Miss Marple, titled Agatha Christie's Miss Marple in the series, is a British television series based on the Miss Marple murder mystery novels by Agatha Christie, starring Joan Hickson in the title role. It aired from 26 December 1984 to 27 December 1992 on BBC One. All twelve original Miss Marple novels by Christie were dramatised.

The adaptations were written by T. R. Bowen, Julia Jones, Alan Plater, Ken Taylor and Jill Hyem; and the series was produced by George Gallaccio. In addition to its availability on VHS and DVD, the series began to be released on Blu-ray Disc in October 2014, marking its 30th anniversary.

Background Agatha Christie had never been very happy with most filmed adaptations of her works, and according to her grandson Mathew Prichard, who handled her estate after her death, she "did not care much for television", either. Producer Pat Sandys of London Weekend Television first approached Prichard and the Christie estate with a researched, detailed plan to film the novels Why Didn't They Ask Evans? and The Seven Dials Mystery in the early 1980s. Although indifferently treated by critics, the projects were popular with audiences and led to the filming of a number of short stories and the Tommy and Tuppence Beresford stories including The Secret Adversary and in the subsequent series Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime. With the success of that series, the BBC received approval to produce the stories of one of Christie's most famous detectives.The New Bedside, Bathtub & Armchair Companion to Agatha Christie, Edited by Dick Riley and Pam McAllister. Ungar Publishing, New York 1979, rev 1986. "Christie on the BBC" Tennenbaum, Michael, p 339

When the BBC was granted the screen rights to all twelve Miss Marple novels, the rights to three already co-existed and were set to expire at the end of 1988. The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side had already been filmed and theatrically released in 1980 with Angela Lansbury in the role, and the same production company was in the process of filming A Caribbean Mystery and They Do It With Mirrors with Helen Hayes for television broadcast. Thus these three titles were the last to be dramatised under the BBC's agreement.

The adaptations are mainly true to the original novels. Joan Hickson, who played Miss Marple, was an octogenarian herself during most of the series' production. In 1980 she had appeared in a minor role of Mrs Rivington in Why Didn't They Ask Evans? Decades before, she had appeared in a minor role in Murder, She Said, in which Margaret Rutherford played Miss Marple and interestingly referred to Hickson's character as the younger generation. Hickson had also appeared in a stage adaptation of the novel Appointment with Death in 1946, after which Christie sent Hickson a note that read, "I hope one day you will play my dear Miss Marple."Agatha Christie: Murder in Four Acts, Haining, Peter, Virgin Books, London, 1990.

Characters Regular characters In addition to Miss Marple, there are two semi-regular characters in the series. The first is Inspector (later Superintendent) Slack, played by David Horovitch; the second is Constable (later Sergeant) Lake, played by Ian Brimble. Slack and Lake appear in five episodes: "The Body in the Library", "The Murder at the Vicarage", "4:50 from Paddington", "They Do It with Mirrors" and "The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side". They are the official detectives, and both (particularly Slack) originally dislike and are exasperated by Miss Marple, her interference and her methods, but they eventually come to respect and (indeed, in the case of Lake) like her.

Inspector/Superintendent Slack (David Horovitch) – Slack is the senior officer in charge of many cases. He has been described as "a man who has never striven more to contradict his name". Miss Marple describes him as having the "same personality as that of a diesel engine, most unappealing, but efficient". When Slack first met Miss Marple, her strange personality and her quirky methods caused him to think she was "batty", and thus he took no notice of her. Slack especially disliked the fact that his superiors think highly of Miss Marple and consult her for advice (although he later ends up doing the same). Usually, Slack passes over Miss Marple's beliefs and dislikes her interfering, although he later comes to value her advice. In his final appearance, it is revealed that Slack has been promoted to Superintendent and appears to have grown wiser, even telling an officer to consult Miss Marple. In "They Do It with Mirrors" it is revealed that Slack has a passion for magic tricks, and secretly practises. Slack is featured in the novels The Murder at the Vicarage and The Body in the Library. Constable/Sergeant Lake (Ian Brimble) – Lake is Slack's colleague and often works with him. He is also very bemused by Miss Marple, her quirky ways, her unusual methods, and her claims of solving the cases based on trivial stories from her past. However, the difference was whilst Slack was annoyed by Miss Marple, Lake found her quite funny. By the time of They Do It With Mirrors, Lake is on friendly terms with Miss Marple. When Slack is promoted, Lake gets more roles in the art of criminal investigation but stays a Sergeant. Lake is featured in the novel They Do It with Mirrors.

Recurring characters

John Castle appears as Inspector Dermot Eric Craddock in "A Murder Is Announced" and "The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side". Craddock was unknown to Miss Marple in the former story but in the latter had become her nephew. Gwen Watford appears as Mrs Dolly Bantry in "The Body in the Library" and "The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side". Barbara Hicks appears as Miss Hartnell in "The Murder at the Vicarage" and "The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side". Christopher Good appears as Christopher Hawes, the curate in "The Murder at the Vicarage", and the vicar in "The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side". Rhoda Lewis is village shopkeeper and postmistress Mrs Brogan in "A Pocket Full of Rye", "4:50 from Paddington" and "The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side". Miss Marple's nephew Raymond West appears in "Sleeping Murder" (played by David McAlister) and in "A Caribbean Mystery" and "The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side" (played by Trevor Bowen). Jason Rafiel appears in "Nemesis", played by Frank Gatliff, and "A Caribbean Mystery", played by Donald Pleasence (although the two episodes are set in the reverse order to which they aired).

Episodes