The Return of Sherlock Holmes

Holmes, having been missing for a year (falling off a 300 foot water fall while tackling your arch nemesis does tend to inconvenience you a bit) returns nuttier than ever. Hardwick is the new Watson after Burke left to join the RSC and is more fatherly; Jeremy Brett is of course the only Sherlock Holmes, the love-child of Peter Cushing and Kenneth Williams (those that have not seen the show cannot even imagine how camp he gets at times) and the show is more dark than before thanks mainly to the mental and physical problems Brett was going through at the time of his wife's death. This actually works, as Holmes goes "cold turkey" in THE DEVIL'S FOOT so your really start to believe he's burnt out and there are hints of a self-destructive personality coming out. Best of all, Watson's detective skills are approaching Holmes', a far cry from that ridiculous portrayal by Nigel Bruce. As if a man of Holmes' intellect could put up with such idiocy. Or my spelling for that matter.

Jeremy Brett returns in more ways than one, in these equally outstanding adaptations of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's stories featuring the brilliant Sherlock Holmes, whom Doyle was compelled to bring back from the waterfall where we thought all was lost...

David Burke did not return as Watson, but instead Edward Hardwicke stepped in, and did an exemplary job on how to take over a role without any fuss or controversy, so seamless was his transition.

Again, all stories are as masterfully put together as "Adventures", and there is nothing to nitpick or complain about; this is as good as it gets!

In this Granada TV Series, Jeremy Brett presented us with, in my view, the definitive portrayal of Sherlock Holmes. The attention to detail was superb with an interpretation far closer to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's creation than previously shown on film by the deerstalkered Basil Rathbone et al. Jeremy Brett's wild, haunted and melancholy performance of the second series in 1985 was, by his own admission, heavily influenced through the personal tragedy of the loss of his wife to cancer. He adapted the role somewhat for the return series and managed to introduce some levity, even though he found it difficult to play a character who was all mind and no heart.

David Burke and his successor Edward Hardwicke (who took on the role in the third series: `The Return of Sherlock Holmes') both gave intelligent performances as Dr John Watson. Jeremy Brett and Edward Hardwicke made an exceptionally good team and brought the relationship alive with a believable friendship more than any previous characterisations had done.

The series combined fine period detail and atmosphere to create a very credible late 19th century London, and the dialogue replicated the novels fairly closely although production necessities altered some aspects of the stories.

However, the Granada TV series' storyline adaptations and format may have removed some of the exploration into the incisive detective skills of Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, and the series became sanitised with the playing down of both of Holmes' addictions to cocaine and atrocious violin scratching.

The problem may lie in actually dramatising the novels, as Jeremy Brett observed, they are better read, and he described performing the action of crawling through the bracken like a golden retriever as `hysterically funny'. The concept of the images being better seen in the mind's eye would explain why the excellent BBC radio productions of the 1990's with Clive Merrison and Michael Williams worked so well.

The choice of guest actors was consistently of a high standard and I remember ‘The Abbey Grange' in particular as it provided a personal treat to see Anne Louise Lambert (Picnic at Hanging Rock) display her unique talents in a sadly all too rare role for her. Congratulations are due to the director (Peter Hammond) on an inspired piece of casting.

The exclusive video rights in the UK for the Granada TV series have passed from VCI to Britannia Music so that membership is necessary to obtain copies of the videos in PAL format.

Jeremy Brett was my generation's Sherlock Holmes, the way Michael Praed is my generation's Robin Hood.

Both series have been done before (and since), but never better. The only series that comes close is the pre-Holmes/true life version of Arthur Conan Doyle's apprenticeship at the feet of the brilliant dr. Bell, called "Murder Rooms".

Jeremy Brett is excellent as the cultured, sensitive (gay?) king of detectives. Australian actors David Burke, and later on Edward Hardwicke (in the follow-up to this series "The Return Of Sherlock Holmes", also with Jeremy Brett) hold their own as the experienced everyman versions that are really Arthur Conan Doyle himself.

Highly recommended.

This is a must see for Sherlockians and uninitiated alike. 'The Return of Sherlock Holmes', (as with the 'Adventures'), contain some of the best episodes of the Granada TV series. The writers stick closely to the stories of Arthur Conan Doyle and when they do depart there is good dramatic reason. Jeremy Brett continues to dazzle as Sherlock Holmes despite difficulties in his private life at this time, and Edward Hardwicke's Watson (incidentally, whose father Sir Cedric Hardwicke played Holmes once upon a time) is just as intelligent and warm as his predecessor David Burke in the 'Adventures'. Yes, Watson IS intelligent, contrary to very unfair previous portrayals. Hardwicke's style is more naturalistic and perfectly complements Brett's expansive theatrics.

The lively 221b Baker Street set is a delight, and the music must be given special mention, as it is excellent. Patrick Gowers takes the Baker Street theme and embellishes and embroiders it to suit the mood and tone of each episode. He is able to vary it from choral to Renaissance to concerto style effortlessly. The supporting cast is usually strong, though sometimes there will be the odd one who overdoes it a bit. But you cannot accuse anyone involved in these productions with half-heartiness.

Cracks only begin to show in the last few episodes of the series from 'The Devil's Foot' onwards, filmed after Brett experienced a mental breakdown. He seems to lose some of his energy and lustre, but the effect is that of an older, wiser and more compassionate version of the Great Detective, who is so often described as being cold.

All in all, I highly recommend this series; you will never see such a happy combination of good screenplay, music, costumes, set design and of course excellent actors in the same production of the adventures of the elusive Sherlock Holmes.