I was lucky enough to have five days off at the new year and part of my time was spent watching recent episodes of Poirot. I’ve always liked to watch these mysteries around the holidays because, despite being somewhat dark, they are my idea of all that is cozy and homey. One year when I was home from grad school during the Christmas break I got a terrible cold. I remember spending days wrapped in blankets on my parents’ couch, with the heater glowing, the Christmas lights sparkling and Poirot on the television. Despite my illness, I really enjoyed that experience and now I crave Agatha Christie mysteries during every holiday season. This year I’ve been watching seasons 10 -12 , seasons that totally passed me by when they were shown on PBS. It has been so wonderful to spend my evenings watching these stylish and clever mysteries that are perfect viewing for cold and dark nights. My favorite episode so far is ‘The Labours of Hercules’ in which Poirot pursues an art thief/murderer to an isolated hotel in the Swiss Alps. Very atmospheric and chilling!
Are you a Poirot fan? Or do you prefer Miss Marple? What do you like to watch on frosty winter evenings?
Also, I apologize for changing my blog theme so often lately. This is what I’ll use for the rest of the year, promise!
A Certain Fondness 
I love watching British mysteries, but for some reason have never gotten into either Marple or Poirot! I’ve seen ads for a new one coming to PBS called Grantchester that looks promising, about a young vicar who gets involved in solving mysteries.
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Grantchester looks amazing! I can’t wait to watch it.
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I love both Marple and Poirot and I thought I had seen them all but I’ve never seen The Labours of Hercules!! I have no idea how murder feels like comfort viewing but it does, and the art deco style of Poirot is spiffing. I love that Susie Cooper tea set on his table. BTW Grantchester is definitely worth watching and the books are good too.
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The tea set is gorgeous – I love the orange. So glad to hear that Grantchester is worth watching. I’m very excited about it!
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I love David Suchet as Poirot and Joan Hickson as Miss Marple, the former for style and the latter for cosiness.
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David Suchet is just wonderful. Such a great actor and perfect as Poirot. Joan Hickson was the Miss Marple of my teen years whom I really think was fantastic, but I also like the recent Miss Marples (both of them).
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For the books, I love both Poirot and Marple but Miss Marple might just have the edge. When it comes to the television/film adaptations though, Poirot wins hands down. Joan Hickson was superb as Miss Marple (all other Miss Marples are pale imitators) but David Suchet is magnificent.
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I also prefer the Miss Marple books, but Poirot has always been my favorite TV detective.
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Only having recently become a fan, I love Poirot. And I don’t know what took me so long. Because I loved reading Agatha Christie novels when I was young back in the seventies. As far as what I like to watch on frost winter evenings … pretty much anything British will do.
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British will do for me too! I love discovering new series on Netflix.
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It’s a bit quirky, but the British show “Gavin & Stacey” has become an all time favorite of mine.
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I’ve watched some of the most recent Marples, with Geraldine McEwan, and enjoyed them (especially Sleeping Murder), but I’ve only watched a few of the Poirots. Of course I’ve seen the films of Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile – though Death on the Nile is very different from the book. I’ve also seen some of the Tommy & Tuppence stories, which were done I think in the early 1980s? Our library has a lot of the Joan Hickson Miss Marples, which I’ve been meaning to check out.
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I heard that the BBC has made a new Tommy & Tuppence series! Here’s an article about it: http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2014/partners-in-crime
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I love Poirot! Perfect cosy crime watches for those frosty winter days. The Labours of Hercules is one of my favourites, I’m glad you enjoyed it. Over the Christmas and New Year holiday I watched a lot of films and caught up on TV shows I had recorded but not any particularly genres.
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I need to catch up on my shows too, especially Outlander. I’m really enjoying that one. Glad to hear that you are a fellow Poirot fan.
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I love British mysteries and they always make me feel cozy. I think it’s the predictable rhythms of the narrative. The moody detective, the country village, the red herrings. There is a comfort there. I prefer Miss Marple but enjoy watching Poirot also.
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They do have predictable elements that make them so familiar. I hope we see new Miss Marple episodes in the future.
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I understand completely about how it’s cosy to be watching a Poirot.
David Suchet is Poirot and I recommend reading his book Poirot and me, it will give you an insight into what you have been watching. You might need to wait until you have seen all the programmes though.
On the page, I’m not sure if I have a preference. Just cracking good stories.
I second Katrina and her recommendation for Grantchester!
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poirot got be tops , I love the hickson Marples from the 80’s i watched those as a kid ,but they also kept to the story the new ones have changed a number of the stories and a couple of stories weren’t even marple stories .Be interesting to see what BBC do as they have just got hold of all the rights for Christie books and have a number in the pipeline to do
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I saw that BBC got the rights to Miss Marple – I hope they make new ones!
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They doing Tommy and tuppence first with David wailiams and Jessica raine from call the midwife in the lead roles
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