Ordeal by Innocence

Binged in one afternoon. I couldn't remember the book (read all Christie's decades ago!) so got caught up easily in the mystery. Scenery, settings and use of color is GORGEOUS. Loved the twists and turns. Extremely well acted and well paced. If you enjoyed Harlen Corbin's "Safe" and "The Five" you'll enjoy this. Looking forward to seeing more from this director and screenwriter.

There has of course been a lot of controversy surrounding this drama, originally due for transmission at Christmas, The BBC recast and re shot the part of Mickey Argyll and sent it out over Easter 2018.

I'm sure many Agatha Christie fans, like myself, were disappointed by what happened, and the fact that the drama was pulled from Christmas TV, but the BBC of course made the right decision.

Hopes were high, The Annual BBC Agatha Christie drama has become a definite treat, following in the footsteps of Witness for the Prosecution, and the superb And then there were none.

The production values were of course evident, gloriously shot, superb settings and costumes, a truly lavish feel. Acting throughout was superb too, Bill Nighy, Eleanor Tomlinson and Matthew Goode all worthy of a mention.

At times I felt like there were too many cutaways, ticking clocks, wine being poured etc. but they did help set the scene and build the atmosphere.

Ordeal by Innocence seemed rather a brave choice to go with following the previous adaptations, particularly when you take into account that ITV made it back in 2007, and Geraldine McEwan popped up as Marple. In terms of accuracy and bringing a book to life, this wins hands down.

Disappointing that it wasn't shown over three nights as is the custom, the three week span seemed unnecessary, but I'm sure it will prove a ratings hit.

Next up for Sarah Phelps is Poirot, The ABC Murders, that's a whole different ball game, following David Suchet's golden reign in the role will be hugely challenging.

Overall though, Ordeal by Innocence is very good indeed, when you take into account the source material, cast and budget, they were never going to fail.

A darker adaptation of an A.C. work. No Marple or Poirot (good) a straight forward mystery with plenty of red herrings. Re-worked by Sarah Phelps ,sometimes these are overworked, get boring. This one wasn't. Morven Christie, who I'm a big fan of, was certainly in total control of her part and acted out in style. Nice to see Bill Nighy playing it straight to the end, not his usual cameo of an aging rock star. I also liked that they used a reverse of film and clock as not to confuse you in stating a look back in time. A mystery with twists and turns to the very end, supported by a fine cast.

First, I didn't read Agatha Christie and didn't know the story before hand.

I found the whole thing a bit of a mess. The editing, directing, story/script, and acting were all annoying. There was no tension or real suspense, but I did stick through to the end because it was bearable and I did want to see the reveal. I also hoped it would get better...which it did, slightly. The last episode was the best because it had movement, but the whole of the story plodded along with unlikeable characters, flashbacks, and just didn't have anything clever or gripping in the way it was written or acted out IMHO!

5.5 stars for me. Feb2024.

I binged this on a transatlantic flight, and was initially quite impressed at the style and mood-setting, as well as the acting (though Bill Nighy is overexposed). But as episode 3 progressed, it became apparent that the entire premise of the plot (including the identity of the murderer and the motive) had been upset. I agree with all the other reviewers who said that Christie's name should be removed from the title. She supplied the set-up and cast of characters, but it wasn't the same plot. In fact, the ending felt more like one of Roald Dahl's Tales of the Unexpected than the resolution of a murder mystery.