6 Episodes
Short on time? Here's the essentials:
"Inside No. 9" Season 3 presents a series of dark, self-contained stories. The season often features characters with hidden motives or past traumas, leading to unexpected and grim outcomes. Key figures include Nina, seeking revenge for her brother, and Maurice, an art enthusiast with a macabre plan.
The central conflict revolves around characters' desperate attempts to achieve their goals, often through deception or violence. This leads to shocking events like the waitress Anya's apparent death during a dispute over a bill, and Charlotte's death as part of a twisted family revelation. The season culminates with Maurice killing Jean and presenting her heart as a gruesome art piece, achieving twisted success.
Season 3 of Inside No. 9 covers episodes 1-6. Here's everything that happened:
Season 3, Episode 1: The Devil of Christmas - Presented as a rediscovered 1977 Austrian horror film with director's commentary, an English family's Christmas holiday is plagued by the legend of Krampus. It's revealed that Kathy and her lover, Klaus, orchestrated events to cause Julian's fatal heart attack. The shocking conclusion reveals the entire production was a snuff film, culminating in the actress's genuine murder on screen.
Season 3, Episode 2: The Bill - Four men's post-badminton meal descends into a bitter argument over who pays the bill. As their rivalry escalates, a game of "stabscotch" results in waitress Anya's apparent accidental death. The group plans a costly cover-up, demanding £200,000 from wealthy Craig. However, the entire scenario is revealed to be an elaborate con, and Craig, seeking excitement, joins the hustlers to ensnare a new victim.
Season 3, Episode 3: The Riddle of the Sphinx - Nina infiltrates Professor Squires' room, seeking revenge for her brother's suicide, poisoning his tea. Squires, forewarned by Dr. Tyler, swaps the cups, paralyzing Nina. Tyler reveals Nina is Squires' biological daughter and forces him to eat her flesh. Charlotte (Nina) dies of asphyxiation, leading Squires to shoot himself.
Season 3, Episode 4: Empty Orchestra - An office karaoke party celebrating Roger's promotion unravels as an envelope sparks fears of redundancies. Greg's affair with Connie is exposed by deaf colleague Janet, who lip-reads their conversation. Fran fires Greg and Connie after learning of their betrayal. Roger reveals the envelope contained his divorce papers, not a layoff list, and announces his own redundancy, recommending Fran for his promotion. The episode concludes with Janet and Duane sharing a heartfelt kiss.
Season 3, Episode 5: Diddle Diddle Dumpling - David's obsession with a lone shoe masks his grief for his deceased twin son. After his wife's attempt at closure is exposed, David, with bloodied hands, implies he killed the friend involved. CCTV footage then reveals David placed the shoe himself, confirming his profound mental breakdown.
Season 3, Episode 6: Private View - Guests attend a private art exhibition for deceased artist Elliot Quinn, only to find themselves trapped and systematically murdered. The killer is revealed to be Jean, Quinn's mother, who believes the victims squandered her son's donated organs. In a final twist, Maurice escapes and kills Jean, replacing his intended "exhibit" with her heart. He then claims the gruesome artwork as his own, achieving critical acclaim.
