The Pale Horse viewers left confused by ending
Note: Contains spoilers for the final episode of The Pale Horse.
The Pale Horse came to its conclusion tonight on BBC One (February 16) after two dramatic episodes – and it left more than a few viewers scratching their heads.
Based on the 1961 Agatha Christie mystery novel, the drama focused on Mark Easterbrook (Rufus Sewell), who has money, a beautiful home and a young wife, Hermia (Kaya Scodelario).
But he's still grief-stricken over the death of his first wife Delphine (Georgina Campbell) – and when his name is discovered on a piece of paper in a dead woman's shoe, his life starts to unravel as the other people named on the list start to die.
Related: The Pale Horse cast explains why the witches aren't what you expect
A mystery soon began involving an old village called Much Deeping and a group of apparent witches working in a place called The Pale Horse, who Mark believed were responsible for the deaths.
But tonight, it was revealed to Mark and the viewers that the deaths had actually been caused by pharmacist Zachariah Osborne (Bertie Carvel), who had been poisoning people with an undetectable substance.
After Zachariah taunted Mark by saying that he was still going to kill him – and that he'd never know what food or drink had been poisoned – Mark snapped and killed Zachariah by hitting him with a crowbar.
But that was when things got very confusing, because after Mark returned home, he picked up a newspaper only to read about his own apparent death.
He then saw his dead wife Delphine in front of him and said "Not again" before the credits rolled.
There was quite a lot of confusion among viewers when it came to the ending:
Wtf was that ending #ThePaleHorse #palehorse
— Reece Twigg-White (@Type40_Twigg) February 16, 2020
Baffled after watching that Pale Horse.
— AriesDreamer03 (@ADreamer03) February 16, 2020
Ok. So what was that ending about? #PaleHorse
— SaffronKim (@SaffronKim) February 16, 2020
Hang on, hang on, hang on - wtf happened? Is he dead? Did he imagine stuff?!!!! #palehorse
— AtinA (@drummergirl1971) February 16, 2020
@BBCOne what the dickens was #PaleHorse about? Totally confused!!! Please stop doing this to the Dame! @agathachristie
— MommaYou (@MommaYou2) February 16, 2020
#palehorse pic.twitter.com/yrztnWycNe
— ælicia quills (@AliciaHills) February 16, 2020
And many weren't happy with the differences between the original novel and this adaptation:
#PaleHorse another Christie classic ruined by the BBC
— angie brooks (@angiebUK) February 16, 2020
This ‘Pale Horse’ is very far away from the original Agatha Christie story... Not sure if I’m a fan. Though Rufus Sewell is watchable.
— C.M.Bassett (@Bassett12Carol) February 16, 2020
I'm enjoying #palehorse, but it's so far from Christie's story, it should have been advertised as 'loosely based on...'!
— Lynn #FBPE #RejoinEU🔸🇪🇺🇬🇧🌈 #facciamorete (@Lynn_GT) February 16, 2020
And I’m checking out of #PaleHorse. I am a massive Christie fan, her stories are deft and clever. And they routinely get turned into pot boilers and ruined.
— Kirsty Scanlan (@KirstyScanlan) February 16, 2020
Not keen on the new adaptation of the pale horse. Why did they change it so much?
— Vivienne Hall (@VeeeevH) February 16, 2020
Watching part 2 of "The Pale Horse". I'm fairly certain that Agatha Christie never used the phrase "old hairy bo!!ocks" in the original story 🤔 Can anyone give me a definitive answer please? 😄
— Ros B (@bickhamrm) February 16, 2020
#PaleHorse why even pretend this is an #AgathaChristie? 🙄
— Sweetytweety68 (@sweetytweety68) February 16, 2020
But there were others who were very impressed with the adaptation:
#BBC1 #ThePaleHorse is the finest "televisual" Christie adaptation I've EVER seen. And, Rufus Sewell EXCELS. #PaleHorse
— mike harrow (@JeremiahBoogle) February 16, 2020
God, but The Pale Horse is exquisite. #ThePaleHorse
— Justine Wall (@Justine_Wall) February 16, 2020
No matter what you thought of the adaptation, you're sure to be impressed by writer Sarah Phelps' hidden Easter egg...
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