Would you help solve the murder of a woman you hardly know? Maybe that’s a stretch in reality, butfor anAgatha Christiecharacter, it’s a moral prerogative. That’s the case behind BritBox’s newest take on one of the Queen of Crime’s mysteries, aptly titledAgatha Christie’s Murder Is Easy. Luke Fitzwilliam (David Jonsson), a young Nigerian attache traveling to a new job post, finds himself embroiled in a series of small-town mysteries after meeting an elderly woman (Penelope Wilton) who is herself murdered shortly after they meet. When Fitzwilliam discovers that all the suspicious deaths have a certain connection to them, he’s drawn into village politics before he can help himself, possibly putting himself and others in harm’s way as he does.
The new “series” is really more of a TV moviewith two hours of amateur investigating split in half, à laTobe Hooper’s take onSalem’s Lot. It proves to be an odd decision at times, especially considering that the moment where the episodes are split feels like an anti-climax. The 1939 novel has been adapted for the screen twice before — once as a film and once as an episode ofAgatha Christie’s Marple— and so perhaps that explains the choice to format this version as a two-parter, butcertain elements don’t play as well in the limited time the “series” has to prove itself.
‘Agatha Christie’s Murder Is Easy’ Makes Some Changes to the Source Material
Murder Is Easy’s biggest issue arises primarily with the new angle of Fitzwilliam’s race introduced into the show. The character is turned from a white former police officer stationed in India to a young Black man traveling to work in Whitehall, and the series’ pace and handling of its own mystery are adapted to reflect the change — assumingly, to make Fitzwilliam and the adaptation at large stand out from the recent flood of Agatha Christie stories on film and TV. (Some of which have come from BritBox’s own shores!) However, with only two hours to tell its story, rather than a full series,the choice to alter the protagonist ofMurder Is Easyis trivial, with too little time dedicated to why Fitzwilliam’s heritage connects as deeply as it does with the murders in Wychwood. There are too many wheels turning at once, as one of Christie’s trademark ensemble mysteries, and the choice, along with a handful of others, feels unfinished when the series comes to a neat conclusion. There’s not enough time to explore the village of Wychwood and the people in it, particularly how they come to feel about Fitzwilliam popping into their precious space.
That’s not to say that Jonsson’s performance suffers for it — he’s brilliant in spite of the heavy-handed exposition, withthe right blend of charming and sharp that makes for a perfect amateur detective.The actor is precisely the right choice to lead a story like this, particularly with its romantic undertones, something he more than proved he could handle in last year’s phenomenal rom-comRye Lane. Fitzwilliam has the kind of attitude that makes you want to follow him everywhere, even though he isn’t a genius detective like Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot. The change in protagonist is welcome — since one can only handle Poirot knowing absolutely everything so many times — and Jonsson makes a strong case for his place as a leading man.
‘Murder Is Easy’ Has the Perfect Cast of British Icons
In fact,the entire cast makes up for where one of Christie’s drier and less interesting stories begins to falter. The series is stuffed to the gills with English character actors, each bringing the kind of unique flavor and quirkiness that makes Christie’s mysteries so popular. It’s difficult to pick a favorite, thoughTom Rileydelivers the most comedic of the lot as a war-profiteering lord who clearly has no understanding of consequences, even though he grew up in less-than-ideal circumstances.Mark Bonnaralso makes a brief but impactful performance as an incensed reverend (accompanied by his doting wife, played by the always wonderfulNimra Bucha), andDouglas Henshallis endearingly gruff as Major Horton, one of the few people who puts his trust into Fitzwilliam from the start. The only exception isMorfydd Clark, who feels largely like a non-entity as Bridget Conway, an observant townswoman turned boring waif by theRings of Poweractress’s wispy manner.
The standout, though, isMathew Baynton, playing surprisingly against type as an unsettling local physician with a penchant for eugenics. It’s a bit of a jumpscare for someone who grew up withHorrible HistoriesandGhosts, but he seems to know exactly what works for him, channeling the best parts of other, more familiar characters into his recent work. Dr. Thomas has all of Thomas Thorne’s neuroticism and cavalier attitude (same as his take on Fickelgruber inWonka), but the extra layers do just enough to prove he can handle the heavier stuff too, creeping under your skin with his suggestions that there are right and wrong kinds of people.
‘Murder Is Easy’ Doesn’t Offer Much Beyond Your Standard Mystery
It’s rare to see so many deaths in a Christie story, and it seems a shame that those who give the best performances always seem to end up on the autopsy table. Without the landmark performances (not including Jonsson, who delivers a solid, memorable character all the way through), parts of the story do tend to drag, especially considering this is one of Christie’s less fantastical tales.It’s fairlystandard BritBox fare,perfect for a grandmother who needs yet another murder mystery to watch, but it’s not doing anything particularly fascinating with the genre. Without the strong cast, it’s a somewhat tired, by-the-books story with none of the panache that makes the icons of Christie’s works so memorable.
That seems to be a common thread with BritBox originals — there were largely the same issues withStonehouse, though that series had a bit more time to shake things out, something thatMurder Is Easyprobably could’ve used.The streamer knows their audience and doesn’t feel the need to push beyond what works for them. I can admire that — if only because it helps me weed out what procedurals I shouldactuallybe spending my time on.Murder Is Easydoesn’t do anything to stand out from the pack, but it doesn’t puff itself up as more than it is: a simple, easy mystery, letting Christie tie up her story in a neat bow as she has so many hundreds of times before.
Agatha Christie’s Murder Is Easy
Agatha Christie’s Murder Is Easy has a perfect cast, but the story remains rather standard fare when it comes to mysteries.
Follows Luke Fitzwilliam, as he finds himself on the trail of a serial killer after meeting Miss Pinkerton on a train to London. Now Fitzwilliam has to find the killer before any more blood will be shed.
