Agatha Raisin (TV Series) Love from Hell (2020) User Reviews

Agatha and James (and Jimi)

[safenoe · 8/10 · 24 November 2020]

This is the final appearance of James in this season of Agatha Raisin. An intriguing episode this one, with the thought that James was cheating on Agatha. But thankfully not the case. I loved the in-joke banter between Wilkes and Mayor Ted at the beginning as they highlighted the TV trope of the who the murder suspect could be. Wilkes scoffed at the Mayor's suggestion that the killer could be Agatha herself, as this would go against the premise! Sarah also had a killer line referencing Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death!

Bill and Toni can't resist their attraction to each other. I sometimes wonder how Tony's cousin, Gemma, would feel.

Roy doesn't appear but he's in the next episode, which is the season 3 finale.

Change of character

[skinnybert · 6/10 · 2 February 2024]

Well, I had read that Agatha's character in the books was less charming than the TV series, and it appears the direction in this episode was geared toward capturing that more closely. Fortunately this is something of an ensemble show, because Tyack and Barnett remain the most entertaining of the group. Ashley Jensen is still energetic as ever, if not quite as captivating as the first season. I've stopped really paying attention to the details of plot, because -- really -- that's not their focus here: it's more about the characters' interactions. Stylistically they're letting the show be a TV mystery show, adopting or referencing tropes typical of the genre -- like that whole business between James and the 'other woman', and how there's a misunderstanding, which of course he doesn't instantly dispel by simple explanation -- no, he's got to sputter and delay and let it grow while interruptions occur, and then react in irrational and unpredictable ways -- all to delay resolution, and extend the story. Eventually we learn there's a sociopath somewhere, and of course the identity won't be revealed until the final scenes, because James has no memory of etc -- all plot devices to keep us tuned for the full running time. But it's OK even if it does stretch things unnecessarily, because there is enough character among the others to keep us interested, even when they do stupid things. And that's the kind of TV show this is. And that's fine. It just woulda been nice if it was something more, because it coulda been, but then maybe not: when you base your TV show on best-sellers, you can't really stray too far from what they were. So OK: at least it's colorful, cheerful and well-filmed. And if it sometimes seems determined to make all the most active characters female or gay, well that's OK too.

Nasty.

[valstone52 · 7/10 · 4 September 2021]

I hope with season 4,they change agatha's attitude. This season she's mean and catty. If it weren't for her friends she wouldn't have a business.

Pretty decent story .. for Agatha Raisin standards

[Ziggy1965 · 7/10 · 18 February 2020]

The story was interesting enough with humour in the right places. Much better than the last episode!

Moving in a better direction

[xbatgirl-30029 · 6/10 · 19 March 2022]

A big improvement! The last episode or so turned me off so much it's been a few months or so since I've wanted to watch more of Agatha. Maybe it was the break, or maybe the writing, but this episode made Agatha enjoyable again.

I was never a big fan of gloomy James but that works as he is on the run. Toni seems to have figured out how to act like a real human and not be a cartoon character. I like that she and Bill may now be an item. It's a better use for his character than unrequited love for Agatha. (Side note: it did bug me that one day Bill had to wear that massive bandage on his head and the next morning he didn't have a mark on him. Oh well.)

I loved how comical Wilkes and his briefly, new buddy, the Mayor, were together. Probably the least likable character ends up being Agatha. She's gone from being extremely empathetic of others in season 1 to being a total narcissist now and even downright mean at times. Luckily, the show plays as a true ensemble now where no one, including Agatha, dominates as lead. She ends up more tolerable in smaller doses. Also, I'm glad Sarah truly seems like a member of the gang now - I really enjoyed her partnering off with Charles for a good part of the investigation. It's almost like she was taking over what would have been scenes written for Charles and Agatha, but instead we get her calm, grounded, and more cheerful presence.

The killer though was almost too much of an afterthought. That whole backstory came out of nowhere. Even using the name Jimi was awkwardly shoehorned in. Same with all of the flashbacks to a person wielding the hammer which were all obviously of a man. The mystery of the nun's obsession with expensive shoes and where she got her money (they cost in the thousands just for a pair) was never answered. The writers seem to be more skilled at creating a soap opera out of our gang of friends, rather than plotting out a mystery and creating multidimensional suspects. Sadly, I'd definitely rate this a step below fluffy cozies like Father Brown or Midsomer Murders but still fun to watch.

Love from Hell

[Prismark10 · 4/10 · 2 July 2020]

James returns after doing a promotional tour in time for a charity bash. The annual Carsely Charity Week fundraiser with a special appearance by the Mayor.

Agatha is put out that James sister Sheila makes an appearance. The two have never got on well. Then at the charity event a glamorous young woman called Melissa Sheppard is rather too affectionate with James.

Meanwhile James is put out that Agatha is just too fond of Sir Charles and he and Agatha have a row.

Melissa is later found dead and James has disappeared.

Agatha, Sheila and Sir Charles team up to find James and who killed Melissa who apparently had a strange former husband who is obsessed with dolls.

This was a better episode only because it is less absurd, although it does feature a nun in Christian Louboutin high heels!

Even then DCI Wilkes is still irritating, a character with no basis in reality. Although in this episode Wilkes exchange theories about the murder with the Mayor.

The stakes are higher for Agatha as it is her husband who is missing and even DC Bill Wong helps out. He gets hammered for his troubles.

Agatha has become a real b....

[Design88 · 5/10 · 12 June 2022]

So far this season seems like an afterthought written by a whole new set of writers. Season 2 finished everything off nicely and would have left us with cozy closure but in Season 3 she's annoying, catty, full of her own self-importance, bossy and downright rude & nasty to James. She has been ignoring him from the start and preferring to hang with her little band of followers who she bosses around. I guess they are all volunteers to her cause? In this episode, she finally lets James off the hook and I'm glad. He has been so quietly hurt by her lack of interest in him and that hasn't been fun to watch, especially after her having been so in love with him and reversing her decision to "get over him" after Cyprus. I'll stick with it to see where it goes but ending this episode with the three women arm in arm is just too feminist for my liking. All season the men have been bossed around by the women more and more and it's getting boring and just not that enjoyable.