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Murder Is Easy (TV series)

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Murder Is Easy
Genre
Based onMurder is Easy
by Agatha Christie
Written bySiân Ejiwunmi-Le Berre
Directed byMeenu Gaur
StarringDavid Jonsson
Penelope Wilton
Morfydd Clark
Music bySegun Akinola[1]
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes2
Production
Executive producersSian Ejiwunmi-Le Berre
James Prichard
James Gandhi
Damien Timmer
Danielle Scott-Haughton
Reemah Sakaan
Stephen Nye
ProducerKaren Kelly
Production companiesAgatha Christie Limited
Mammoth Screen
Original release
NetworkBBC One
BritBox International
Release27 December (2023-12-27) –
28 December 2023 (2023-12-28)

Murder Is Easy is a British mystery thriller television serial, based on the 1939 Agatha Christie novel of the same name. It is adapted by Siân Ejiwunmi-Le Berre and directed by Meenu Gaur. It premiered on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on 27 December 2023.

Premise

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Luke Fitzwilliam (Jonsson) is a Nigerian attaché on his way to Whitehall when he meets the mysterious Miss Pinkerton (Wilton) on a train. Pinkerton discusses with him that a series of deaths in the village of Wychwood-Under-Ashe are not accidental and there’s a killer on the loose. Later, Miss Pinkerton is killed in a hit-and-run, and Fitzwilliam steels himself to discover the murderer before they strike again.[2][3]

Cast

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Episodes

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No.EpisodeDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateUK viewers
(millions)
1Episode 1[4]Meenu GaurSiân Ejiwunmi-Le Berre27 December 2023 (2023-12-27)6.82
2Episode 2[5]Meenu GaurSiân Ejiwunmi-Le Berre28 December 2023 (2023-12-28)5.68

Production

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Produced by Mammoth Screen and Agatha Christie Limited, it was a co-commission between the BBC and BritBox International. The Agatha Christie novel of the same name is adapted by Siân Ejiwunmi-Le Berre and directed by Meenu Gaur. It was produced by Karen Kelly. Executive producers are Ejiwunmi-Le Berre, James Prichard for Agatha Christie Limited, James Gandhi and Damien Timmer for Mammoth Screen, Danielle Scott-Haughton for the BBC and Reemah Sakaan and Stephen Nye for BritBox International.[6]

Filming took place in Scotland in the summer of 2023 on the two-part drama series.[7][8] First-look images from the production were released in November 2023.[9]

Broadcast

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The show aired on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK on 27 December 2023 and will be broadcast on BritBox International in the US, Canada and South Africa.[10][11]

Reception

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Rebecca Nicholson in The Guardian awarded it three out of five stars, praising its promising reworkings but finding the second episode unfocused, and that it "both overexplains and underexplains what is going on".[12] Nick Hilton in The Independent awarded it two out of five stars.[13]

References

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  1. ^ "Segun Akinola Scoring BBC's 'Murder Is Easy'". filmmusicreporter.com. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  2. ^ Chase, Stephanie (21 February 2023). "BBC announces new Agatha Christie murder mystery adaptation". Digital Spy. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  3. ^ "Agatha Christie "Would Have Approved Of Young Black Hero In Latest BBC Adaptation"". Deadline.
  4. ^ "Murder Is Easy - Episode 1". BBC One. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  5. ^ "Murder Is Easy - Episode 2". BBC One. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  6. ^ Yossman, K.J.; Ramachandran, Naman (10 July 2023). "'Lord of the Rings' Actor Morfydd Clark to Star in Agatha Christie Adaptation 'Murder Is Easy' for BBC, BritBox". Variety. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  7. ^ Whittock, Jesse (10 July 2023). "'Murder Is Easy': David Jonsson, Morfydd Clark & Penelope Wilton Among Cast Of Agatha Christie Adaptation For BBC & BritBox International". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  8. ^ Abbatescianni, Davide (11 July 2023). "Filming begins in Scotland on Meenu Gaur's two-part thriller Murder Is Easy". Cineuropa.org. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  9. ^ Craig, David (2 November 2023). "First look at Agatha Christie's Murder Is Easy with Shetland, Ghosts stars". Radio Times. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  10. ^ Griffiths, Emmy (2 November 2023). "Downton Abbey actress set to star in BBC's new Agatha Christie adaptation Murder is Easy – and we can't wait". Hello. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  11. ^ "UK TV Ratings: BBC's Latest Agatha Christie Adaptation Neck-And-Neck With ITV's 'Why Didn't They Ask Evans?' From Easter Weekend". Deadline.
  12. ^ Nicholson, Rebecca (27 December 2023). "Murder Is Easy review – shines a whole new light on this Agatha Christie classic". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  13. ^ Hilton, Nick (27 December 2023). "Murder Is Easy review: BBC's Christmas Agatha Christie adaptation is bland and incoherent". The Independent. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
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