To Have and to Hold (Inside No. 9)
A wedding photographer's dark secret is revealed.
"To Have and to Hold" is the fourth installment in the fourth series of the British black comedy anthology series Inside No. 9. The episode was penned by Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith, directed by David Kerr, and aired on BBC Two on 23 January 2018. The cast includes Pemberton, Shearsmith, Nicola Walker, Miranda Hennessy, Magdalena Kurek, and Tom Mulheron.
The story centres on Adrian, a wedding photographer, and his strained marriage to his wife, Harry. They reside in house No. 9. For their 20th anniversary, they renew their vows; Harry delivers a sincere promise, while Adrian reads a generic vow he found online. Later, in the darkroom, they argue about their relationship. Adrian admits his job is unprofitable and his infertility prevents them from having children. He accuses Harry of cheating with a former colleague, and she counters that he was emotionally unavailable, citing their cleaner Agnes’s departure due to his flirting. Adrian reveals he has been tailing Harry and develops a photo of her meeting that colleague.
To revive their intimacy, they attempt sexual roleplay, with Harry as a nurse and Adrian as a patient, but it fails due to Adrian’s erectile dysfunction. Clients Max and Hannah visit to collect photos, but the couple’s bickering drives them away. After they leave, Adrian enters a hidden room in the darkroom where he has kept Agnes chained for a long period, and rapes her—an act implied to be daily.
On Adrian’s birthday, Harry gives him a week-long trip to Paris. Panicking, Adrian rushes to the darkroom, grabs the keys to the hidden room, and deliberately falls down the stairs. Four months later, Max and Hannah visit to thank Adrian; Agnes answers the door. In the living room, Harry informs them Adrian has died. After they leave, it emerges that Adrian’s rape of Agnes resulted in a son, Levi, whom Adrian also held captive. The episode ends with Levi entering the darkroom, preparing a Pot Noodle, and bringing it to the hidden room, where Adrian is now chained—implying his captivity has begun.
Quick Facts
- Series
- Inside No. 9
- Series No
- 4
- Director
- David Kerr
- Writer
- Steve Pemberton / Reece Shearsmith
- Airdate
- 2018-01-23
- Length
- 29 minutes
- Guests
- Nicola Walker as Harriet / Miranda Hennessy as Hannah / Magdalena Kurek as Agnes / Tom Mulheron as Levi
- Prev
- Once Removed
- Next
- And the Winner Is...
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The episode follows Adrian, a wedding photographer whose relationship with his wife Harry is struggling. They live together in house No. 9. For their 20th anniversary, they renew their wedding vows; Harry recites a heartfelt vow, while Adrian reads a boilerplate vow from the Internet. That night, in the darkroom, they argue about Adrian's infertility, his inability to provide, and Harry's past cheating with a male colleague. Adrian reveals he has been following Harry and shows a photo of her meeting with the colleague. They attempt sexual roleplay, which goes awkwardly, and Adrian experiences erectile dysfunction. Two clients, Max and Hannah, visit to collect photos but leave quickly due to the couple's bickering. After they depart, Adrian enters a hidden room in the darkroom where he has kept their former cleaner, Agnes, chained for a long period, and rapes her—implied to have occurred daily since her captivity. On Adrian's birthday, Harry gifts him a week-long trip to Paris. Panicking, Adrian grabs the keys to the hidden room and deliberately falls down the stairs. Four months later, Max and Hannah visit to thank Adrian; Agnes greets them at the door. Harry tells them Adrian has died. After they leave, it is revealed that due to Adrian's rape, Agnes gave birth to a son, Levi, whom Adrian also held captive. The episode concludes with Levi entering the darkroom, preparing a Pot Noodle, and bringing it to the hidden room, where Adrian is now chained—implying his captivity has begun.
Reader's Guide
The episode is a notable entry in the Inside No. 9 anthology for its grim twist on domestic horror. It subverts expectations of a relationship drama by revealing a long-term captivity and sexual abuse plot. The narrative uses the confined setting of house No. 9 and the darkroom to build tension, culminating in a reversal where the captor becomes the captive. The episode's structure—moving from marital discord to extreme violence—exemplifies the series' signature blend of black comedy and shocking reveals. Its legacy lies in its uncompromising depiction of abuse and the cyclical nature of power, leaving the viewer with an unsettling final image of the imprisoned Adrian being cared for by his victim's son.
Did You Know?
- The episode was written by Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith and directed by David Kerr.
- It first aired on 23 January 2018 on BBC Two.
- The plot involves a hidden room where Adrian has kept Agnes chained for nine years.
- Adrian dies after throwing himself down the stairs, and later it is revealed he is chained in the hidden room.
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