The Big Picture

• Agatha Christie's TV adaptations continue to thrill and captivate viewers with dark, psychological plots and five-star casts.
• From timeless classics like And Then There Were None to contemporary adaptations like Why Didn't They Ask Evans?, the suspense never ends.
• Whether it's Poirot's challenging mysteries or Miss Marple's clever sleuthing, Agatha Christie's iconic characters come to life on screen.

Renowned English author Agatha Christie has written some of the most timeless, complex, and fascinating crime stories. Her novels have been adapted many times for the silver screen in films like Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile, but also for TV series and miniseries. Christie's characters have inspired countless directors and actors, and the BBC has particularly mastered the art of adapting her novels, releasing some of the best tributes to the writer’s work on TV. Here, we're going to take a look at nine essential Agatha Christie TV adaptations to discover or re-discover if you are looking for some thrills and mysteries.

Ordeal By Innocence (2018)

Ordeal By Innocence was published in 1958 and was one of Agatha Christie's favorite novels that she had ever written. In 2018, Sarah Phelps adapted this dark psychological plot for the BBC into a 3-episode miniseries, with a five-star cast led by the one and only Bill Nighy. Joining him are Anna Chancellor (Hotel Portofino), Anthony Boyle (The Plot Against America), and Morven Christie (Grantchester), as well as Downton Abbey's Matthew Goode, Poldark's Eleanor Tomlinson, Sanditon's Crystal Clarke, and Alice Eve (Star Trek Into Darkness), to name a few.

The story of Ordeal By Innocence begins in 1954, on Christmas Eve, when Rachel Argyll (Chancellor), the adoptive mother of five children, is found dead at her house. Quickly, one of her sons, the troublemaker Jack (Boyle), is arrested and charged with her murder, even though the young man continues to claim his innocence. Some eighteen months later, Dr. Arthur Calgary (Luke Treadaway) introduces himself to the Argyll family, insisting that he can prove Jack’s innocence. Unfortunately, it is too late to help Jack, who died in prison before the beginning of his trial. Calgary’s claims force the family to dig up their past and their darkest secrets, because if Jack was indeed innocent, then the murderer is still among them.

From the children, to the housekeeper, to the future mother-in-law, every single person in the house has a skeleton in their closet and a potential reason for wanting to kill Rachel Argyll. This dark and dramatic murder mystery dives into each character’s past and highlights the events that led to this terrible Christmas Eve night through flashbacks, leaving the spectator in unbearable suspense at the end of each episode. The acting in Ordeal By Innocence is incredible and only gets more and more poignant as the secrets and mysteries are unveiled. A special credit to Boyle, who makes the most of his screen time in the flashbacks, and nails his portrayal of Jack Argyll by finding the perfect way to show the young man's vulnerability, his need for attention, and his deep anger.

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And Then There Were None (2015)

Probably one of Agatha Christie’s most studied novels in schools, And Then There Were None was adapted by the BBC in 2015 by Sarah Phelps. In 1939, ten strangers are invited to a mansion on Soldiers Island on the English coast. They soon realize that their hosts are mysteriously absent, as they are now completely isolated from the mainland. On their first night there, they end up being accused of murder, one after the other.

And Then There Were None’s cast includes Douglas Booth (The Riot Club), Charles Dance (Game of Thrones), Maeve Dermody (Why Didn't They Ask Evans?), Burn Gorman (The Dark Knight Rises), Anna Maxwell Martin (The Bletchley Circle), Sam Neill (Jurassic Park), Miranda Richardson (Sleepy Hollow), Toby Stephens (Black Sails), Noah Taylor (Preacher), and Aidan Turner (Poldark). Not only is the plot perfectly structured, like all of Agatha Christie’s stories, but the somber and heavy atmosphere of the book is also well adapted in this three-part series. Whether you have read the novel or not, you will find yourself holding your breath every 5 minutes and maybe even looking behind you quite a few times while watching it.

We can’t help but feel the extreme powerlessness of these characters, knowing very well that nobody will come to help them on this deserted island. As much as they try to justify themselves, it is in vain because, unlike in many of Agatha Christie’s novels, no incredibly clever detective will come to their rescue and solve the case for them. They are stuck with their demons and the viewers find themselves in the position of a criminal psychologist when these 10 characters have to face the consequences of their actions in a situation where their only recourse is to judge and be judged.

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Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? (2022)

The latest adaptation of Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? was released on BritBox in 2022. It is directed by House's Hugh Laurie, and stars familiar faces like Will Poulter (Dopesick) and Lucy Boynton (Bohemian Rhapsody). Laurie also portrays a character named Dr. Nicholson in this contemporary adaptation. The cast also includes none other than Emma Thompson and Jim Broadbent. The story is based on the beloved 1934 novel, and follows the story of Bobby Jones (Poulter) and his childhood friend, Lady Frances “Frankie” Derwent (Boynton), as they investigate the mysterious death of a man found at the bottom of a cliff, whose last enigmatic words were "Why didn’t they ask Evans?"

While this story is much funnier and lighter than the other miniseries on this list, the complex plot of Why Didn't They Ask Evans? is still brilliantly executed and will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last minute of the third and final episode. The relationship between the lovable Bobby and the witty Frankie is a real delight for viewers. They have absolutely no experience whatsoever in crime-solving, and yet, are able to investigate an incredibly complex case (putting themselves in grave danger at the same time) with little to no clue as to what the victim's cryptic question could mean.

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The Pale Horse (2020)

Adapted by Sarah Phelps, The Pale Horse premiered in 2020 and is based on Christie’s 1961 novel of the same name. Though this adaptation differs from the original story in more ways than one, it is still a very intense and dramatic story, starring Rufus Sewell (The Man in the High Castle), Kaya Scodelario (Skins), and Bertie Carvel (Doctor Foster).

When a list of names is found in the shoe of a young woman who was murdered, the mysteries and secrets emerge one after the other. One of these names is Mark Easterbrook (Sewell), an antique dealer who starts investigating this list and intends to find out why his name is written on this paper. His research leads him to the village of Much Deeping, where three rumored witches live. The Pale Horse might offend some Agatha Christie purists because it diverges a lot from her original novel. However, like a lot of Christie's adaptations that have been created across the years, each miniseries or movie comes with a different take. The Pale Horse is led by an incredible cast and if you haven't read the book (or even if you have), you will love this two-episode miniseries.

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The Witness for the Prosecution (2016)

Adapted by… you guessed it, Sarah Phelps, who, by now, has completely mastered the art of developing Agatha Christie’s stories for television, The Witness for the Prosecution aired in 2016 and is based on the novel written in 1925. The two-part drama has an impressive cast including Kim Cattrall (Sex and the City), Toby Jones (Harry Potter), Billy Howl (On Chesil Beach), and Andrea Riseborough (Bloodline).

In 1920s London, the rich and elegant Emily French (Catrall) is murdered, and the young Leonard Vole (Howl) is immediately arrested for the crime. During his trial, Leonard pleads not guilty and is persuaded that Romaine (Riseborough), a chorus girl, can help him prove his innocence. As always, this adaptation isn’t a simple crime story, with a victim, a murderer, and an alibi. This series dives deep into each character's past and uses WWI as a historical and psychological background. While this series is set in the roaring and glamorous 1920s, it also shows the counterside of this golden era by depicting traumatized and disillusioned victims of war who are struggling to find their place in society.

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The ABC Murders (2018)

John Malkovich is Hercule Poirot in this modern adaptation of The ABC Murders, one of Agatha Christie’s most beloved novels. Rupert Grint (Harry Potter), Anya Chalotra (The Witcher), Jack Farthing (Poldark), Eamon Farren (The Witcher), and Shirley Henderson (Bridget Jones) are also part of an incredible cast ensemble of this Sarah Phelps adaptation.

In 1933, Hercule Poirot investigates a series of murders committed by a killer known as A.B.C, since the criminal’s method is to leave a copy of the ABC railway guide on each of his crime scenes. The famous detective is growing old and tired and is no longer trusted by the police, nor by the public. In this 3-episode series, the rise of the British Union of Fascists and the recent events that occurred in Germany are a great historical background to one of Poirot’s most challenging cases. Though this adaptation isn’t the most faithful to the original novel, it is an interesting take on Poirot’s character and a great sociological exploration of the political and social crisis that eventually led to the Second World War.

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Agatha Christie’s Poirot (1989-2013)

David Suchet is probably the most beloved actor to have portrayed Poirot. He is also the actor to have played the Belgian detective for the longest time. Indeed, Agatha Christie’s Poirot debuted on ITV in the UK and ran for almost 25 years. Suchet is, by consequence, the actor who probably knows Poirot the best, or at least the "original" Poirot.

With 13 series and 70 episodes, every story written by Agatha Christie with Poirot as the main character has been adapted, from Five Little Pigs to Death on the Nile and Appointment with Death. Agatha Christie’s Poirot’s cast has, over the years, included some of today’s biggest names, including Vanessa Kirby, Jessica Chastain, Emily Blunt, Michael Fassbender, and Hugh Bonneville.

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Agatha Christie's Marple (2004-2013)

In 2004, ITV debuted a new series based on the stories of Miss Marple starring Geraldine McEwan in the title role for three seasons, with Julia McKenzie taking over the role for the other seasons. Agatha Christie's Marple is largely faithful to the novels and if you watch it now, there’s a great chance you will recognize some very familiar faces among the cast: Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange), Richard Armitage (The Hobbit), Penelope Wilton (Downton Abbey), Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Loki) or Dan Stevens (Beauty and the Beast) all starred in the charming ITV adaptation.

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Miss Marple (1984-1992)

From 1984 to 1992, Joan Hickson portrayed the famous titular detective, Miss Marple, for the BBC. All 12 Miss Marple novels were adapted, from The Body in the Library to 4.50 from Paddington. These classic adaptations have been some of the most popular over the years and Hickson could even be regarded as "the chosen one," since the actress starred in a production of Appointment with Death in 1946, which Agatha Christie actually saw and enjoyed very much. She later wrote to Hickson saying "I hope one day you will play my dear Miss Marple."

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