Parents' Guide to

The Pale Horse

By Martin Brown, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Unorthodox Christie adaptation has swearing, murder.

TV Amazon Prime Video, BBC Drama 2020
The Pale Horse Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 12+

Based on 1 parent review

All_I_Do_Is_Watch_TV
All_I_Do_Is_Watch_TV Adult
May 13, 2022
age 12+
It was a VERY intense mystery show but very good!

This title has:

Too much violence
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

In THE PALE HORSE, a dead woman is found with a list of names tucked into her shoe -- a list that includes Mark Easterbrook (Rufus Sewell), whose mistress also dies mysteriously around the same time. As Easterbrook investigates both strange occurrences, he finds they may be connected to a small village called Much Deeping, where each of the dead women has visited a trio of fortune tellers who may be witches.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (1):

This series is vivid and suspenseful while still managing to conceal an archetypical whodunnit as the story unfolds. Despite being the most popular author in the world, Agatha Christie's books don't often translate well to the screen. Her mysteries often rely on some sort of literary trickery to succeed; they're meant to be read. But The Pale Horse smartly plays less like a conventional Christie adaptation, and more like a strain of folk horror along the lines of The Wicker Man, The VVitch, or Midsommar.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about The Pale Horse's setting. What do we know about the time period in which the show takes place? Where does it take place? How does the setting shape the story and affect characters' behavior in ways that are surprising?

  • What supernatural elements might be at play in The Pale Horse? What evidence do we have to confirm its existence? Which of the characters believe in the supernatural? Which do not? How does this impact their behavior?

  • Is The Pale Horse a murder mystery? If you think it is, who is the detective? Who are the suspects? Does it follow other conventions often seen in detective mysteries?

TV Details

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