David Suchet is a picture perfect Poirot, both in looks and acting. He follows the character very closely as described by Christie, complete with the egg-shaped head, the over-attended mustache and, not least, his manners.
This is the best episode in the series I have seen so far. It follows the original story very closely, just makes a few small adjustments to add some logic and motivation. It it packed of characters portrayed by actors who are perform remarkably well - unlike the stiff acting in the Ustinov version. I enjoy them all so much that I can't pick my favorite. We see Poirot, Hastings and Japp, of course, but also the nervous Stephen Lane (Tim Meats), the goofy Horace Blatt (David Timson), the pale and discrete Christine (Tamzin Malleson), the handsome Patrick, the charming Mrs Darnley (Marsha Fitzalan), and of course Lionel (Russell Tovey), who expresses his worries and dislike just enough
but my favorite character is probably Emily Brewster (Carolyn Pickles), who is particularly expressive. Oh, I forgot Kenneth Marshall (David Mallinson) and major Barry (Ian Thompson), two more characters who are delivered faultlessly.
But the most important character to get right must be the glamorous Arlena (Louise Delamere), who, very much unlike Diana Rigg, manage to combine lovely and diva in a way that I can believe in. Diana Rigg's Arlena in made only for hating, nobody could possibly be interested in a romance with her and she obviously hates everybody, but Delamere's Arlena really works.
And I just love the scenery! I think it very much fits what the novel describes, giving me pictures of a scenery that I could never quite grasp in the novel. It is quite beautiful, including the fascinating vehicle to travel to the island as well as the Pixy Cove scenery.
All in all, I feel that this must be the "reference copy" version of this story, staying very close to the original story and doing it very well. It is vastly superior to the Ustinov version in all ways I can think of. I see that Ustinov's version also has its following, but I can't really see why. The biggest difference is in the acting, and in that this version is miles ahead.
A truly great effort for a TV series episode!
