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Hercule Poirot is up there with Sherlock Holmes in the list of the most famous fictional detectives of all time. Born from the mind of Agatha Christie, the best-selling author of time, the Belgian detective has been interpreted on the big and small screen for several decades, much to the joy of audiences everywhere.
The consensus amongst fans is that no other actor portrayed the character as perfectly as David Suchet. The British actor took on the role in the series Agatha Christie’s Poirot, playing him for a total of twenty-four years over the course of 13 seasons and seventy episodes. The number of fascinating characters and talented guest stars that graced the series is nothing to sneeze at, either. To honor those who worked so hard to make the show what it is, we’ll take a look back at all of its episodes and rank the best of the bunch, according to user ratings on IMDb.
Updated September 26th, 2020 by Hayley Mullen: For those looking to binge the absolute best in mystery storytelling and television, Poirot is a must-watch. For those intimidated by 70 episodes of television, we’ve updated the list to reflect the 15 best episodes, honestly ranked by viewers of the show. Whether one watches in order to activate their little grey cells and solve a murder, or simply to enjoy the thrilling ride alongside Poirot, these episodes are the best of the best.
15 The Clocks (8.0)
Making time to watch this season 12 episode twice is a must, because it’s filled with twists and surprises that keep the viewer guessing. The plot begins when Lieutenant Colin Race (who is investigating a spy ring) collides with an agency typist named Sheila Webb, who has discovered a man’s body surrounded by four clocks in the home of blind receptionist Millicent Pebmarsh. Pebmarsh had not requested Sheila’s services, making her the prime suspect, but when Poirot is brought onto the case, the murderer strikes again, and Poirot suspects the body was killed elsewhere and brought there.
With several neighbors potentially hiding secrets they would kill over, Poirot and Colin work together to solve what turns out to be much more than just murder.
14 Evil Under The Sun (8.0)
The first episode of season 8, “Evil Under The Sun,” opens with Poirot, Hastings, and Inspector Japp dining out at a restaurant Hastings has made an investment in. Poirot suffers a sudden collapse, however, and is ordered by his doctor to undergo a strict rehabilitation regimen on an island health resort with Hastings.
A sudden murder proves to be just what the doctor ordered, however, and Poirot takes up the torch to solve the murder of a famous film star. With several suspects, colorful characters, and of course excellent acting, ”Evil Under The Sun” is perhaps the definitive adaptation of the 1941 Christie novel.
13 Lord Edgware Dies (8.0)
Season 7’s “Lord Edgware Dies” is based on the Christie book of the same name published in 1933 and follows Poirot’s assistance of Lady Edgware (known as stage actress Jane Wilkinson.) Lady Edgware’s husband is known to be a cruel man and consistently refused to give her a divorce, prompting her to ask Poirot to help convince him. Lord Edgware is found murdered during Poirot’s stay, casting heavy suspicion onto Lady Edgware, but she has a solid alibi.
Rest assured, there are plenty of other possible suspects for murdering a man who was overall terrible to everyone in his life. This episode is quite faithful to the original book and features superb acting from both David Suchet and Helen Grace, who plays Lady Edgware.
12 Cat Among The Pigeons (8.0)
Season 11’s “Cat Among The Pigeons” has it all: political turmoil, a royal princess, murder, sports, and a girls’ boarding school to boot. The story is centered around the fictional country of Ramat and revolutionaries who attempt to overthrow its monarchy. The surviving heir to the throne, Princess Shaista, is sent to Meadowbank, a small girls’ school, to keep her safe from harm.
Poirot is asked by his friend, Miss Bulstrode, to present a sports prize at Meadowbank, and asks his opinion on choosing her successor for retirement. Pretty soon things turn chaotic, as teachers are murdered with javelins, the princess is kidnapped, and priceless rubies are mysteriously missing, and it’s up to Poirot to find the culprit – the cat hiding among the pigeons. This episode improves upon its source material in several ways and features great acting by Susan Woolridge, Amara Karan, and Harriet Walter, among others.
11 Death On The Nile (8.0)
“Death on the Nile” is the third episode of season 9 and focuses on newly-wedded couple Simon Doyle and Linett Ridgeway on their honeymoon. Linett asks Poirot to dissuade Simon’s ex from following them around everywhere, feeling jilted from being left, but fails to persuade her. When Linett is murdered while on their honeymoon cruise down the Nile River, Poirot must investigate every suspicious passenger on the cruise who has something to hide.
This episode shines through its excellent costuming and set design, showcasing the beauty of Egypt and the Pyramids while telling a dramatic story of heartbreak and murder.
10 Hercule Poirot’s Christmas (8.1)
In the first episode of season 6, Hercule Poirot receives a strange invitation to spend Christmas in the mansion of an old, rich man, who suspects he’s in danger and that someone in the family has it out for him.
Manipulation, diamonds, long-lost children, and fake personas – there’s a little bit of everything in this exciting episode that sees Poirot investigating the murder of the old man and the disappearance of some very valuable diamonds.
9 Peril At The End House (8.1)
As a famous and relatively wealthy detective, Poirot often travels around England and the world, touching upon several interesting backdrops against which horrible crimes take place.
This second season episode features Poirot and fan-favourites Captain Hastings, Miss Lemon, and Inspector Japp in an interesting situation. The Belgian detective is staying at a Cornish resort where he meets a young heiress who seems to be in danger…from there on, everything unravels in amazing Poirot fashion.
8 Sad Cypress (8.1)
Season 9’s “Sad Cypress” seems to be pretty straightforward at first. The story follows Elinor, a young lady in love who visits her sick aunt with her soon to be husband. After her aunt dies and her fiancé falls for someone else, Mary, Elinor is devastated.
But when Mary dies, everything points to Elinor. Enter Poirot, who is there to investigate what seems to be not one, but two murders, and to finally answer the million-dollar question: did Elinor kill her aunt for the inheritance and Mary because her fiancé left her? Nothing is what it seems!
7 After The Funeral (8.1)
“After The Funeral” marked the third episode of season 10 and featured a young Michale Fassbender in one of the main roles. This was one of those episodes that leaves audiences wondering how they managed to completely miss the twist and in awe of the incredible acting and phenomenal writing.
When people begin to drop dead within a problematic family, it seems like everyone is a suspect. Why would anyone want to matty Aunt Cora? This is the question that drives the narrative and leads to a conclusion that not even the smartest among us could possibly have guessed.
6 Elephants Can Remember (8.1)
One of the most beloved recurring characters was Zoë Wanamaker’s Ariadne Oliver, the witty and messy writer that mirrored Agatha Christie herself to a certain degree. In this episode, Ariadne takes on her own case with the assistance of Poirot.
Poirot, in the meantime, is also busy with his own case involving a murder at a psychiatric facility. When it becomes clear the two cases are connected, Poirot must stop yet another killing and explain how two suspicious cases, that took place decades apart, could have anything to do with each other.
5 The Chocolate Box (8.2)
By the time we meet Poirot in Christie’s books and in the show, he’s a Belgian refugee in England that had a prolific career as a member of the police force in his home country and reached global fame due to his impressive abilities.
“The Chocolate Box” is a welcome change as it walks audiences through one of Poirot’s cases when he was still working for the Belgian police. It’s a case that almost confused Poirot himself, and it offers fans more insight into the character’s past and how he came to be the amazing person he is today.
4 The Labours of Hercules (8.2)
Season 13’s “The Labours of Hercules” is actually a compilation of a series of short stories published by Agatha Christie, in an effort to bring all of the author’s works to life in the series – and ultimately achieving it.
It’s an interesting episode that takes place in a hotel in the Swiss Alpes where Poirot finds himself surrounded by a series of mysterious crimes that don’t seem to add up…at least at first.
3 Five Little Pigs (8.4)
The great thing about Agatha Christie’s Poirot was that it wasn’t afraid to try and adapt Christie’s unique way of storytelling into television, succeeding in spectacular fashion. ”Five Little Pigs” was a perfect example of that.
Told in a series of flashbacks as a series of witnesses recount the days leading up to a tragic event that culminated in the death of two people, Poirot uses his powers of deduction alone to solve a decades-old crime.
2 The ABC Murders (8.5)
Much like “Five Little Pigs”, season 4’s “The ABC Murders” takes on a different perspective by having a serial killer interact directly with Poirot and taunting him throughout the whole episode.
It’s the first time audiences witness Poirot dealing with a serial murderer and it’s interesting to see how he deals with the pressure of knowing there’s always going to be a new victim unless he finds the killer.
1 Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case (8.7)
The hardest episode to watch also happens to be the very last. “Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case” quite literally sees Poirot solving his last case and, ultimately, passing away after many decades of crime-solving. Agatha Christie had originally written the story of Curtain in the 1940s during World War II. The author feared for her safety and wished for her detective to have a fitting end, lest something happen to her, so she had the story sealed away in a bank vault for over 30 years. Written as the planned end for Poirot, there’s no surprise that it would be the most heartwrenching and engaging of all his stories so far.
David Suchet was so emotional by the time they finished filming Poirot’s death that he cried. To be fair, he probably wasn’t the only one, but one thing is for sure – Poirot got the goodbye he deserved.
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