Are you enjoying John Malkovich’s performance of Hercule Poirot. I must say I am and loving this interpretation of ABC Murders. Lovely and dark
Are you enjoying John Malkovich’s performance of Hercule Poirot. I must say I am and loving this interpretation of ABC Murders. Lovely and dark
Been recording it, so will let you know next week x
I have been recording it too.
We have been watching and enjoying it. Very dark !
I hated the first one so much I won’t watch any of the others – I am not a fan of John Malkovich, I couldn’t make out what most of the cast were saying, and it was literally too dark to see what was happening. I know opinion is very divided about this so that’s really just my view.
second episode was better than first. it will be interesting to see how it concludes
If you thought the filming was dark and dialogue muffled on ABC don’t ever try to watch Daredevil 🙂
@Sheila I’m going to watch bit all, but like you I not convinced. I’ll say more once everyone’s had a chance to watch bit.
Came out a bit gobbledygook. Basically I’m going to watch the next episodes too.
I’m recording it too, going to binge watch it this weekend
Not keen on Poirot but do like John Malkovich so will wait and watch the lot on the iplayer.
So dark it’s virtually black. Malkovich is brilliant.
I loved it x
I’ve watched 2 episodes, liking it so far.
It’s good that he plays Pierrot in a different way and you are not comparing him with David suchet all the time
No I do not p me this version it’s too far removed from the book for me
Two episodes in, and I think as a dark drama set in 1930s Britain, it’s fine. But Poirot it ain’t.
It is so far removed from the original book that I’m having to forget that it’s supposed to be Poirot.
Have loved it. Malkovich is a much more believable Poirot.
@Margaret I love the back story. I think it’s brilliant. I love earlier poirots but they always seem a bit cosy. The racism of the 30s and the first world war connections. I think it’s fantastic x
@Claire Christie wrote cosy mysteries not thriller pot boilers.
@Jane Yes I’m aware of that. But I like the fact they are looking at darker themes subplots in this series x
@Claire Fair enough. I can’t take it. lol
@Claire I’d be driven to drink lol
@Jane haha knock it back x
@Claire I just had one funnily enough, calm my nerves.
I’m enjoying it but my o/h keeps waffling on about the lack of moments of levity. He like Suchet a lot though.
I hate it. Dark, bizarre and not a bit Agatha Christie.
@Nicola I agree
I think Agatha would have liked this interpretation, I prefer it and think the darker angle suits it.
I’m loving it!
I’ve watched the first episode and I am not sure yet.
I’ve got it recorded so I can watch all three parts while my oh is at work tonight
Only other things I’ve seen John in is of mice and men and Johnny English and he wa fab in those
I think he started out on the wrong foot with me because I saw him in Burn After Reading, which I also hated!
@Sheila first thing I saw with him in was of mice and men when I was in high school
@Abi wow didn’t know he was in Johnny English – will check it out !
@Irene he was the evil French guy
Nope not working for me as an Agatha Christie .I’m watching it but have to keep reminding myself it’s a Poirot.
To be fair I’m watching it but not liking it
As a stand alone series it’s brilliant!! But I don’t like malkovich as poirot!! It’s too far removed from the books for my liking!! It’s quite dark which I do like, but it’s just not proper poirot for me!
Not for me
I’m loving it and I didn’t think I would
I hated the first episode. It was tedious, lacking in action and anachronistic. I stuck with it through that episode with great difficulty and then bought another version through Amazon Prime movies. Life is too short to watch John Malkovich playing John Malkovich!
What I didn’t realise was that ITV3 had stolen the BBC’s thunder by showing the Suchet version earlier in the day.
JM as Poirot “I’ve been in this country 19 years and people still think I am French”. Not with that accent they don’t!
His accent was appalling.
Horribly horribly miscast.
Who is he? Never heard of him and he can’t act his way out of a paper bag.
He’s brilliant
Only watched one so far. As long as you have no expectation that it’s like any other production. I am finding it literally too dark though – can’t see a thing!
I agree, @Shirley. I did wonder if the BBC were running low on lightbulbs. Especially when I also watched Murder on the Orient Express today and it is so bright.
Fantastic really looking forward to the final part tonight.
I like Malkovich, but not a fan of the adaptation as a whole. It’s a very good drama, but it’s no where near the book.
The BBC seems to have established an unwelcome new Chistmas tradition of screwing up an Agatha Christie story every year, loading them with big names and hiring writers with no respect for the original material.
And Then There Were None was good; last year’s offering screwed up only the ending but this year’s is not doing anything for me, except I do love Malkovich, no matter how poor the material he is working with is. He is the only reason I’m continuing to watch.
me too
And Then There Were None has certainly been the best of them. I also like Malkovitch as an actor but his Poirot is too diffident and the writer has added too much nonsense – Japp’s death, the ridiculous notion that Poirot faked his past and Crome’s over the top animosity being just three examples from the first episode – not to mention leaving out Captain Hastings all together. And what’s with the sudden need to alter Poirot’s facial hair? Kenneth Branagh looked like Buffalo Bill in Murder on the Orient Express and Malkovitch has also been given a full set for some reason. Don’t actors and directors actually bother to read the source material?
@Rachel I have never heard of him and am not impressed so far, I think he needs to learn to act…my humble opinion whoever he is.
@Jane he was amazing in the retelling of Les Liaisons Dangereaux (Dangerous Liaisons) and he will forever be Lenny from Of Mice and Men for me 🙂
@Rachel Not seen or heard of him before.
The book makes me cry. I can’t see this version making me cry. None of the characters are remotely likeable.
Cannot recall anyone of them and have no feelings for any either. Leave me cold. Acting is dire as is the script.
I lost interest within 15 mins unfortunately
Sky and David Walliams have ruined one of the funniest books ever by Sue Townsend the Queen and I mind you David Walliams Alos managed to ruin another Agatha Christie character Tommy Beresford although Tuppence was played brilliantly.
No sorry I couldn’t get into it….it was too dark for me too…am just watching A Crooked House on C5….much better….
@Lesley going to watch that on +1
@Nicola I’m enjoying it…hope you do….??
@Lesley recording it instead. Introducing the younger son to Mars Attacks. Will watch it later – when he’s gone to bed and there will be no interruptions- plus I can fast forward ads
@Nicola best idea….hope you enjoy it once you get to it…??
@Lesley just started watching it but once it started I realised that it wasn’t that long ago I saw it.
Do think Max Irons who plays Charles would make a good DCI Ryan if L J Ross’ books were made for TV
@Nicola I do that sometimes…trouble is they repeat things so quickly nowadays….I think I had seen it before but it was a few years ago…..yes think you’re right about Max…I have mainly seen him in historical dramas and was good to see him in something more modern….
He’s not Poirot to me, he’s not confident enough or fastidious enough
And the goatee just didn’t do it for me lol x
Loving it – particularly Rupert Grint and John Malkovich ❤️
Liking it so far, never read the book.? Watching the Berlin Station at the moment.
Best never read her books then. This for me has no relationship to her character.
Not keen on him
On a positive note- it sent me off to sleep nicely.
It annoyed the hell out of me, such bad acting
Yes .
NO!
Love it, so dark. No friends to say “yeah I’ll investigate without question”
Not watching because far as I am concerned David Suchet IS Poirot
The actor who is playing him now, I’ve never heard of him but he is like a piece of wet fish and the script is rubbish as far as I am concerned. No decent actors in it. Think AC would turn in her grave.
@Jane I have heard of John Malkovich but never seen him in anything
@Melanie A bit like Glenn Close and Meryl Streep, I shall avoid anything with him in from now on. Ye gods!
David Suchet is Poirot to me too. John Malkovich probably more famous for the film called Being John Malkovich.
Joyce Lundy I have heard of the film. Actually think John M was in the film The Man in the Iron Mask. Think he played Athos. Gabriel Byrne was D:Artagnan, Gérard Depardieu was Porthos and Jeremy Irons was Aramis
@Melanie I am not a great film buff but my son says you’re right. Haven’t seen the other film either but he says it’s weird lol
@Joyce I rather like Jeremy Irons lol
Sorry this production did not appeal to me.
Very dark in the lighting department too, and a lot of mumbling.
I’m finding Poirot a rather pathetic figure but I have invested 2 nights and a box of Thorntons chocolates and several Birds mince pies in the adaptation so I shall see it out tonight ?
Enjoy, I would be driven to drink so am avoiding. 🙂
@Melanie I’ve not seen it yet but it’s worrying if Poirot comes across as pathetic as he was never written as such. A highly intelligent man.
Hahaha there was that series earlier in the year set in Hong Kong that was 3 episodes too long I kept watching that and it came good. However I feel I need to see this out now and I’ve nothing else too do other than eat another box of chocolates so why not ?
No stopped watching it
@Lesley indeed he wasn’t but this is just my opinion of course. Other people love it. I don’t. There is alot of changes maybe pathetic is too strong weak maybe a better word. Well I’m off to get my comfort food to see me through the final episode. X
@Melanie Suchet’s shoes are big ones to fill 🙂
They are . I have had to watch him in The ABC Murders today just to ground myself haha . There will never be another Poirot for me. But I was willing to give this one a chance.
Oh dear is all I am saying.
@Melanie I’ll really not enthused to watch the recording 😉
You might like it . Give it a go. However for me it was to far removed from how Poirot was. It would have been like portraying Miss Marple as an overbearing , interfering, rather nasty character instead of the rather quaint , lovable , old maiden aunt who suggest things to you rather than insists things . But alot of people loved it. For me something just shouldn’t be tampered with. I was particularly disturbed by the end and as I have not read the book I must now as I so much was changed this must surely have been so to .
I’ve just looked at the backlash on line . It’s as I though wrong OH so wrong.
It’s dark, depressing characters, depressing scenery, and Malkovic is a subdued has-been. Totally loving it, refreshing from cosy chocolate box adaptations.
I think if I hadn’t read the book and didn’t know it was meant to be an Agatha Christie I might enjoy it.
That’s exactly right, Liz Hedgecock. It’s good as long as you bear that in mind.
@Shirley it’s odd because I have loved some of the modern Sherlock episodes. But I think Sherlock Holmes can be outside his time in a way Poirot can’t
We’ve just said that after watching the last episode. If you forget it was supposed to be an Agatha Christie Hercule Poirot then is was goodish. Too long over 3 episode in my opinion and I kept forgetting bits even though I knew the plot ?. Oh dear not good is it .
@Melanie it makes me want to read the book (yet again) so I guess that’s good!
@Liz yes . I’m thinking now I need to read the books. The third episode was the better of the 3 although the ending was very bizarre. I’ll put it down to poetic licence.
The ABC Murders is one of my favourite Agatha books, would defo recommend
I’m supposing the bit about Hercule remembering back in Belgium isn’t in the book right at the end ? Don’t want to spoil it for any one so won’t say what exactly
@Melanie Read and find out! ?
Oh no you can’t leave me hanging on like that my tbr like is massive as it is ?
@Melanie you know what to do ?
Its very dark but John Malkovic brings a new slant to Poirot. And without the distracting moustache.
I can only see David Suchet as Poirot. He is Poirot to me and I think plays the part as it was written. Also, IMHO Joan Hickson is definitely Miss Marple lol
@Enna I agree about David Suchet but I have embraced Julia McKenzie as Miss Marple too.
I like Julia McKenzie as Miss Marple too.
I’ve recorded it, if it’s like the last two BBC Christmas adaptations I won’t be watching much of it ? David Suchet is a very hard act to follow as Poirot
It’s not as bad as Ordeal by Innocence. That is one of favourites and for me it totally missed the psychological torture the family endured knowing one of them was a murderer. But ATTWN is still top dog on these new adaptations.
Found it so slow. I gave up watching it.
@Mary as I said, dire
I love David Suchet as Poirot so didn’t think I would enjoy this. However I have enjoyed it so far as it’s totally different to the usual.
Stuck with it, but did not enjoy at all. David Suchet IS Poirot.
Thanks for all the comments will give it a miss this time round as so much other things to watch
Switched off after 10 minutes. The whole point of ABC Murders was ruined straight away as in the book we don’t know what ABC stands for until the story has unfolded. Nil point from me
i am enjoying the different Hercule Poirot however my husband who was a fan of the previous Hercule didn’t like him and felt it was to dark, so gave up after second episode , I have still to see the last one so in my list for tonight 🙂
No no no Hercule is Hercule you can’t change how he was written. Suchet create him from Christie writings as did Ustinov and others . This one was just awful.
And yet, and yet 😉 We were all duped into accepting the short portly Suchet, yet when I recently reread Orient Express I was amazed to see him described in that as tall and slim 🙂
There was nothing about this one that led me to believe he was a great detective . The whole adaptation was poor in my opinion not just Hercule. * spoiler* Japp dies and the other policeman Rupert Grints’ character who’s name escapes me he me was so uninteresting was so rude to Hercule who took it all lying down. I can not remember if in the 1st 2 episodes Hercule actually did anything other than stand around muttering. Episode 3 They pulled it together a bit more until the awful ending. But on a plus I ate my way through it with pork pie, stilton cheese and Yule log and cream so all was not wasted ?
@Melanie Oh no, not Jimmy Japp! 🙂
And no Capt Hasting !!! I had such a handsome cockeral named after him and Hercule too ?
@Melanie it was dire
It was wasn’t it?
This series lacks tension and excitement. Agatha Christie novels present clues which the reader is supposed to link together to identify the culprit. They are not supposed to be serious examination of the minds of murderer and detectives. Giving away the killer’s identity and then trying to add psychological depth to Poirot was just silly.
@Karen utter rubbish all if it.
Due to seeing adaptations on the telly so many times it’s been quite a while since I read the books but Poirot a priest?
@Nicola the whole thing should not have been made as am AC story but just another badly written acted and produced piece of rubbish.
@Jane at least they got the murderer right.
@Nicola they should have made a separate story no need to get involved with Poirot or AC at all. Coffee cups spilling, blood, fields and P as a priest..long camera shots of sod all and no meaning for it…garbage.
@Jane I couldn’t have put it better myself. Spot on
I enjoyed it
Did Malkovich insist that his role be beefed up so he was the focus, rather than the murder mystery. The woman grinding her Cuban heels into the guy’s back? WTF?
Agree that now I have watched the final episode, it was so disappointing .it completely ruined the whole plot. Bring back our Pierrot and the original story
I loved it very dark and very different.
I’ve just finished watching it. It wasn’t what I was expecting but I enjoyed it.
Hate it
If you enjoyed the #BBC #AgathaChristie over #Christmas – part set in #Bexhill then check out these Sussex Crime all about a #Poirot fan who lives just along the road from the #DeLaWarr Pavilion! https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07HJ95HKW
Wow! Thank you so much! It’s a lovely start to the new year to receive such positive feedback x
They sound like fun. I will check them out. Bexhill is not a million miles from me so I count that as local
Isabella I’ve downloaded The Tapestry Bag and look forward to reading it. Anyone who runs a library is alright with me
Awful.
They look good thanks.
I did enjoy the ABC murders in the end.
I enjoyed it. He isn’t David Suchet, but it wasnt a bad. Stopped trying to compare it and just enjoyed it.
yea once i stopped comparing to previous Pirots I started to enjoy and would recommend giving it a try ?
For me it wasnt about comparing him to other Poirots but it was to far removed from Agatha Christie’ s writing. I did say to my husband if we watch it NOT as an Agatha Christie and NOT as a Poirot then it was a good murder mystery. But it wasn’t what it was supposed to be for me.