"Is this gratitude, Hastings? Is it for this that Hercule Poirot exerts his talents on behalf of the world?", 9 August 2015
Harrington Pace is a wealthy, nasty piece of work. He holds his money over the heads of employees, friends, and family. So when he's found murdered in his study, it's almost surprising that an unknown bearded man is sought for questioning and not one of the members of Pace's household with a motive. Can Poirot find this mysterious man? It will be difficult as Poirot is horribly sick and bedridden.
I'm not sure that The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge is just my favorite of the 50 minute episodes I've seen, but it might be my favorite of the entire series. Let me get this out of the way upfront - it's not perfect. I found the solution to the mystery right out of the gate. But I've watched so many of these episodes lately that I think I'm beginning to think like Poirot and Agatha Christie. I know what to look for. Regardless, this is a GREAT episode.
Start with the location shots. Have there been any better? The snow covered fields, complete with hunting blinds, are gorgeous. The cinematography is stunning. I normally don't mention music, but here it's perfect with a haunting quality to it. Period details are, as usual, spot on. Acting is, as usual, terrific. Suchet, Fraser, and Jackson are as good as ever. A couple of supporting players stood out to me - Bernard Horsfall is marvelous as the nasty Harrington Pace and Diana Kent is mesmerizing as Zoe Havering. The direction of Renny Rye is also very good. The episode moves with a nice pace. Even though I knew where the story was headed, there are some excellent touches along the way - the buried bike, the missing housekeeper, the train schedules, the bearded stranger. It's a lot of fun. Finally, set decoration, lighting, costumes, and probably the catering are first rate. If you haven't gotten it yet, I love this episode. A 9/10 from me.
BIG SPOILERS - How many of Agatha Christie's stories rely on someone playing two different characters? I think this is the second episode in a row and the fourth in the first three seasons with this plot twist. I just think it's odd. Also, I'm glad that IMDb didn't list both character names for one actor. That really gives the mystery away. END BIG SPOILERS
I'm not sure that The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge is just my favorite of the 50 minute episodes I've seen, but it might be my favorite of the entire series. Let me get this out of the way upfront - it's not perfect. I found the solution to the mystery right out of the gate. But I've watched so many of these episodes lately that I think I'm beginning to think like Poirot and Agatha Christie. I know what to look for. Regardless, this is a GREAT episode.
Start with the location shots. Have there been any better? The snow covered fields, complete with hunting blinds, are gorgeous. The cinematography is stunning. I normally don't mention music, but here it's perfect with a haunting quality to it. Period details are, as usual, spot on. Acting is, as usual, terrific. Suchet, Fraser, and Jackson are as good as ever. A couple of supporting players stood out to me - Bernard Horsfall is marvelous as the nasty Harrington Pace and Diana Kent is mesmerizing as Zoe Havering. The direction of Renny Rye is also very good. The episode moves with a nice pace. Even though I knew where the story was headed, there are some excellent touches along the way - the buried bike, the missing housekeeper, the train schedules, the bearded stranger. It's a lot of fun. Finally, set decoration, lighting, costumes, and probably the catering are first rate. If you haven't gotten it yet, I love this episode. A 9/10 from me.
BIG SPOILERS - How many of Agatha Christie's stories rely on someone playing two different characters? I think this is the second episode in a row and the fourth in the first three seasons with this plot twist. I just think it's odd. Also, I'm glad that IMDb didn't list both character names for one actor. That really gives the mystery away. END BIG SPOILERS
9/10
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