8:56 AM
Many Anglophiles no doubt are introduced to the green and pleasant land that is England via the works of the incomparable Agatha Christie. Through her unique and lovable characters, intricate plots and lovely settings, it's impossible not to become enchanted.Next month, a classic collection of tales featuring the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot will be released by Acorn Media. Set one includes the episodes:
The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim
The Veiled Lady
The Lost Mine
The Cornish Mystery
Double Sin
The Adventure of the Cheap Flat
The Kidnapped Prime Minister
The Adventure of the Western Star
How Does Your Garden Grow?
These episodes feature the wonderfully talented David Suchet as the fussy, fastidious and always sharply dressed Poirot. Whether he is cooking, playing Monopoly or pet sitting for a testy parrot, Poirot is nonetheless able to effortlessly apply his "little gray cells" and quickly solve whatever mystery comes his way. It is quite amusing to see his reactions to his baffled colleagues as they struggle with solving the cases. Poirot is both pleased to explain how simple the solution was for him and at the same time somewhat exasperated that it isn't obvious to everyone else. Hugh Fraser is wonderful as Poirot's assistant Hastings, and Phillip Jackson is very entertaining as the perpetually puzzled Inspector Japp.
I have been fortunate to preview this new release, and I can report that the stories, settings and acting are all superb!
Wonderful news: Acorn Media is generously providing three copies of Agatha Christie's Poirot: The Classic Collection, Vol. 1. to my readers. To enter, simply leave a comment stating your favorite British TV show (past or present!). You will be helping me to discover great new British programs that I might have missed! You have until midnight eastern time on Saturday April 25 to enter. On Sunday, April 26, I will randomly choose 3 winners and notify them. You will have 48 hours to respond with your shipping address, or I will have to choose another winner. Make sure that you include your email address in your comments or in your profile (if you have a blog), so that I will have a way to contact you. Due to shipping costs, this contest is only valid in the U.S.
Good luck, and I hope the winners will come back with a post about how they enjoyed the series!
Final Verdict for Agatha Christie's Poirot: The Classic Collection, Vol. 1:
Five Gherkins, for bringing to life one of the most intriguing characters in fiction in a charming and unforgettable manner!
Posts
Brilliant! 
Good, innit?
Fair to middlin' 
Has some good points 
Oi! Wot you playin' at? 
Don't be givin' me evils! 
103 comments:
My favorite British sitcom is Keeping Up Appearances. Some of the outlandish things that Hyacinth does are almost unbelievable except that I know there are people like that!
I also like As Time Goes By. And there are others whose names I can't remember, that I miss because they are no longer offered on our PBS station.
I have always been a Benny Hill fan. My parents used to watch it and didn't know that I saw some of it, too. Classic!
I love Monty Python
Last of the Summer Wine
I don't know of many great British shows so this comment site will be a very good source for me, too!
Mysteries delight me, I am a Sherlock Holmes fan.
pumpkinlady430@yahoo.com
So many great British comedies, but Good Neighbors and Fawlty Towers always make me laugh, no matter how many times I see them. Thanks for the giveaway.
leewins@aol.com
I always enjoyed Benny Hill's Comedy.He was a great one.
pbenbenek@comcast.net
I enjoyed Benny Hill and Mr. Bean. Some of the things that Mr. Bean does really get me to laughing a lot.
robbie37877@yahoo.com
I always liked the "Are You Being Served?" series from the 70's
makaio.matt@gmail.com
Monty Python
fawlty towers
Keeping Up Appearances, As Time Goes By, The Vicar of Dibley - three of my favorites.
A vote for Jeeves & Wooster. They rock.
sw@lewisfamily.us
Poirot and Sherlock Holmes are both excellent.
All shows mentioned are among my favorites. I love the British comedies, dramas, and specials. The Prisoner and Secret Agent (Danger Man) were wonderful. Two oldies that I started off with are Blake's 7 and The Sandbaggers. Absolutely wonderful!!!
doctor who!
I caught an episode of Rosemary and Thyme on PBS one evening, and have been hooked ever since!
And Doctor Who is also one of my favorite shows, but you've probably heard of that one already :-)
greenyak [at] yahoo [dot] com
My Husband is the Britsh TV fan and watches them all, and laughs and laughs, Benny Hill and Monty Python.
Fawlty Towers will always be my all-time favorite. jelly15301@gmail.com
I have so many favorites. Dr. Who ranks among the best.
Blackadder
I love British mysteries. I think Midsommer Murders is my favorite.
Monty Python for sure, very funny stuff.
I'm not sucking up, I swear, but I love love love Poirot! He's my absolute favourite detective :) David Suchet really nailed his character perfectly, and nothing compares with Agatha Christie's touch.
But, I also do like the British Office series :)
alison_luby@hotmail.com
Monty Python was always a favorite of mine.
Benny Hill was one of my favorites...there are so many...thanks for the great giveaway
Benny Hill just to simple and funny
Having returned from the UK less than a year ago after living there for 5 years I dearly miss not only the comedy but the murder mysteries. Poirot, Holmes et al. One of my favorites was Midsomer Murders which was just beginning its 10th season. John Nettles is a detective par excellance. While CSI and NCIS here in US are enjoyable watching they lack the British touch for murder most foul. Hoping Midsomer Murders and more of Agatha Christie will surface on US telly soon but am not going to hold my breath.
The Black Adder!
I love The IT Crowd.. I've found that it's practically a gateway drug if you want to get someone interested in British comedy (same for The Mighty Boosh for people who tend toward bizarre comedy). I also have a soft spot in my heart for QI because of Stephen Fry.
thefatesarevicious at yahoo dot com
So may to choose from. I particular like Mystery!, especially Prime Suspect and I love the Poirot and Tommy and Tuppence series.
Thank you for a great giveaway. I would love to win. We really enjoy Monty Python. Thank you
tatertot374@sbcglobal.net
Waiting For God honed my sarcastic delivery.
Monty Python!!
pamelashockley at netscape dot net
I have to go with the original Office.
Dr Who is a favorite. Right now we are watching Foyle's War and loving it. Thanks for the contest.
yumacat[at]gmail[dot]com
One of my all time favorites going back quite a ways was The Avengers, particularly the years with Diana Rigg.
I also really like MI 5 (called Spooks in the UK, I believe). I've enjoyed lots of the mysteries over the years and loved Monty Python.
Thanks for offering this.
judy(dot)greenberg(at)gmail(dot)com
My favorites are Miss Marple and As Time Goes By
Actually, Poirot was always my favorite. I read every Poirot mystery book I could get my hands on. For comedies, I like "Are You Being Served" and "As Time Goes By"
quetzalcoatl463@yahoo.com
That's a tough one. I'd say my favorite British TV of all Time is Yes, Minister (and Yes, Prime Minister). I've watched it all the way through at least 4 times now and it still make me roll around laughing.
My favorite show was Monty Python's Flying Circus. Please accept my entry. Thank you.
Loved Coupling. I miss watching that show. I've always enjoyed Poirot, too.
I loved the original Avengers program.
1st, i must say that POIROT is my FAVE christie character!
Now, fave British Shows:
1. A Bit of Fry & Laurie (sketch comedy with Hugh Laurie & Stephen Fry)
2. British Whose Line is it Anyway?
Waaaaay better than the American version -- Colin & Ryan are prominently feature!
she
pookielocks at ymail dot com
Hmmm...in the late '80s, my fave was "The Young Ones," which aired on MTV and starred Rik Mayall (of "Drop Dead Fred" movie fame).
During college years, I loved "To the Manor Born," about a woman who has to move into a small house on the ancient family property, due to money woes. (At the end of the series, she marries the rich man who bought the manor.)
I am a big fan of "Keeping Up Appearances," but wish there were more episodes of it available to viewers in my area.
Britain's got talent
Dr.Who
My favorite is Monty Python
There are several. Monty Python's Flying Circus was probably my favorite. I loved the mystery theatre on public tv that the Brits put out. Are You Being Served? was just good for a guffaw. Yes, Minister was one of our favorites, but we did not see many episodes of it. I don't know if they did not make many or if they just kept showing the same ones over and over. Keeping Up Appearances was sometimes funny and sometimes I just couldn't watch it. I had to be in the right mood for that one. Mr. Bean (I don't know the real name of it) was an absolute scream. I could go on and on. I love the Brit Coms. Do send over the Poirot set. I promise to take good care of it!
Thanks for having the giveaway!
I love Keeping up Appearances and Father Ted cracks me up sometimes.
The Saint series is one of my favorites. Ahhh, Simon Templar.
I would have to say Kim and Aggie in 'Is your house clean'..they make me laugh.
Fawlty Towers is definitely one of my favorites. I am also a huge fan of the classic Doctor Who show, especially the Tom Baker and Jon Pertwee years. Thank you for the great give-away.
Keeping Up Appearances is my favorite British show of all time. I even bought the entire series on dvd. "Bouquet residence, lady of the house speaking!" Priceless!
I really like British mysteries--like Midsommer Murders.
farrell@crosslake.net
No doubt about it: Fawlty Towers is my favorite. Thanks for offering this contest.
suzila@gmail.com
Big fan of Poirot, although favorites would probably be Doctor Who or The Prisoner.
I love Miss Marple.
My current addiction is Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares.
There are so many to love! My favorite sitcom type is Vicar of Dibley and when it comes to series, it's Midsomer Murders.
Love Poirot too! Davit Suchet is brilliant!
Agatha Christie's Poirot is, was and will always be my favorite!
allegro966@yahoo.com
My list of British tv that I didn't like would be shorter.
I love (in no particular order...)
*Keeping Up Appearances
*Monty Python
*Black Adder (all versions)
*Are you Being Served
*The Young Ones (Help Rick, I'm being repressed!)
*To the Manor Born
All of which have been mentioned. 2 that I haven't seen in forever but I wish I could are:
*No, Honestly
and
*Blood and Honey
I keep looking for ways to see those last two.
I never miss Waiting For God, but my sister is yelling Black Books so I will mention it for her sake, Luddite without so much as an email address that she is.
Monty Python is one of many Brit favorites.
brucetwiss@yahoo.com
I have to go with the classic Benny Hill. Hours of enjoyment watching that!
Huge fan of the British mysteries - Poirot, Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple and Midsomer Murders, in particular.
Other than them, my favorite is As Time Goes By - I see so much of myself in Lionel, especially as I get older.
delaneysean@comcast.net
My favorite British sitcom is "Only Fools and Horses"! Simply hilarious!
Here's the link
http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/onlyfools/
Black Adder is my favorite of all time.
lobbyman01@gmail.com
I love Dr. Who and Foyle's War
I like Poirot & Midsomer Murders! Thanks! senekers@comcast.net
I am not even going to try to pick one. I love all the comedy series already mentioned, with a special place in my heart for "Waiting for God."
But I love the mysteries, too. One great mini-series, if you haven't seen it, is called "Oliver's Travels" with Alan Bates. It's a great fun and suspense.
I love Poirot, Rosemary & Thyme, Morse and all the rest as well. My favorite current series however is the new Doctor Who-- it's great!
jaylee33 at gmail dot com
"Torchwood"!
theyyyguy@yahoo.com
I love "Coupling."
lverdez@gmail.com
My current favorite is Last Restaurant Standing
Are you Being Served is my fav.
My favorite is Gavin & Stacy
My favorite all time is Fawlty Towers. My next choice is Monty Python's Fying Circus.
My daughter was a fan of Telletubies. Kinda scary to me but she enjoyed them.
Thanks for the chance
jesskaufman at hotmail dot com
I like the Coupling and The Office (UK series)
Thanks
FLY18GRL21 at aol.com
Dr. Who and an older one titled Two's company
Monty Python's Flying Circus for sure! Thank you!
Has to be Monty Python.
First off, let me just say, I love the British sense of humor (sarcasm?)and the marvelous subtlties of their mysteries. And that I thank heaven for PBS & BBC!
Now the hard part. Since coming up with (or whittling down) to just ONE favorite is patently impossible, I'll just list my top 10: (!)
1. Who's Line Is It Anyway?
2. Last Restaurant Standing
3. Are You Being Served?
4. Keeping Up Appearances
5. Waiting For God
6. Monty Python's Flying Circus
7. Benny Hill
8. Poirot
9. Midsummer Mysteries
10.Prime Suspect (and Miss Marple!)
To name a few...
My favorite is MI-5 which I think is actually "Spooks" in Great Britain. Thanks for sharing!
Monty Python is my fav british comedy
Dr who is my favorite top gear and torchwood and life on mars are also my favorites con5459(at)gmail(dot)com
My favorite is The Last of the Summer Wine.
The Last of the Summer Wine.
george ferris
littlegeorgie56@yahoo.com
I think I've got to go with either the original version of "The Office" or "Extras," both of which star Ricky Gervais, the master of awkward situational humor and absurdist, everyday obsrvations. I think these shows are re-defining British comedy, and both are simply hilarious, well-written programs with unique, well-drawn characters. Thanks for the giveaway!
I tend to recall humor more readily, so Monty Python's Flying Circus first comes to mind. Nevertheless, there are numerous British shows that deserve comment and recognition. :)
mcj4tlj@comcast.net
Monthy Python is my favorite. garrettsambo@aol.com
There are so many! I would choose Fawlty Towers as being one of the tops ones. Also like Are You Being Served.
Upstairs Downstairs. Can you imagine reassembling that cast (besides the 'dead' factor)?
I love midsommer murders. More more
Definitely Spaced!
Keeping Up Appearances is one of my favorites.
I love a good mystery and Agatha Cristie has some of the best!
Are you Being Served is my all time favorite.
ladycat713@yahoo.com
I like Mr. Bean and th BBC news. Thanks.
I love Red Dwarf!
I like The Vicar of Dibley.
I love mysteries so Poirot and Midsomer Murders are my favorites
alterna7 at hotmail dot com
I loved Coupling!
I have enjoyed Hercule Poirot storylines forever! Winning the Poirot series would be winning the lottery for me.
Favorite British Show - Are You Being Served.
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