This review was made possible by Netflix providing advanced screeners of Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials to Popped.
Netflix continues its streak of releasing series that revolve around the murder mystery genre, seemingly making it one of their favourite genres to tackle. This time, they’ve opted to take from the wide and vast library of one of the world’s most famous murder mystery authors, Agatha Christie. now have Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials, which is an adaptation of the novel The Seven Dials Mystery.
A Different Kind of Agatha Christie Story
The first thing to mention is that when it comes to Agatha Christie adaptations, for all the pieces of work she has, we seem to always just get Poirot adaptations. Now, I’m trying not to complain because I enjoy a good Poirot mystery, but the last time we got a good Poirot adaptation was with the 2017 Murder on the Orient Express movie that starred Kenneth Branagh as Hercules Poirot. It’s a change of pace getting to follow a different Agatha Christie murder mystery that I’m not too familiar with myself. Although, that being said, Seven Dials makes me want to return to the likes of Poirot if that is the standard which I’m to expect from her other stories.
Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials is developed and written by Doctor Who alumnus Chris Chibnall. As someone who was worried while stepping into this show due to how he handled the sci-fi time-travelling BBC icon, it’s safe to say that Seven Dials doesn’t ever nearly get as bad as Doctor Who’s lows during his time and that, although I’ve not seen it, it’s probably closer to Broadchurch, which he also created.
Inconsistent Performances
Seven Dials follows Lady Eileen “Bundle” Brent (Mia McKenna-Bruce) after a good friend is found dead the following morning after a party that was hosted at her home. Filled with grief and surrounded by lies, she uses that to her advantage to discover who the killer was.
This show is 3 episodes long, feeling like a true BBC show but only in spirit, as it struggles to replicate anything worthwhile that will make it a memorable series. There are many issues with Seven Dials, but let’s start with what’s exceptionally decent about the show. It throws you straight into the mystery, and instead of following an entire ensemble cast while trying to solve the case, it searches for clues through the eyes of its protagonist, Lady Eileen.
McKenna-Bruce is an absolutely fantastic actress, and her previous work showcases it, but when it comes to portraying Eileen, her performance unfortunately isn’t as consistent as one would like it to be. The same can be said about the supporting cast aside from Helena Bonham Carter, who portrays Lady Cartwright, her mother. With there being only three episodes, it can feel like Chibnall is stuffing a lot into these episodes, which continue to have the fast pacing which makes it a struggle to digest these character stories and their motives, never giving time to try to figure out who the killer is. Oh, wait! Seven Dials reveals all, and it’s not all due to its poor writing but rather its casting.
From the start, there are going to be a couple of actors that you’ll spot that will instantly raise suspicion because you’re used to seeing them play characters that are up to no good. These actors have been cast in these roles because they play them well, and arguably, they do make Seven Dials a tad bit more entertaining with their performances, but they struggle to deceive the audience from the start, and that makes staying invested in the show’s mystery a difficult task.
Style, Suspicion, and a Predictable Payoff
Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials is a story that would’ve easily worked better as a movie. It’s a show that has political science warfare in the shadows with secret societies that are heavily involved, and by the end of the third episode, I’m left thinking that the trailer did a better job of building up a mystery and Seven Dials’ world compared to the actual show itself. A film with the right writer and director would’ve given it better pacing and allowed it to build on some of the show’s more vital moments.
The series excels with its production design that highlights the balls and aristocratic lifestyle of the 1920s while highlighting the beauty of Britain’s landscape. As beautiful as the show can look, sometimes it looks too clean for a show set in 1925 and can feel like it has a hint of modernness with how the scenery looks. A little bit of grit would’ve helped to have solved the issue, but overall, the greatest thing about his Doctor Who era carries over to Seven Dials.
‘Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials’ – Final Thoughts
Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials is unfortunately a show where its trailer is more interesting than the actual show itself, but that’s not to say that it can’t be entertaining here and there. It has serviceable performances from its leads, and while the bulk of its story is rather predictable, the supporting cast, largely Helena Bonham Carter and Ed Bluemel, do their extreme best to make it worth the watch. It’s unfortunate, as this show will likely be forgotten about as the year comes to a close, but I can also guarantee that by the time the next Agatha Christie comes along (or just a generic Netflix murder mystery), Seven Dials will just be a thing of the past.
Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials is now streaming on Netflix. Check out a trailer below:
