The ‘Tommy & Tuppence’ Premiere Is a (Re)Meet-Cute
BritBox's contemporary update of Christie's married detectives reimagines Tommy and Tuppence as exes in modern-day London.
They say everything old is new again. It’s a saying that’s truer than most when it comes to the works of Agatha Christie, whose books have never gone out of style, are constantly being republished, and have been adapted for screens both large and small. But despite the many onscreen versions of Christie’s famous sleuths, some things do tend to be fairly consistent. Hercule Poirot has impressive mustaches; Jane Marple knits constantly; poor Superintendent Battle is often written out of his own adventures entirely. Most importantly, Christie’s stories are almost always left set in the time she wrote them, making them period pieces.
BritBox’s new adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Tommy & Tuppence isn’t the first version of the married crime-solving duo Thomas and Tuppence Beresford to hit our screens. James Warwick (The Seven Dials Mystery) and Francesca Annis (The Forsytes) starred in the first adaptation, Partners in Crime, back in the 1980s, and an updated version with Agatha Christie appended to the title, starring David Walliams (Great Expectations) and Jessica Raine (Call the Midwife), aired in the 2010s. No, what makes this particular spin on the series so interesting is that it’s the first to take the traditional Christie period setting and throw it right out the window.
Pulling the story forward to the 21st century adds a delightful freshness, and the show’s depiction of Tommy and Tuppence as three-dimensional people with lives and arcs outside their work together is a welcome shift. From their first scene together, it’s clear they have history, but they also have plenty going on in their lives as individuals, which opens up exciting new narrative avenues to explore.
The two reconnect at the Alice in Wonderland-themed wedding of a mutual college friend, and info-dump their way through what’s been going on in their lives since they last saw one another. Tommy’s a crime novelist, while Tuppence is a struggling actress recently back from America. They’re adorably awkward together, which immediately raises questions about why their relationship ended, when exactly Tuppence got married, and what has happened to that relationship to send her home to the U.K. (“Julius” sure does keep calling, doesn’t he?)
None of those answers are immediately forthcoming, but, thankfully, stars Josh Dylan (The Buccaneers) and Antonia Thomas (Still Up) have chemistry in spades, and the show strikes a thoughtful balance between hinting at established history and setting up what is essentially a second-chance meet-cute. (Albeit one with a few built-in guardrails on how fast their relationship can realistically progress, given external circumstances.)
The pair essentially stumble backward into crime-solving. Neither truly believes their well-meaning, but slightly dumb, friend Bingo (Toby Regbo) is a murderer. It does look an awful lot like he killed Tatiana (Fola Evans-Akingbola) to prevent his new wife, Alice (Madeleine Walker), from finding out they were having an affair. But I think we can all agree this murder plan was entirely too complex for Bingo to have orchestrated in the first place. (At least he’s cute!)
But, hey, if everyone’s a detective nowadays, as Tommy’s Aunt Ada (Imelda Staunton) so wisely intones via voiceover, why not a pair of ex-lovers with nothing better to do and real-life problems to escape?
Social media sends the pair down a rabbit hole (excuse the terrible pun) which eventually involves everything from Tatiana’s professional rival turned social media stalker (Della Saba) to Alice’s sketchy developer father (Sean Pertwee), who is played by the level of recognizable guest star that immediately suggests he is up to no good in some capacity or other. (Spoiler alert: He is.)
But while their investigation sees our intrepid duo go to great lengths to figure out whodunnit — Tuppence pretending to be a German rockstar while Tommy is her handler is particularly hilarious — the mystery isn’t really the point. Tommy & Tuppence is most interesting when it’s about, well, Tommy and Tuppence, and giving these two characters a chance to reconnect in a way that introduces them to the audience at the same time.
Thomas and Dylan shine in their one-on-one moments, and it’s immediately obvious why they were drawn to one another in their younger days. (As well as why their first attempt at dating didn’t work out.) Tommy’s the planner of the pair —who doesn’t love a color-coded murder board? — while Tuppence skews toward chaos. She’s the one who takes risks without thinking them through; he’s the one who needs to be coaxed (or just suddenly pushed) into her schemes. But, as in all good partnerships, they balance each other out. He needs to take a few more risks. She needs to consider the consequences of her actions occasionally. (They both need to just make out already.)
Staunton doesn’t get much to do in the series’ first two episodes, but her presence is commanding whenever she’s onscreen. Plus, it’s just really nice to see the mentor figure in a story like this be a successful older woman rather than a man.
As an introductory mystery, this two-part premiere has a lot to like, including ridiculous elements. (Not one but two dudes in giant bunny costumes running around!) But no matter how weird or complicated the case gets, the story consistently circles back to what matters: Tommy and Tuppence’s partnership. (Both crime-solving and otherwise.)
By the time the final credits roll, the pair have decided to be roommates — you can’t blame Tuppence for wanting to get away from her overbearing sister, no matter how quick this shift is — and business partners. How long will it be before they realize they’re made for each other in every way? We’ll have to wait and see.
Agatha Christie’s Tommy & Tuppence Season 1 continues with new episodes arriving weekly on BritBox through mid-October 2026. Season 2 has not been greenlit yet.
Agatha Christie's Tommy & Tuppence
BritBox will be featuring its Eras of Agatha Christie collection through the end of October.
Sign up for full access to Telly Visions' recaps and reviews!
