After two feature length mysteries P. D James returned to the screen in a sort of multi episode format again with Original Sin in 1997. Here it is in 3 parts and is somewhat of a return to form (of sorts) after the disappointment of the last two adaptations. It also goes back to one of P. D. James' recurring themes, the setting in an institution or closed workplace, and here it is set at Innocent House, a book publishers where staff have to travel across the river by boat just to get to it. Needless to say, being trapped at their workplace until clocking off time creates a rather tense workplace, so it's no surprise to find that not everyone gets along with each other - if at all!
Indeed, when this story starts off Dalgliesh turns up at Innocent House on the invitation of an old friend, poet Gabriel Dauntsey (Ian Bannen), who is one of many working at Innocent House. It turns out that Gabriel hasn't called up Adam just for a social chit chat but because he and a number of colleagues have been receiving anonymous spiteful letters that are becoming worrying. But before Dalgliesh has even had time to digest this bit of news, his attention is diverted to a commotion upstairs, where the body of one of the employees, a Sonya Clements, is found dead on a bed in a sparse grimy room. Seemingly she has committed suicide, but if so, why? And if not, why was she killed? As the inquest takes place, Dalgliesh takes somewhat of a back seat as life continues at Innocent House, which has been taken over by young upstart Gerard Etienne (James Wilby) from his respected predecessor and proceeds to make himself very unpopular indeed with the staff. The letters progress to more sinister methods when Gerard's car has acid poured over it and by the end of the first episode another body is discovered in the same said room (I'll give you three guesses who it is). Intriguingly he is half naked and with a toy snake stuffed in his mouth, and is such a startling sight that it also adds to some amusement when one characters suggests it could of been an accident, only for the dead man's sister to point out "What - with a toy snake stuffed in his mouth?" (It might pass as misadventure, I suppose...).
Naturally, there are a number of suspects and Dalgliesh has to decide who would wish to kill him (anyone who knew him, perhaps?), such as his sister Claudia, who now takes over the business and needs the money for her lover; former lover Frances who objected to his attempts to sell Innocent House; James De Witt, who secretly fancies Frances (despite hints at first that he might be gay, due to the young flatmate he has in another recurring P. D. James theme); secretary Miss Blacklett, whose snake was used to stuff Gerard (not literally, you understand) and who was facing the sack, plus novelist Esme Carling, whose works Gerard had decided to drop after 30 years and who was none too pleased about it. Or could it be new girl Mandy Price, who has only just started working at the establishment after turning up on her bike, who may have a dark secret to hide? Helping Dalgliesh in the case is new boy Daniel Aron, plus the return of Kate Miskin (hurrah!). Sadly it isn't Penny Downie in the role (boo!) but Lizzie McInnery, who plays her as a humourless and rather robotic character who tries too hard to be tough and be "like the men." They've not even bothered to match up the actresses, with Lizzie blonde to Penny's brunette, and as such invites unfavourable comparisons to Downie's performance in A Taste For Death. And speaking of that, this also features Matty (aka Gabrielle Lloyd), here playing a nun and the sister of Sonya Clements, the dead woman found upstairs at the beginning. Don't worry if you'd forgotten her, because at times so does this adaptation.
There are flaws in this adaptation and some crucial ones at that. As mentioned, the original death of Sonya Clements is often forgotten and it's never really gone into why (or if) she committed suicide. It also never explains why the murder room was vacuumed, while there is the point mentioned by one of the reviewers on here about one of the murders where the killer is clearly given an alibi for the time it was committed. How then could they of done the murder? Was Hissing Sid the snake also in on the act? It also doesn't help itself in maintaining the mystery when a recurring theme pops up throughout the adaptation in conversation. Once that is mentioned, you just know it has to have some connection with the deaths, and from that point on the murderer's identity looks almost obvious.
Despite it being a 3 part mystery, it could of done with setting the scene more before the first death, as Sonya is just reduced to a corpse in an attic, with no real impact of the effect of her death on her work colleagues or what she was like. Indeed, it might of be wiser to establish the characters first to get to know them better, as few of them have any depth to them - except maybe Gabriel Dauntsey and Frances Peverell, who is haunted by her past and a tunnel that disturb her dreams from her childhood. But that is because this adaptation does canter along at quite a speed to prevent any real analysis of character, and despite it's flaws it cannot be said to be dull. It keeps interest throughout it's 3 episodes and there are enough incident and murders to keep the average viewer gripped. It also has some humour, such as the moment when Dalgliesh asks if the dead man was liked, only to be told by a sparky Rowena Cooper as Mrs Demery "Well, he wouldn't be carried out in a body bag if he was a little ray of sunshine now, would he?" Cooper is amusing but rarely used in this, as is Samantha Edmonds as the bright and chirpy Mandy Price, while other performances range from poor (Carolyn Pickles) to going through the motions (James Wilby - do you think he yearns to play a nice character for once?). More fun is Sylvia Syms as the peeved rejected novelist Esme Carling, who adds life into all the scenes she has. Ian Bannen is always good value, while Amanda Root adds some depth to her troubled character Frances Peverell. There is even an appearance by a young Brooke Kinsella, who may be an important witness for Dalgliesh.
It's conclusion is bound to have an impact on all who watch it and also leave some a little angry too. As the last intended victim is confronted about the reason, their attempts to justify it with the usual lazy argument and retaliation accusations grated with me as there was no remorse whatsoever from this rather unpleasant character. Nor did Dalgliesh pull them up on it, as it became clear he was going to keep a very impartial attitude to proceedings and how sympathy was only reserved for them. The shock twist revelation for the murderer did little to dampen feelings that you wished the killer had managed to succeed at the job before being caught, and although a killer has been caught it left you feeling that justice had not really been done. That aside, and despite the many plot flaws that dog this adaptation this was still an enjoyable watch. It goes along at a great pace for modern viewers and has enough incident and deaths to make sure it is never less than compelling. It isn't in the same vintage as the 1980's adaptations, but after the disappointment of the feature length failures that followed it, this marks as a decent return to form. Not outstanding perhaps and it would of benefitted from more depth in the characters. But it still remains an interesting mystery that maybe plays it's hand a bit too open for the reason behind the kiilings.
