A new mystery series is taking Netflix by storm, this one from the Queen of Crime herself. The show, which debuted in the last week, has launched itself up the Top 10 Streaming chart, taking the #2 spot on the platform with nearly 10M views, and it shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials is set in England in 1925. The official summary reads: “At a lavish country house party, a practical joke appears to have gone horribly, murderously wrong. It will be up to the unlikeliest of sleuths – the fizzingly inquisitive Lady Eileen ‘Bundle’ Brent – to unravel a chilling plot that will change her life, cracking wide open the country house mystery.” The series stars Mia McKenna-Bruce, Helena Bonham Carter, and Martin Freeman.
Does It Live Up to the Hype?
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Unfortunately, it seems that it might not. The mystery series is only pulling in middling ratings from critics and audiences alike, with a 71% on Rotten Tomatoes. “There are no secret twins or Rube Goldberg machines here, but there are plenty of twists, reveals, and red herrings to keep both casual viewers and fair play mystery vets engaged,” says Marty Brown of Common Sense Media, rating the show a 4 out of 5 stars. Adam Sweeting of The Arts Desk disagrees, though, saying, “Generally it rattles along quite pleasantly, replete with some splendid panoramas of coastline, countryside and steam trains, while Ms. McKenna-Bruce makes a smart and feisty heroine. But there’s never much real tension or sense of menace…”
Audiences were feeling less kind about Seven Dials, rating it a sad 49% on the Popcornmeter. One viewer said, “The casting was great, but this was neither thrilling nor mysterious. It plodded along without really engaging mh interest or even my intrigue in any way. Should have been a 2-hour movie rather than 3 episodes, but would not have been any more watchable.” Another rated it .5 out of 5 stars, saying, “Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials Mystery is an incredibly dull and frustrating viewing experience. From the first half hour, it becomes clear that the story lacks the intrigue and momentum expected from an Agatha Christie adaptation. The biggest flaw is its format. This should have been a tight, hour-and-a-half mystery film, not a three-episode limited series stretched far beyond its narrative limits. The screenplay drags relentlessly, mistaking slow pacing for depth. Scenes linger without purpose, tension never builds, and the mystery itself feels weightless. Clues fail to excite, character interactions lack urgency, and revelations arrive without impact. While the cast is capable, the performances feel oddly disengaged. Even Helena Bonham Carter is underused, appearing briefly and leaving little impression. Visually, the series is flat and uninspired, lacking atmosphere or personality. Ultimately, the show isn’t terrible—it’s worse. It’s boring. I can’t recommend it.”
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