Ordeal by Innocence TV Review (2024)

Common Sense Media Review

Ordeal by Innocence TV Review (1) By Melissa Camacho , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 15+

Classic Agatha Christie mystery gets a dark, edgy remake.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 15+?

Any Positive Content?

  • Violence & Scariness

    some

    The story centers around a bloody murder. Screaming, pushing, and slapping are frequently visible. While not gory in nature, there's a substantial amount of blood, and dead bodies are shown.

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  • Language

    some

    Strong curses like "s--t" and "f--k" are occasionally audible.

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  • Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

    some

    Cigarette smoking is constant. Drinking (hard liquor, champagne, wine) and drunken behavior is visible, and the use of injected drugs (like morphine) is a plotline.

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  • Sex, Romance & Nudity

    a little

    Lots of sexual discussion, ranging from illicit affairs to conversations about being sexually dysfunctional. Unwanted (and terminated) pregnancies, children born out of wedlock, and other issues are addressed.

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  • Products & Purchases

    none

    It's an adaptation of an Agatha Christie book.

  • Positive Messages

    very little

    There's a story behind every murder, and it's usually very complicated.

  • Positive Role Models

    very little

    None of the cast members are particularly likable, everyone has secrets, and even the deceased can be suspects.

  • Parents Need to Know

    Parents need to know that Ordeal by Innocence is adapted from the Agatha Christie mystery novel of the same name, and centers around solving a murder (of course!). There's lots of blood, dead bodies, and occasional yelling, slapping, insult hurling, and cursing. Adult themes are common, ranging from extramarital events to dysfunctional family relationships and mental illness. Drinking and cigarette smoking is frequent, and some characters use morphine.

Where to Watch

Videos and Photos

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Parent and Kid Reviews

See all

  • Parents say (1)
  • Kids say (2)

age 16+

Based on 1 parent review

Daleya L. Adult

March 14, 2019

age 16+

Entertaining but disturbing!

So fun to watch but can be disturbing! Be careful with your teens. Very adult themes.

See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Based on the Agatha Christie book of the same name, ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE is a three-part limited series that centers around the 1954 murder of a family matriarch, her husband, and their now-adult adopted children. When heiress Rachel Argyll (Anna Chancellor) is killed at her family's estate on Christmas Eve, son Jack (Anthony Boyle) is arrested and ultimately convicted of the crime. But when widower Leo Argyll (Bill Nighy) is about to marry his former secretary, Gwenda Vaughan (Alice Eve), a stranger (Luke Treadaway) arrives with an alibi that can clear Jack's name. Now Leo and Jack's four siblings, Mary (Eleanor Tomlinson), Hester (Ella Purnell), Tina (Crystal Clarke), and Micky (Christian Cooke) become potential suspects. Even Mary's husband, Philip Durrant (Matthew Goode), and Kirsten Lindstrom (Morven Christie), the Argyll's loyal family maid, aren't above suspicion.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:

Parents say (1):

Kids say (2):

This entertaining whodunit puts a dark spin on Agatha Christie's original tale by featuring a few plot twists that aren't in the 60-year-old book. The departure allows the mystery to successfully unfold in a way that is intended to appeal to contemporary audiences, while still maintaining the integrity of Christie's dramatic and meticulous storytelling style. Adding to this is the production's rich cinematography and attention to detail, which successfully paints a picture of 1950s British country estate life as the perfect backdrop for the crime.

Diehard Agatha Christie fans may not appreciate the changes, or the producers' attempts to appeal to those who haven't gotten around to reading the book. Meanwhile, there are moments when scenes appear to be stretched by repetitive images and sounds, making one wonder if the story could have been told equally as well in two parts instead of three. Nonetheless, Ordeal by Innocence will easily draw you in, and keep you interested (if not engrossed) until the end.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why Agatha Christie stories and characters continue to have mass appeal. What do readers and viewing audiences find entertaining or unique about them, even though the stories are half a century old?

  • What are some of the differences between the book Ordeal by Innocence and the TV adaptation? Why do you think these changes were made? Would the series be as appealing to today's audiences if those changes weren't made?

TV Details

  • Premiere date: April 1, 2018
  • Cast: Anna Chancellor, Bill Nighy, Luke Treadaway
  • Network: Amazon Prime Video
  • Genre: Drama
  • TV rating: TV-MA
  • Last updated: August 26, 2022

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by

Ordeal by Innocence

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Ordeal by Innocence TV Review (2024)
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