Why Didn't They Ask Evans?

"Does Bobby Jones, the vicar's son, hold the key to the mystery that's terrifying this sleepy little Welsh town?" So asks a somewhat facetious Lady Frankie Derwent near the beginning of this typically stylish, if somewhat stodgy, 1980 British miniseries based on Agatha Christie's 1934 book. Bobby and Lady Frankie (James Warwick and Francesca Annis, best known to PBS viewers as Partners in Crime Tommy and Tuppence) are on the case after Bobby discovers the body of a dying man who has fallen/jumped/been pushed off a cliff. The victim's last words: "Why didn't they ask Evans?" (as enigmatic as "What's the frequency, Kenneth?", eh, what?). Sir John Gielgud lends his distinguished presence as Bobby's disapproving father, and Fawlty Towers fans will get a lift from Connie Booth in a dramatic departure. A strong optional purchase. (K. Lee Benson)