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Agatha Christie's Marple

Agatha Christie's Marple

2004–2013Ended6 seasons23 episodes~90 min/epTV-14Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

The adventures of Miss Jane Marple, an elderly spinster living in the quiet little village of St Mary Mead. During her many visits to friends and relatives in other villages, Miss Marple often stumbles upon mysterious murders which she helps solve. Although the police are sometimes reluctant to accept Miss Marple's help, her reputation and unparalleled powers of observation eventually win them over.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Agatha Christie's Marple?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Agatha Christie's Marple streaming on Acorn TV via Prime Video, BritBox, Hulu and PBS Masterpiece via Prime Video and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Rent / Buy

Buy

Highlights

What stands out about Agatha Christie's Marple?

Agatha Christie's Marple earns 6 badges, led by Visual feast and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Agatha Christie's Marple worth watching?

Agatha Christie's Marple's Midcredits score is the 89th percentile of all shows, from 13K ratings across 2 sources. 88% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

89th percentile

Better received than 89% of shows

88th percentile among Crime84th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)84th
Approval (how many liked it)89th

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

79 /100

84th percentile of all shows

88th percentile among Crime79th percentile among 2000s

Rating distribution

Ratings pile up at 9–10 with almost no detractors — near-universal love.

Approval

How many liked it

88% liked it

89th percentile of all shows

86th percentile among Crime86th percentile among 2000s
88% rated it 7–1012% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

91st percentile

13K ratings across platforms

86th percentile among Crime86th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 9% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the series takes significant liberties with Agatha Christie's original stories.

Fans praised

  • Geraldine McEwan's mischievous, sparkling Marple
  • gorgeous period sets, costumes, and scenery
  • strong guest casts and generally solid acting

Detractors panned

  • unfaithful rewrites mangling Christie's plots and characters
  • McEwan overacts and lacks the character's gentle subtlety
  • gratuitous changes (backstories, added relationships) insult the source

What stands out

Cinematography82

lavish period detail, beautiful houses and costumes

Atmosphere78

evocative 1950s world-building and cozy yet eerie tone

ActingDivisive72

leads and guest stars praised, but detractors see overacting and miscasting

HumorDivisive70

campy, witty fun for fans; detractors find it forced

CharactersDivisive58

well-drawn secondary characters, yet Marple's characterization divisive

Originality55

bold reimagining valued by fans, seen as disrespectful by detractors

Plot and storyDivisive48

intriguing mysteries undermined by convoluted rewrites and inconsistencies

Pacing45

some episodes drag or feel choppy

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 17 points higher than men.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 12 points higher than users.

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 11 points higher than non-US viewers.

Episodes

6 seasons

Series 6 · 2013 · 3 episodes · 6.1 average across 1 rated episode

  • S6E1

    A Caribbean Mystery

    Jun 16, 201390 min
  • S6E2

    Greenshaw's Folly

    Jun 23, 2013
  • S6E3

    Endless Night

    Dec 29, 2013TMDB rating 6.1Finale

Watch experience

What is Agatha Christie's Marple like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, light and gentle — a slow-burn watch that leaves you feeling good.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
ContemplativeTenseWarm
Heaviest: late
Dry humor
Register
PlayfulWarm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Case of the week plus an arcNew arc each season
ToneThe series treats its murder mysteries with a light, knowing touch, balancing cozy charm with clever deduction.
The rideThe series maintains a gentle, probing tone that shifts to sharper tension in the climactic reveal of the murderer, but overall it is a comfortable, engaging watch.
StructureEach episode follows a conventional mystery structure: setup, investigation, denouement.
Episode formatEach episode presents a self-contained murder case, but there is a continuous character arc for Miss Marple across seasons, especially with the change of lead actress.
Season formatEach season consists of standalone episodes, but they are grouped by the actress portraying Miss Marple (Geraldine McEwan then Julia McKenzie), giving a loose seasonal arc.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Feel-goodFun
Why it leaves you this wayThe series leaves viewers feeling entertained and cozy, with a gentle satisfaction from solving the puzzle.
How it ends · evidence
Happy endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MysteryPuzzle
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8% (this title): Puzzle 1% (this title) · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered. · Puzzle: A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).

8% of shows fit this archetype

Why this archetypeEach episode presents a closed-circle murder mystery that Miss Marple solves through observation and deduction, typical of the puzzle subtype.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfJusticeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11% (this title): Justice 14% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6% (this title)
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% (this title) · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Morality

Justice · 14% of showsDeception · 6% of showsCommunity: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe series is driven by the pursuit of justice in the face of deception, with Miss Marple uncovering hidden truths that disrupt the apparent harmony of village life.
StanceThe series celebrates the power of quiet observation and moral clarity, affirming that justice can be achieved even in the most unassuming of places.

The world

Mid 20th centuryRuralDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score
SettingThe quintessential English village of St. Mary Mead, with its cottages, manor houses, and village gatherings
MusicThe score evokes the pastoral English setting with gentle, understated motifs.

Content guide

Is Agatha Christie's Marple okay for kids?

TV-14

Agatha Christie's Marple is rated TV-14. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (41/100), sexual content at moderate (42/100), language at mild (19/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at moderate (59/100). Its violence, language, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 15 other countries
  • UK15
  • CanadaPG
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • France12
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil10
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK16
  • Norway15
  • Poland16
  • Portugal12AP
  • Russia12+
  • Spain13
  • SwedenFrån 11 år
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Moderate
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-14 show
heavier than 57%
Profanity
Mild
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (8 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
too few votes to rank (9 votes)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Too few votes to rank this title overall (55 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does Agatha Christie's Marple have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Agatha Christie's Marple?

Cast

Geraldine McEwan
as Miss Marple
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
Julia McKenzie
as Miss Marple
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Stephen Churchett
as Coroner
Isabella Parriss
as Marie Thérèse
Joanna Lumley
as Dolly Bantry
Herbert Lom
as Augustin Dufosse
Ian Richardson
as Conway Jefferson
Griff Rhys Jones
as Dr. David Quimper
John Owens
as Photographer
Christian Coulson
as Edmund Swettenham

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