The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb

I have always been a fan of the Agatha Christie Poirot series, and The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb is a strong example of why. It is very well made, as with all the Poirots, with some of the most gorgeous-looking scenery of any of the episodes, beautiful costumes and photography that is both elegant and cinematic. The music always has been a pleasure, and right from the iconic theme tune to the haunting background music The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb is no exception. The script has its usual intelligence, I do agree to some extent that despite the splashes of humour the episode has the tone is quite grim, then in a way the short story was also. The story is still highly intriguing with the pace just right. David Suchet once again is impeccable, and Hugh Fraser and Pauline Moran both do great jobs contrasting with him. The support cast are fine, particularly with Anna Cropper as Lady Willard. The resolution is still interesting, but the way it was done was more effective I felt in the short story.

All in all, one of the better short story Poirot adaptations and of the firth season the best episode was for me between this, The Chocolate Box and The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman. 9/10 Bethany Cox

I think this was a pretty middling episode. But what I really liked was the final scene, between Poirot, Hastings and Miss Lemon. It's the kindness that Poirot shows -- the empathy that he exhibits -- that warms the little grey cockles of my heart.

Immediately after entering an ancient Egyptian tomb, lead archaeologist, Sir John Willard falls dead of an apparent heart attack. Following his death, three more members of his party die in fairly quick succession. Is it the curse of Men-Her-Ra or it there something (or someone) more modern behind the rash of deaths? Poirot travels to Egypt to look for answers.

Yet another fantastic episode in a fantastic series. The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb has everything you could ask for in a Poirot episode. It's a little darker than some of the earlier episodes with less humor. Sure, there's a funny moment or two, but the overall tone is different. The locations shots are once again outstanding. The costuming is especially good. The Egyptian desert outfits are a treat. The episode if brilliantly shot. Every scene looks impeccable. The acting is good. Suchet is at his best in the uncomfortable conditions provided by the desert. His rant about sand was perfect. And the music had a very ominous, otherworldly quality to it that suited the prospect of a curse quite nicely. My only complaint is the critical information known only to Poirot that he uses to solve the case. But as good as the rest of this episode is, it hardly matters.

I'm not sure if I enjoyed The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb as much as The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge, but there's no denying it's a damn fine episode.

An excavation sees the discovery of the tomb of King Men-her-Ra. The locals fear of a curse, and when someone dies it seems as if the gods are avenging the desecration of the tomb.

This is an absolutely fantastic production, it is incredibly authentic, it feels lavish and top end. The filming locations add massively to the overall feeling, no studio bound sets on show. They specified Egypt and we got it.

Brilliant music, it's eerie and adds a sense of foreboding throughout. It's very fitting to the episode, one of the best accompanying scores from the earlier years.

Every single member of the cast performs incredibly well, it's expertly acted. David Suchet is at his very best. The episodes have taken on a more serious tone.

I have always had a deep fascination with Ancient Egypt, so it's no wonder I'm hugely drawn to this story, but I truly think it's a glowing production. 10/10

Hercule Poirot is hired by Lady Willard to investigate the death of her husband, the archaeologist Sir John Willard. Sir John was on a dig in Egypt to open the tomb of the Egyptian Pharaoh Men-Her-Ra, a tomb which is believed to be cursed. He suffered a heart attack the moment he walked into the burial chamber. Soon after this, another member of the expedition and the financier of it, Felix Bleibner, dies from septicemia after a seemingly innocuous cut. The inheritor of his wealthy estate, nephew Rupert Bleibner, commits suicide in New York a few days later. Poirot and Hastings fly out to the dig but already another member of the party appears to be afflicted.

Great episode, one of the best short-form Poirots. Intriguing with great settings and decent cinematography. This might be the closest the short-form Poirots came to the substance of the long-form ones and the scale of the movies.

Not perfect: the murderer is reasonably easy to figure out (well, for me, at least), based on opportunity and method (to a large extent). The motive is not obvious though, and neither is how the murderer managed to kill the nephew in New York, and that's what keeps you guessing.