The ABC Murders (TV series)

Lore & Background

The ABC Murders was produced as a three-part serial airing on consecutive nights from 26 December 2018 on BBC One. It was adapted by Sarah Phelps and directed by Alex Gabassi, with John Malkovich portraying the iconic detective Hercule Poirot. The cast also included Rupert Grint as Inspector Crome, Andrew Buchan as Franklin Clarke, and Shirley Henderson as Rose Marbury, among others. Filming took place in various locations across the historic county of Yorkshire, including Grosmont, Leeds, Pickering, Ripon, Saltaire, Skelton-on-Ure, and Wakefield. Newby Hall in North Yorkshire served as the mansion at Churston, and the De La Warr Pavilion at Bexhill-on-Sea in East Sussex was also featured.

Reader's Guide

The ABC Murders received mixed to positive reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, it earned a 70% approval rating based on 30 reviews, with the critical consensus noting that it 'liberally adapts the famed Agatha Christie mystery while retaining its thrilling spirit, thanks in part to the sly performance of John Malkovich.' On Metacritic, the series scored 58 out of 100, indicating mixed or average reviews. The Guardian awarded the first episode four stars, praising Malkovich's performance, and The Times also gave four stars, finding it enjoyable. Metro, reviewing the finale, praised Poirot's new backstory and called it 'mystery television at its finest.' The series was released on DVD through Universal Pictures UK on 11 March 2019.

Did You Know?

• The series was broadcast over three consecutive nights beginning on 26 December 2018 on BBC One.
• John Malkovich stars as Hercule Poirot, with Rupert Grint as Inspector Crome.

Creative Vision & Broadcast

The 2018 television serial The ABC Murders represents a loose reimagining of Agatha Christie's 1936 novel, brought to life through the adaptation work of Sarah Phelps and the direction of Alex Gabassi. Rather than a strict page-to-screen translation, the production took creative liberties while preserving the core mystery structure. The series was designed as a three-part event, airing on consecutive evenings beginning on 26 December 2018 on BBC One, giving it the feel of a holiday television spectacle. This scheduling choice positioned it as a special occasion viewing experience for British audiences. The format of three consecutive nights compressed the narrative into a tight, binge-able arc while maintaining the suspenseful pacing expected of a Christie adaptation. The decision to label it loosely based on the source material signals that the writers prioritized dramatic momentum and modern sensibility over faithful replication, a choice that would later become a point of discussion among both fans and critics.

Casting & Ensemble

The most talked-about element of the production was undoubtedly the casting of John Malkovich in the iconic role of Hercule Poirot, a decision that initially generated skepticism among long-time fans of the detective. Alongside Malkovich, the series assembled a formidable ensemble: Rupert Grint as Inspector Crome, Andrew Buchan as Franklin Clarke, Eamon Farren as Alexander Bonaparte Cust, Jack Farthing as Donald Fraser, Gregor Fisher as Dexter Dooley, Tara Fitzgerald as Lady Hermione Clarke, Henry Goodman as Sidney Prynne, Shirley Henderson as Rose Marbury, Bronwyn James as Megan Barnard, Freya Mavor as Thora Grey, Kevin McNally as Inspector Japp, and Michael Shaeffer as Sergeant Yelland. This blend of well-known character actors and rising talent created a layered supporting cast that gave each suspect and witness distinct personality. The pairing of Malkovich's theatrical intensity with Grint's recognizable presence as the bumbling inspector added a modern dynamic to the classic Poirot-and-detective relationship, while the supporting players ensured no single character felt like mere set dressing in the unfolding mystery.

Production & Filming Locations

The production team selected a diverse range of English locations to bring the story's settings to life, drawing heavily from the historic county of Yorkshire in northern England. Towns and villages including Grosmont, Leeds, Pickering, Ripon, Saltaire, Skelton-on-Ure, and Wakefield all served as on-screen backdrops, giving the series a distinctly northern English atmosphere. One of the most striking location choices was Newby Hall in North Yorkshire, which stood in for the grand mansion at Churston, providing an imposing architectural presence for key dramatic scenes. Beyond Yorkshire, the production also featured the De La Warr Pavilion at Bexhill-on-Sea in East Sussex, adding a contrasting coastal or southern English visual element to the predominantly northern palette. This geographic spread allowed the cinematography to shift between moody Yorkshire landscapes and more open, light-filled settings, enriching the visual texture of the three-episode serial. The commitment to real, historically rich locations rather than studio backlots lent the production an authenticity that complemented the period-adjacent tone of the adaptation.

Critical Reception & Afterlife

Upon release, the series received a mixed but largely positive critical response. Rotten Tomatoes recorded a 70 percent approval rating across 30 reviews, with the critical consensus highlighting that the adaptation retained the thrilling spirit of Christie's original while benefiting from Malkovich's sly performance and wizened panache in the Poirot role. Metacritic's weighted average of 58 out of 100, based on 10 critics, placed the series in the mixed or average category, suggesting that while the production had clear strengths, it did not universally convince. Individual publications were notably favorable: The Guardian awarded the first episode four stars with specific praise for Malkovich, The Times also gave four stars and called the series enjoyable, and Metro, reviewing the finale, lauded Poirot's new backstory and declared it mystery television at its finest. The series found a secondary life on home video when Universal Pictures UK released it on DVD on 11 March 2019, making the three-episode event accessible to international audiences and collectors who had missed the original December broadcast window.