An Acclaimed Will Poulter Miniseries Was Based On An Agatha Christie Novel

When you think of an Agatha Christie whodunnit, specific murder mysteries come to mind. Some stories begin as traditional cases but end with startling revelations, the kind that "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd" executes all too well. Then there are the thrilling, challenging titles, like Christie's "Murder on the Orient Express," which presents a huge cast of suspects harboring grudges within a kinetic setting. Sometimes, Christie challenges the brilliance of her own heroic figures, such as when detective Hercule Poirot races against time to catch a serial killer in "The ABC Murders." While every whodunnit has a distinct flavor, Christie's strengths as a writer lie in hiding the truth in plain sight and pulling off concluding twists with conviction. One of the more overlooked Christie murder mysteries embodying these strengths best is 1934's "Why Didn't They Ask Evans?," which keeps readers guessing up until the big reveal.

While playing golf with a friend in the seaside town of Marchbolt, Bobby Jones stumbles upon a dying man. Bobby's friend, Dr. Thomas, notes the man's fatal injuries and heads out to seek help. As Bobby remains with the man, he says "Why didn't they ask Evans?" and dies soon after. Help arrives a bit too late, and Bobby's only clues to solving this mysterious death are the man's cryptic final words and the picture of a woman in his coat pocket. "Why Didn't They Ask Evans?" only gets more twisty and intriguing after this point, where legitimate clues about the real killer are mixed in with equally plausible red herrings. Although this is a detective story without Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple, it is enjoyable enough on its own merits, as it encourages the reader to take on a more active role as a sleuth and compete with the amateur detective at its center.

As with many Christie novels that have been adapted for film and television, "Why Didn't They Ask Evans?" got the miniseries treatment in 2022. This particular adaptation — starring Will Poulter and Lucy Boynton — captures the pulpy, light-hearted tone of the source material quite well, presenting us with a fresh-faced detective duo worth rooting for. Let's dive into this beloved BritBox-produced Agatha Christie adaptation.

In "Why Didn't They Ask Evans?", Bobby (Poulter) immediately searches the dead body for clues, understandably distressed by the odd and sudden death in such a public setting. A rather friendly dude in the vicinity, Roger Bassington-ffrench (Daniel Ings), offers to wait with Bobby until the police arrive but is nowhere to be seen as soon as they do. As Bobby decides whether he wants to pursue this mystery further, he is followed by a man wearing a hat on several occasions, which prompts him to confide in his childhood friend Frankie (Boynton). With Frankie suspecting foul play, the two team up to get to the bottom of this mystery, but soon realize that some things are too dangerous and must be left alone.

Although the danger posed by the situation is serious, the tone of the series is never too bleak, at least not on the same level as the island murder mystery "And Then There Were None," which examines some of the worst impulses in humanity. Hugh Laurie (who wrote and directed this miniseries) focuses on aspects of the novel with the potential to translate well on the screen, such as tender interpersonal dynamics or overlooked opportunities to add more depth to a secondary character. Laurie also capitalizes on the idyllic setting, using it to establish mundanity and subvert expectations, which in turn makes the nature of the death especially jarring.

There's lots to love here, but the Poulter-Boynton chemistry is the show's beating heart. Although both amateur detectives are sharp and witty, they're obviously not on the same level as Poirot or Marple, and this conscious distancing works in favor of imbuing their presence with charm. The two navigate the turgid waters of a case that looks more convoluted than it actually is, as a lot of red herrings are thrown their way in the form of suspects with aligning motives. A lot of back and forth is meant to happen, as the intent is to keep us engaged with curveballs and suddenly reveal the obvious answer that has been in plain sight all along. This approach works, and even if you've got it all figured out, it is always a pleasure to watch your deductions get validated by the end.