And Then There Were None (TV series)
A 2015 BBC adaptation of Agatha Christie's novel.
In late August 1939, eight strangers arrive on a fictional, isolated island off the Devon coast, each lured by a different excuse from a mysterious "Mr and Mrs Owen." No hosts greet them at the house; instead, the newly hired caretakers, Thomas and Ethel Rogers, welcome them. During dinner, the guests notice a centerpiece of ten stylized Art Deco soldier figurines. After the meal, a gramophone recording plays, and an anonymous voice accuses everyone present of murder. Soon after, one guest dies from poisoning, and more deaths follow. Each killing matches a line from a rhyme displayed in the bedrooms, and with each death, a figurine is removed.
This three-part mystery thriller aired on BBC One from 26 to 28 December 2015. Sarah Phelps adapted the script, Craig Viveiros directed, and the production marked the 125th anniversary of Agatha Christie’s birth, commissioned by Ben Stephenson and Charlotte Moore. Mammoth Screen produced it with Agatha Christie Productions. Phelps told the BBC she was struck by the novel’s stark brutality, noting that unlike Christie’s Marple or Poirot stories, no one arrives to solve the mystery or rescue the characters.
The ensemble cast includes Douglas Booth, Charles Dance, Maeve Dermody, Burn Gorman, Anna Maxwell Martin, Sam Neill, Miranda Richardson, Toby Stephens, Noah Taylor, and Aidan Turner. Dermody was cast just two days before the script read-through while in Myanmar; she flew to the UK, worked with a dialect coach, and read the novel during her first two weeks of filming.
Filming began in July 2015. Cornwall provided many harbour and beach scenes, including Holywell Bay, Kynance Cove, and Mullion Cove. Harefield House in Hillingdon, outside London, stood in for the island mansion, decorated by production designer Sophie Beccher in the style of 1930s designers Syrie Maugham and Elsie de Wolfe. Below-stairs and kitchen scenes were shot at Wrotham Park in Hertfordshire, and railway scenes on the South Devon Railway between Totnes and Buckfastleigh.
The series debuted to over 6 million viewers, becoming the second most watched programme on Boxing Day. Each of the next two episodes drew over 5 million viewers. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds an 86% approval rating from 13 reviews, with an average score of 7.5/10. The critics’ consensus calls it “Dark yet dashingly executed...
- First broadcast
- 26–28 December 2015
- Network
- BBC One
- Number of episodes
- 3
- Adapted by
- Sarah Phelps
- Directed by
- Craig Viveiros
- Based on
- Agatha Christie's 1939 novel And Then There Were None
- Production company
- Mammoth Screen in partnership with Agatha Christie Productions
Lore & Background
The series was commissioned by Ben Stephenson and Charlotte Moore for the BBC to mark the 125th anniversary of Agatha Christie's birth. Writer Sarah Phelps noted that she was shocked by the starkness and brutality of the novel, contrasting it with Christie's Marple and Poirot stories where someone unravels the mystery, stating that in this book no one comes to save or rescue. Filming began in July 2015, with Cornwall used for harbour and beach scenes, Harefield House in Hillingdon serving as the island mansion, and railway scenes filmed at the South Devon Railway.
Reader's Guide
And Then There Were None received critical acclaim and was a ratings success for the BBC. The first episode debuted to 6 million viewers and became the second most watched programme on Boxing Day; subsequent episodes each netted over 5 million viewers. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds an 86% approval rating based on 13 reviews, with the critics' consensus calling it 'Dark yet dashingly executed' and 'a brazenly misanthropic look at human nature.' The adaptation was praised for highlighting the darkness of Christie's novel, which previous adaptations had not attempted. It was the first in a series of Christie adaptations scripted by Sarah Phelps for the BBC, followed by The Witness for the Prosecution (2016), Ordeal by Innocence (2018), The ABC Murders (2018), and The Pale Horse (2020).
Did You Know?
- Maeve Dermody was cast two days before the script read-through and was in Myanmar at the time.
- The table centrepiece in the series comprises ten stylised Art Deco figurines representing ten soldiers.
- Harefield House in Hillingdon, outside London, served as the location for the island mansion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is And Then There Were None (2015 TV series)?
It is a three-part BBC One mini-series that adapts Agatha Christie's 1939 murder mystery novel for the screen. Set in late August 1939, it follows eight unconnected strangers who are lured to a remote island off Devon and then killed off one by one in a manner that mirrors the lines of a children's rhyme.
Who wrote the television adaptation of And Then There Were None (2015)?
Sarah Phelps penned the screenplay, reimagining Christie's original plot for a modern audience while keeping the core structure of the story intact. Craig Viveiros directed the three episodes.
How many episodes is And Then There Were None (2015) and when did it air?
The series consists of three episodes that were first broadcast on BBC One between 26 and 28 December 2015. It was produced as a standalone event rather than a recurring programme.
How does the story of And Then There Were None (2015) end?
Justice Wargrave confesses that he devised the entire scheme, having lured the guests and carried out the killings to exact his own brand of vigilante justice. He then shoots himself, leaving all ten figures on the island dead and no surviving witness to the events.
What role do the Rogers play in And Then There Were None (2015)?
Thomas and Ethel Rogers are the newly hired caretakers who greet the eight guests at the island house in place of the expected 'Mr and Mrs Owen.' Their presence is part of Wargrave's elaborate setup, and they too are ultimately killed as the body count reaches the full ten.
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