I was just about to make this thread, so happy to see someone else has taken the initiative. I was really enjoying our conversation on Part 1.
Anyway, I am moving steadily through the Poirot series still, and have recently finished off seasons 7, 8 and 9. Not too hard to do as the first two seasons only have two episodes each.
These two series come after a four year (I think) break, and you would think they would come back feeling refreshed, but actually, I found them to seem more like the series was running out of steam. I found every episode in this hard to watch in some way, which is really a shame because all four of them are from great novels, and I would argue at least three of them are classic novels. So what went wrong? Spoilers abound below.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd was always going to be tough to do, but they could've made a much better job of it - amp up the friendship between Poirot and Dr Shepherd, try and keep Caroline as a character much closer to the novel version (who was basically a precursor to Miss Marple) so we don't have that stupid denouement.
Lord Edgware Dies is actually really disappointing, because that is a fantastic novel that deserves a good adaptation (afterwards I watched the 1934 version available on YouTube, but didn't love that one either, it didn't seem to take the text very seriously). It's a big problem getting Fiona Allen to play Carlotta. I always thought Tracey Ullman would've been a good choice. The impersonations weren't very convincing at all, why Jane would be captivated by them I have no idea.
Season 8 was slightly better. I don't mind Evil Under the Sun so much (I know people don't like Patrick Redfern in this because they are comparing him to Nicholas Clay and his bulging arse in the movie, but I thought he was ok). Murder in Mesopotamia could've been better too. Why, oh why didn't they shoot the original "face at the window" scene to make it actually creepy like in the book. I had a hard time believing anyone would be scared by that (except for wondering who it was who was putting the mask there, I guess). I like it when Hastings is in these, but it totally sidelines the nurse, who is a great character in her own right.
A lot of the acting was just ok too, nothing special. Usually one or two standouts an episode and other than that, kind of a cast of nobodies. How they convinced people they should come back after these is interesting. None of them were terrible, but none of them were very enjoyable either. The one point of interest I noticed was how they were upping the gore a bit in these, which really felt at odds with the am dram feel of them.
Then I got into season 9. And wow, I REALLY enjoyed this season. The change in tone and the filming style was very welcome, and I rushed through these four episodes very pleasurably. I have said all I have to say on the other thread about Death on the Nile and how I think it suffers in some ways (like a feeling the cast are rushing their lines etc), but it's decent enough. The other three episodes were excellent though. I think Sad Cypress might be my favourite, but I love that story. I don't love The Hollow as a novel, but the adaptation was really great.
I know the newer series has its pitfalls too, and in fact this season may be the last strong one we have, but I am so glad to have moved into this later, darker tone now, which I wasn't expecting when I started.
