Poirot Series 13: The Big Four Preview

The second of the final five Poirot films, The Big Four, will be broadcast on ITV on 23rd October at 8pm. This highly anticipated episode reunites David Suchet with his co-stars Hugh Fraser, Philip Jackson and Pauline Moran, who will reprise their iconic roles that  they haven't played since 2001's Evil Under The Sun. The episode is scripted by Mark Gatiss and Ian Hallard, so the episode has promise (Gatiss is the co-creater of Sherlock and adapted Poirot Hallowe'en Party and Cat Among the Pigeons). 

"In The Big Four, the world stands on the edge of an abyss as the outbreak of World War II grows ever closer…  

 

In an effort to demonstrate international unity, the Peace Party hosts a grand reception, which re-unites Poirot (David Suchet) with his good friend Japp (Philip Jackson), now Assistant Commissioner of the Met. The illustrious crowd also includes English diplomat Stephen Paynter (Steven Pacey), and the French scientist and Peace Party stalwart, Madame Olivier (Patricia Hodge). The American tycoon, and hearty backer of the Party, Abe Ryland (James Carroll Jordan), fronts the event, which climaxes in an exciting game 

                            ©ITV

of chess, where he takes on the reclusive Russian Grandmaster, Dr Ivan Savaranoff (Michael Culkin). 

 

 

But the match has barely begun, when suddenly Savaranoff collapses - dead! Panic quickly spreads when Ryland suspiciously disappears. Daily Comet journalist, Tysoe (Tom Brooke), covers every development in great, sensational detail, claiming the murder to be the work of a group of ruthless political agitators, tagged as the ‘The Big Four’.  

 

Then when Jonathan Whalley (Peter Symonds), the biographer of the Peace Party’s Chinese leader, is also strangely and brutally murdered, the Big Four have the attention of Hercule Poirot and the world.

 

Tysoe is keen to join forces with Poirot, an anonymous source has been feeding the journalist information on the Big Four, apparently a mole from within.  Poirot and Japp decide to pool resources with him when it appears that his informer is murdered – leaving behind evidence, which suggests this dissident and dangerous group is in fact none other than the Peace Party!  A theory only reinforced by the disappearances of Ryland, and then Madame Olivier, shortly after the murder of unassuming conciliator Paynter.

 

Poirot realises that each of these crimes is so dramatic and expertly stage-managed as to be almost theatrical… and the murderer must indeed be a master of disguise in order to pull off such varied and ingenious plans.  Through a scrapbook found at Whalley’s house, he tracks down failing actress Flossie Monro (Sarah Parish), whom he believes may unwittingly be at the root of all this bloodshed.  However, before he can pursue his theories, Poirot himself is also killed! Or is he?  

 

Captain Hastings (Hugh Fraser) and Miss Lemon (Pauline Moran) return for the funeral of their old friend, but of course things are never as they seem, and soon the theatrics of the Big Four climax with a deadly final act – but on whom will the curtain fall this time?" ITV description

 

 

 ©ITV

Here is the fantastic cast list.... 

Hercule Poirot - David Suchet

Captain Hastings - Hugh Fraser

Assistant Commissioner Japp - Philip Jackson

Miss Lemon - Pauline Moran

Madame Olivier - Patricia Hodge 

Flossie Monro - Sarah Parish

Inspector Meadows - Nicholas Burns

Tysoe - Tom Brooke

Dr Quentin - Simon Lowe

Abe Ryland - James Carroll Jordan

Stephen Paynter - Steven Pacey

Diana Paynter - Teresa Banham

Gerald Paynter - Jack Farthing

Dr Ivan Savaranoff - Michael Culkin

Ingles - Nick Day

George - David Yelland

Mabel - Lou Broadbent

Mrs Andrews - Barbara Kirby                                              

Robert Grant - Alex Palmer

Jonathan Whalley - Peter Symonds

Mercutio - Ian Hallard

 

As usual, I will be writing a live commentary of the episode via twitter, so tune in at 7.45 for the full feed. https://twitter.com/AChristieWeb