Towards Zero: A review of BBC's scandalous and stylish take on the Agatha Christie classic

With Towards Zero, BBC has just had another go at the Agatha Christie novel, which was released in 1944. Well, here is another murder mystery that (not for the first time) suggests seaside holidays and is not all about sea and sandcastles. So mystery lovers, did this version leave a mark, or sink like a corpse with weight tied around its waist? Let’s dive in.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the writer's personal opinion. Also, even if you don't like murder mysteries, do give this a chance to change that. But still, viewer discretion is advised.

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Plot of Towards Zero: Murder, tennis, and a lot of emotions

It's 1936, and we are transported to Gull’s Point, a coastal estate where British tennis star Nevile Strange (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) decides it’s just another day at the beach to go on holiday with his current wife (Kay, played by Mimi Keene) and his ex-wife (Audrey, played by Ella Lily Hyland). They say, “There’s nothing awkward about that.”

Their hostess, the strong matriarch Lady Tressilian (the effortlessly regal Anjelica Huston), is as happy about this setup as a cat in a bathtub. Resentments boil, tensions simmer, and—surprise, surprise—someone ends up dead. Enter Inspector Leach (Matthew Rhys), a brooding, sharp-eyed detective cast with the task of untangling this web of jealousy, deception, and (of course) a murder. Actually make that two.

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Performance: A lesson in smoldering looks and sass

Oliver Jackson-Cohen portrays Neville with a smugness and gusto that leave you both wanting to slap him and take him out for drinks. Mimi Keene, who plays Kay, is dazzlingly charming and wonderfully unhinged when things go south. Meanwhile, Ella Lily Hyland’s Audrey exudes the quiet intensity of someone who is definitely hiding something.

And then there is Anjelica Huston as Lady Tressilian. Her performance is delivered with the cutting precision of a master fencer—if fencing was about obliterating people with language instead of swords. Matthew Rhys, as Inspector Leach, is the sort of detective who doesn't just uncover mysteries; he broods over them with the gravitas of a man who's had one too many disappointing cups of tea.

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Aesthetic: Old-school elegance meets a splash of debauchery

In visual terms, Towards Zero is a banquet, gloriously set in the 1930s, with sweeping coastal landscapes, Art Deco interiors, and fashion choices that will make you want to drag your grandmother’s pearls out of storage. But don't mistake the elegance for ease. This version doubles down on a modernized drama, with intimate moments and incendiary arguments; audiences in more pious eras might have deemed—let's say—risqué.

Speaking of—yes, there’s that scene on the stairs. If you've been on any corner of social media, you’ve seen the outrage. Without going into too much detail, suffice it to say that this new version of Towards Zero isn't shy about getting a bit bold. Some fans loved it; others clutched their pearls so tight they nearly turned to diamonds.

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Script & direction: Agatha, but with a little bit of spice

The script makes relatively faithful work of Christie’s novel—though with additional layers of psychological complexity and heightened tensions around class. The dialogue is sharp, clever, and shot through with dry humor. Balance between murder mystery and character-driven drama is in the hands of director Sam Yates, who makes every raised eyebrow and pointed silence count.

One of the most interesting shifts in this version of Towards Zero? The reasons behind the murder get more emphasis, making the perpetrator’s rationales feel deeper and tragic. In place of a classic “whodunit,” though, we receive a “why-did-they-do-it” as well, bringing emotional heft to the eventual reveal.

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Bottom line: A bold and divisive reconstruction of a classic

This Towards Zero is not like your grandmother’s warm, fuzzy Christie adaptation. It’s svelte, stylish, and—depending on your comfort level with steamy period drama moments—either a liberating modernization or an unforgivable scandal. If you prefer your murder mysteries served with a heaping side of high drama and a sprinkle of the controversy that only the BBC can inspire, this one’s for you.

Rating: 9 out of 10⭐ (took a point because it made me feel more than it needed to about a tennis player’s love life).

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Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go back and watch Towards Zero again. Because, why not? And you can go down on the comments and tell us how you like Towards Zero.