The Pale Horse
released 2020
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“The Pale Horse” is a detective, fictional, English miniseries written by Agatha Christie and with the screenplay cowrote with Sarah Phelps. It was directed by Leonora Lonsdale and produced by Basi Akpabio, Tommy Bulfin, Veronica Castillo, Sarah Phelps, James Prichard, Damien Timmer, Ado Yoshizaki Cassuto and Helen Ziegler. It stars Georgina Campbell, Kaya Scodelario, Rufus Sewell, Kathy Kiera Clarke, Sean Pertwee, Sheila Atim, Bertie Carvel, Rita Tushingham, Claire Skinner, Madeleine Bowyer, Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Ellen Robertson, Sarah Woodward, Poppy Gilbert and many others.

The Pale Horse IMDb webpage

“The Pale Horse” is the story of one successful businessman named Mark Easterbrook, played by Rufus Sewell. The picture perfect image of his life is shattered one day with the murder of one Thomisina Tuckerton, played by Poppy Gilbert, and the appearance of his name on a list found in a murdered priest´s shoe. Mark tries desperatly to discover what is behind the mystery of the Pale Horse Tavern and the murders of people he never met.

Mark Easterbrook, at first glance, seems like a driven, successful man and he is those things but as the story develops we see just how ruthless and sociopathic he is. Let me state the obvious and say that Rufus Sewell is a fine actor who is brilliant in the role Mark Easterbrook. He really knocked it out of the park, to use a baseball term. Mark is a self entitled man who treats people, like his wife, like garbage. He takes short cuts to get what he wants and thinks nothing of the consequences and harm he inflicts on people. He reminds me of a certain Shakespearean character.

This is a well done miniseries with fine actors, world building and the right amount of mystery and the fact that Mark is a morally dubious and unreliable witness adds to the story. This is as much a murder mystery as it is the story of people facing their past transgressions. Namely Mark, who comes across as a bully and turns out to have much worse flaws. I loved the three witches reference in the story. It makes me think of Shakespeare´s “Macbeth”. Come to think of it, the story seems very much inspired by “Macbeth” with Mark as Macbeth.

I loved the twists and turns in the story. I loved the way we, the audience, the viewer, struggle to figure out what is going on and just when we think that we have everything figured out, the rug is pulled out from under us. Just like with Macbeth, we think the three witches are controlling everything but that is not necessarily the case. And just like with Macbeth, Mark is not a very nice person. He has many of the qualities of Macbeth.

Anyway, I don´t have much else to say, only that this is a miniseries worth watching. I´m out of words today. So check it out and enjoy and read Shakespeare´s “Macbeth” too. They are both fantastic pieces of literature. Don´t miss out on these gems.

John

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