After the Christmas special, "Insider Number 9" returns for the rest of it's penultimate run and starts pretty strongly with "Mother's Ruin" an episode that combines the humour and horror that we've come to expect in an episode that falls just a little short of being a top tier one.
Two brothers, Edward (Reece Shearsmith) and Harry (Steve Pemberton) break into the house that their mother died in, on the anniversary of her death, to try and commune with her spirit. Their parents were East End gangsters and when she died a large amount of cash from that time was still to be recovered. As part of the ritual, something she loved needs to die, so Edward has brought her parrot, but sensitive Harry was unprepared for this aspect and allows the bird to escape. Now Edward needs to make a difficult choice. . . And then the owners come home.
As I said, I felt this was a good one. With good performances not just from our regular two leads, but from Anita Dobson and Phil Daniels, who play the couple who arrive home from their holiday earlier than expected and walk in on the brothers. It was one of the funnier episodes, and I enjoyed the grizzlier elements as the show ran on.
Why not quite top tier then? Well, I think I prefer my episodes to have a sting in the tail and this episode peaked slightly before the end, and a few of its elements, particularly around that resolution, were a little more predictable than I would have liked. I also feel a little like Harry was a 'stock' Steve Pemberton character and kept reminding me of "Psychoville's" David.
A solid return from a show I'm always delighted to see but has occasionally been better.