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Summary
The bestepisodes ofAgatha Christie ’s Poirotshow why the Belgian investigator is up there with Sherlock Holmes on the tilt of the most famous fabricated sleuth ever portray on screen . Born from the mind of Agatha Christie , the well - selling fiction author of all time , Hercule Poirot has been read on the with child and minuscule screen for decades . From 1989 to 2013,Agatha Christie ’s Poirotentertained devotee of the cunning detective with one of the most riveting versions of the character to particular date . Though the series ended in 2013 , it ’s still considered the definitive adaptation — and the bestPoirotepisodes shew why .
The titular detective inAgatha Christie ’s Poirotis played by David Suchet , whose performance is often regarded as the dependable reading of Poirot ever bring to the screen . The British actor took on the role in the showAgatha Christie ’s Poirot , playing it for a aggregate of 24 year over the course of 13 serial and 70 episodes — and the number of fascinating charactersand talentedPoirotguest starsis just as enceinte . While every episode was memorable and respect the source fabric , the bestPoirotepisodes stand out as prime object lesson of why the determinate version of Poirot stay on on sieve for almost a decade and a one-half .
With Agatha Christie ’s Poirot in 50 stories or more , it ’s not surprising that there have been numerous adaptations . But which portrayal is the well ?
20The Cornish Mystery
Season 2, Episode 4
This is the installment in whichPoirotreally perfects its formula for the series . While the series is n’t as formulaic as a crime procedural , there are certain hallmark of the show , like beautiful scenery , broad travel , and twists that the audience does n’t see coming . All of that is here asPoirot travels to help a charwoman who believe her husband is planning on killing her . Poirot , however , arrives just minute after her death , and is dictated to solve the mystery behind it .
“ The Cornish Mystery ” is n’t one of the episodes that often gets remark in the top Poirot stories . That ’s more because it ’s not based on one of Agatha Christie ’s most notable novels likeThe ABC MurdersorMurder on the Orient Express . Instead , it ’s based on the light taradiddle of the same name , and the installment is the sodding rainy - day closed book as the atmosphere of the episode evokes the desire to curl up while the rainwater hits the windowpanes alfresco .
19Death In The Clouds
Season 4, Episode 2
Only the first few seasons ofPoirotfeature traditional time of day - long episodes of TV.By time of year 4 of the series , the episodes were more like movies , with most of them being at least 90 minutes long . That allowed for more point in the stories and for the closed book to take its time run . That ’s part of what makes some of the later episodes so great , because there ’s more of a chance for them to be faithful to the stuff they ’re base on .
In this special installment , Poirot is on a plane from Paris to London when it ’s found that a charwoman on board has been murdered . The culprit ? ostensibly Poirot as the weapon is found under his behind . Poirot , of course , rig out to sack up his name and see the murder dupe is a “ money lender ” and blackmailer who has a circumstances of opposition . What come out to be a straightforward murder mystery pulls the carpeting out from under the watcher at the last minute .
18Sad Cypress
Season 9, Episode 2
Of the bestPoirotepisodes , this one might be the most predictable for whodunit fan . That ’s okay though because the best facial expression of the episode is n’t the mystery itself , but the one - off characters . This episode features a minor main cast than usual , allowing for everyone call for in the mystery ( and the love life Triangulum ) to be amply flesh out . The sequence plays out more like a character study than most instalment ofPoirot .
It follows the detective as he races against the clock to raise that a womanhood who has already been sentenced for murdering someone did n’t do it . The adaptation is a loss from the novel , which in reality takes space for the most part during the woman ’s trial instead of after it has already taken place . That change work though sincePoirotis in spades not a courtroom play .
17The Big Four
Season 13, Episode 2
This episode takes property in the final season ofPoirot , and one of the reasons it ’s so darling is because it reunify Poirot with his three retentive - full term allies from to begin with in the show . Captain Hastings , Inspector Japp , and Miss Lemon all return to the show to help him work this last case . It ’s the last time all four of them are together .
It ’s also a doozy of a case for the four of them . A series of murders are linked to a secret guild that wants to unleash another world state of war . The group has to unravel the mysteries associated with them .
Now , forPoirotpurists , the sequence is adapted drastically differently from the novel that revolutionize it . That ’s largely because the novel is made up of firearm that were in the first place 12 shortsighted stories , making for more confused storytelling than Christie usually has . The episode streamlines those tale while still crafting a compelling last drive for Poirot and his friends .
16Wasps’ Nest
Season 3, Episode 5
" WASP ’ Nest " adapts one of Agatha Christie ’s short stories that does n’t often get a sight of tending . The original level is a comparatively bare narrative , with Poirot recalling his desire to prevent a murder from pass . He tells the fib beginning at the end , which the episode does n’t do . Instead , it takes the whodunit headspring - on and in episode , which is a much easier way to conform the history . Several decisions are made that make the episode one of the honest - if least faithful - adaptations of the series .
In fact , the installment does a phenomenal job at fleshing out the main three characters of the original scant account and in integrating Miss Lemon , Inspector Japp , and Captain Hastings into the events of the fib . None of them are in the original tale .
Poirot die hard into an quondam supporter who is fresh engaged . Poirot is convinced that he is just in meter to keep a murder . That cryptic clue is repeated throughout the instalment until just whose execution he is keep is revealed near the very end . It ’s a swell wrench in Christie ’s stories , one that the audience might not see fall even if they are familiar with her oeuvre .
15Elephants Can Remember
Season 13, Episode 1
One of the most beloved recurring characters was Zoë Wanamaker ’s Ariadne Oliver , the witty and messy writer who mirror Agatha Christie herself to a sure degree . She even appeared in one of the expectant - screen Poirot movies with Tina Fey playing Ariadne intheA Haunting in Venicecast . In one of the bestPoirotepisodes , Ariadne read on her own grammatical case with the assistance of Poirot .
In the lag , Poirot is also busy with his own case involving a murder at a psychiatrical facility . When it becomes remove the two cases are connect , Poirot must stop over yet another killing and explain how two suspicious cases , that take plaza tenner apart , could have anything to do with each other . The duds that tie together do so in a fascinating style , giving both Oliver and Poirot great moment in the case .
14The Labours of Hercules
Season 13, Episode 4
Poirotseason 13 ’s " The Labours of Hercules"is adapted from a compilation of a serial of unforesightful stories published by Agatha Christie . Despite this being one of the bestPoirotepisodes , the plot is somewhat muddied by how much the episode tries to pack in . However , where this at clock time get the episode to struggle , it was also ultimately why it was among the most memorable .
It is an episode that take place in a hotel in the Swiss Alps where Poirot finds himself surrounded by a series of inscrutable crimes that do not seem to add up , at least not at first .
It is an sequence that takes place in a hotel in the Swiss Alps where Poirot finds himself fence in by a serial publication of secret crimes that do not seem to add up up , at least not at first . As events weave together , audiences start out to learn alongside the investigator , furthering their appreciation for him and investment in the show . It also makes for a sweeping location for the instalment to be specify .
13Dumb Witness
Season 6, Episode 4
In thefinal episode of Series 6 , Poirot receives a missive from a woman who thinks she is in peril of being murdered . Believing it is a matter of her will , Poirot attempts to convince her to alter it , only to discover that she has died mysteriously . Poirot investigates her demise , distrust cheating play . While the episode stands out among the dozens in the show overall , its pacing prevents it from ranking higher among the bestPoirotepisodes .
" Dumb Witness " is a meet conclusion to the sixth series , include a fascinating mystery with several hoi polloi who have motives . It features many of the more common aspects of a Poirot whodunit , but that does not make it any less exciting . This 1996 episode can still fascinate viewers 25 years later , and it remainsa schoolbook deterrent example of why the staple and tropes ofAgatha Christie ’s Poirotare partially why it ’s so beloved .
12The Chocolate Box
Season 5, Episode 6
By the time audiences satisfy Poirot in Christie ’s books and the show , he is a Belgian refugee in England who had a prolific calling as a member of the police force in his home land and reached global renown due to his telling abilities . It is alsoan episode that reveals certain facial expression of Poirot ’s pastthat glint an interesting spark on him as a character reference , including a woman who loved him .
" The Chocolate Box"is a welcome alteration as it walks audience through one of Poirot ’s cases when he was still work for the Belgian police .
" The Chocolate Box"is a welcome modification as it walks audiences through one of Poirot ’s cases when he was still wreak for the Belgian police force . It is a pillowcase that almost jumble Poirot himself , and it offers fans more sixth sense into the character ’s past tense and how he come to be the famed number he is today . Poirot is such a absorbing character , any installment that delves deeper into his personality is worthwhile .
11Dead Man’s Folly
Season 13, Episode 3
In “ Dead Man ’s Folly , " Hercule Poirot is asked to attend a fête by his friend Ariadne Oliver , who has been asked to organize a fake slaying hunt for the festivities and feel on edge about the citizenry in attending . It all seems to be a game until the bogus dupe actually gets remove . Other hoi polloi disappear and die as well , produce a terrifying atmosphere among the festivities that were initially presented to be lighthearted .
The episode feel like a change of pace for the series as it does n’t take the detailed art deco esthetic that was praised in earlier seasons . However , this collocation makes the installment all the more interesting , and it include Zoë Wanamaker as Ariadne Oliver , who has appeared in several other sequence and is a welcome addition . Though one of the last episode of the show,“Dead Man ’s foolery " demonstrates that the syllabus did not slacken down and have some fascinating storylines .
Kenneth Branagh has address three Hercule Poirot film so far & they ’re each distinct . But one is better than the repose , so we rank the three films .
