DISQUS

newcritics: A Reason to Go On Living: Jeremy Brett’s Holmes

  • M.A. Peel · 2 years ago
    Neddie, I was dazzled by this series too. The production was exquisite, from the re-creation of London to the theme music. But it was all about Brett. There were 2 different Watsons along the way, if I remember correctly. The episode "The Blue Carbuncle" stands out in my mind, because it's Holmes at Christmastime, and the "Bruce-partington Plans," when they go to meet Mycroft.
  • Tom Watson · 2 years ago
    This series was one of the great television products ever - Granada TV, I believe. Brett was brilliant. It was wonderful the way the producers changed the mood from episode to episode - they didn't all have the same pacing, lighting, staging and music. With Brett as the anchor, the writers could stretch out. Edward Hardwicke was a rock as Watson (the second, and longer running of the two - he played the good doctor not as a bumbling fool, but as an intelligent, if conventional, Victorian liberal with a strong sense of irony and even a touch of romance).
    Also, the various guest stars - usually the clients or enemies of Holmes and Watson - are a who's who of British theater and middle brow television; some wonderful performances there.
    Damn you Neddie, I feel an obsession coming on!!
  • Claire · 2 years ago
    I completely agree with you, Neddie. Wonderful post!
  • Dave · 2 years ago
    For my money your summing up of the series is spot on. Brett and Hardwicke play Holmes and Watson exactly as I imagined them when reading the stories. And yes, the stories themselves survive the transition to one hour TV drama format just fine.
  • Viscount LaCarte · 2 years ago
    Thanks for alerting me to these, Ned. Just added "The Adventures..." to my Netflix queue.
  • Thom · 1 year ago
    I remember watching these episodes with great joy on PBS in the 1980s as a teenager and having conversations with my parents about Brett being an authentic and definitive Holmes. I had read all Doyle’s detective stories when I was ten years old and, to be honest, it felt as if one of my boyhood heroes had truly come to life on the small screen. The series was simply brilliant and your post reminded me of that fact. I have Netflix and I think I'll add the entire series to my queue this weekend to watch during 2008. Kudos for the great review and post.
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  • rohit · 1 year ago
    i can still remember it was december 12,2006 when i watched the first episode of THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES. i was excited. and then the journey started i never give up with that episod,thanks to the producer and director who has given me such wonderfull expirience