Goodbye and Curtain: Agatha Christie's Poirot

I've been hooked on Agatha Christie and Poirot ever since I saw a TV dramatisation for the first time when I nine years old. There seemed to be a never ending cascade of them ever since. Christie wrote 39 Hercule Poirot novels and I'm ashamed to say I haven't read most of them, but every time different channels aired new adaptations I was eager to see them. There is an odd closure then, when such a prolific writer seems to have no more to say. There are no more books to dramatise. The series is finished. Poirot, like Miss Marple and all other good classic fictional characters, belongs in its own timeless milieu.

So with that David Suchet said goodbye to the character role that had been his for over twenty years. On Wednesday 13th November 2013 the last David Suchet Poirot episode was shown, Curtain. Having read the book I was disappointed. I have never liked the 2 hour ITV dramatisations. They feel too long and drawn out. With a characteristic star cast, Hugh Fraser as Captain Hastings, Alice Orr-Ewing as Judith Hastings and Philip Glenister as Sir William Boyd Carrington, the show revealed the age of its long-standing cast. 

There is none of the closely-knitted plots of many of the Miss Marple adaptations and the ending is lacking. There is barely any heed given to the brewing second World War or Hasting's daughter's association with the Nazi party. But maybe it is an integral part of something that has given so much to the cult of Christie that it will ultimately leave you wanting more. It's goodbye and curtains to Poirot.

Carpe Diem xx

Watch Wednesday: The Escape Artist review

Tuesday 12th November saw the culmination of the BBC1 drama that was The Escape Artist. Starring David Tennant and other stars such as Sophie Okonedo, this three-parter far exceeded my expectations. The plot predominantly centres around the legal case of Will Burton (David Tennant) against Liam Foyle (handsome English-gentleman-type Toby Kebbell), whom he believes murdered his wife after he failed to defend him in court. The mix of subtle shots, arty photography and drama woven into three one-hour slots culminates in a series of quality not seen for a while, far outreaching the likes of some two-hour ITV dramas.

Carpe Diem xx

Watch Wednesday: The Great British Bake Off review

During the weeks that I've uploaded either a TV or film review on my blog every Wednesday I don't think I've ever mentioned my love of the Bake Off. If you like in the UK or England then you've probably heard of it, and you may even like it, but chances are you might not have heard of this recent British classic if you don't. As a foodie and evening telly junkie I've been hooked. But what's the recipe to this 4-series programme's success? Start with a goodie/baddie base of celebrity bakers Paul Hollywood (Mr Arctic Fox Eyes) and Mary Berry (Queen of Cakes). Then add in thirteen ('a baker's dozen') nervous amateur bakers who spread their love of cake around the country. Next mix in a show stopper, signature bake and technical challenge every week. Finish with comedy double act Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc to chivvy on the contestants. Finally, you have a British cookery competition classic, with a bit of good old fashioned history chucked in for luck. Watch it; you'll love it!

The Great British Bake Off is aired on BBC2 Tuesday's, 8pm

Carpe Diem xx

Watch Wednesday: Una Stubbs Who Do You Think You Are review

This kick-off to the tenth series of what is becoming a British institution proves that one of the most important elements of the show is personality. The charming, sweet character that comes across whenever actress Una Stubbs is on screen, sporting a black beret, makes the episode, but it is her family's story that's at the heart of it. As is often the case in Who Do You Think You Are, and in family history in general, you don't have to look far to unearth a hidden past. 

Una knew little of her family and learns more about her grandparents, specifically her grandmother who grew up in poverty in York and followed Una's career without her knowing, and her great-grandfather Ebenezer Howard, founder of the idealistic Welwyn Garden City. A great start to the series and a sign of good things to come, although I'm sure fellow enthusiasts will agree that  the programmes only touches on some of the more interesting stories.

Who Do You Think You Are, Wednesday 24th July 2013, 9pm BBC1 is available on BBC iPlayer

Carpe Diem xx

Watch Wednesday: Kumbh Mela: The Greatest Show on Earth Review

Broadcast last night on BBC2, this documentary follows six Hindu pilgrims as they prepare to and travel to Allahabad in India to be part of the Kumbh Mela festival, which centres on purification rituals in the Ganges river itself. The festival happens every 12 years and is special because it happens at a place where two sacred rivers are thought to meet. The Kumbh Mela claims to be the largest gathering of humans ever. The documentary is a fascinating way of dealing with the the culmination of one of the world's largest and oldest religions, its philosophies, beliefs and traditions. A beautiful way of learning about a festival and a religion possibly distanced from many Western viewers. The characters are lively and the photography engaging.

My final thought was that there should be more religious documentaries on TV. Maybe documentaries are a way to bring intercultural and interreligious dialogue to the forefront of political debate?

Kumbh Mela: The Greatest Show on Earth, BBC2, 9pm, Tuesday 30th July 2013 is available on iPlayer until Tuesday 6th August 2013

Carpe Diem xx

Watch Wednesday: Secrets from the Workhouse review

Secrets from the Workhouse (ITV, Tuesdays 9pm) bares resemblance to other credit crunch social history series, specifically Long Lost Family (ITV, Mondays 9pm). Starring Brian Cox, Fern Britton, Kiera Chaplin, and Barbara Taylor Bradford, and charting their emotional journeys as they discover personal connections to the hardship of the workhouse, the programme is frequently two-dimensional. Decidedly lacking in depth, integrity and the content of its ten-series BBC counterpart Who Do You Think You Are, I was disappointed throughout. Stripped of the historian within me, maybe I would have enjoyed the emotional rollercoaster, 'tug-at-the-heartstrings' intention. Just maybe.

Carpe Diem xx