Chapter 15: Christie with a Twist

Abstract

Perhaps no production is more difficult to discuss in this book than Agatha Christie: Marple, for which 23 television films were shown on ITV between 2004 and 2013. A lively and bold reworking of Christie’s novels, the series has also been widely derided—even reviled—by long-term fans of her work. And yet it was a popular success for much of its run, and even achieved a degree of critical acclaim early in proceedings, despite the widespread changes from the original mysteries. Whatever the feelings of many fans regarding the series, there is no doubting the fact that Agatha Christie Ltd achieved its stated aim to introduce the author’s mysteries to new audiences. This chapter looks at this series alongside a handful of standalone adaptations from the early twenty-first century.