Like MST3K, this is technically an episode of a TV Series (Agatha Christie's Poirot), but as it's a feature-length presentation that's virtually a made-for-TV movie/miniseries. So it counts.
Today's installment is similar to all the other episodes of the show I've seen: David Suchet is marvelous as Poirot (Christie's renown Belgian detective), and most of the other acting varies between mildly atrocious to pretty amusing to actually quite good. In this case, the role of Bulstrode (I kept thinking of Millicent Bulstrode, lol) the headmistress at the girls' school was played by Harriet Walter, who has had bit parts in many movies in the last several years, including Babel and The Young Victoria. Others, like the French teacher, the nosy games mistress, and the detective-cum-gardener, likely fall into the category of "knows somebody who..."
Also like most Christie mysteries, the story is somewhat convoluted, full of red herrings and apparent holes, until the detective neatly ties everything up at the end. And, like the novels themselves, all the evidence was actually there. I almost had it this time. I had my suspicion, but couldn't put it all together. Poirot, did, though. There were some pretty neat and opportune deaths, too: death by javelin, for example. Though the angle of the impalement was all wrong. Thanks, CSI.
Next week, there's a Miss Marple episode that I'll probably watch, too, so stay tuned for Why Didn't They Ask Evans?. I'm glad I've seen so few of these; I'll be able to count more.
Score: 8.0
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