Abducted by an inept kidnapper, Lara must do whatever she can to survive while she waits for her wealthy husband to agree to his financial demand. Will Dominic prove he loves her more than money?

Presented in a split screen effect, somewhat reminiscent of 24, this is an unusual episode of Inside No.9 for two reasons. Firstly, we leave the confines of the titular 9 (in this case simply the number of the house Lara is held in) to join her hedge-fund manager husband at work as he deals, rather poorly, with the situation. We have “looked away” as it were from time to time but never to this extent. Secondly, for once, writers Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith don’t play the major characters; Pemberton’s role as a policeman is relatively slight.

The major part originally envisaged for Pemberton is taken instead by Daniel Mays (Good Omens), who is Shane, shambolic, overweight and barely competent, with his ill-fitting mask and constant slip ups. Despite that, he’s still a viable threat to Lara, played by Daisy Haggard (Breeders / Back to Life) and at a couple of points it threatens to get very dark indeed. The other, smaller but still significant character, originally intended for Shearsmith, is Jason Isaacs (Star Trek: Discovery / Harry Potter) as Clifford, although I shall not reveal anything about his involvement in the plot.

It’s Haggard’s show though, centring on Lara most of the time and when the time comes for the various twists and turns in the plot she delivers as always. Shearsmith seems to be having great fun as her husband, framing the extortion as yet another deal to be won. Any number of tropes from kidnap dramas are played with here, some played straight, others subverted, and it’s tightly directed by Al Campbell (who also helmed season opener Merrily, Merrily).

Verdict: Swinging from straight crime thriller to borderline farce, this is very much a performance piece for Haggard. The different approach this week makes a change although, unlike the best of this show, this isn’t one that you’ll be mulling over for very long afterwards. 7/10

Andy Smith