Inside No. 9 (TV Series) The Last Weekend (2023) User Reviews

Finally a REAL Inside Number 9 episode!

[syfb-49058 · 9/10 · 13 June 2023]

At long last! The final episode of the series was worth the wait. This is easily a contender to be in their Top 10 of the entire show.

There were a few hints as to the foreshadowing twists, but a major element such as the reason behind the final reveal was so unpredictable.

I found the references to the Kübler-Ross Model were a bit cringeworthy (so it's not a perfect episode) but I liked the title graphics on screen that were matching with each of the 5 Stages of Grief.

The pop song was fun, catchy and haunting at the same time.

Definitely contains the "Rewatchable" Factor, as I'm sure that there are many hidden elements that may have been missed on the first viewing.

Chance to cement their relationship.

[southdavid · 8/10 · 4 June 2023]

The final episode of season 8 of "Inside Number 9" was, for me, a bit of a return to form after a couple of episodes that underwhelmed me a little. I love a darker episode, and though this looked to be one of the occasional emotional ones, ultimately, it's reveals were a welcome surprise.

Having been together for nine years, Chas (Reece Shearsmith) and Joe (Steve Pemberton) head to their lakeside Scottish cabin for what might be the last time, as Joe is suffering with bowel cancer. Mollie (Sheila Reid) their caretaker hasn't been around as much as Chas would have liked and there are some insect infestations, but Joe is determined that it won't spoil their time. However, a phone call to Joe's mobile, with another man's name already saved in the contacts, sets Chas on edge.

I'll keep my reviews as spoiler free as I can with this one. For the longest time it looks like it's got the potential to be another deeper episode, such as "Merrily, Merrily" or even "The 12 Days of Christine". Joe's poor health feels like it should play into the climax, as does Chas' grudging resentment at the situation. Knowing though that there's usually a twist in the story though it feels like the phone call could be a flashpoint for them, but instead it's another plot point, one craftily (at first viewing) hidden in another scene that is the reason for what happens and, as it's revealed, the extra significance of a few other aspects of the story are brought to the surface too. It's nothing too revolutionary, but it's certainly the best written episode of this run.

Shearsmith's broad impression of a gay man remains just on the right side of offensive, I think, others may disagree, and the episode could have used Sheila Reid a little more. Ultimately though, I love the darker episodes and, whilst it's all in sound design and implication, this might the be darkest episode they've ever done.

The Last Weekend

[Prismark10 · 8/10 · 26 May 2023]

Chas (Reece Shearsmith) is a fussy failed pop star. Joe (Steve Pemberton) is older, away on business a lot, more relaxed and has a terminal illness.

Both have been together for 9 years. They have gone to their remote holiday cabin in Scotland.

This certainly could be the last weekend, as the mosquitoes buzz outside the windows. Vermin being attracted as Mollie the housekeeper likes to throw flakes of cheese about.

Once again there were subtle clues. It was not all about Joe's impending death and Chas having to deal with grief.

At its heart it was about a dish called revenge being served cold. Not; milk, milk, lemonade, round the corner chocolate's made.

It probably has one of the most gruesome demise for a character in the show's history. It has to be said that the latest series has been short of laughs.

The Five stages.... An incredible episode.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 10/10 · 26 May 2023]

Joe and Chas return to their holiday home, celebrating their ninth anniversary, but all is far from rosy in the garden.

Dark and twisted, this was a hard hitting and pretty shocking end to the eighth series. They've delivered several nasty surprises over the years, but this must rank as one of the most shocking of the lot, the writing here was nothing short of sensational.

It's been some time since the pair played a couple, I honestly can't remember the last time, it may actually be Sardines. The acting from both was quite something.

That ending, I think that's very much one of the most disturbing things I've ever seen, that really is the stuff of nightmares.

Now, I can't let it go without commenting, I wanted that on that buses episode with Robin Askwith, I badly wanted to see that, as in my mind I know how funny it would be, please guys make it.

Mollie was definitely an interesting character, I just adore Sheila Reid.

Wow!

10/10.

Perfectly captures everything I love about this show!

[becky-92346 · 10/10 · 20 June 2023]

The Last Weekend - Inside No.8 S8 E6 (2023) follows Chas and Joe, a couple who have been together for nine years, but how long does it take for them to properly say their goodbyes to each other? What a brilliant episode to end the series on! I absolutely loved this, it feels so nostalgic of the early No.9 episodes and I found it to be very engaging.

The cinematography in this episode is very impressive. The colour palettes are strong with good contrast, and the episode makes great use of colour schemes resulting in some very pretty shots. Also, the camerawork is subtle yet very effective.

The sound design is very minimalistic, and there isn't much to talk about, but this works for the episode as the sound doesn't distract us from the characters and plot. The score is super fitting when used, and helps to add another layer to the atmosphere.

The acting, as usual, is perfect. Reece and Steve have so much chemistry, and their characters' relationship is so believable. The characters also have a lot of depth and are incredibly well written and interesting to follow along. This is helped by well written and engaging dialogue.

Lastly, the pacing is very consistent and the episode uses tonal shifts to its advantage. It starts with a very emotional and bittersweet tone, balancing subplots well and progressing at a slow yet steady pace. However, the story takes a drastic turn and pulls it off extremely well, the mood turns very unnerving and disturbing, resulting in an ending that really stuck with me!

A classic Inside No. 9 episode!

[KamMcQ · 9/10 · 7 September 2023]

Throughout the series there have been some fantastic episodes sprinkled in, and this is one of them.

It starts one way and slowly warps into something completely unexpected and different.

It's refreshing to see a change in the strong vs. Weak character in this episode and the acting is brilliant as usual.

I did keep expecting them to argue about "chocolate's made" vs. "chocolate cake" but pushed that out of my mind when the twist began.

It's "fudge is made" by the way; I had to put it on pause and check to make sure I hadn't been saying it incorrectly since grade school!

I hope they do more episodes like this in the future. It truly is classic Inside No. 9.

I wanted to like this episode more than I did

[markschvetz · 6/10 · 26 May 2023]

The structure of this episode plays out much more like a classic Inside No. 9 concept than most in the eighth series so I was intrigued. There was genuine humanity in the relationship between the two main characters which added depth to what could have been quite a trivial exploration of dealing with grief, but the twist just wasn't plausible enough for me. It's very difficult to buy into the idea that someone would wait 9 years to do what Joe had been planning. Why wait 9 years and have a murder set up as Saw-like as this? Very far fetched and was played for shock value instead of exploring the true rage a father would have felt towards Chas.

Loved the beginning, but I just can't get over the ending

[trappgustavo · 6/10 · 4 June 2023]

This is a feeling I've experienced over this entire season, the episode starts out nice and it seems like a great idea and cloud lead to something interesting, but they just kill the ending. I get that inside no.9 is supposed to have insane twist endings, with unexpected turn of events, but this season, they just make no sense.

I feel as if they just went for, how can we make the twist so unimagible ridiculous noone could guess, and I feel this episode is a great display of this.

** AHEAD CONTAINS SPOILERS **

The story is very nice and a concept they've never delt with before, which is grief and their stages (atleast I don't remember them dealing with it before). The story plays out nicely and with the information you gather you can't really imagine what the ending is, I like the subtle hints that the caracter is dying and then reece just coming out straitgh and saying that pemberton has cancer, but then the twist just comes out of no where, zero connection to any of the events that happened on the episode. I mean pretending you loved someone for 9 years to then just kill him?

Yes, I understand that's one of the reason the show is so good, insane twists, but the ones from this season just are wait to extreme, I think they've just lost the balance from making the twist too insane on this season. But that's why it's so hard to write this style of show, let's remind ourselves that we are on the nineth season of this show and coming up with twists that are original and not too predictable or too insane is extremely hard, so huge congrats to reece and pemberton because altough I personally haven't like the twists of this season in many of the episodes you guys have managed to keep the same feel of other inside no.9 episodes.

I just hope you guys make a great last season 9, and let's be honest the second to last season of any show usually isn't that great, specially when the writers already know theres gonna be a next season.

Episode 806

[bobcobb301 · 6/10 · 18 June 2023]

Inside No. 9 being on for 9 years and playing up 9 years as a couple was smart, but overall this was just not the sharpest episode. We knew there would be a twist of some kind, but this one just did not feel impactful enough at all. Excrutiating to imagine the idea of being alive for 17 days trapped in concrete while bugs and rats eat you, but the story felt very thrown together.

I can't imagine pretending to be in a relationship for almost a decade just to do this. He could have accomplished the same impact in 6 months or so, but I guess that does not line up with the title of the series Inside No. 9.

Outside No 9

[srrrrdjw · 5/10 · 1 June 2023]

I saw the Sixth Sense in theaters when I was 12. When it ended, my friend looked over at me, smiling, and said" what did you think of the ending?" I said - "it was ok, but they should have made it a surprise." I don't obsess over crumbs left on the trail throughout the story. Rather, my mind always takes whatever I'm watching and weaves it together into "the best story." Some would disagree, but I am biased, and my narratives are regularly second to none (kidding). I don't look for crumbs. I don't consider red herrings. I just let my mind go to work. I consider this season of No 9 the "Outside No 9" season. The "post-twist" season works fine, as well. Either way, that outside phrasing is apt here.

Through this season, we got a very good episode that I have to believe was purposely giving away the twist early on. We got an episode that had three endings, none of which were very shocking or innovative. We got a Christmas episode for which my review was called "recycled No. 9 Lore" - need I say more? We (not me, I'm in the states) got an episode that by the reviews seems to be 80% conceptual and 20% a genuine attempt at decent television. This does leave us with the second installment - which (see my review if you're interested) was my favorite.

So what's the deal with "The Last Weekend?" Well, it's got a few really cool ideas. A beautiful setting. An extremely well acted role from Pemberton and a corny but fitting one from Reece. We get a minor classic Inside No 9 moment with the Blue Jeans Baby song, too! But from the beginning, there are sinister, dark overtones, and there are ambiguous clues that leave your mind spinning to create the most out-there, brutal story you'd expect from the series.;

But that's not where this goes. 2/3rds in, there's a scene I'll paraphrase as: "surprise, I've done something no human on earth would ever do to anyone under any circumstance because it's so completely insane that a schizophrenic conjoined twin would die from cognitive dissonance upon attempting to make sense of any shred of thought process that almost took place before presumably imploding into its sheer absurdity, then I became an alcoholic."

I really admire what Pemberton and Shearsmith did with this season. I think they really tried to get past one upping themselves. But if that is their desire, pay homage to something you love, like Hitchcock, or DePalma, or Welles. This was utterly ridiculous... although, the closing was chilling. So 5 starts for that alone. Whatever you do - DO NOT THINK ABOUT THIS EPISODE. It can only do more harm.

Back to good form after a wobble ....

[YellowGardenFurniture · 7/10 · 26 May 2023]

Good to see what I assume is the final episode of the series , is back to the standard we expect from these guys.

After the previous episode ( 3 x 3 ) it looked like series 8 had finally hit quite a low , but the guys bought the standard back up with this episode.

It's not a classic number 9 but it does have the guys signature in it - plus glad to see that Steve and Reece take centre stage as the main characters in this episode .

I think where this series has faltered a little is in the fact that Steve and Reece have not been the main actors in the episodes and have bought in other well known actors to drive the plots.

This is usually a telling tale that the concept has run out of originality and ideas .

In this series it's been more obvious with various ex soap stars and tv actors showing up in episodes and stealing the limelight - Anita Dobson , Phil Daniels etc etc.

But at least on this episode , it was the format that suited the show better with no guest stars or ex soap actors playing the main leads.

The twist worked on this episode also and kept you guessing up to the end.

All in all , a good 7/10.

A solid ending

[safenoe · 7/10 · 28 November 2023]

The Last Weekend is the series eight finale, and yes, it's a very solid ending as the title to my user review suggests hopefully not in too an obvious way to give the gruesome ending away.

Anyway, The Last Weekend pretty much turns the plotline on its head at the end, and it's quite gruesome in a concrete way, and I sometimes wonder how the writers came up with the gruesome twist. After eight seasons, how many more twists can there be? I understand season nine is coming up, and quite apt considering the title. Anyway, I look forward to seeing season nine and hopefully we won't have to wait too long.

Least credible plot

[pearly_dewdrops · 5/10 · 22 April 2024]

Disappointed of this Inside No.9 episode. They had some mind bending, genius stories along the seasons, but the difference was that the plot stand, it could be relatable, credible.

This one has gone too far. I can't buy the fact, nor care, someone goes to that extent in order to achieve that kind of revenge.

How can someone buy that his partner is so cold to them all of those years or does not care to learn about their disease?

It somehow lacks a building of the momentum also. I find the ending a bit abrupt.

I preferred other episodes of this season, such as ''3 by 3'' or ''Love is a Stranger''.