MUCH lauded Agatha Christie’s Murder is Easy arrives on BritBox on 7 March. The Guardian describes the ethos of this two-parter perfectly: “This inventive take on a vintage crime tale replaces an English police officer with a Nigerian attaché. It tackles race, feminism and class, while still being quintessentially English.”
The series brings the classic novel into the 1950s with a Nigerian lead character, tackling issues such as colonialism and immigration. The series tells the story of Luke Fitzwilliam who finds himself on the trail of a serial killer after meeting Miss Pinkerton on a train to London. She tells him about a series of suspicious deaths that have taken place in her village. When she later turns up dead herself – while on the way to visit Scotland Yard – Fitzwilliam realises he needs to find the killer before yet more bodies start piling up.
The two-part series features Penelope Wilton (Downton Abbey), Morfydd Clark (Lord of the Rings, Saint Maud), and Douglas Henshall (Shetland).
- The Catch, 14 March
The Catch is a dark mystery set in South-west England with a strong cast including Jason Watkins (The Crown, Archie), Aneurin Barnard (Dunkirk) and Poppy Gilbert (Chloe). This gripping psychological thriller from the pen of TM Logan, author of The Holiday, is adapted for the screen by Michael Crompton.
Ed Collier is a proud husband, father and local fisherman determined to do whatever it takes to keep his family together. When rich, handsome younger man, Ryan enters daughter Abbie’s life and threatens to take her away from him, Ed finds his life spiralling out of control and determines to discover the truth about Ryan before it’s too late.
But a dark secret from Ed’s past returns to haunt him and he risks losing everything he’s worked so hard to achieve. As his determination to solve the mystery veers dangerously into obsession, the stage is set for a chilling climax leaving both Ed and Ryan’s lives hanging in the balance. Set against the hauntingly beautiful coastline of the south-west of England, this suspense-driven drama revolves around the themes of toxic masculinity and grief. The emotionally engaging and morally complex story raises the pertinent moral questions: should we be judged by the actions of our distant past and at what point do we have to stop blaming other people for the life we’ve led?
- Make It at Market, 21 March
Filmed in the Waterperry Gardens in Oxfordshire, the second season will see the return of Dom Chinea and his team of business and craft experts as they bring real change to the lives of budding entrepreneurs who hope to make a living from their crafting hobby.
The inspirational series showcases a diverse selection of talented hobbyists from across the UK. We meet Des, a former teacher looking to make a career in willow weaving; Hayley, a mum who would like to change her family’s fortunes with her upholstery business; and Will, a colour-blind pointillism artist. From blacksmiths and jewellers to potters and up-cyclers, the makers are teamed up with an expert mentor to provide practical making tips and straight talking advice.
This series viewers will see talented mentors assess if the amateur craftspeople have what it takes, before they head off into the real world to make some cash from their craft.
The BritBox app is available on Android TV, including enabled Smart TVs, Google Chromecast with GoogleTV, Nvidia Shield, MiBox and MiStick, plus Android and Apple mobile/tablets, FireTV, Samsung Smart TV and LG Smart TV, and DStv. Sign up at R99.99 per month and register for email updates here.
Don’t forget you can now download all your favourite titles onto your IoS mobile devices – just update your device with the latest BritBox app version.
