Television series

The ABC Murders

Name: The ABC Murders
Genre: Drama, Crime, Mystery
Released: 2018
Cast: John Malkovich, Rupert Grint, Andrew Buchan, Eamon Farren, Tara Fitzgerald

John Malkovich's Poirot hunts a methodical serial killer in 1930s Britain. This BBC adaptation leans into psychological tension and character study rather than puzzle-box plotting. It's moody, deliberately paced, and rewards patience. For fans of crime drama who appreciate atmosphere over exposition.

TVMaze rating

3.3

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you love a puzzle-box mystery carried by period manners and a vain, brilliant detective who treats every clue like a personal insult to his intelligence, and relish Christie's rigorous plotting.

Skip it if the mood is more polite than gripping, and the pace across three hour-long parts can feel brisk and stagey, with Malkovich's mannered Poirot doing most of the heavy lifting.

What it asks of you: Three one-hour episodes, unhurried in their interviews and dinner-table reasoning, so expect to sit still and hold the clues in your head rather than being swept along.

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The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

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Bong Joon-ho's masterpiece about Korean cops hunting a serial killer across decades. Formally inventive, darkly funny, and morally anguished. One of cinema's greatest crime films.

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Agatha Christie Poirot1989

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Manhunt2017

Meticulous cat-and-mouse between an FBI profiler and his prey. Johnny Depp delivers a rare understated performance. Psychologically sophisticated.

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The Fall2013

Stella Gibson hunts a charismatic killer across Belfast. Brilliantly acted, gorgeously shot, and morally complex. Stella is unforgettable.

But Uneven across its run—the third season feels stretched. Some viewers find the serial killer romanticized rather than explored.

Cagney & Lacey1982

Pioneering crime procedural that influenced every detective show since. Sharp writing, genuine character depth, and surprisingly modern sensibility for its era.

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The Killing2011

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Danish crime epic where a single murder is investigated with obsessive, seasons-long rigor. Sarah Lund is a protagonist for the ages. Atmospheric and narratively innovative.

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