Towards Zero

I love a good Agatha Christie mystery. Years ago when young I reread the books over and over. I was excited about this adaptation, willing to give it a try because I like Angelica Huston and Mathew Rhys. Unfortunately this version had to muck with a really good Agatha Christie "who-dun-it" mystery. This version has changed characters, omitted some characters, overcomplicated their motivations for murder and switched who got murdered first, changing the plot line which dulls the mystery. Even the detective is swapped from Inspector Battle to Leach which is ironic because the name switch symbolises how the story has been dulled down from dramatic to boring. Leach is drowning in alcoholism and is suicidal which makes him overly dark and not compelling to watch. Angelica Huston is too passive, not dominating or caustic enough to murder, only rich. It's dark, not the plot, but rather the filtering chosen for filming is dark & grimy in a weak ploy to create mystery. It's simply annoying as the character's faces are difficult to see in the dark. Dialogue & plot should create the mystery rather than cinematic filters. Sex scenes are used also to create drama which is another by-product of a weak plot line. Christie employed flirtatious characters, but true to her era didn't use overt sex to tell a story, instead Christie always produced a good plot line with witty dialogue. Worst of all, the story is very slow. Christie skilfully wrote Towards Zero with a delayed murder, but this version can't pull that off and when they change the order of the murder plot lines, it jumbles the mystery right out of the story. The few positives are that the setting & costumes are period-rich with details that make the show nice to view.. But even this is dulled by the overused dark filters chosen for this version. Unfortunately setting & costumes can't trump the importance of plot & dialogue for drama. With weak story telling, this version isn't worthy of Dame Agatha Christie. Her descendants promote this film, as it's a money-making legacy for the corporation Christie has become, but I think Agatha the writer would be disappointed.

Enjoyable tosh I'd say. Love seeing the mega-rich come unstuck. Love Agatha Christie too so this was a must-see. Looks great, lovely photography.

Reviewer kristhebass mentions the Black barrister played by the excellent Clarke Peters, as if this was an anachronism. This reviewer may be interested to know (but probably won't want to know) that the first Black barrister to practice in the UK was in 1884. No, Agatha Christie probably didn't mention any character's ethnic background so basically anyone could be cast. It's not as if it's 'unhistorical' in this instance. Oh and I think the 'maid' is more of a lady's companion, as she quite clearly states in the first episode.

The second instalment sees the situations at Gull's point escalate. After a danced through afternoon at the nearby pleasure hotel with multiple partner exchanges and another troublesome newcomer in the form of a former boyfriend, Lady Tressilian is most displeased with her house guests and threatens to change her will. The love triangle at the centre concludes in two people having intimate relations in the stairwell of the house in view of everyone else, a scene that I guess was supposed to be erotic, but ended up more awkward than enticing. Soon after we (finally) get our first murder. Inspector Leach, who has survived his suicide attempt and strikes up an unlikely friendship with Sylvia, investigates the death and soon finds that things might not be as easy as they seem at first glance.

It all continues to be very pretty and glamorous, but by now the changes from the book become glaringly obvious and not all are good ones. The addition of a couple characters are fine, but the original characters suffer a little. Audrey in particular appears little more than a pretty distraction here. It's unclear why Neville seems unable to stay away from her to the point that he betrays his wife right in front of her nose - or why Audrey seems to have her heart set on prying him away from Kay after insisting on the divorce. Both of their motives for this love triangle have been done away with, leaving the central relationships a little flat in result.

The visual aesthetic of the series is a major letdown. The overly dark and blueish tint gives it a dated, early-2010s look that feels more like a tired crime drama than a timeless Agatha Christie mystery. The muted color palette and lack of visual creativity make the entire production feel bland and uninspired.

The pacing is another significant issue. The combination of an overtly slow and melodramatic score and hollow conversations drag the story unnecessarily. The result is a miniseries that feels much longer than it actually is.

Finally, the characters, while seemingly layered, quickly become tiresome. Each one is burdened with a troubled past or some nuanced background, but these elements feel overused and repetitive, and lacking authenticity. Instead of adding depth, the constant focus on their personal struggles makes the characters feel like clichés. By the time the mystery reaches its conclusion, it's hard to care about who did what or why.

For me this miniseries is a waste of three hours that I want back.

The good thing about this was it was just 3 episodes long and, being bbc who don't spend big bucks on the same old actors allowed me to watch the show rather than thinking "What have I seen them in before?" For me the story was too slow at times with a lot of filler (an hour is an hour on bbc unlike other channels that only need 45 minutes) but it was still engaging.

Waiting a long time for the first murder wasn't helpful but that was the whole point of the story we are told.

I was losing interest until Audrey and Neville became intimate on the stairwell in episode 2.

A strange ending it has to be said after twists, turns and double buffs.

I can see why this hasn't been given the same publicity as on social media that other re went dramas have received.

Watchable but you won't miss anything if you don't.

The ABC Murders was much better.