD
- Series 3 on Blu-ray
- Series 3 on DVD
- Series 1 on Blu-ray
- Series 2 on Blu-ray
- Series 1 and 2 on DVD together
Episode Score: 10/10
Director: George Kane
Producer: Kim Crowther
Writers: Steve Pemberton, Reece Shearsmith
Cast:
Gareth Beckman: Reece Shearsmith
Barry Styles: Steve Pemberton
Sue: Samantha Spiro
Dana Beckman: Amanda Abbington
Bethany: Ayda Kiiza
Shelley: Moko Akande
Dr Rogers: Leon Herbert
Himself: Dermot O’Leary
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.