History Series / MissMarple1984

** Miss Marple's old friend Sir Henry Clithering appears in the book of ''Literature/AMurderIsAnnounced'', but plays no part in the adaptation. Although his godson Inspector Craddock makes his debut in the story - and Miss Marple recognises Craddock when they first meet - his relationship to Clithering is not mentioned.

** Inspector Craddock, introduced in the first season's "A Murder is Announced", returns in the final made-for-TV movie, "The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side". His return's accompanied by a {{retcon}}, establishing that he's actually [[AdaptationalRelationshipChange Miss Marple's nephew]].

Miss Marple is the only regular character, but there are a few recurring characters as well. Inspector Slack and Sergeant Lake get involved in multiple investigations, millionaire Jason Rafiel is key to two stories, and Miss Marple's nephew Raymond West appears more than once.

* TheBluebeard: In "A Caribbean Mystery", Major Palgrave mentions two death where a wife's suicide seemed suspicious, and a photo connecting one person to both cases. The major believes the photo reveals a killer, but doesn't show anyone the photo before he's murdered and it's stolen. The initial assumption is that a murderous husband was killing his wives, but the Major's reference to [[UsefulNotes/TheBorgias Lucrezia Borgia]] makes Miss Marple wonder if the killer was a woman. [[spoiler:That turns out to be a RedHerring, as the killer is Tim Kendal, who's now planning to kill his latest wife Molly and then marry Esther Walters, a woman who stands to inherit a significant amount of money]].

* TheBluebeard: In "A Caribbean Mystery", Major Palgrave mentions two deaths in which a wife's suicide seemed suspicious, with a photo connecting the same person to both cases. The major believes that person was a killer, but doesn't manage to show anyone the photo before he's murdered and it's stolen. The initial assumption is that it identifies a murderous husband killing his wives, but the Major's reference to [[UsefulNotes/TheBorgias Lucrezia Borgia]] later makes Miss Marple wonder if it identified a woman. [[spoiler:That aspect turns out to be a RedHerring, as the killer is Tim Kendal, who's now planning to kill his latest wife Molly and then marry Esther Walters, a woman who stands to inherit a significant amount of money]].

** In the second season, [[spoiler:in "Murder at the Vicarage" the murderer, Anne Protheroe, kills herself before the police can arrest her. The suicide note states it was out of remorse. Miss Marple suspects it was partly to protect her accomplice Mr Redding]].

** In the original novel of ''Literature/TheMurderAtTheVicarage'', [[spoiler:the murderer, Anne Protheroe, and her accomplice are both arrested]]. In the show's "Murder at the Vicarage", [[spoiler:Anne dies by suicide before she can be arrested, leaving a note that expresses remorse. Miss Marple suspects this was partly an (unsuccessful) attempt to shield her accomplice]].

** In "Murder at the Vicarage", Anne Protheroe and Lawrence Redding, who are having an affair, independently confess to murdering Anne's husband Colonel Protheroe. It swiftly becomes clear that neither story can be true and each has confessed to protect the other, believing their lover risks arrest for killing the Colonel. After alibis establish that neither is a plausible suspect, they retract the confessions. [[spoiler:All of which is a double-bluff, as they'd worked together to kill the Colonel, using a plan far sneakier than anything in the confessions]].

** In the second season's [[spoiler:"Murder at the Vicarage", Anne Protheroe [[BetterToDieThanBeKilled dies by suicide]] before the police can arrest her. The suicide note claims she killed herself out of remorse, but Miss Marple suspects it was also an attempt to shield her accomplice, who was her lover]].

** In the second season's "Murder at the Vicarage", Anne Protheroe seems a very likely suspect for her loathed husband's murder. Her lover even makes a FalseConfession to protect her (and Anne, in turn, makes a false confession to protect him). It's not until Miss Marple is able to verify TheAlibi for them that the police investigation looks elsewhere. [[spoiler:Eventually, Miss Marple establishes that the alibis were clever misdirection - Anne was the killer after all]].

* FamedInStory:
** In "The Body in the Library", retired detective Sir Henry Clithering is summoned to help Jefferson find the killer. When he spots Miss Marple in the hotel foyer, he tells Jefferson that "one of the most formidable criminologists in England" is already in the building and doubtless already involved.
** In "A Caribbean Mystery", the local police inspector knows all about Miss Marple -- to Mr Rafiel's astonishment, when he happens to mention the name of the little old lady who's taken an interest in the case.

* DelayedDiagnosis: In "4:50 From Paddington", one of the Crackenthorpe family has a terminal illness which Doctor Quimper didn't diagnose until it was too late. [[spoiler:Deliberately, as part of his plan to get his hands on the family fortune.]]

Miss Marple is the only regular character, but there are a few recurring characters as well. Inspector Slack and Inspector Craddock both get involved in multiple investigations, and Miss Marple's nephew Raymond West appears more than once.

** In the original novel ''Literature/{{Nemesis}}'', Jason Rafiel was jailed for Verity Hunt's murder, and is still in prison at the start of the story. In the series he was never convicted and is now living on the streets of London - and working as an advocate for the homeless.

** In the novel ''Literature/FourFiftyFromPaddington'', [[spoiler:Alfred Crackenthorpe is poisoned and dies midway through the story. In the adaptation, there's no such poisoning. However, he's apparently terminally ill, and may not live much longer. This is believed to be a MurderByInaction, with the killer arranging a DelayedDiagnosis until it was too late for treatment]].

** [[spoiler: Alexis Restarick]] survives the attempt on his life in "They Do It with Mirrors".

* PastimesProvePersonality: Inspector Slack is loud, abrasive and blunt. A competent by-the-book cop who doesn't much care about offending people. When he reappears as Chief Inspector in "They Do It With Mirrors", it's revealed that he's also an amateur stage magician, and apparently a competitive and talented one. It's not until the end that Miss Marple herself discovers his hobby, leading to a TitleDrop and the final clue to the mystery.

* TheBluebeard: In "A Caribbean Mystery", Major Palgrave mentions two deaths in which a wife's suicide seemed suspicious, with a photo connecting the same person to both cases. The major believes that person was a killer, but doesn't manage to show it to Miss Marple before he's murdered and the picture is stolen. The initial assumption is that it identified a murderous husband killing his wives, but the Major's reference to [[UsefulNotes/TheBorgias Lucrezia Borgia]] makes Miss Marple wonder if it actually identified a woman. [[spoiler:That aspect turns out to be a RedHerring, as the killer is Tim Kendal, who's now planning to kill his latest wife Molly and then marry Esther Walters, a woman who stands to inherit a significant amount of money]].

** In ''Literature/FourFiftyFromPaddington'', recurring character Inspector Craddock is the lead detective. In the "4:50 From Paddington" TV movie, he's nowhere to be seen, with Inspector Slack returning instead, accompanied by CanonForeigner Inspector Duckham of CID.

* FingertipDrugAnalysis: Jackson is seen performing it during "A Caribbean Mystery".

** In the made-for-TV movie [[spoiler:"A Caribbean Mystery", the third victim, Lucky Dyson, is murdered by drowning after the killer initially mistakes her for their intended victim, Molly Kendal, due to the dark. Once she's seen the killer, [[HeKnowsTooMuch She Knows Too Much]].

* AdaptationRelationshipOverhaul: In the book of "4:50 From Paddington", every adult male in Rutherford Hall hits on Lucy Eyelesbarrow. The adaptation confines this to her two main suitors, Cedric Crackenthorpe and Bryan Eastley. Of the two, she ends up with the one Agatha Christie's notebooks said she wouldn't.

** In "4:50 From Paddington", Inspector Duckham is an old acquaintance of Miss Marple, a jovial CID detective with an upper class accent who's sent to assist the local police. Duckham doesn't exist in ''Literature/FourFiftyFromPaddington'', where recurring character Inspector Craddock fills the same role, or any of the other books.