Normally I don't care for the Poirot mysteries, and certainly the new series is suffocatingly claustrophobic, dark, and unappealing, often seeming as though they are trying to save money on light bulbs. This episode, however, was quite the exception, with stunningly brilliant outdoor scenes, probably shot in Spain, and entrancing music. As another reviewer observed, the music for these Mystery shows is often less than second-rate, seeming like an annoying after-thought. But this score by Stephen McKeon is beautifully done, avoiding the urge so common in Middle East stories these days to mimic local music. It is overtly and unabashedly Romantic, with a touch of French color, lending a whiff of nostalgia and wistfulness to the curiously violent story, told in flashbacks, of horrific child abuse to the major characters and the comeuppance suffered by the perpetrator. I don't know, nor do I care, about how closely the film version matches the original Christie story, as I'm not a huge fan of hers anyway. And I'm reasonably sure the book didn't have a fine score. This is one of the best Masterpiece Mystery shows ever.
Review of Appointment with Death
