The Poirot series (both iterations) is formulaic. There's so little time left after setting up the phony culprit, that anything which suggests otherwise must be considered relevant and will always point to the real explanation. You usually aren't allowed to see some of the evidence that Poirot sees. He will hold off some knowledge until the end, then to solve it, the episodes require the piece of information to be disclosed at the precise moment the solution is proffered.
While you might guess generalities (more than one culprit, gender of culprit, means) you'll never guess the full solution because of this with-holding, which is unfair and makes for unengaged viewing. Once you notice this, you realize how unsatisfying further episodes will be, because there's no point in being an active viewer. The characters could skip the whole ruse of a plot, spend half an hour farting or making duck-calls, then cut to the solution, for all the middle portion matters. I guess you're supposed to sit there saying "That Poirot sure is smart..." at the end of each episode. Other episodes are utterly obvious (Egyptian Tomb, Hickory Dickory Dock).
I expect this is due to Christies disinterest in the art of writing. I read about 2/3rds of her works twenty years ago, until detecting that she really didn't care about writing at all. She just knew which side her bread was buttered on. The major titles all have smart solutions (Ten little ______, Oreient Express, Aykroyd) but the path there is always disinterested and artless.
The scripts here are likewise perfunctory. The roles simply a matter of going through the motions. The production design is nice, and you often get to see early modern homes, but it's just empty T.V. calories. Any "humor" is strangled out of the British obsession with food and foreigners. I don't understand why these inspire passion in viewers. I rent them as a package deal for a diversion while falling asleep.
While you might guess generalities (more than one culprit, gender of culprit, means) you'll never guess the full solution because of this with-holding, which is unfair and makes for unengaged viewing. Once you notice this, you realize how unsatisfying further episodes will be, because there's no point in being an active viewer. The characters could skip the whole ruse of a plot, spend half an hour farting or making duck-calls, then cut to the solution, for all the middle portion matters. I guess you're supposed to sit there saying "That Poirot sure is smart..." at the end of each episode. Other episodes are utterly obvious (Egyptian Tomb, Hickory Dickory Dock).
I expect this is due to Christies disinterest in the art of writing. I read about 2/3rds of her works twenty years ago, until detecting that she really didn't care about writing at all. She just knew which side her bread was buttered on. The major titles all have smart solutions (Ten little ______, Oreient Express, Aykroyd) but the path there is always disinterested and artless.
The scripts here are likewise perfunctory. The roles simply a matter of going through the motions. The production design is nice, and you often get to see early modern homes, but it's just empty T.V. calories. Any "humor" is strangled out of the British obsession with food and foreigners. I don't understand why these inspire passion in viewers. I rent them as a package deal for a diversion while falling asleep.