AND THEN THERE WERE NONE

I adore this dark new take on Agatha Christie's classic about strangers slowly being picked off while trapped on a mysterious island estate. The story is supposed to be dark and scary, and this British TV version makes good on that with a stellar cast and unsettling moods and visuals. Even better if you haven't read or seen this story before. IMO, the best version of this story put to screen.

I have been a lover of Agatha Christie for as long as my addled brain can recall, with 'And Then There Were None' being my top pick for favorite mystery novel in the history of the genre. From the moment I learned about this adaptation, to the final throat-tightening minutes of the last episode, my body was humming with excitement. In the past, I have seen only René Clair's 1945 film of the same name, and none of the stage plays. There were a few films and TV episodes loosely based on this- Agatha Christie's most recognizable work, but they bear no merit here. Now, fans of Christie's classic 'locked-room' mystery have been gifted a faithful adaptation to drool over.Keeping the 1930's time period, but gorgeously filmed with modern camerawork and style, the story here is of ten strangers invited to a secluded island mansion by their mysterious host(s). Upon their arrival, they are each accused of murder in one way or another. Eventually, one by one, they start to die. Cut off from the mainland, stranded with a killer(s), their numbers dwindling, the past for each begins to rear its ugly head.This is probably one of the most fascinating whodunnits ever written/staged/produced, and -in keeping with the book's original bleak ending- one of the darkest. BBC1 has generated something truly exquisite. Watching the three, one-hour-long episodes of 'And Then There Were None' was like a dream; I honestly don't remember blinking once, or even taking a single breath throughout my binge-watching. It's that good. The suspense will keep you rapt, the mystery will keep you guessing, and the brilliant performances of a stellar cast will keep you wanting more.When you find something you love, you want to share it with the world. That is why, as soon as the US releases its DVD version in April, I will be parading 'And Then There Were None' around to everyone I know; I will shout its greatness from every rooftop of every corner of the world until everyone knows my love of it.My only question is: What are you waiting for?

This has been one of my favorite stories by Agatha Christie, (despite what the original name was) and I really like this version. First *spoilers!!* they do NOT cheapen Lombard or Claythorne as so many other tellings do. They show them as they were written, raw, ugly, and powerful. There were a few liberties taken with plot mechanics, but they're forgivable. The island and the house are silent, omnipresent characters on their own, and in the end, they're the only ones left standing. Perfect? No. But very good.

**No Spoilers in this part of the review**I have to admit - the main reason why I wanted to watch this was because of the great actors and actresses who star in the mini series. I have never read any Agatha Christie novel, as I am not that much of a fan of murder/mystery books. Once I saw the trailer for this though, and read some of the non-spoiler reviews, I knew I needed to read the book. (Even though this isn't a review of the book, I just want to say I couldn't put the book down once I started reading it! I highly recommend reading the book! ) The way this is shot is fantastic. With the dark gloomy atmosphere on the island, a haunting reminder of the peril they are in, while the house and interior shots are light and refreshing, giving you the deceiving notion that it's safe. All of the actors and actresses did a phenomenal job of getting the personalities and little quirks down. You are left in such suspense the entire time! After it finished, I was left wanting more! I would highly suggest giving this a chance, especially if you enjoy mystery/detective type shows.***SPOILERS***The only complaints I have:As I didn't read any of the spoilers or watch the play at all, I didn't realize that they had a separate plot line different from the book for Vera and Philip. I am not opposed to this change though, as I feel for TV it makes a bit more sense to add a love plot line for viewers. In that situation, with emotions flying and being on edge al the time, your feelings would be out of sorts so I do understand that this could be a feasible outcome. I also believed the chemistry for the actors, so that was nice not having to endure a forced attraction between two people who clearly have nothing there. I was also surprised at how the reveal of the killer came to be. I get that certain things need to be done in order to make it tie together for the TV and I think that Charles Dance gave an exceptional performance as the Judge. You get a better understanding of his disdain for dishonorable people and need for justice as he gives his monologue to Vera. However, I enjoyed having to put the pieces together myself when I read the book.