The Suspicions of Mr Whicher: The Murder at Road Hill House

I'm surprised by the generally negative reviews for this production. Some reviewers seem to want the writers to re-write history to replicate an Agatha Christie story. The fact is, this story was based on reality, not on Christie's tropes and formulas. The fact is, sometimes crimes work out as this one did, with an unsatisfying ending. The detective doesn't call all the suspects to a meeting where he reveals his genius at deduction, or cause the suspect to reveal him/herself in dramatic fashion.

I found this well acted and well written. Not great, but quite good, and well worth the watching. Maybe if Captain Hastings' grandfather had showed up for comic relief, more people would have liked it. Personally, I found the straight drama well done and satisfying.

This is actually a review of all four of the Mr. Whicher episodes that I've viewed: The Murder at Road Hill House, the Murder in Angel Lane, Beyond the Pale, and Ties that Bind. I disagree with other comments that the four don't come together. The psychological development of the Whicher character is completely plausible from a psychological perspective (I'm a psychotherapist). The shifting loyalties of the political characters are also completely plausible, in my personal experience with local politicians. I love the emotional depth, courage, humility, and values that the author and Paddy Considine bring to the Whicher role. I hope that there are more episodes.

I can understand the view from those that describe this as a rather grim affair, that's very true, but so often is the case from real life events.

The story is not only interesting, dark, but it's also one that draws you in, a fascinating look into the dark side of human nature.

Paddy Considine is key, his understated, but truly sincere performance brings the steadfast character of Whicher to life, he's terrific. Well supported, Capaldi stands out.

The subject matter may be too dark for some, but the actual production is excellent. 8/10

This applies to all 4 of the Whicher movies.

They are full of well realized characters acting in a way which is reasonably consistent with what I know of the period. The mysteries are clever and the solutions are, for the most part, very satisfying. If you like this sort of program you will like this one. If you don't, give this one a try.

I just recently discovered the series. I watched the Beyond the Pale episode first and really liked it: it was a morally complex and empathetic story. Murder at Road Hill was quite good but it just wasn't as morally challenging as Beyond the Pale. All in all, it's a great series. I hope they make more!