Miss Marple: Nemesis

Having re-watched and re read my review of the 1987 version (or as I call it the proper one) I thought it about time I reviewed this. I stated back in 2007 that I couldn't wait to see this one, oh that hope. I had totally loved Geraldine as Miss M, there was definitely a little twinkle in the eye, she gave some great performances, A murder is announced and The Body in the Library i loved. This version of Nemesis though was not great, a 6/10 rating I think is fairly generous, calling it Nemesis was taking a bit of a liberty, the core of the story was totally lost, it was a pity a Caribbean Mystery hadn't come first to set the scene. It was a really messy script, which was held together by the quality acting and beautiful scenery. Even the wonderful Amanda Burton couldn't save the day, I find it quite an irritating version, the Will Mellor and wife storyline doesn't work, I didn't like the change of the 3 weird sisters into nuns, the whole point of the 3 sisters was the comparison between the 3 witches in Macbeth etc and turning them into 2 nuns did not work. On the plus side it was an attempt to freshen up the script to try something new, and some aspects worked OK, I will add that i think the last 10 minutes are fantastic, it's worth sticking with to get to the finale, the acting is excellent. 6/10 I think the 1987 version is just so good, this was never going to come up to the mark.

After THE SITTAFORD MYSTERY last season, I stopped expecting good things from Marple episodes-- I sat down to watch with the lowest possible expectations. NEMESIS is a complete rewrite. The Rafiels are now Nazis (what is with the producers and Nazis???), Michael was in the Lutwaffe. Everything from Nora Broad to the disposal of the body was completely changed. Contrary to popular belief, the killer is the same as the book, however, his or her character is so dramatically altered that it is easy to see why everyone is confused. I did not particularly enjoy this episode, but after THE SITTAFORD MYSTERY, every episode seems to have SOME sort of decency.

The most remarkable thing about this TV-film is probably the name of the director. The undeniably multi-talented Danish prodigy Nicolas Winding Refn had already made a few cult-films before his odd career-detour via "Agatha Christie's Marple", like "Fear X" and the "Pusher" trilogy, but his major breakthrough came right after with first "Bronson", and then of course the Ryan Goslin hits "Drive" and "Only God Forgives". Refn is known and acclaimed for his raw, realistic and nihilistically toned thrillers, so his choice to direct a "Miss Marple" is curious, to say the least.

It's a rarity, but I haven't read the Christie novel on which the episode is based, and neither had I seen a previous TV-adaptation, so I was in for a full surprise! The set-up is quite original. For once, it's not the regular routine of Miss Marple visiting a friend and, all of a sudden, a vile murder gets committed. Instead, it's reminiscent to "And then there were none", with a big of group of people - including Miss Marple and her nephew - receiving tickets for a guided tour where a previously committed crime will gradually become exposed.

So far so good, but regrettably "Nemesis" became one of my least favorite instalments of the three seasons thus far. Strange as it may sound, I don't like it when I can guess the killer's identity, the modus operandi, and his/her motives. Usually, this is never a problem with Agatha Christie, as her plots and denouements are extremely convoluted and surprising, but this one was rather transparent. Maybe I've seen and read too many Christie-stories lately, I don't know.

Should have followed the original story...I don't mind the actress playing Marple, but the script..dear me, why nuns?

Once again we are asked to delve into another McEwan/Marple/Christie murder mystery. Except that it isn't a Christie murder mystery. Only the name remains the same to trap unwary viewers. The real mystery is why the trustees of Dame Agatha's estate ever allowed this series to be made by disrespectful butchers. Only "A Murder is Announced" retained some faithful semblance of the original novels.

All filmed interpretations have taken some artistic licence with Christie's mysteries over the years, which is perfectly acceptable to most Christie fans, but none except this Marple series (and the Tony Randall ABC effort) have turned them into unrecognisable farces. And that is most definitely not acceptable. In the various episodes of McEwen/Marple we've been offered, by way of change to the originals, everything including different characters, different plots, different victims, different culprits, added murders, etc., etc., etc., and of course inclusions of Jane Marple into stories in which she was never intended to appear.

"Nemesis" is the last episode in which Geraldine McEwan dons the mantle of the elderly yet intrepid needle-clicking sleuth (we may, I think, be thankful for the omission of "A Caribbean Mystery"), and it once again takes Dame Agatha's wonderful original tale apart, and reconstitutes it into one that makes little sense, logic, or reason, adds, deletes, and changes characters, presents new plot lines and a new conclusion.

I can't detrimentally criticise the performances, I would be wrong to do so, but when a drama is billed as being based on an Agatha Christie novel I expect it to be, and expect to see, just that. Not something that is haphazardly jumbled together by an inferior hack.