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As one of the most prolific authors in history, crime writer Agatha Christie left behind a deep reservoir of material for book-to-screen adaptations before her death in 1976. While many of her tales have been adapted into film, several of her works have also made their way onto television screens, and those are what we’ll focus on today.
Whether you prefer the older, classic adaptations, or you’d rather spend a few days immersing yourself in modern spins of the late author’s works, there is something here for everyone. Here are five of the best TV shows based on Christie’s work that every fan should watch at least once.
Poirot
1989’s “Poirot,” starring David Suchet, has been widely lauded as the best Christie TV adaptation. It centers on her famous Hercule Poirot character, who appeared across several of her written works over the years. And while it isn’t the only adaptation to feature the Belgian detective, it’s the only one that
Running for 24 years, the sheer length of production time was one of the show’s biggest strengths, second only to the performance by Suchet, who portrayed Poirot for the entirety of the series’ run. His dedication to embodying the famous mustached detective is clear to anyone who’s watched a single episode, but it was unmistakable when he described his reaction to living without the character after the 2013 finale. “I miss him in my life because he was my life for 25 years and I’ve lost my best friend,” he told Radio Times Magazine in 2021. There’s a new Poirot TV series expected to release in 2027, a six-part drama from BritBox titled “Hercule” with Edward Bluemel playing Hercule Poirot.
The Agatha Christie Hour
Agatha Christie was a masterful novelist, but she also published many short stories. 1982’s “The Agatha Christie Hour” is a must-watch anthology for fans who might prefer Christie’s shorter works over her full-length novels. For example, the episode “The Case of the Discontented Soldier” is based on “Parker Pyne Investigates,” while “Jane in Search of a Job” is based on “The Golden Ball and Other Stories,” as is “The Manhood of Edward Robinson.”
“The Agatha Christie Hour” is perfect for fans who have an appreciation for a little romance in their fiction, or who just want to consume various flavors of Christie’s writing inside one project. There’s also a charming theatrical quality to many of the episodes, thanks to some of the interior sets. Although a DVD collection of “The Agatha Christie Hour” is available to purchasee
Agatha Christie’s Marple
Miss Marple, an elderly sleuth, is another character who showed up in several of Agatha Christie’s written works over the years, in addition to TV adaptations. One such appearance was in “Agatha Christie’s Marple,” which ran from 2004-2013 across 23 episodes. It a narrative choice that wasn’t always popular with fans — but the series still shines, thanks to its casting
Over the course of the project, two different actors took on Miss Marple, giving fans two slightly different interpretations of the beloved character. While Geraldine McEwan took on the role for the first few years, she left in 2008. “Of course, it is terribly disappointing to have to pass the baton on, but it has been a marvelous experience to inhabit this role for the last few years, and I am sure that my successor, whomever she may be, will thoroughly enjoy her time with the production team,” she said in a statement at the time (via The Guardian). That successor was Julia McKenzie, who finished out the series.
And Then There Were None
Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None” — which centers on a group of strangers on an island who get murdered one by one — has sold over 100 million copies, making it the bestselling crime novel of all time. The immense success and acclaim it brought Christie was well-earned, given the difficulty it took for her to execute it. “I had written this book because it was so difficult to do that the idea had fascinated me,” she said in a statement (via her website). “Ten people had to die without it becoming ridiculous or the murderer being obvious.”
It only makes sense to include one of its adaptations on this list. 2015’s “And Then There Were None” tells the famous tale across three episodes. BBC took the reins on this one, creating a miniseries that was well-received among both audiences and critics, especially for its canon-accurate dark tone.
Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials
2026’s “Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials” is one of the most recent Agatha Christie TV adaptations, but the story it tells is definitely not new. The three-episode limited series is based on Christie’s “The Seven Dials Mystery,” which follows a group of friends whose seemingly innocent prank on one of their own throws them into the middle of a murder mystery.
Mia McKenna-Bruce stars as Lady Eileen “Bundle” Brent, a woman who tasks herself with getting to the bottom of things. Meanwhile, Corey Mylchreest plays Gerry Wade: The unlucky man (and suitor of Eileen) who ends up murdered, thus kicking off the story. The Netflix series marks the first time that “The Seven Dials Mystery” has been adapted in more than 40 years (the first time was for a 1981 TV film). And while the older Christie TV adaptations have definitely earned their place on this list, “Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials” is glossy, entertaining, and sure to excite any lover of her mysteries.
