From the outset you knew this wasn't going to be an ordinary fare served from the BBC as they like to excel in their own way when they redo these dramas and also change them significantly from the books. As they did with And Then There Were None and Witness for the Prosecution - in some ways - ( the stage production of which is currently at County Hall is exceptional!) This one began in screaming fashion with the maid/cook/housekeeper, Kirsten (Morven Christie) finding the DB of Mrs Rachel Argyle (Anna Chancellor) and events take a turn from there. As her adopted son, Jack (Anthony Boyle) the outspoken 'do as I please' son, is suspected of her murder, professing and protesting his innocence to his father, Mr Leo Argyle (Bill Nighy). The damning evidence being his fingerprints on the murder weapon, the decanter. Of course back then there were massive miscarriages of justice and very little forensics involved. Thus he was sent to his death, or would have been if he hadn't been involved in a prison fight. The implication being that when Dr Arthur Calgary (Luke Treadaway) showed up to clear Jack's name he was still meant to be alive. Of course things wouldn't be that easy or else this wouldn't have been a drama.
Resorting to flashback to paint the picture of how the entire family were not just misfits and easily falling into the category of suspects, including prodigal son, Michael (Christian Cooke) [hot off the heels from his stint in Knives in Hens on stage. Looking so completely different here than he did on stage!] who has fought in Korea and returned home for the funeral for Jack. Everyone wearing veils, jokingly I said they should have given him one too. ha.
Then there's the mysterious Kirsten who sneaks around hiding in the bunker and Hester (Ella Purnell) with the blood on her night gown. The intended new Mrs Argyle, Gwenda (Alice Eve) who is preparing for her wedding to Argyle when Arthur turns up, claiming he was in the Arctic and is shocked to find Jack isn't alive but nonetheless wants to instrumentally and guiltily clear his name, stating he picked Jack up on the night of the murder and dropped him off at 9pm.
Seems she wasn't that good a mother considering she wasn't the one who bought them up as seen from Part 2. Thus Kirsten had plenty to lose and lots to gain when she died. Also showing some resentment towards her. Then there's Mary (Eleanor Tomlinson) and her wheelchair bound husband, Phillip (Matthew Goode) who does seem a bit of a cad and the only one how couldn't have done it and thus he had to be taken care of in Part 2, where more skeletons from their sordid closets are revealed. Such as Michael and Tina (Crystal Clarke) being in the woods and confronting their mother. Seems it takes two to tango! All of them at loggerheads. With Michael warning off Arthur and then taking him to the train in Part 2 to leave here. But Arthur changes his mind and comes back.
Part 2 also showing what Jack was really like and free with the women and one reason why the inspector didn't like him and would've framed him for his mother's murder, friend of the family or no friend. Especially as Jack was getting it on with his wife. As he comes to run down Arthur after he calls the police. Argyle showing his fatherly qualities towards Arthur when he wants to leave. That was another big clue as to the real killer's identity.
Don't recall Richard Armitage being this way when he starred in the ITV production of Ordeal By Innocence with Miss Marple in the proceedings and Jane Seymour as the lamentable Mrs Argyle. In that the nanny did the dirty deed and also offed the intended fiance cos she didn't like her. However in the book it was Jack who convinced Kirsten to kill Rachel after making her believe he loves her and then his wife turns up. So Jack was married and did have a penchant for older women..
Then we got Hester and her recalling how she told Tina she could have done it cos of the blood on her. Yet again we were still kept being drawn back to Kirsten who has so many secrets and how she nonchalantly strolled in behind Leo and Arthur and moments later they find Phillip dead in the shower. She was my suspect but considering writer Sarah Phelps stated she changed the ending. Gotta wonder why writers have to take such liberties man, ha, no really, sometimes you don't want writer's licence coming into it and them doing what they want, a little slap in the face stating how Agatha Christie didn't manage to pull it off! It does come off feeling that way! However I did, well me and sis did manage to get it was Leo and as I tweeted it's always the quiet ones who put on this entire charade of being so very 'innocent' and of course Jack confirmed this in Part 1 when he spat at him. If daddy dearest hadn't been a bastard then he wouldn't have done this. Also the divorce aspect and how he'd be penniless and let's see how long Gwenda would've stuck around without money.
So the reveal wasn't that big a deal after all (putting aside that I haven't missed a suspect yet in anything I have watched over the years, couldn't spoil my record now.) Leo getting his just desserts being locked away in the bunker and he was friends with the police inspector too so everything would've been easily arranged to get Jack killed on the inside.
A bit of an ordeal for audiences/viewers but the BBC did manage to pull out all the stops and what with refilming with Christian Cooke, managed to finally air it at Easter instead of its intended Christmas Boxing Day date.
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