Netflix’s sparky murder mystery squanders Martin Freeman – but all is not lost

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.

The streaming platform’s new classic murder mystery series had a boatload of potential that it didn’t quite reach… but I still want it to return, especially if our newly-introduced detective Battle (Martin Freeman) is at the helm.

Far from reimagining her well-worn tales featuring Poirot, or Miss Marple, or set on the Orient Express, the three-part limited series (adapted by Broadchurch showrunner Chris Chibnall) is based on one of her lesser-known novels – The Seven Dials Mystery.

That, combined with an absolutely stacked cast (as one would expect for a Christie ensemble) featuring Mia McKenna-Bruce, Edward Bluemel, Helena Bonham Carter, Nabhaan Rizwan, Corey Mylchreest and Martin Freeman, ensnared me hook, line and sinker.

Set in the swinging 20s, we meet Lady Bundle Brent (Mia), who is besotted with her beau, foreign office staffer Gerry (Corey), and ready to shake the traumas of the war as she looks towards a bright and hopeful future.

The next morning, Gerry is found dead in his bed by a grief-stricken Bundle, who has a fire lit under her to find out what truly happened to her lover, come hell or high water.

We are soon painted a picture of Bundle – a woman who spends her days trading quips with her reclusive mother, Lady Cartham (Helena), and has a tight-knit circle of friends around, such as Jimmy (Edward) and Ronnie (Nabhaan).

Most of all, however, she has a taste for adventure, fuelled by her razor-sharp mind and determined spirit.

There’s something thrillingly modern about the whole affair, and it feels as though you could pluck the plot and drop it in 21st-century England, which I found rather compelling.

Mia does a formidable job portraying Bundle’s exuberant nature, going toe-to-toe with industry greats and completely making the character her own.

I found myself effortlessly rooting for her to crack the case, moreso than normal, just due to her sheer single-mindedness and unwillingness to back down.

Unfortunately, despite only being three episodes, there were moments where the plot began to lag, and it was a struggle to maintain interest, as the drama either lingered over a plot point for too long or did too little to drive it forward.

By far, the high points of the series were the first episode, which does a magnificent job setting up the main players and central mystery, and the climactic ending, where all of the pieces come together.

Aside from one or two confrontations (some of which largely happened off-screen), the middle chunk of this adaptation could have desperately done with more action sequences to keep the viewer on the edge of their seats.

What I perhaps found the most baffling was the utter redundancy of Martin’s character, Superintendent Battle, which felt jarringly unfulfilled.

Not only is he absent for a third of the show (the entire first episode aside from a fleeting glimpse), but for the rest of it, he is clashing heads with Bundle as they both fight to do the same job.

Apart from very few instances, it feels as though Battle could almost entirely be written out from the fabric of the show with very little consequence.

There is one key exception to this, and the way his character is left by the end of the three-parter (without giving away spoilers) made me intrigued for more.

For those familiar with Christie’s canon, you’ll know that he is a recurring character in her novels. As such, it’s not out of the realm of possibility to assume that there could be more TV adventures in Battle’s future.

Seven Dials set up an intriguing character and, if Netflix plays its cards right, Battle could be forged as the next Poirot or Marple.

I would certainly love to see this character explore more, and even welcome back others from this limited series if the occasion called for it.

Making Seven Dials part of a wider universe with recurring characters like Battle might be just the ticket to fleshing out what was lacking in this adaptation and making it a vital part of a bigger story.

I would certainly tune in for more.

Seven Dials is available to stream on Netflix now.

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