A new Netflix murder mystery has stormed to the top of the streaming charts despite viewers claiming that it is ‘putting them to sleep’.
Beating off some stiff competition, from the likes of the hugely popular His & Hers as well as Harlan Coben’s Run Away, Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials is currently holding the number one spot.
Adapted from the writer’s 1929 novel of the same name, the three-part drama follows aristocratic sleuth Lady Eileen ‘Bundle’ Brent (Mia McKenna-Bruce) as she tries to unravel a murder at a lavish 1920s country house.
With the help of Scotland Yard’s Superintendent Battle (Martin Freeman), Bundle uncovers a series of dark secrets and hidden conspiracies that ties the death to the mysterious Seven Dials society.
Rounding out the cast, Harry Potter star Helena Bonham Carter plays Bundle’s mother, Lady Chaterham, while Edward Bluemel and Corey Mylchreest also star.
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Writing on X,@WomackPhilip called it ‘terrible’, arguing that it contained a ‘creaky script and boring tropes’.
@AmeliaHockey similarly said that: ‘I’m not normally a book adaptation purist but Seven Dials on Netflix has taken out so much from the original that all the tension, intrigue and fun have gone, which in a murder mystery is quite important.’
@janeholland1 also questioned: ‘How is it possible to make an Agatha Christie murder mystery dull, bland and uninteresting?’
What did Metro think?
Our senior TV reporter Asyia Iftikhar shared her thoughts…
There’s nothing more cosy than making a cuppa, donning your detective hat and settling down to some Agatha Christie.
Whether through the page or screen, one of the greatest murder mystery writers to ever live has bewitched and enthralled countless generations with her whip-smart plots and alluring characters.
Now, Netflix is cashing in on her enduring appeal in an unexpected way.
In addition, @MrTobyCook said: ‘This new Seven Dials adaptation is incredibly slow in the second and third episodes. Could have been two episodes. Drawwwwwn outttttttttttt.’
The three-part series was even described as a ‘total waste of time’ by @konklord, before @agingsloth said: ‘Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials is so boring. It’s putting me to sleep.’
Have you been watching Seven Dials?
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Yes, I really enjoyed it!
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Yes, and I was disappointed
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No, murder mysteries aren’t my thing
However, not all viewers appeared to be as disappointed, with @socialtvx calling it ‘well-paced’ and @JoshyJoshInMD writing: ‘Highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good whodunnit. A quick three episodes that keeps your attention throughout.’
The new series updates Christie’s Jazz Age novel, blending country-house mystery with espionage and political intrigue.
Discussing the ‘modern feel’ of Netflix’s Seven Dials, Freeman previously told Metro that it’s because Christie’s work is ‘timeless’.
‘When you read the script, [it] doesn’t feel like you need any translation from old timey stuff to now. [It] doesn’t feel like it’s really, really removed.
‘That’s partly Christie’s great talent, doing something timeless, but also [there is] stuff that isn’t just Agatha Christie, but it’s [Chris], because he’s funny, believe it or not. Some stuff in this is actually funny.’
Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials is available on Netflix.
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