Inside No. 9 episode 3 ending explained: Creators on Paraskevidekatriaphobia

The episode follows a nervous man with the above affliction, rendering him irrationally terrified of Friday the 13th to the extent that he's unwilling to even leave the house.

A carefully planned day to himself spirals out of control as a horde of unwanted guests make their way into his humble abode, each one more eccentric than the last.

The episode is sure to leave viewers stunned with an exciting double-twist, with Pemberton and producer Adam Tandy reflecting on Paraskevidekatriaphobia during a fan Q&A held recently at the BFI.

Read on for details, but be warned that spoilers follow. For more on Inside No. 9 season 8, check out our recaps of The Bones of St Nicholas and Mother's Ruin.

Inside No. 9: is Paraskevidekatriaphobia real?

Yes, paraskevidekatriaphobia is a real fear.

The term refers to those with a phobia of Friday the 13th, a day that occurs at least once in each calendar year and is considered to be unlucky in Western cultures.

Shearsmith's anxious character in the episode, Gareth, at one point cites a study suggesting there is a higher risk of being hospitalised due to a road accident on Friday the 13th, which he interprets as validation of his concern.

However, while that study does exist – carried out by Scanlon, Luben, Scanlon & Singleton in 1993 – the researchers noted that its sample size was too small to draw meaningful conclusions, and there is little support elsewhere for the theory.

At the BFI, Pemberton explained: "Looking up what that word meant and finding that word really gave birth to the episode. We just thought: ‘What fun to have an episode with such an unwieldy title.'

"And then our brilliant director George had this idea that the title was so big that the camera would have to sort of [pivot to fit it all in]. Sometimes you fall in love with a title and you want to do something so you can get that title on screen."

Once the name of the episode was decided, the duo set about fleshing out the concept, which involved packing in as many omens as possible – including a black cat, opening an umbrella indoors and walking under a ladder.

"We just thought it was a very interesting idea to look at all those different superstitions," continued Pemberton. "Why do we have these irrational fears?

"And it was a classic episode of taking a scenario where someone says ‘everything will be fine as long as no one comes into the house, I can get through the day’ – and just makes one mistake: answering the door."

On the brilliance of the episode, producer Adam Tandy added: "It’s the precision of the writing, but also the execution in keeping the rhythm up. You can't have a moment of dead space. There always has to be a positive action forward within the half hour.

"So once you start, you’re pulling a little thread and then the whole thing has to unwind smoothly. So it means you've just got to keep going."

Inside No. 9 season 8 episode 3 ending explained

Paraskevidekatriaphobia features a double-twist ending, which begins as Gareth's wife Dana (Amanda Abbington) reveals that the anarchy unfolding in their home was secretly her doing.

She had conspired with therapist Dr Rogers (Leon Herbert) to immerse her husband in his worst nightmare, with the hope being that it would shock him out of his debilitating fixation with Friday the 13th.

For a moment, it appears to have worked, as the day ends with Dermot O'Leary presenting Gareth with a £130,000 cheque for winning a phone-in competition on his radio show, seemingly signifying the end of his bad luck.

It's enough to shift Gareth's obsession with superstition – which we learn was a side effect of survivor's guilt – as he confidently shatters a mirror and opens an umbrella indoors, no longer believing either gesture to have a consequence.

Alas, this confidence may have been misplaced, as the accumulated bad luck from all these actions manifests itself in Dana being hit by a car as she dashes out the house on Saturday the 14th. Or maybe it's just a coincidence. Who's to say?

Of note, it was revealed that Shearsmith himself did not actually smash the mirror in this episode, sharing the same concern that Gareth did over possible repercussions. The person who did smash the mirror was suspiciously not present.

Inside No. 9 continues on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer at 10pm on Thursday 11th May 2023. Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.

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