Poirot "Third Girl" #11.3 (2008) (TV)

"Let the game be played out.", 5 April 2017

In Third Girl, Poirot is visited by a young woman, Norma Restarick, and is told that she may have committed murder. She simply says to Poirot, "Save me". Poirot, with the assistance of Ariadne Oliver, begins investigating and quickly determines that, despite her repeated claims, Norma did not commit murder. Instead, he discovers a girl from a broken home, a mother who committed suicide, a father who has just recently returned, a questionable boyfriend, and a rather large inheritance.

It's not often I will say this, but this version of Third Girl is actually better than Agatha Christie's original work. Granted, I don't remember every little detail, but I do remember not caring for the book very much. I didn't care for the modern setting and the story wasn't all that compelling or memorable. Screenwriter Peter Flannery has actually improved on Christie's work. Unthinkable! His plot is more in line with Christie's other work than the original. All of the character relationships, red herrings, and family drama I so love about Christie are here. The final denouement is more than satisfying. Poirot ties everything together and only uses one (maybe two) vital piece of information that was not available to the viewer. Third Girl is also more violent than a lot of the other episodes. I've often commented that watching Agatha Christie is like watching a toned down Italian Giallo. There's more blood here than usual. Another plus for Third Girl (and I can't believe I'm saying this) is Zoe Wanamaker as Mrs Oliver. This is the best I've seen of her so far. Instead of being annoying as she so often is, here she's entertaining and contributes in a useful way to the plot. Watching her tail the "Peacock" was a highlight.

The thing that keeps me from rating Third Girl higher is the acting. These Poirot episodes usually feature first rate performances, but not here. Jemina Roper who played Norma is especially poor. I didn't care for her performance at all. I don't know if it was here or the direction she was given, but her performance was lacking. Important supporting cast members Tom Mison, James Wilby, and Matilda Sturridge (despite being devastatingly beautiful) are not as strong as they needed to be.

7/10