"Towards Zero" is a whodunit that's both simple and tricky: simple because there is a limited number of suspects and practically no subplots (everything that happens is related to the main story), and tricky because it is built on a two-level deception, a deception that doubles back on itself. Miss Marple was not included in the original novel (which was actually filmed again, the same year, in France - I remember that film being worth watching too), but she is pretty naturally inserted here; one interesting point is that the policemen working on the case are more competent than usual, they know their technical stuff, but they still can't make the necessary connections that Marple's brain can! Despite the brutality of the murder itself, the mood here is lighter than "Nemesis" and "Ordeal By Innocence". The cinematography matches the beauty of the locations, and every actor seems to be cast perfectly for what the role requires from him or her. Although "At Bertram's Hotel" is far and away the most entertaining episode of Season 3, "Towards Zero" sits comfortably in the second place. *** out of 4.
Review of Towards Zero
