by Helen Langdon
We’re back Inside No 9, and back to a more ensemble feel after what was essentially a two-hander last week. In this week's vignette, Tamsin is a young girl probably dying of some unnamed illness. It's her birthday and WishMakerUK have arranged for a middle-aged Michael Buble type to come visit her. This being Inside No 9, it's not long before this scenario devolves into fighting over a potentially valuable balloon, with a side dish of murder.
We’re back Inside No 9, and back to a more ensemble feel after what was essentially a two-hander last week. In this week's vignette, Tamsin is a young girl probably dying of some unnamed illness. It's her birthday and WishMakerUK have arranged for a middle-aged Michael Buble type to come visit her. This being Inside No 9, it's not long before this scenario devolves into fighting over a potentially valuable balloon, with a side dish of murder.
After the other episodes, it's difficult not to see this as a bit flat in comparison. There are definite high points, most notably with the music, which ramps up the tension with a score reminiscent of a spaghetti western. Whenever one of Frankie’s CDs plays, it’s a moment of comedy genius, whether that’s so everyone can look around and sigh, or if it’s Jan’s dancing to try and lift Tamsin’s mood. More indirectly, there’s the argument about Billy Joel, one of those moments where quarrels happen over tiny points of information as the bigger picture gets missed entirely. So, yes, there are moments of gold, but the plot itself seemed to get more and more convoluted until it just fizzled out in the final few minutes.
The most disappointing part was the character of Tamsin. Within the narrative, part of the point is that Tamsin is just a pawn in her parents’ machinations, whether that’s to score a visit from her mother’s favourite singer or to claim a larger share of money. The problem is, she is nothing more than a prop. Her entire role is to occasionally shout about being removed from the room, also providing an excuse for the more moralistic Jan to get out of the narrative’s way. There’s no point to her, so it’s difficult to feel like her parents are doing much wrong by using her. Merely having her end the story by removing the balloon wasn’t enough, as it was pretty clear throughout that she was going to do something to it.
The most disappointing part was the character of Tamsin. Within the narrative, part of the point is that Tamsin is just a pawn in her parents’ machinations, whether that’s to score a visit from her mother’s favourite singer or to claim a larger share of money. The problem is, she is nothing more than a prop. Her entire role is to occasionally shout about being removed from the room, also providing an excuse for the more moralistic Jan to get out of the narrative’s way. There’s no point to her, so it’s difficult to feel like her parents are doing much wrong by using her. Merely having her end the story by removing the balloon wasn’t enough, as it was pretty clear throughout that she was going to do something to it.
So, maybe the plot left something to be desired, but the visuals were more ambitious than they’ve yet been. Again, though, it left you wanting more. The beginning of the episode is viewed through a video camera, operated by a woman who confuses recording and off. It genuinely looked like an amateur video, which was good, as opposed to the shaky-cam so inexplicably beloved by film makers. Later on in the episode, there was a spot of POV, as the balloon was carried to its bed. And then there was the suffocation which took place behind frosted glasses, the details tantalisingly obscured. All three of these techniques were really interesting and unique, but because they were all used so briefly, felt like they’d just been thrown in by the director to show off.
The other episodes of Inside No 9 have left us with something to think about, some reason to rewatch and try to gain more understanding. If Last Gasp had ended with the suffocation, maybe it would have been stronger. Maybe it would have been saying more about the idealisation of celebrity, and our capitalist culture placing a price on everything. As it was, it was a funny tale that ended with a whimper, instead of a balloon-popping bang.
The other episodes of Inside No 9 have left us with something to think about, some reason to rewatch and try to gain more understanding. If Last Gasp had ended with the suffocation, maybe it would have been stronger. Maybe it would have been saying more about the idealisation of celebrity, and our capitalist culture placing a price on everything. As it was, it was a funny tale that ended with a whimper, instead of a balloon-popping bang.
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