While Agatha Christie is admired by many as a master of plotting, I’ve always been more interested in her ability to communicate the character of a place and time-in my days as a straphanger (subway commuter) in New York City, reading her books was like taking a trip to the English countryside of a far calmer era. People enjoy mysteries for different reasons. Fortunately, the third series of Poirot episodes released by Acorn (they originally aired in 1990-1991) has substantially more hits than misses, including one episode (“The Mysterious Affair at Styles”) that stands out as a particularly fine example of what the BBC could do with a good Christie story. Still, even an avid fan must recognize that not all of Dame Agatha’s work was top-drawer, not all BBC adaptations do justice to their sources, and even the Belgian detective and his famous little grey cells could have an off day, now and then. I’m in, with bells on, as long as it’s Hercule Poirot wearing the mustache and David Suchet playing him. Agatha Christie, BBC period dramas, waxed mustaches-when it comes to some things in life, you’re either in or you’re out.
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