Two words suffice to sum up the enduring and endearing qualities of Agatha Christie's Poirot: David Suchet. Despite all the careful Art Deco trappings, the light, spacious sets and luxurious country locations, despite the excellent supporting cast and atmospheric music score, despite all its admirable qualities this series would be for nothing without Suchet's magnificent grasp on the fussy little Belgian detective. Poirot's obsessive mannerisms, his mania for sartorial detail, his maniacal devotion to personal hygiene (especially when it comes to looking after the moustache) are all rendered exactly by Suchet, clearly as much a perfectionist in this respect as his alter ego in every other.

Buoyed by their success with Jeremy Brett's Sherlock Holmes, Granada TV brought a lighter touch to Poirot, which first aired in 1989, and this series is often breezily humorous in contrast to the gloomy Victorian Gothic of its predecessor. The producers took similar care in maintaining the spirit of Christie's original books even when--as with the Holmes adventures--the screenwriters occasionally took pardonable liberties with story and characters. Suchet is ably supported by Hugh Fraser as the Bertie Woosterish Captain Hastings, Philip Jackson as the tenaciously bulldog-like Inspector Japp, and Pauline Moran as Poirot's often exasperated PA, Miss Lemon. --Mark Walker

All fans of the TV-series Poirot should get this box set.
David Suchet does an amazing performance as the master detective, and the rest of the cast is also great.

The only minor drawback with this collection is that there is no subtitles, and no extra features. But in my opinion, this is not very important.

I also got this boxset for Christmas and loved re-watching all of these classic episodes. The amazing thing (considering I first watched most of these over 10 years ago) is that they haven't aged at all!

I can't recommend these enough - unlike other people I'm quite pleased they don't have any extras as it is too wierd watching David Suchet when he isn't being Poirot!

Thoroughly enjoyable - I just wish there were more of them! ;)

This set was my Christmas surprise, and it's a very good collection. Actors are marvellous, Suchet is really Poirot, I've seen him lately in another comedy, but it was quite awkward to see him not being Poirot, though he was in good in the other movie as well. :) However, we were slightly disappointed that no subtitles (no extras either- but that's not a real problem) are on the DVD, not even English. (The four new DVD, which is not in the set, has been also published here, in Hungary, and there is scene selection, AND subtitles- English, Hungarian...)

I have called this the ultimate collection, because it is. As always David Suchet shines, he makes Poirot what it is, thought it would be unfair to say that it is all his own work. The directing, producing and everything about it is splendid.
There is honestly not a bad word i can say about this collection, i am biased because i have read most of the books, but still you cannot fault the revamp it has been given for the tv series. most famous pieces of literature have been made into films and failed, think Harry Potter. This however is a success, and i have not been disapointed by a single episode.

This boxset is a must buy for any Poirot fan, if your not a fan then i asure you that if you buy it, you will be hooked.

David Suchet is unquestionably the best actor to ever play Poirot, and this sumptuous set includes every episode he made, except for the few produced in the last year or so.

This superb series features great performances from Suchet himself and from all the supporting players, Hugh Fraser as Captain Hastings, Philip Jackson as Chief Inspector Japp, and Pauline Moran as Miss Lemon. Some epsiodes stick more closely to the original books than others, the ABC Murders, one of my favourites, is very close to the original, whereas Dumb Witness, for instance, has been changed quite a lot (but never mind, that entrancing dog makes up for it). The 1930s background is beautiful if sometimes a little too perfect (one feels that not everyone in the 30s can have lived in exquisite Art Decco mansions).

This wonderful DVD set comes in a beautiful and striking carrying case, and at only a little more than half the recommended retail price, is incredibly good value.