Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials Recap: Battle Commences

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It hasn’t even been long since Ronnie Devereux’s death, but the investigation is already moving quickly. Immediately after attending Ronnie’s memorial with Bundle, Jimmy is already planning the next steps to find out who killed both Gerry and Ronnie, and whether those deaths are linked to the enigmatic Seven Dials. It increasingly appears there’s a strong connection between the two victims and this puzzling phrase.

Things are really starting to get interesting! I’m completely baffled why Ronnie would have told Bundle to mention “Seven Dials” to Jimmy – Jimmy’s racking his brain trying to figure out what it means, thinking maybe it’s about the area in London or that club. Still, he’s being super helpful and wants to get Bundle together with Gerry’s sister, Loraine, at his place. They can all put their heads together and see if they can figure out what this clue means. Honestly, Jimmy and Loraine really connected when he told them about Gerry, so he’s hoping they can work well together on this – it feels like a smart move to get her involved.

Bundle barely reacts to the news, because she’s focused on proving herself. And honestly, no one listens to the warnings about her, which is perfect for us watching! Every time someone tells her to be careful or expresses shock at what she figures out, she just becomes even more determined and fearless.

Bundle consistently proves her resourcefulness, whether she’s pursuing a mysterious man after an inquiry, cleverly convincing Bill to take her to a private club, or persuading George Lomax to get her into a secret meeting about a groundbreaking formula. She handles every situation and person with impressive skill. We now know the man she was chasing is Superintendent Battle from Scotland Yard, and it’s enjoyable to see Martin Freeman playing the grounded counterpart to such a talented, unconventional investigator. Bundle is far less irritating than Sherlock Holmes, which actually gives Freeman more opportunity to shine as Battle. He beautifully portrays Battle’s underlying concern and warmth despite his frustration with this small, determined woman who refuses to listen to his advice to let the professionals handle the case.

Battle might actually have a chance to sway Bundle’s decisions, but Bill quickly gives in to her determined insistence and agrees to take her to the Seven Dials Club, despite his initial reservations. Bundle is adamant – this is for Gerry and Ronnie, and they’re going to do it now, without any hesitation. The club is surprisingly lively and full of unexpected characters. They’re greeted by Alfred, a former servant from Chimneys who says he left due to a disagreement over pay, and the atmosphere is much more energetic than Bill had described. Surprisingly, Bundle isn’t bothered at all by the things Bill worried about – the diverse and unconventional people who frequent the club. The club felt similar to the Holländer from the first season of Babylon Berlin: crowded, energetic, filled with jazz music, and likely a great source of information about the city’s hidden world.

Bundle isn’t fooled by the surface appearances and quickly begins searching for answers. She overhears a secret meeting – masked figures gathered around a clock-themed table – where they celebrate that Ronnie’s death won’t be looked into and task Number Seven with obtaining Dr. Matip’s secret formula. A flashback reveals that Dr. Matip and his sister Dela were the people Bundle’s father was supposed to meet in 1920, but he was mistakenly sent to a bullfight instead, where Dela was shot. Dr. Matip then shot the attacker. This raises suspicions about Bundle’s father’s death: why was Lord Caterham planning to meet with Dr. Matip to discuss his research, especially since we previously thought he died in a bullfighting accident? While there’s been no indication he worked for the government, could he have been involved with the early days of the Secret Intelligence Service – now known as MI-6?

So, after learning everything about Dr. Matip and the trouble Bundle and Loraine might run into at Wyvern Abbey with those creepy Seven Dials, I just had to be in the mix too. Jimmy, being the smooth operator he is, offered to pull some strings and get himself invited through a friend named Bill. He even sent his valet out to buy a gun – and get this, he wanted one with a stylish handle! There was a quick mention of a call from Lloyd’s Bank, which made me wonder if Jimmy’s supposedly spotless reputation hides a bit of a financial wobble. We’ll see, I guess. Jimmy and I tried to talk Loraine out of going to the summit, genuinely worried about her safety. But she’s determined to be there, especially since she’s finally connected with the half-brother she’d been getting to know after growing up in Italy, and she wants to help get justice for him.

Okay, so Bundle absolutely kills it trying to get invited to Wyvern Abbey. The funniest part of the episode, honestly, is how she uses George Lomax’s total cluelessness against him. She offers her mother’s expertise on fancy event etiquette – and Lomax jumps at it, because he’s desperate to make sure everything goes perfectly. The big thing is, Dr. Matip has to sell his steel formula to Britain. But Lomax… well, he basically admits he’s a bit of a mess when it comes to hosting! He says being a bachelor has left him “not as up to speed with the finer points of entertaining,” which is putting it mildly. It was a brilliant move by Bundle to exploit that!

I checked the definitions of “exquisities” in Merriam-Webster and the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, and it appears this is a unique phrase coined by Lomax, likely on the spot. He’s proving to be a delightfully funny character, reminiscent of the pompous and silly characters from Jane Austen—like Mr. Collins and Mr. Elton—combined with the personality of Cecil Vyse from A Room With a View.

I have to say, watching Lomax interact with Bundle was a highlight. He’s genuinely shocked that this young, privileged woman would even care about politics – and honestly, he wishes more women were so engaged! Bundle’s quick-witted response – basically, ‘Give us the vote and we will!’ – should have been a huge clue that she was playing him, but Lomax is…well, let’s just say not the brightest bulb. Alex Macqueen really leans into that cluelessness, and it’s wonderfully, hilariously done. He absolutely nails the part of a man completely outmatched.

The story shifts to Wyvern Abbey, creating a compelling mix of humor and international intrigue. From a broad perspective, the only real question becomes whether Britain will ultimately acquire Dr. Matip’s formula. Lomax and Sir Oswald Coote are eager to use it to boost British steel production for both civilian and military needs, believing this is clearly a positive outcome. However, Dr. Matip – already having experienced personal loss and been forced to defend himself – is wary of selling to anyone. He hopes his formula will help ensure lasting peace, not give one country the power to dominate the world.

When Dr. Matip returned, his English hosts began to see him in a new light. He calmly explained that, growing up in Cameroon, he was sent to university in Germany and later served as a soldier in their army. Although Cameroon became French territory after World War I, his home region had been a German colony until 1918. He pointed out that across West Africa, many Africans had been forced to fight each other while serving European powers. He understood his hosts had lost loved ones to German gunfire, but asked them to remember that many countries experienced devastating losses during the war.

If Dr. Matip had a private conversation with Bundle, he’d likely be surprised to find they actually agree on most things. Bundle is mainly interested in the formula because of how it relates to Gerry Wade’s death, and she’s the only one present who saw how easily the Seven Dials planned to steal it from him. She understands the seriousness of the situation better than anyone else there.

They didn’t have much time to talk about what they had in common because bedtime soon arrived. Bundle then explained her plan: she, Jimmy, and Bill would take turns guarding Dr. Matip’s room. He’d locked up his formula in a safe inside, and as long as no one went in while he slept, everything would be secure. The boys agreed to stand guard, and Bundle, ignoring Bill’s worries about her safety, quickly went back to her room. There, she changed into a dark, stealthy outfit and tried to climb down the ivy covering the house to reach the front.

I have to say, the whole thing was more about trying than actually being good at it! Just because Bundle had a costume inspired by that old movie, Irma Vep, didn’t mean she suddenly became a skilled thief. She ended up tumbling into the bushes right in front of Superintendent Battle, who basically told her to go back to bed, even helping her climb up the remaining ivy. It’s funny, out of everyone trying to control or comment on her life right now, Battle is the only one who seems to believe Bundle is capable of much more than anyone expects – he always anticipates she’ll surprise us all.

Bundle wasn’t able to be everywhere at once, so she didn’t see what happened before Dr. Matip’s door was left open. She briefly lost track of Jimmy Thesiger, and everything immediately fell apart! Despite her frustration, Bundle and Battle hurried to the locked door, where they heard yelling, a struggle, and then a gunshot. When they opened the door, they found Jimmy shot and lying on the cushions near the windows overlooking the lawn. This was a disaster.

I had a feeling Jimmy was mixed up in all of this, but getting shot definitely makes me question that now. And I might have underestimated Sir Oswald – seriously, being able to shoot with either hand and hit Dr. Matip’s reinforced watch? That’s something! I’m really starting to rethink everything, and I’d love to hear what you guys think is going on. Share your theories in the comments!

Oh, I Say!

Interestingly, while researching the Spanish town of Ronda – I initially thought it might be in Italy because of its bullring – I discovered there’s also an Italian company named Ronda that makes stainless steel. That’s quite a coincidence, Chris Chibnall!

I noticed while watching that Bundle’s pursuit of Battle took her through a place that really seemed like Bath, maybe even down Great Pulteney Street! They used a lot of computer graphics to make it look like London, though, which was pretty clever.

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2026-01-15 15:10