REVIEW: Agatha Christie’s Murder Is Easy (S1 E1/2)

There’s something about Agatha Christie at Christmas. The venerable, evergreen author’s stories seem to grace our screens every festive season – whether they be from the pen of Sarah Phelps, Christmas specials of Miss Marple or Poirot, or this latest batch of BBC adaptations.

Isn’t it strange that we, as a nation, like nothing better than to sit down with our family, eat leftovers and dive into a murder whodunit? There’s nothing cosy about murder, but for some reason, Christie has become synonymous with that genre. For us, it’s the puzzle element and the fact that unfurling the latest chocolate from its wrapper is as about as cosy as it gets. Watching these sorts of murder mysteries in the comfort of our own living rooms – festooned with decorations – means that it feels safe, and is as far away from murder as we can possibly be.

For this festive two-parter – adapted by Siân Ejiwunmi-Le Berre – is classic Christie in many ways. It’s set in 1954, 15 years after the novel was published, and features a different lead character that appeared in the original. In that original, Luke Fitzwilliam is a retired colonial police officer but here he is reimagined here as a young, dandyish Nigerian attaché (played by David Jonsson). Fitzwilliam’s Nigerian heritage gives the story colour and rich culture (especially in the opening scenes when he’s conversing with a group of Nigerian friends at the West African club in London). Ejiwunmi-Le Berre gets to work on discussing colonialism and, once again, it’s an interesting wrinkle to what is an old story. Furthermore, when Fitzwilliam visits the incredibly rural English village of Wychwood under Ashe – with all its stuffy old posh white guys – Fitzwilliam’s mere presence causes the viewer to ask questions about race and those attitudes to race.

However, there is a story to tell here.

Fitzwilliam boards a train, where he meets a kindly older lady who introduces herself as Lavinia Pinkerton (Penelope Wilton), who tells our lead character that three murders have been committed in her home village. When Lavinia herself falls foul of a hit-and-run, Fitz decides to honour Lavinia’s memory and travel to her village to look into things. He is now the amateur detective in this tale.

(It must also be said – Fitz takes with him a single bag but turns up to posh parties and gads about the places in the smartest clobber and different suits in seemingly every scene. Is that bag a TARDIS?)

There, among the posh houses and tweed suits, he meets a whole host of characters (including those played by Douglas Henshall and Mark Bonner, causing Shetland fans to combust with excitement) who look at him in an odd sort of way. Fitz represents an interesting juxtaposition here – he’s obviously an African man, but also a dandy, tweed-wearing gentleman. So in the same breath, by dropping her Fitz into a world of manicured hedges, games of tennis on the green, servants and returned colonial majors, Ejiwunmi-Le Berre both subverts the Christie character stereotype and strengthens it.

In terms of characters/suspects, there’s flirty Bridget Conway (Morfydd Clark), millionaire Lord Whitfield (Tom Riley), Mathew Baynton as Dr Thomas, Sinead Matthews as Miss Honoria Waynflete.. the list goes on.

And wouldn’t you know it, as Fitz’s presence begins to be noticed he also witnesses more death as residents begin to drop like flies. So far so classic Christie. Jonsson makes for an earnest and energetic lead, and there’s much festive whodunit fun to be had here. It’s light and pacy but certainly won’t reinvent the wheel. Give it some new angles and perspectives, yes, but not reinvent the wheel.

Pass the sherry!

Paul Hirons

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

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Agatha Christie’s Murder Is Easy is broadcast on BBC One in the UK