Four and Twenty Blackbirds

Agatha Christie’s Poirot

Series 1

“Four and Twenty Blackbirds”

A man with a mustache and wearing a white suit poses for the camera.
David Suchet as Hercule Poirot

I imagine it would be unnerving to see someone and not long later they turn up dead. For Hercule Poirot, it is a man in a restaurant who puts him in this situation in “Four and Twenty Blackbirds.”

A diner’s death causes Poirot’s concern

It is Henry Gascoigne that concerns Poirot. He was seen by Poirot eating in a restaurant and exhibiting strange behavior. Not too long later, Poirot discovers the man has died having fallen down his stairs. Poirot does not believe the fall was accidental.

Based on the stomach contents of Gascoigne, Poirot knows something is not right. His stomach did not contain what Poirot saw him eat. This furthers Poirot’s insistence that something is not right with Gascoigne’s death.

Who was Henry Gascoigne?

Gascoigne was an artist with a very surly model. He also had a brother, who somehow recently died too. With both brothers dead, the only remaining family to inherit is a nephew who works in the theater, George Lorrimer. Only one person available to inherit? That itself is suspicious.

Poirot cooks for Hastings

Speaking of food, Poirot spends time in this episode trying to convince his friend, Captain Hastings, that his Belgian food is better than English food. To prove his point, Poirot cooks Hastings a meal involving rabbit. Hastings does his best to be polite. It is something Hastings does often when dealing with Poirot, including when Poirot objects to men talking about cricket despite his secretly knowing a lot about the subject.

Japp has concerns for the future

Something that was completely relatable to our time was Inspector Japp's concern with showing Poirot the new forensic division of the police force. Japp is in full belief that with forensics detectives like him will be obsolete in the near future. That is an understandable fear. Today we are facing the same fear in relation to artificial intelligence. With this new technology, which jobs will remain, and which will go to a robot?

Main Cast

Hercule Poirot – David Suchet     Captain Hastings – Hugh Fraser

Chief Inspector Japp – Philip Jackson     Miss Lemon – Pauline Moran

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