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 An Essential DVD:
Television
Remarkably, since Arthur Conan Doyle's famous Victorian mysteries were written well before the
cinema was a popular medium, it is as if the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and his friend Doctor Watson were created for
the stage and screen (silver, as well as small). Not surprisingly then, there have been many filmed adaptations (I
estimate close to a hundred) and many actors played the world's first consulting detective, most famously Basil
Rathbone, as well as other British actors like Peter Cushing and Ian Richardson; some films were better than others, and
some actors did a pretty decent job. Yet, it wasn't until 1983 before both the Holmes and the Watson characters would be
perfectly cast in this superb Granada Television series. The late Jeremy Brett's portrayal captured the brilliance,
nuances and the endearing affectations of Holmes. And David Burke managed to finally restore Watson from Nigel Bruce's
ridiculous depiction -- Burke's Watson is smart, bold and charming, a friend to Holmes and not a subservient sidekick.
In fact, the character was so invigorated that when Burke was replaced later in the series by Edward Hardwicke, most
viewers didn't even notice. They saw Watson not the actors. Outstanding in every way, this series also captures the
period, with the utmost respect to the canon, oustanding attention to the sets, costumes and production values and
Patrick Gowers' haunting violin score. This DVD set contains the first 13 episodes, the best in the series -- the series
continued with "The Return of Sherlock Holmes," "The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes" and "The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes";
and while still worthwhile, Brett's health deteriorated rapidly after his wife's death in 1985 and he's just not as
vibrant in the later installments. Some of the most engaging episodes include "A Scandal in Bohemia" (where the
otherwise misogynistic Holmes admits admiring a woman), the exciting "The Naval Treaty," the rather humorous "The Blue
Carbuncle" and "The Red Headed League," the deliciously suspenseful "The Speckled Band," "The Greek Interpreter"
(Holmes' even more cerebral brother Mycroft is introduced, played by Charles Gray) and "The Final Problem," in which
Holmes goes Mano a Mano with his archenemy Professor Moriarty (played by Eric Porter) at the Reichenbach Falls. The bonus features are slight; most significantly they include some of Sidney Paget's famous illustrations,
stills from the series, and actor biographies. But with almost 12 hours of programming, this is a must-have DVD for the
collection of any rational person. — ETHAN CUHULINN |
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Volume 1: A Scandal in Bohemia, The Dancing Men, The Naval Treaty, The Solitary Cyclist |
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Volume 2: The Crooked Man, The Speckled Band |
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Volume 3: The Blue Carbuncle, The Copper Beaches |
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Volume 4: The Greek Interpreter, The Norwood Builder |
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Volume 5: The Resident Patient, The Red Headed League, The Final Problem |
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