The BBC's 1984–1992 Miss Marple series, starring Joan Hickson as Agatha Christie's beloved detective, is held up as the definitive screen adaptation of the author's work, praised for both faithfully capturing the source material and casting the ideal lead. Unlike earlier portrayals of Miss Marple, which leaned into comedy or clichéd depictions of elderly women, Hickson's performance and the show's careful adaptation are credited with finally doing justice to Christie's intentions, cementing its reputation as a standout among the many screen versions of her novels.

Christie herself spotted Hickson decades earlier in a stage production of Appointment with Death and told her she hoped Hickson would one day play Marple; Hickson took on the role at the age of 78. Head writer T. R. Bowen led the adaptation of all twelve Marple novels, using multiple episodes per book to allow the mysteries and St. Mary Mead's characters room to develop, while the BBC's period production values delivered richly detailed settings from the English countryside to Barbados, striking a tone that is warm and wry without descending into either broad comedy or excessive grimness.