The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes

Thank goodness for the wonderful folks at Granada Television. In the mid 1980s, they created the absolute best Sherlock Holmes ever to make it to the big or small screen. Unlike all the previous versions, which LIBERALLY deviated from the Conan Doyle stories, the Granada films tried to be perfect in every detail.

Unlike the caricature of Holmes that you see in previous films where he wears a deerstalker hat, smokes a curved pipe and spouts "elementary, my dear Watson", this Holmes is true to the original character. Additionally, Dr. Watson is not the bumbling idiot as portrayed by Nigel Bruce (Bruce should burn in Hell for how he ruined this character).

The first mini-series by Granada was exceptional and Jeremy Brett was the greatest Holmes ever. The second picked up exactly where it should have as did this third series.

Intelligently written and wonderful throughout. See these films and get hooked!!

The Case book of Sherlock Holmes isn't perhaps the golden era for Jeremy Brett and co, it's still an almost brilliant run for the enigmatic detective. The production values are phenomenal, each story looks incredible with sumptuous costumes and exquisite costumes.

Brett remained incredible as Holmes from start to finish, Hardwicke continued to impress as Watson, I loved Burke, but always felt that Hardwicke was more in keeping with the character in the books.

The Problem of Thor Bridge and The Master Blackmailer are my personal favourites, but each has something to offer, The Last Vampyre perhaps being the weakest entry. Some terrific guest performances, Cheryl Campbell and Robert Hardy being two of note.

All in all, excellent. 8/10

Jeremy Brett is ( possibly next to William Gillette, Basil Rathbone or Arthur Wontner ) the greatest Holmes portrayer of all time. He, with Edward Hardwicke (son of Sir Cedric) make the stories come alive with actors just like the characters. If you love Holmes, try to catch this on TV (I'll admit it's not always on).

My only problem with this series was that three short stories('The Master Blackmailer', 'The Last Vampyre', and 'The Eligible Bachelor') were expanded into feature-length, rather than the standard hour-long format, when it wasn't really necessary. In the case of 'The Eligible Bachelor', I felt that for the only time in the whole overall series, the creators stumbled, since I felt it was bloated and tedious, with unwise changes to the story.

Fortunately, I did like the other two expanded adaptations, and the regular episodes were equally superb, so I can't complain there, I just wish that for "Casebook", the producers remembered the old saying "If it isn't broke, don't fix it!" The team of Brett & Hardwicke are still superb though, which is to be expected.

Following on from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and The Return of Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock Holmes continues to solve crimes in his own inimitable fashion. He is ably assisted by his friend Dr Watson.

The third Sherlock Holmes series to star Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes. The first series, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, was brilliant. Quite easily the definitive adaption of the novels as it replicated the Victorian England setting and atmosphere so perfectly. The plots were solid and character engagement was good. The engagement levels were aided by the fantastic performances of Jeremy Brett.

The second series, The Return of Sherlock Holmes, was also great but not quite as good as the first series. Most of the ingredients were still there but it didn't quite have the darkness, grittiness, tension and engagement levels of The Adventures Of so brilliant. It just felt less polished.

The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes started very well and seemed a worthy follow-up to those two excellent series. However, from a point the episodes get weaker and weaker, as if all the best stories had been taken and the producers were happy to adapt any Sherlock Holmes story into an episode. Some very odd plots, culminating in the final episode which was pure style over substance.

Jeremy Brett also isn't quite in the same form as he was in the first two series, further diminishing the quality.

All in all it's okay but nowhere as good as the first two series.