The Chocolate Box.
1917:
JULY: The Mysterious Affair at Styles
ca. 1928-1932:
1928:
APRIL: The Mystery of the Spanish Chest
SEPTEMBER: The Adventure of Johnnie Waverly
1929:
JULY: The Cornish Mystery
JULY: The Cornish Mystery
1930:
FEBRUARY: The Mystery of Hunter’s Lodge
FEBRUARY: The Mystery of Hunter’s Lodge
AUGUST: The Plymouth Express
OCTOBER: The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim
NOVEMBER: The King of Clubs
1931:
SEPTEMBER: The Third-Floor Flat
SEPTEMBER: The Third-Floor Flat
1932:
JANUARY: Problem at Sea
JANUARY: Problem at Sea
FEBRUARY: The Adventure of the Western Star
JULY: Dumb Witness
July 1932-May 1933:
MAY 1933: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
1933-1936:
1933:
AUG/SEPT: The ABC Murders
OCTOBER: The Kidnapped Prime Minister
AUG/SEPT: The ABC Murders
OCTOBER: The Kidnapped Prime Minister
1934:
APRIL:The Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan
MAY: The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb
JUNE: Four and Twenty Blackbirds
JULY: The Double Clue
AUGUST: Wasp’s Nest
OCT/NOV: Triangle at Rhodes
1935:
MAY: How Does Your Garden Grow?
JUNE/JULY: Death in the Clouds
JULY: The Adventure of the Clapham Cook
JULY: The Veiled Lady
AUGUST: The Lost Mine
AUGUST: The Lost Mine
AUGUST: Peril at End House
SEPTEMBER: The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor
SEPTEMBER: The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman
OCTOBER: Double Sin
NOVEMBER: Murder in the Mews
NOVEMBER: The Affair at the Victory Ball
NOVEMBER: The Affair at the Victory Ball
DECEMBER: The Theft of the Royal Ruby
1936:
JANUARY: Death on the Nile
FEBRUARY: The Dream
MARCH: Dead Man’s Mirror
APRIL: Hickory Dickory Dock
MAY: The Million Dollar Bond Robbery
JUNE: The Case of the Missing Will
JUNE: The Underdog
JULY: Murder on the Links
JULY: After the Funeral
JULY: After the Funeral
AUGUST: Evil Under the Sun
SEPTEMBER: The Yellow Iris
OCTOBER: The Incredible Theft
NOVEMBER: The Adventure of the Cheap Flat
NOVEMBER: The Adventure of the Cheap Flat
DECEMBER: Hercule Poirot’s Christmas
1937-1939:
1937:
JANUARY: Appointment With Death
JANUARY: Appointment With Death
MAY: The Mystery of the Blue Train
JUNE: Five Little Pigs
JUNE/JULY: Lord Edgware Dies
AUGUST: One, Two Buckle My Shoe
AUGUST: One, Two Buckle My Shoe
SEPTEMBER: Cards on the Table
SEPTEMBER: Sad Cypress
SEPT/OCT: Taken at the Flood
SEPT/OCT: Taken at the Flood
OCT/NOV: Third Girl
1938:
JANUARY: Murder in Mesopotamia
JAN/FEBR: Murder on the Orient Express
FEBRUARY: Elephants Can Remember
JUNE: Dead Man's Folly
FEBRUARY: Elephants Can Remember
JUNE: Dead Man's Folly
JULY/AUG: Three Act Tragedy
SEPTEMBER: Cat Among the Pigeons
SEPTEMBER: The Hollow
OCTOBER: Mrs. McGinty’s Dead
OCT/NOV: Hallow’e'en Party
1939:
MARCH/APRIL: The Big Four
MAY: The Clocks
1946:
APRIL: The Labours of Hercules
1949:
OCTOBER: Curtain: Poirot's Last Case
(denouement in February 1950)
The only explicit references I've ignored are:
1) The year of The ABC Murders, as visible in the letters to Poirot (1936). Months and dates kept.
2) The month of the calendar at the police station in Murder on the Links, stating 'Mercredi 18 Mai' (Wednesday 18 May), barely noticeable on screen. Date and year kept.
3) The year stated Carlotta's letter in Lord Edgware Dies (1936). Date and month kept.
P.S. See the posts 'Episodes without References', '1936 - a spot of bother' and 'The Hastings Storyline' to learn how I've made some of the more controversial decisions.
MAY: The Clocks
1946:
APRIL: The Labours of Hercules
1949:
OCTOBER: Curtain: Poirot's Last Case
(denouement in February 1950)
The only explicit references I've ignored are:
1) The year of The ABC Murders, as visible in the letters to Poirot (1936). Months and dates kept.
2) The month of the calendar at the police station in Murder on the Links, stating 'Mercredi 18 Mai' (Wednesday 18 May), barely noticeable on screen. Date and year kept.
3) The year stated Carlotta's letter in Lord Edgware Dies (1936). Date and month kept.
P.S. See the posts 'Episodes without References', '1936 - a spot of bother' and 'The Hastings Storyline' to learn how I've made some of the more controversial decisions.
Concerning Mrs.Mc Ginty's death, 1938 is the more likeable year of this Poirot's inquest. Two aspects which are linked to Mrs Olivers could confirm this possibility. First, in this story, she tries to adapt one of her own novel into a play. In The Clocks, it is a play she created which is played in the begining. As The Clocks is in series 12 and is in 1938 or 1939, Mrs.Mc Ginty's death is in my own opinion before The Clocks, that is to say in 1937 or in 1938. On the other hand, she eats some apples in this episode. In the novel Halloween Party, she was so tramautized by the discovery of Joyce's body she said she'ld never eat apple. As the adaptation of Halloween Party is in series 12, Mrs.Mc Ginty's death should be before this one as Mrs Olivers may not eat apple in the last stories. Of course, I don't know if the producers will take into account this point for the adaptation of A dead man's folly in the last series.
ReplyDeleteJust watched Mrs McGinty's Dead and it didn't have a WW2 feel. So many men and not one of them in uniform.
ReplyDeleteThere was one sergeant on the platform, who saved Poirot's life, after he was pushed in front of a train. The platform would have had many more soldiers going to and from leave during war time.
Also none of the cars had blackout lights with most of the beam blocked out.
World War II started in 1939, so it is doubtful there would have been a vast number of army folk around, much less black out curtains and lights.
DeleteThe book was set in 1952 so there wouldn't have been a WWII feel in that either. Therefor, the itv adaptation was accurate in that respect.
Thank you for this. I agree, Mrs McGinty's Dead is probably not set during WW2 - which is why I've placed it both in 1938 and 1940. Unless I have to make room for one of the final episodes, I'll probably place it in October 1938 in the end.
ReplyDeleteI know it hasn't been shown on television yet, but where do you think you will place "The Labours of Hercules"?
ReplyDeleteBefore they started filming, I was hoping to place it in 1939, as the final case before retirement. But judging by the episode press pack, in which it's revealed that Countess Rossakoff and Poirot meet again for the first time in 20 years, I will probably have to place it in or around 1946, unless the references to time and setting are very explicit both in this episode and in "Curtain". "The Double Clue" would also have to be pushed back to the late 1920s or early 1930s (probably 1929-1930) to make it work. But I can't be certain until I've seen the episode and heard what specific references they have decided to include. In any case, it will be the final case before "Curtain".
DeleteMany thanks for the considered reply. Are you planning/envisaging that you will need to do any revision to the overall timeline after this episode, or (more realistically, I suppose) after "Curtain" next week?
DeleteYes, I will probably have to revise the entire chronology after "Curtain", depending on how 'explicit' the references are. It will be easier to see where particular episodes fit in. Generally speaking, however, the chronology is set in stone by now. The remaining uncertainty at the moment is what total timespan they decide on (probably early 30s to late 40s), and how Hastings' backstory adds up (with Judith and Bella). It won't be perfect, because certain things just don't work (like the three references I've ignored in the chronology so far), but I hope the remaining episodes will fit more or less neatly into the time frame.
DeleteYou have commented somewhere else about the remarks on the Andrew Marr show last year. I noted those as well. Wikipedia's list of Poirot episodes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Agatha_Christie%27s_Poirot_episodes) states towards the end that "The LeMesurier Inheritance" would be "woven into the plot of 'Labours of Hercules'". That's stretching credulity a bit! As far as I can see all they have done is use the name (Lucinda LeMesurier is the girl with the jewels who gets murdered at the party at the beginning of the story!
ReplyDeleteYes, that was something of a cheat. The name (Lucinda LeMesurier) is the only reference, unless you consider Lutz' manipulation of Katrina's fragile mind a (very loose) adaptation of the madness element (but then again, that is supposed to refer to "The Cretan Bull", I think). A bit disappointing, especially because it wouldn't take more than a mention of the case (something like "I remember solving a case for your family when I first arrived in this country") to consider it referenced (if not adapted).
DeleteA reference to "The Cretan Bull"? Gosh! I hadn't thought of that one. You could be right. But, if you are, it is, again, very tenuous. The central plot is obviously a combination of 'Erymanthian Boar' and 'Capture of Cerberus' (for the characters), with a bit of 'Girdle of Hypppolita' (crime-methodology) thrown in. Then 'Stymphalean Birds' and 'Arcadian Deer' provide two main sub-plots. And don't forget the 'Foreward' to the "Labours", where Poirot talks to Dr Burton (he has an appointment with him in the TV production). Are there any other references I've missed?
ReplyDeleteI don't think you have missed any of the 'explicit' references, but I've included the more tenuous ones I could find in my episode-by-episode review: http://investigatingpoirot.blogspot.com/2013/11/episode-by-episode-labours-of-hercules.html
DeleteMrs. McGinty's Dead did not take place in October. It took place in the Spring, most likely April. Multiple times in the book, it states that it has has been 5 months since the murder, which took place in November.
ReplyDeleteYes, but that's the book, not the adaptation. The adaptation of Mrs McGinty's Dead was shot in September/October.
DeleteAbsolutely fantastic!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Aileen!
DeleteI have my doubts about The Cornish Mystery.
ReplyDeleteWhen Alice Pengelley's coffin is exumed, the plaque on the coffin reads, "Died 10th July 1935".
You have to stop and start the video over and over as dirt moves around but it is definitely a 3 and a 5 a the end of the year.
Where in this chronology would you put the conversation that results in the retelling of "The Chocolate Box"?
ReplyDeletePoirot says to a friend “its been 20 years and you look the same“, and Poirot left when war started, so probably in early months of 1934 or 1935, although 1933 is possible as well.
DeleteReally, really clever. Ive been trying to creat my own for few years but this has absolutely bested it. Although there are few relatively minor mistakes.
ReplyDeleteThe Cornish Mystery – Im quite sure the coffin says July 10th 1935, but since Poirot is busy solving other cases at that time, and this is one of longer early cases(takes place since the day before death until August Bank Holiday), so I agree with your 1929 placement.
The Adventure of Italian Nobleman – May 1935, while explaining the solution to Japp and Hastings, few days after the murder, Poirot mentions that the dinner where it occured happened on “night of 6th of May“. Poirot is free at the time, solving How Does Your Garden Grow and Death in the Clouds later that month, and early May weather is similar to early September weather.
Death in the Clouds – end of May/start of June 1935. The Roland Garros mens final took place on June 2nd, with plot starting few dazs before and finishing about 4-5 days later.
The Incredible Theft – February/early March/April 1936, I placed it in February because of winter weather, although I can imagine cold and cloudy April in England
y Dickory Dock
Hickory Dickory Dock – October 1936, last week of the Jarrow March(last week of October). One of many stupid mistakes by production.
Five Little Pigs – in the archive Poirot found the newspapers dated Thursday, May 3rd 1925. I decided to give the advantage to year, since in 1925 May 3rd wasnt Thursday (of course), so I reckon episode is placed in 1939(it says 14 years later).
Thats what I found, watching the series according to your chronology, with Third Girl next. Really good work.
Elephants Can Remember has to December of 1938. Mrs. Oliver recieves yrar ending award,and Mary has bern in England for 6 months, and still lived in Boston in March the same year. Also during Poirots visit to Paris its snowing
ReplyDeleteThe Chocolate Box 1936. In The Million Dollar Bond Robbery (Late May 1936) Poirot says he swam across the "Channel" 20 years ago. Curtain: Poirot's Last Case after Poirot's death (1:02:05) the newspaper says that he arrived in England in 1916. From this we can conclude that he has been in England since spring (which can be understood from the spring weather of The Chocolate Box) 1916.
ReplyDeleteThe Third-Floor Flat: 41:49 Jimmy reads the note and at the top it says October 5, 1935 which gives us a date. But at the beginning of the episode, Miss Lemon states that Poirot hasn't worked for 3 weeks. In October, Poirot had a busy schedule and the episode may take place at the end of November (if we do not take into account the warm weather)
ReplyDeleteThe Dream: 1935 painted on the flag (visible at 3:21 and 3:45) Farley tells everyone that his company made more pies in 1935 than in the previous fifty years. The weather is rather cold outside (everyone wears warm clothes). Most likely end (December?) 1935.
The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim 42:35 Poirot says it's mid-October. 43:44 Japp brings Poirot's newspaper "Bank Collapses. Demand Inquiry." There is a story below which mentions Sir Kingsley Wood as Minister of Health. The collapse did indeed occur in October 1935
The Adventure of the Cheap Flat: Lullaby of Broadway was released in 1935. Most likely events take place in the fall (yellowed leaves on the roads) 7:22 you can see Hastings reading the same newspaper he read at the end of The Plymouth Express. In other words: September 1935.
The Plymouth Express: 27:41 you can see a newspaper line that racer Malcolm Campbell set a speed record for a car of up to 304 km / h. The speed record was set on September 3, 1935. 8:43 am when Mr. Holliday sits at Poirot's table, a small calendar can be seen, the days of which coincide with September 1935.
The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb: The newspaper Poirot shows to Miss Lemon (4:55) is dated Monday 24 June 1936. Queen Mary (ocean liner) appears at 4:02. Queen Mary has also appeared in the earlier episode "The Million Dollar Bond Robbery". In other words: June 1936
Dumb Witness: 1936 is listed on Emily Arundell coffin as the year of her death. Summer weather. Most likely July (?)
Appointment With Death: 48:42 while Poirot is seated at the table, to his right is the calendar for the month of March 1937
Dead Man's Folly: Elections mentioned. Most likely there are elections in February 1950. Yellowed leaves on the street. In other words: September 1949
Here's my chronological order of episodes.
ReplyDelete1917:
June: The Mysterious Affair at Styles
1933:
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
AUG/SEPT: The ABC Murders
The Mystery of the Spanish Chest
SEPTEMBER: The Adventure of Johnnie Waverly
The Adventure of the Western Star
NOVEMBER: The Kidnapped Prime Minister
The King of Clubs
Problem at Sea
1934:
The Mystery of Hunter’s Lodge
JUNE: The Double Clue
JUNE: Four and Twenty Blackbirds
AUGUST: Wasp’s Nest
1935:
Triangle at Rhodes
MAY: How Does Your Garden Grow?
JUNE/JULY: Death in the Clouds
JULY: The Adventure of the Clapham Cook
JULY: The Cornish Mystery
JULY: The Veiled Lady
AUGUST: The Lost Mine
AUGUST: Peril at End House
SEPTEMBER: The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor
SEPTEMBER: The Plymouth Express
SEPTEMBER: The Adventure of the Cheap Flat
OCTOBER: Double Sin
OCTOBER: The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim
NOVEMBER: Murder in the Mews
NOVEMBER: The Affair at the Victory Ball
NOVEMBER (?): The Third-Floor Flat
The Dream
DECEMBER: The Theft of the Royal Ruby
1936:
JANUARY: Death on the Nile
The Incredible Theft
MARCH: Dead Man’s Mirror
The Chocolate Box
MAY: The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman
MAY: The Million Dollar Bond Robbery
JUNE: The Case of the Missing Will
JUNE: The Underdog
JUNE: The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb
JULY: Dumb Witness
JULY: Murder on the Links
After the Funeral
AUGUST: Evil Under the Sun
SEPTEMBER: The Yellow Iris
The Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan
OCTOBER: Hickory Dickory Dock
DECEMBER: Hercule Poirot’s Christmas
1937:
MARCH: Appointment With Death
MAY: The Mystery of the Blue Train
Five Little Pigs
JUNE/JULY: Lord Edgware Dies
AUGUST: One, Two Buckle My Shoe
SEPTEMBER: Sad Cypress
Cards on the Table
AUTUNN: Taken at the Flood
1938:
JANUARY: Murder in Mesopotamia
JAN/FEBR: Murder on the Orient Express
Third Girl
SEPTEMBER: Cat Among the Pigeons
SEPTEMBER: The Hollow
OCTOBER: Mrs. McGinty’s Dead
OCT/NOV: Hallow’e'en Party
WINTER: Elephants Can Remember
1939:
MARCH/APRIL: The Big Four
MAY: The Clocks
SUMMER (?): Three Act Tragedy
1949
The Labours of Hercules
AUTUMN: Dead Man's Folly
OCTOBER: Curtain: Poirot's Last Case
(denouement in February 1950)
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DeleteIn third girl year 1963 is mentioned as history and the beatles has been mentioned so timeline is very wrong here.
ReplyDeleteCurtain should be at least around 1955 cause Hastings met Dulcie in May/July 1936, so their daughter would be born in 1937 or later and in 1949 would be maximal 12 years old (and she had older siblings I think), so Curtain should be around 1955 or later
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ReplyDelete1917:
ReplyDeleteJUNE: The Mysterious Affair at Styles
1929:
1905~/1929: The Chocolate Box
SPRING: The Mystery of the Spanish Chest
SEPTEMBER: The Adventure of Johnnie Waverly
~5 NOVEMBER: Murder in the Mews
1933:
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
AUG/SEPT: The ABC Murders
AUTUMN: The Adventure of the Western Star
AUTUMN: The King of Clubs
1934:
WINTER: The Mystery of Hunter’s Lodge
~16 JUNE: Four and Twenty Blackbirds
SUMMER: The Double Clue
~11 JULY: The Adventure of the Clapham Cook (date looks like 1934)
AUGUST: Wasp’s Nest
OCTOBER: Triangle at Rhodes
AUTUMN: The Kidnapped Prime Minister
1935:
~1 Maj: Problem at Sea
~23 MAY: How Does Your Garden Grow?
JUNE/JULY: Death in the Clouds
~10 JULY: The Cornish Mystery
JULY: The Veiled Lady
~2 AUGUST: The Lost Mine
AUGUST: Peril at End House
~4 SEPTEMBER: The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor
SEPTEMBER: The Plymouth Express
SEPTEMBER: The Adventure of the Cheap Flat
OCTOBER: Double Sin
~5 OCTOBER: The Third-Floor Flat
~15 OCTOBER: The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim
~8 NOVEMBER: The Affair at the Victory Ball
~24 DECEMBER: The Theft of the Royal Ruby
~31 DECEMBER: The Dream
1936:
JANUARY: The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb
WINTER: The Incredible Theft
~23 MARCH: Dead Man’s Mirror
~6 MAY: The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman
~27 MAY: The Million Dollar Bond Robbery
~15 JUNE: The Case of the Missing Will
~24 JUNE: The Underdog
SUMMER: Dumb Witness
JULY: Murder on the Links
~14 AUGUST: Evil Under the Sun
SUMMER: After the Funeral
SEPTEMBER: The Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan
AUTUMN: The Yellow Iris
OCTOBER: Hickory Dickory Dock
DECEMBER: Hercule Poirot’s Christmas
1937:
MARCH: Appointment With Death
~17 MAY: The Mystery of the Blue Train
JUNE/JULY: Lord Edgware Dies
~6 AUGUST: One, Two Buckle My Shoe
~16 SEPTEMBER: Sad Cypress
SEPTEMBER: Cards on the Table
OCTOBER: Taken at the Flood
OCTOBER: Third Girl
~16 NOVEMBER: Cat Among the Pigeons
1938:
JANUARY: Murder in Mesopotamia
JAN/FEBR: Murder on the Orient Express
~17 SEPTEMBER: The Hollow
OCTOBER: Mrs. McGinty’s Dead
OCT/NOV: Hallow’e'en Party
WINTER: Elephants Can Remember
1939:
JANUARY: Death on the Nile (Vogue magazine December 1938)
MARCH/APRIL: The Big Four
MAY: Five Little Pigs
MAY: The Clocks
1946:
April: The Labours of Hercules
JUL/AUG: Three Act Tragedy
1949
SEPTEMBER: Dead Man's Folly
OCTOBER: Curtain: Poirot's Last Case
(denouement in February 1950)
My chronological order v. 2.0
ReplyDelete1917:
June: The Mysterious Affair at Styles
1932:
Problem at Sea
MAY: The Adventure of Johnnie Waverly
JUNE (?): The Double Clue
1933:
SUMMER (?): The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
AUG/SEPT: The ABC Murders
NOVEMBER: The Kidnapped Prime Minister
The King of Clubs
1934:
The Mystery of Hunter’s Lodge
The Adventure of the Western Star
JUNE: Four and Twenty Blackbirds
AUGUST: Wasp’s Nest
1935:
Triangle at Rhodes
MAY: How Does Your Garden Grow?
JUNE/JULY: Death in the Clouds
JULY: The Adventure of the Clapham Cook
JULY: The Cornish Mystery
JULY: The Veiled Lady
AUGUST: The Lost Mine
AUGUST: Peril at End House
SEPTEMBER: The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor
SEPTEMBER: The Plymouth Express
SEPTEMBER: The Adventure of the Cheap Flat
OCTOBER: Double Sin
OCTOBER: The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim
NOVEMBER: Murder in the Mews
NOVEMBER: The Affair at the Victory Ball
NOVEMBER (?): The Third-Floor Flat
The Dream
DECEMBER: The Theft of the Royal Ruby
1936:
JANUARY: Death on the Nile
The Incredible Theft
MARCH: Dead Man’s Mirror
The Chocolate Box
MAY: The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman
MAY: The Million Dollar Bond Robbery
JUNE: The Case of the Missing Will
JUNE: The Underdog
JUNE: The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb
JULY: Dumb Witness
JULY: Murder on the Links
After the Funeral
AUGUST: Evil Under the Sun
The Mystery of the Spanish Chest
OCTOBER: The Yellow Iris
The Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan
OCTOBER: Hickory Dickory Dock
DECEMBER: Hercule Poirot’s Christmas
1937:
MARCH: Appointment With Death
MAY: The Mystery of the Blue Train
Five Little Pigs
JUNE/JULY: Lord Edgware Dies
AUGUST: One, Two Buckle My Shoe
SEPTEMBER: Sad Cypress
SEPTEMBER (?): The Hollow
1938:
JANUARY: Murder in Mesopotamia
JAN/FEBR: Murder on the Orient Express
The Clocks
Cards on the Table
Taken at the Flood
Third Girl
SUMMER (?): Three Act Tragedy
SEPTEMBER: Cat Among the Pigeons
AUTUMN: Dead Man's Folly
OCTOBER: Mrs. McGinty’s Dead
OCT/NOV: Hallow’e'en Party
WINTER: Elephants Can Remember
1939:
MARCH/APRIL: The Big Four
The Labours of Hercules
1949:
OCTOBER: Curtain: Poirot's Last Case
ReplyDelete1917:
JUNE: The Mysterious Affair at Styles
1929:
1905~/1929: The Chocolate Box
SPRING: The Mystery of the Spanish Chest
SEPTEMBER: The Adventure of Johnnie Waverly
~5 NOVEMBER: Murder in the Mews (fifth November passes a date in 1929)
1933:
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
AUG/SEPT: The ABC Murders
AUTUMN: The Adventure of the Western Star
AUTUMN: The King of Clubs
1934:
WINTER: The Mystery of Hunter’s Lodge
~16 JUNE: Four and Twenty Blackbirds
SUMMER: The Double Clue
~11 JULY: The Adventure of the Clapham Cook (date looks like 1934/1935)
AUGUST: Wasp’s Nest
OCTOBER: Triangle at Rhodes
AUTUMN: The Kidnapped Prime Minister
1935:
~1 MAY: Problem at Sea (Poirot in the ship's lounge is reading the actual May 1st 1935 issue of Bystander)
~23 MAY: How Does Your Garden Grow?
JUNE/JULY: Death in the Clouds
~10 JULY: The Cornish Mystery
JULY: The Veiled Lady
~2 AUGUST: The Lost Mine
AUGUST: Peril at End House
~4 SEPTEMBER: The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor
SEPTEMBER: The Plymouth Express
SEPTEMBER: The Adventure of the Cheap Flat
OCTOBER: Double Sin
~5 OCTOBER: The Third-Floor Flat
~15 OCTOBER: The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim
~8 NOVEMBER: The Affair at the Victory Ball
~24 DECEMBER: The Theft of the Royal Ruby
~31 DECEMBER: The Dream
1936:
JANUARY: The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb
MARCH: The Incredible Theft
~23 MARCH: Dead Man’s Mirror
~6 MAY: The Adventure of the Italian Nobleman
~27 MAY: The Million Dollar Bond Robbery
~15 JUNE: The Case of the Missing Will
~24 JUNE: The Underdog
SUMMER: Dumb Witness
JULY: Murder on the Links
~14 AUGUST: Evil Under the Sun
SUMMER: After the Funeral
SEPTEMBER: The Jewel Robbery at the Grand Metropolitan
AUTUMN: The Yellow Iris
OCTOBER: Hickory Dickory Dock
DECEMBER: Hercule Poirot’s Christmas
1937:
MARCH: Appointment With Death
~17 MAY: The Mystery of the Blue Train
JUNE/JULY: Lord Edgware Dies
~6 AUGUST: One, Two Buckle My Shoe
SUMMER: Cards on the Table
~16 SEPTEMBER: Sad Cypress
AUTUMN: Taken at the Flood
OCTOBER: Third Girl
~16 NOVEMBER: Cat Among the Pigeons
1938:
JANUARY: Murder in Mesopotamia
JAN/FEBR: Murder on the Orient Express
JUNE: Five Little Pigs
~17 SEPTEMBER: The Hollow
OCT/NOV: Hallow’e'en Party
DECEMBER: Elephants Can Remember
1939:
JANUARY: Death on the Nile (Vogue magazine December 1938)
MARCH/APRIL: The Big Four
MAY: The Clocks
1946:
April: The Labours of Hercules
JUL/AUG: Three Act Tragedy
OCTOBER: Mrs. McGinty’s Dead
1949
SEPTEMBER: Dead Man's Folly
OCTOBER: Curtain: Poirot's Last Case
(denouement in February 1950)
You are wrong in few places. Triangle at Rhodes it must be October 1934, Problem at sea May 1935, Double Clue after 30 January 1933 when Hitler become führer, The Dream should be after The Theft of Royal Ruby, Five pigs should be in June 1938, The Hollow must be in September 1938, Cards on the table must be Summer 1937, Taken at the flood it must be September or October 1937, Third girl it MUST be October 1937 and Cat among the pigeons must be November 1937.
The newspaper Poirot reads in Triangle at Rhodes talks about the Abyssinia Crisis which took place in the second half of 1934 and the first half of 1935. Poirot most often travels to warmer climes in winter. So Winter (January?) 1935.
DeleteThe Theft of the Royal Ruby: it takes place in a day and Christmas 1935. So the second half of December 1935. And this episode comes after The Dream and not before
The Hollow: Is amazing but when I watched this episode it was Thursday 17th September. Although the screenshot of Saturday 17th September. I bet on Thursday September 17 (Thursday September 17 was only in 1937) because Poirot has the same mustache as in the previous episode - Sad Cypress
I can make mistakes and gave up on an episode of The Double Clue. Yes, I know that it goes after January 1933 (Hitler's coming to power). However, Hastings mentions to Miss Lemon that he would like to take a trip to South America. So it must be before The ABC Murders and The Yellow Iris episodes.
Taken at the Flood: It is not stated exactly when the episode takes place. Major Porter mentions that the gas explosion happened one Sunday afternoon two years ago. Everything suggests that the action of the episode takes place in 1936 or in the first half of 1937. But this is impossible, since Poirot was still living in his old apartment at that time. Major Porter could have made a mistake with the date. So I placed it in the spring of 1938
Dead Man's Folly: mentions an election (election 1950?). So the episode takes place in the autumn of 1949. But this is impossible because Poirot has long been chained to his chair in Curtain (October 1949). Most likely, elections were simply planned, but the war prevented this. In other words, the action takes place in the autumn of 1938.
Your chronology is also very accurate. After all, the official order of the episodes does not yet exist, and it is unlikely that it will ever be. When I started watching the series, I did not suspect that it was not in chronological order, except for the last episode. I'm tired of making chronologies myself. I made it for a very long time. Made it as is. Thanks to all those who help and develop the chronology.
DeleteTriangle at Rhodes. Yes, Winter (January?) 1935 is more likeable than October 1934.
ReplyDeleteThe Theft of the Royal Ruby: it takes place in a day and Christmas 1935. So the second half of December 1935. The Dream is New Year's Eve or beginning 1936 cause of the speech "In 1935 we sold more pies than..."
The Hollow and Sad Cypress dates are too close so I put The Hollow in 1938
The Double Clue. "Oh, I could travel. I've always have a dream about South America, you know. Farming." It doesn't mean he never was in South America before.
Taken at the Flood: I put it in Autumn 1937 cause of newspapers and it must be in his new apartment.
Dead Man's Folly: Poirot wasn't chained to his wheelchair in Curtain. He faked that but you could be right cause Madame Oliver eats apple.
The ABC Murders - The Double Clue (July 1934 ?), Hastings mentions to Miss Lemon that he wanted to travel to South America, so The ABC murders takes place after The Double Clue. The Yellow Iris (Autumn 1936) Poirot mentions to Hastings that he wanted to visit him two years ago when he was still living in Argentina. Yes, I know ABC doesn't mention that Hastings came directly from Argentina, only from a trip to South America (hunting in Venezuela). He could, for example, say that he bought a ranch in Argentina behind the scenes or after this episode. If correct, and the episode mentions that Captain Hastings has already spent six months in South America, then the episode takes place in early (March/April) 1935. Although ABC mentions the summer season, this can be omitted.
ReplyDeleteThe Murder of Roger Ackroyd - At the beginning of the episode, Poirot mentions to Roger Ackroyd that he has been solving cases for thirty years. Poirot's death obituary (Curtain Poirot's Last Case) states that he began working for the police in 1904 with the Abercrombie forgery case. So Roger Ackroyd takes place in 1934. Mrs. Ferrars' death takes place on Thursday night. Her maid Mary mentions to Inspector Davis that she used to wake her up in the morning before she found her mistress dead, because she liked to ride a horse every Friday. On the same day, Roger Ackroyd arrives at the house of the already deceased Mrs. Ferrars, he tells Dr. Shepard to come to his house and on the same day Ackroyd was stabbed to death, i.e. Friday night. The next day, Poirot sees Japp for the first time and there is a little calendar behind them with the 14th, giving us the date. So if Mrs. Ferrars died on Thursday the 12th, Roger Ackroyd the next day on Friday the 13th, the events take place either in April or in July 1934 (both months begin on Sunday and the 12th and 13th fall on Thursday and Friday, respectively ). The month of July does not fit, because according to the chronology of the episodes, the events of Twenty-four Blackbirds take place in June of the same year. So the events of this episode take place on April 12, 13 and 14 and a few more days later 1934 (a story from Dr. Sheppard's diary from past). And the events when Poirot reads the killer's diary throughout in present time (at the end Poirot mentions that for some time this story should be hushed up due to the shock of Caroline Sheppard's about the death of her brother), most likely occurs before the episode "The Death of Lord Edgware" (June 1937).
The Adventure of Johnnie Waverly - Miss Lemon, in her office, puts Poirot's early cases on the shelves as if Poirot had recently settled in Whiteheaven Mansions (Poirot's return to London after the murder of Roger Ackroyd). There's a calendar in Miss Lemon's office that starts on Sunday. Marcus Waverly's son's kidnapping letter states that he will be kidnapped tomorrow on the 29th. Japp's office has a calendar with the 28th. Poirot and Hastings stay with the Waverly family for two days.This means that the action takes place at the end of April 1934.
Error episode - The Kidnapped Prime Minister - November 1934 Hastings was still in London, although it is mentioned in The Yellow Iris that he lived in Argentina two years ago.
Four and Twenty Blackbirds - in this episode, there is no apartment on the same landing as Poirot's apartment, so this episode must be before The Double Clue (July ?) and Wasp's Nest (August 1934) where it already exists.
You seem to have had fun with this, but there are multiple issues with the chronology. The most important issue is the fact that the show runners made NO ATTEMPT to film the adaptations in the time periods that the original stories were set in. ALL of the adaptations are set between 1935 - 1938.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that Poirot ages more than 20 years in those three years is never discussed. The fact that the countess says 20 years has passed since she and Poirot last saw each other is ignored, since they met in 1936ish and met 20 years later in 1936ish. The show runners didn't care about chronology and continuity, clearly. We were expected to IGNORE how ridiculous the chronology actually was.
The fact is that starting from season 9 the series became cheaper and therefore the creators did not change anything and left Poirot to live for about 20 years in the 1930s. If the budget for the series had been larger, then the last seasons would have taken place from the 1940s to the 1950s and Poirot, accordingly, could have died not in 1949, but in the 1950s, maybe later.
ReplyDeleteHi Eirik, I came across your website and I must say, it's very good if like me, you're interested in watching the series in chronological order. I have however found a discrepancy in your timeliness. I was watching The Cornish Mystery and you have this set in July 1929, but the date on the coffin is clearly marked as 10th July 1935. Just thought I'd let you know.
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