Summer is over. Way over. Autumn's here. I'm happy about this, because I get to use my fireplace and bring out all the sweaters I hold so dear.
There's also many things I will miss about summer. I'll miss swimming in the lake and having beer in the park with my friends. But about this summer in particular, I will miss watching Hercule Poirot movies from Yle Areena. Yes, Hercule Poirot. The kind of show that people like my mom would watch.
I don't mean to bash my mom here, but she watches shows like Dances With The Stars, Vain Elämää and Maajussille Morsian. In other words, she's middle aged. My point is that there's not much my mom and I share when it comes to TV.
But why is it then that we both adore this show about a weird Belgian going around solving horrible murders usually involving the most annoying people from the British upperclass? I am in no way British, or upperclass for that matter. At the surface level, there's not that much to relate to, so why do I find the show so endearing?
Poirot is of course sharp and extremely confident in his detective skills. Intelligence and confidence however are not features I find relatable. What really makes the character work for me are his flaws. He can at times be stubborn over miniscule details and can be very hedonistic: he loves chocolate passionately and complains about the cold British weather (about the British cuisine as well). I love my treats and can be very comfort-seeking. I can relate, yay!
However, where Poirot can be almost arrogant, he is no way mean. Poirot is friendly, emphatic, polite and righteous. Among the iconic look, it is these features that make him so lovable that his flaws seem more funny than irritating.
The rest of the main cast is a lot fun too: Captain Hastings with his naïvety, Chief Inspector Japp being the more "traditional English bloke" and miss Lemon, while being strict and formal, is sweet. All of them offer some sort of contrast for Poirot, while not being too different to be unfunctional. I don't know how to explain this better, the characters just seem to have good chemistry.
Of how stereotypical Poirot is I actually have no idea, nor do I have thoughts about how racially insensitive the character being played by a British actor is. I don't think many people have taken offence?
On a side-note, David Suchet said in a recent interview that he believes he wouldn't get Poirot's role now because "he is not Belgian". Which is a weird comment as the role is now given to the American actor John Malkovich. Another side-note: I'm eager to find out how that plays out, as I really like John Malkovich!
In the first act we are always introduced to bunch of yuppies having trouble with something, be it love or money. Evil is lurking around the corner, because some rich a-hole is pissed off and leaves his family out of his will. Or maybe the a-hole family is pissed off because the rich person dares to leave his money to charity. Nevertheless, someone is about to be killed, and Poirot is there because he happens to be on holiday or something.
The second act is Poirot taking his sweet-ass time solving the case, while Hastings is being wrong about something and Japp is arresting the most obvious suspect. Who of course, isn't the killer, as there was a detail that Japp failed to notice. How embarrassing!
In the final act, Poirot manages to gather everyone involved to listen to his boasting, and the real killer is revealed and everyone is surprised. Sometimes there's a chase or a gunfight. Anyways, after the usual "Damn you, Poirot!", the killer is taken away and everything is nice.
On a side-note, no one ever seems to harm Poirot, even though his routine of always catching the murderer is well known. I mean, just shoot the guy in advance and you'll be fine, right?
The world of Poirot is very different from mine: no one I know is getting murdered or fighting for large sums of money. I just applied for a student loan last week, and I hate it. But if I were to murder my mom, I wouldn't inherit anything. I would just feel bad. I know it's a worrying example, but it's just an example, I would never do it!
But maybe therein lies the reason why I love Poirot stories: escapism. Escaping my real life by watching or reading something extremely different from it.
Poirot films aren't groundbreaking. They're entertainment with a little more brains (or "gray cells") involved. Just something to enjoy in a rocking chair, at least for yours truly. It's actually amazing how stories about money and murder can be so relaxing. It's just nice to stop thinking about student loans for an hour, and think about who killed the rich a-hole. Poirot stories are comfort, and comfort in the right dose is vital.
I haven't gotten around to it, because even by my standards this is a tremendous waste of time, but once it's complete I'm bound to be happy with myself. Anyways, this "conclusion" has become another side-note. Go watch or read Poirot!
Also, I realise it's October, which means it's time for Inktober. So for October I'm switching my technique from pencil to ink.
This week's sketch is of me next to Poirot. I'm sure he would not approve of my moustache.
There's also many things I will miss about summer. I'll miss swimming in the lake and having beer in the park with my friends. But about this summer in particular, I will miss watching Hercule Poirot movies from Yle Areena. Yes, Hercule Poirot. The kind of show that people like my mom would watch.
I don't mean to bash my mom here, but she watches shows like Dances With The Stars, Vain Elämää and Maajussille Morsian. In other words, she's middle aged. My point is that there's not much my mom and I share when it comes to TV.
But why is it then that we both adore this show about a weird Belgian going around solving horrible murders usually involving the most annoying people from the British upperclass? I am in no way British, or upperclass for that matter. At the surface level, there's not that much to relate to, so why do I find the show so endearing?
Poirot himself
One of the reasons is obvious: David Suchet's Poirot. That moustache, those sweet brown eyes, the egg-shaped head – this character is beyond iconic!Poirot is of course sharp and extremely confident in his detective skills. Intelligence and confidence however are not features I find relatable. What really makes the character work for me are his flaws. He can at times be stubborn over miniscule details and can be very hedonistic: he loves chocolate passionately and complains about the cold British weather (about the British cuisine as well). I love my treats and can be very comfort-seeking. I can relate, yay!
However, where Poirot can be almost arrogant, he is no way mean. Poirot is friendly, emphatic, polite and righteous. Among the iconic look, it is these features that make him so lovable that his flaws seem more funny than irritating.
The rest of the main cast is a lot fun too: Captain Hastings with his naïvety, Chief Inspector Japp being the more "traditional English bloke" and miss Lemon, while being strict and formal, is sweet. All of them offer some sort of contrast for Poirot, while not being too different to be unfunctional. I don't know how to explain this better, the characters just seem to have good chemistry.
 |
| Everyone thinks they're a Poirot, when they're actually a Hastings. |
Of how stereotypical Poirot is I actually have no idea, nor do I have thoughts about how racially insensitive the character being played by a British actor is. I don't think many people have taken offence?
On a side-note, David Suchet said in a recent interview that he believes he wouldn't get Poirot's role now because "he is not Belgian". Which is a weird comment as the role is now given to the American actor John Malkovich. Another side-note: I'm eager to find out how that plays out, as I really like John Malkovich!
The Poirot formula
Poirot stories tend to be formulaic. Figures, since Agatha Christie is an indisputable pioneer of the whodunits. "Whodunit" is a word for crime novels that I just learned, how nice!In the first act we are always introduced to bunch of yuppies having trouble with something, be it love or money. Evil is lurking around the corner, because some rich a-hole is pissed off and leaves his family out of his will. Or maybe the a-hole family is pissed off because the rich person dares to leave his money to charity. Nevertheless, someone is about to be killed, and Poirot is there because he happens to be on holiday or something.
 |
| "Yes, I left my dangerously dysfunctional family without heritage. What could possibly go wrong?" |
The second act is Poirot taking his sweet-ass time solving the case, while Hastings is being wrong about something and Japp is arresting the most obvious suspect. Who of course, isn't the killer, as there was a detail that Japp failed to notice. How embarrassing!
In the final act, Poirot manages to gather everyone involved to listen to his boasting, and the real killer is revealed and everyone is surprised. Sometimes there's a chase or a gunfight. Anyways, after the usual "Damn you, Poirot!", the killer is taken away and everything is nice.
On a side-note, no one ever seems to harm Poirot, even though his routine of always catching the murderer is well known. I mean, just shoot the guy in advance and you'll be fine, right?
The world of Poirot is very different from mine: no one I know is getting murdered or fighting for large sums of money. I just applied for a student loan last week, and I hate it. But if I were to murder my mom, I wouldn't inherit anything. I would just feel bad. I know it's a worrying example, but it's just an example, I would never do it!
But maybe therein lies the reason why I love Poirot stories: escapism. Escaping my real life by watching or reading something extremely different from it.
Poirot films aren't groundbreaking. They're entertainment with a little more brains (or "gray cells") involved. Just something to enjoy in a rocking chair, at least for yours truly. It's actually amazing how stories about money and murder can be so relaxing. It's just nice to stop thinking about student loans for an hour, and think about who killed the rich a-hole. Poirot stories are comfort, and comfort in the right dose is vital.
Conclusion
One more thing that I like is the theme song, and the soundtrack itself. One of my goals is to replace the soundtrack of a whole Hercule Poirot episode with Swans. Imagine Poirot chasing a murderer with this in the background:I haven't gotten around to it, because even by my standards this is a tremendous waste of time, but once it's complete I'm bound to be happy with myself. Anyways, this "conclusion" has become another side-note. Go watch or read Poirot!
Also, I realise it's October, which means it's time for Inktober. So for October I'm switching my technique from pencil to ink.
This week's sketch is of me next to Poirot. I'm sure he would not approve of my moustache.
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