John Malkovich’s Dark Reinvention of Poirot in BBC’s ‘The ABC Murders’ Remains a Polarizing Masterpiece

London, December 22, 2025 – As Agatha Christie’s timeless whodunnits continue to captivate new generations through streaming platforms, the 2018 BBC miniseries The ABC Murders stands out as one of the boldest and most controversial adaptations. Starring John Malkovich as a brooding, haunted Hercule Poirot, this three-part thriller, written by Sarah Phelps and directed by Alex Gabassi, aired over consecutive nights starting December 26, 2018, on BBC One. Loosely based on Christie’s 1936 novel, it reimagines the classic serial killer tale against the grim backdrop of 1930s Britain, emphasizing psychological depth, moral ambiguity, and societal unease.

The story centers on a taunting murderer known only as “A.B.C.,” who sends advance letters to Poirot signed with the moniker and detailing upcoming crimes in alphabetical order—beginning with Alice Ascher in Andover, then Betty Barnard in Bexhill, and Sir Carmichael Clarke in Churston. An ABC Railway Guide is left at each scene, heightening the methodical menace. In this version, Poirot is no longer the prim, infallible detective immortalized by David Suchet in the long-running ITV series. Instead, Malkovich portrays him as an aging, isolated figure: a Belgian refugee in a xenophobic Britain, dyeing his goatee to hide the gray, ridiculed by authorities, and tormented by a mysterious past involving a country house and figures like the eccentric Lady Hermione Clarke (Tara Fitzgerald).

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Sarah Phelps, renowned for her gritty reinventions of Christie—including And Then There Were None, Ordeal by Innocence, and The Pale Horse—strips away the cozy gloss of traditional adaptations. She kills off Poirot’s loyal sidekick Inspector Japp (Kevin McNally) early via a heart attack, leaving the detective vulnerable to the scorn of young Inspector Crome (Rupert Grint, in a hangdog, impressive turn). Crome voices Phelps’s critique of the “prissy popinjay” Poirot of old, mocking him as a faded narcissist whose celebrity is tarnished and origins questioned by Scotland Yard.

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The ABC Murders (2018)

Central to the suspense is Alexander Bonaparte Cust (Eamon Farren), a fragile, suggestible stocking salesman whose cheekbones and haunted demeanor make him a prime suspect—or red herring. Phelps ramps up themes of identity, migration, and fear of the “other” in a divided 1930s Britain, adding flashbacks to Poirot’s traumatic past and exploring fallen greatness in an era of rising fascism.

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BBC1’s The ABC Murders episode 2: Who is the killer? 5 key …

The supporting cast shines: Andrew Buchan as Franklin Clarke, Shirley Henderson in a memorable role, Jack Farthing as Donald Fraser, and Bronwyn James as Megan Barnard. Filmed across evocative period locations, the production’s stark visuals and atmospheric tension amplify the unease.

Critically, The ABC Murders divided audiences. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 70% approval from critics, praising Malkovich’s “wizened panache” and Phelps’s thrilling spirit amid liberal changes. The Guardian hailed Malkovich’s “magnificent” suffering Poirot, noting his latent violence and careful watchfulness. However, audience scores sit lower at around 49%, with purists decrying the departure from Christie’s dapper detective and the added darkness—calling it “nasty” or unrecognizable.

Malkovich himself expressed honor in tackling the role, acknowledging predecessors while embracing the challenges. Phelps defended her approach, burying the “safety-first formula” of prior adaptations to explore deeper underbellies.

Now available on platforms like Amazon Prime Video (which co-produced for international markets), the miniseries continues to spark debate. For fans of classic cozy mysteries, it may feel like a savage takedown; for those craving brooding psychological drama, it’s a gripping modern twist. Malkovich’s introspective Poirot—far from Suchet’s iconic perfection—proves the enduring adaptability of Christie’s genius, proving that even the little Belgian detective can evolve with the times.

Whether revered or reviled, The ABC Murders (2018) endures as a powerful, unsettling entry in the Christie canon, inviting viewers to question not just whodunnit, but who Poirot truly is.