#However I think Holmes would love the granada series

[tremendously-crazy]

Modern adaptation of Sherlock Holmes but it's the original ACD Holmes and Watson just. Picked up from 1895 or whatever and. Thrown into 2024. Sherlock Holmes in the 21st century.

[milquetoast27]

The Secret of Sherlock Holmes

GRANADA FANS. If you have not heard of this play, NOW IS THE TIME TO HEAR ABOUT IT. I'd been saving it for a rainy night and it was SOO good 😭😭Please allow me to elaborate.

[heads-up, there are no video recordings of it. I listened to the audio and followed along with the script. Not ideal, but still gave me a vivid image of what was happening on-stage.]

The nuance between screen and stage allows the actors to achieve different effects that are not possible with an on-screen adaptation. Characters do not turn to the camera and just tell you their innermost thoughts, but they can in a stageplay- and it's here that we really get to hear Brett and Hardwicke's ideas about Holmes and Watson- not much of it was unfamiliar as I'd read most of Brett's views in interviews, but it was really cool to get that confirmed in an official production that he worked on. Honestly, Brett had that feeling of "I can fix him" that I think exists in all of us Holmes fans, and totally went for it. The canon (and the Granada series) is rife with subtleties and 'show, don't tell', but it is honestly refreshing for once, to have such powerful emotion depicted dramatically and audaciously on a stage. It is all too often throughout the stories that Holmes and Watson are awfully reticent about their feelings. This play is an explosion of their private thoughts that leads to finally, thankfully, a wonderful reconciliation. I love it so much as it clearly advocates for open communication being a vital factor for a good friendship. There's a good reason for why that never happened in the canon; I think it has a lot to do with the shyness and reticence of the English, and I would not be surprised most particularly with Victorian men. But Holmes and Watson do still have their moments in the canon (e.g. 3GAR & FINA), and it's what makes them stand out so shockingly much in their time.

I appreciate that this play gives us viginettes of Holmes and Watson's life together all the way up to The Final Problem. It not only sets us up for the climax later, but also shows us specifically Brett's Holmes and Hardwicke's Watson. There were changes made from the original stories, and yet felt so wonderfully in-character and flowed really well through the actors. The play exclusively stars Brett and Hardwicke, and the purpose of redoing scenes from the canon, such as STUD, NAVA, or CHAS was to highlight the status in their relationship, for example Holmes's displeasure at Watson's marriage and subsequent loneliness- important scenes that communicate Holmes's dependence on Watson. These small glimpses also give us the much-needed humour for any balanced Holmes production! It not only communicates the warm and light moments that they shared, but also helps us get more invested in this particular pair on the stage, which is still vital, even if we're already attached to the characters.

The implications that arise from Brett's portrayal of Holmes is fascinating. He admits that he'd have been dead within two years without Watson, without the indispensible role he played in controlling his addiction and mental state. He admits of the lonely and awful childhood he shared with his brother. The fact that Holmes comes forward and tells us this himself suggests he is very psychologically aware of himself and how his mind works. He understands why he has addictions, the reasons for his barriers and difficulty with emotional vulnerability. Assuming Holmes is very interested in the criminal psyche, but also his own due to his eccentricities, it makes so much sense that he would psychoanalyse himself to this degree, but also be frustrated with how little he is able to move from his rigid mindset. This interpretation works so wonderfully for Brett's Holmes, and I am so glad for this portrayal he has given us. When it comes to canon Holmes, however, I feel that this is more likely to be unconscious. I can never shake how much of Brett is actually within his Holmes. While his comes close to the original, I still see them as separate people. Granada's adaptation tends to play up Holmes's melancholy/depression a little too far for me, like a far-away, mythical creature that can never be understood, because we never get much of an opportunity to see what he really feels (perhaps Eligible Bachelor or Master Blackmailer might come close). But I feel that almost defeats the character. To me, Holmes is flawed and troubled, but he is simply human. The Secret of Sherlock Holmes portrays this fact wonderfully, because all of those feelings are rising to the surface.

We move further into speculation, but I think Brett's Holmes has also a fairly healthy understanding of the difference between social constructs and necessities, which take more importance in a queer/neurodivergent reading of him. He understands that his upbringing was due to an "accepted convention", and we see time and again how Holmes disregards social conventions or constructs and does his own thing. It's why he gets frustrated at others for not understanding him, but also accepts that it will never come easily to people. That's why he's very lucky for Watson (and Mrs. Hudson and Lestrade!) :)

Holmes's darker emotions, and Watson's fierce devotion are displayed most prominently throughout. When Watson comments on Holmes's childhood, Holmes lies about it, woeing internally over how much he conceals, to even someone as close to him as Watson. He privately shares his desire to be "found out", because sharing his feelings to Watson is too difficult. His friend takes his word for it, appreciative of the times Holmes is able to speak frankly about himself. Holmes wants to be open, and Watson wants to listen, but it's Holmes's barriers preventing it. This feeling and experience is so raw and human, and something I would imagine would resonate with many people.

The latter half of the play focuses primarily on Holmes's cocaine addiction. Pastiche writers really like that sore spot, huh. Watson's perceptiveness and powers of observation are on full force in this play. Watson can tell when Holmes is high (as a medical man, most likely), and even deduced that Holmes may still be living by Mycroft's body language. But when it came to Holmes's return from the Great Hiatus...

Something that canon Watson seems to completely forget is his anger towards Holmes. In the story, he is so star-struck and relieved that he barely considers any other feeling. Hardwicke does briefly touch on this in the Granada episode with "I thought I would be as trustworthy as your brother," but it really doesn't go further than that. In The Secret of Sherlock Holmes, Hardwicke goes FULL FORCE. This is what we needed!!! It was a powerful, hair-raising performance. When Holmes has clearly not understood the harm he has done, Watson leaves. Actually slams the door. And when he returns, he makes it very clear to Holmes why he is hurt. And yet, his devotion remains, for when Holmes starts explaining his creation of Moriarty, it takes a while before Watson is fully convinced. Watson is extremely compassionate and empathetic, yes, but he's also very grounded and level-headed, and he must draw the line somewhere. It doesn't take him long to forgive Holmes, but he knows his anger has a place in that room, and allows it to be. I appreciate that it's taken just as seriously as Holmes's troubles.

The only reason either Holmes or Watson are able to communicate so finely with each other- even through shouting and crying- is because of their emotional awareness. It's what makes their relationship work, because they are both aware of how much they mean to each other. When they move past the difficulty of sharing such feelings, their bond grows stronger.

[twistedtummies2]

Top 5 Portrayals of Irene Adler

The past three lists I discussed some of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson’s most notable allies: Mrs. Hudson, Inspector Lestrade, and Sherlock’s brother, Mycroft. However, no detective and his sidekick would be able to function without cases to solve…without villains to conquer. While Professor Moriarty is the most famous and recurring Holmes antagonist, Holmes solved many, MANY other cases, and faced many other rogues, aside from the Napoleon of Crime. I think it’s time to give some of the more noteworthy criminals Holmes went after their fair due. Just to warn you, these lists will be simple, quick Top 5s rather than Top 10s, and once again, the descriptions will be brief. This is typically for one of three reasons: a.) there just aren’t that many versions of the character out there to begin with, b.) all the versions after a certain point sort of gel together in terms of my personal preference, or c.) a bit of both. With that said, let’s start with arguably Holmes’ second greatest adversary: Irene Adler, the Mistress of Disguise. In the original story “A Scandal in Bohemia,” Adler is actually one of the few criminals to escape and thoroughly outwit Sherlock Holmes. Notably, she is the only woman to outsmart the Master Detective, which is one of the reasons Holmes refers to her as “The Woman”: a sign that she is, in his eyes, the finest of her gender. It’s heavily implied in the original stories that Holmes is in love with Irene, or, at the very least, she is the first lady he has come truly close to loving. He loves Irene not so much in a sensual or physical way, but more for her incredible wit, daring, and mystique. While Adler is an antagonist in the story, on that note, she’s not by any means the worst of Holmes’ opponents. In short, Adler is the original Femme Fatale: the alluring, morally ambiguous, dangerous female who both entrances and hinders her hero. The Catwoman to Sherlock Holmes’ Batman, if you will. Various adaptations and reimaginings since have toyed with this idea, and especially latched onto the romantic overtones, ever since. There are lots of versions of Irene Adler; she’s one of those characters who falls into Point B, as I mentioned earlier: after a certain point, a lot of them just sort of gel together for me. However, picking my Top 5 was fairly easy; it’s just harder to do any number beyond that. With that said, let’s waste no more time: The Woman is waiting. Here are My Top 5 Portrayals of Irene Adler!

5. Anne Baxter, from Masks of Death.

In this made-for-TV movie, Peter Cushing and John Mills play an aging Holmes and Watson on their final case before retirement. Anne Baxter appears as an equally “advanced” Irene Adler, in a relatively small but important role in the story. It’s primarily the uniqueness of this Adler that gets her in my top five: Baxter was a great choice in casting, her interactions with Cushing as Holmes are fantastic, and the idea of these old adversaries re-encountering one another in their twilight years is an interesting one indeed.

4. Gayle Hunnicutt, from the Granada Series.

It’s largely due to Hunnicutt’s “scene partner” as Holmes - the unmatchable Jeremy Brett - that nails her placement on the countdown. Granada’s adaptation of “A Scandal in Bohemia” was actually the very first episode of the Brett series, and it serves as an excellent first impression for the show as a whole, with Hunnicutt playing a very book-accurate take on the character. (Albeit with a different pronunciation of the name from the usual, with an accent at the end of “Irene,” so that it is pronounced “Ee-Rain-uh” instead of “Eye-Reen”...unusual.) While Hunnicutt’s calculating, cunning Adler is phenomenal, I personally feel other versions that go “beyond the books” make her even more interesting.

3. Rachel McAdams, from the Guy Ritchie Films.

Conan Doyle fans seem polarized about McAdams’ take on Irene Adler. For me, I personally think she’s an excellent, albeit somewhat different, interpretation of the character. This version heavily ups the romantic side of her relationship with Holmes, and really plays up the moral ambiguity, as she helps Sherlock out almost as often as she gets him in trouble. Using the earlier analogy, she’s at her most “Catwoman-esque” here. It’s eventually revealed - SPOILER ALERT - that Irene is working for Moriarty, although it’s not altogether clear why. She is seemingly killed off early in the second movie, when Moriarty feels she has become a liability. Sad.

2. The Version from Moriarty the Patriot.

This is a rather weird one, to be honest. It’s hard to talk about this version of the character without giving away some MAJOR spoilers for the series as a whole, but I will do my best. Irene first appears in an adaptation of “A Scandal in Bohemia,” entitled “A Scandal in the British Empire” (which borrows some minor influence from “The Bruce Partington Plans”). Weirdly enough, she’s actually EXTREMELY book-accurate here, and the way Holmes’ relationship with her is showcased is equally so: the two aren’t depicted as being romantically involved so much as being, I suppose, “flirtatious best friends.” This is fitting, since the strong romantic overtones in THIS series go between Holmes and Moriarty…but that’s another story. Speaking of, after this initial story arc, Irene’s character goes into some…UNEXPECTED territory, but it does nothing to make her character any less interesting.

1. Lara Pulver, from Sherlock.

Once again, much like the Guy Ritchie version, Pulver’s incarnation heavily emphasizes the romantic tension between Adler and Holmes. Also like the Ritchie version, this take on Adler ends up embroiled with Moriarty, although things end rather differently in this interpretation. This Adler, I felt, hit a good balance between a proper villainess - and a very fine one, at that, able to prove a solid match for Holmes - and the more sympathetic love interest at the same time. 

[storytellingdreamer]

Watching Granada Holmes: On David Burke as Dr Watson

Okay so before I watch the next Granada episode, Empty House, I need to say goodbye to David Burke as Dr John Watson. David Burke couldn’t continue with Granada’s adaptation after FINA due to scheduling conflicts, which led to him helping them find his replacement, Edward Hardwicke. 

This post is me processing that in the hope that I can learn to love Edward Hardwicke as Watson without feeling too disappointed he’s not David Burke.

You see, going into Granada Holmes, I’d already been informed that Jeremy Brett is the Sherlock Holmes. This is definitely true. However, at this moment, all I can say that for me, David Burke will be the Dr John Watson. 

My tag for David Burke is “he smiles with his whole face”. Right from the start, his expressiveness intrigued me, and made it very easy to feel like I was part of the story. His openness invited me as the audience in. It also doesn’t hurt that he has a very fine voice - I’ve memorised the way he says “Holmes” and other words like “black moods”. They’re very fun to say in his accent! 

Watching the Granada Holmes series has felt very personal. For starters, watching TV shows or movies are always immersive experiences for me, due to the way my brain processes information. I get “sucked in” to the story very easily - it feels like I’m another character, almost, observing. It’s also hard because I’m having to process the audio-visual information, the language, the social information, the emotional contexts - and anything they trigger in me from past experiences - all at once. 

Granada Holmes is a very safe way to do that, because most of the time, the bad guys get their comeuppance in the end, and the client of the week has resolution, and perhaps catharsis. 

It also feels very safe because Holmes and Watson guide me through it. I’ll say more about Jeremy Brett at the end of my entire watch through, but for David Burke, my “oh, you’re my Watson” journey really took flight with the end of Solitary Cyclist. 

See, the thing about David Burke’s Watson isn’t just that he’s very expressive. He’s very reassuring. Steady and dependable, but also openly delighted in Holmes’s brilliance. A perfect foil for the audience. 

He’s the one who instinctively knows how to handle clients (see: any Woman in Need episode), and takes care of Holmes almost before Holmes knows he needs it (see: Norwood Builder) - and when he’s protecting you/ the client, by goodness do you feel it. 

You’ll recall that I had plenty to say about Solitary Cyclist, so much so that I wrote two posts for it. One about the episode recap, and another, which I wrote first, of my feelings about the episode’s context. Look, the Woman In Need episodes always strike a little close to home for me for various reasons. And after my first experience of that in Solitary Cyclist, one of the things that comforted me after was remembering, well, this moment: 

[Image description: Watson holds the drugged Violet Smith to him protectively with one hand while holding his gun with the other, a very serious look on his face. /end image description.]

Followed by this one: 

Watson: “You may call that love. I call it selfishness.”

[Image description: Holmes and Watson sit side-by-side, staring in disgust at one of the baddies of the story. /end image description.]

In the first scene, Watson was Violet Smith’s physical protector at a time when she couldn’t defend herself. His words afterward, a delightful castigation of the villain. As a woman, hearing someone say those things (and keep saying them in other episodes), whether to the perpetrator as a scold, to the client/ victim in comfort, or to Holmes about how very serious the situation is, has been good. 

It helps that Burke’s Watson also has this “softness with a core of steel” energy. The sort of energy that makes one think, if I was in trouble, I would very much like to have Burke’s Watson protect me and tell me it wasn’t my fault and such (while Brett’s Holmes solved the problem that had trapped me in the first place). 

Basically, I would very much like to be their friend. Or their honourary relation (which is what they are to the Women In Need). 

We see the Sherlock Holmes stories through Watson’s eyes, as he is the Narrator. (A fact brought home by Granada’s adaptation of The Final Problem.) Having David Burke in the role has been very comforting - and fun. We experience his emotions with him, and I have deeply enjoyed it. 

[bakerstreetbabble]

Let's talk about Watson...

One of the great things about Elementary and Sherlock, and even the Guy Ritchie films, is that the character of Watson has finally broken out of the Nigel Bruce mold.  Not to completely denigrate Nigel Bruce's contribution to Holmesian film history, but he made the stereotype of Watson as an old bumbler the standard for an awfully long time.  Watson ended up being a comic figure, almost the polar opposite of the brilliant figure of Sherlock Holmes.  But now we have Jude Law--brave, intelligent, handsome; we have Lucy Liu--a female twist on the character, but a brilliant detective in her own right; and possibly the best actor to ever play Watson, Martin Freeman, whose depth and nuance are really astounding.

And it's more than simply casting fine actors as Watson; the balance of Sherlock Holmes and his trusty companion has been restored.  In the canon, Watson is an essential element of almost all of the cases, and Holmes trusts him completely.  There is a mutual admiration between the characters that is wonderful. Not that Watson isn't sometimes critical of Holmes, though...I think the recent versions mentioned above have all grappled with Watson's frustration with Holmes.  Sherlock in particular has explored a very complex give and take between Holmes and Watson, wherein John becomes devoted to Sherlock as his friend, but is sometimes very angry with his callousness and his inhumanity.  In Elementary as well, Lucy Liu's Joan Watson can be highly critical of Sherlock, while he can be quite cruel to her at times; but the mutual admiration and trust are always there.  Jude Law's Watson seems to have a short fuse when it comes to Holmes and his idiosyncrasies, but he and Holmes still seem to respect each other.

After all, what do we know about Watson from the Conan Doyle stories? (We don't really know his middle name, but that's a subject for another time...) We know he was an army doctor, wounded in battle (in either the shoulder or the knee, or perhaps both.)  We know Holmes trusts him completely, so much that when the King of Bohemia suggests in "A Scandal in Bohemia" that he would rather talk to Holmes alone, Holmes says, "It is both or none."  We know that Watson is continually amazed at his friend's deductions; however, Watson never seems to have any problem following Holmes in his reasoning, and he certainly does an excellent job of recording those deductions for posterity.  We know that the two men are close enough friends that, even after the good doctor gets married, he still spends a considerable amount of time with Holmes, and always seems ready to drop everything to accompany him on cases.  And when it comes to the much publicized issue of Holmes's use of cocaine, Dr. Watson does not hesitate to make his displeasure known to the detective.  So it makes sense that portrayals of Watson on film and TV shouldn't distill the character down to a bit of comic relief.

I realize there have been other actors in the past who haven't followed Nigel Bruce's lead in their portrayals of Dr. Watson.  David Burke, the first Watson in the Granada TV series which featured Jeremy Brett as Holmes, was a particular favorite of mine.  But Brett's Holmes was so brilliant, I often thought Burke, and Edward Hardwicke, who replaced him, were often overshadowed a bit.  The lovely thing that's happened in the recent film and TV incarnations of Sherlock Holmes and Watson is that Watson, be it John or Joan, has emerged from Holmes's shadow, and gotten a fair share of the limelight. And interestingly enough, when Watson gets his (her) share of that light, Holmes shines all the brighter.

Nigel Bruce

Jude Law

Martin Freeman

Lucy Liu

[sir-lunar]

Hi, Lunar! I just wanted to say that I love your blog! Your art is so lively and beautiful, you really bring the characters to life when you draw them! :) I’ve laughed out loud so many times seeing your posts! I was curious, do you have a favourite ship? Mine is Paperhat, but all of the pairings I’ve seen have interesting and fun dynamics, and I like hearing about other people’s favourites! ^w^

1. How did you know all the things that would make an artist cry with happiness??? 🥹 This ask will definitely serve as a lovely reminder as to why I became an artist 💕 thank you so much! Your words are incredibly flattering!

2. As for my favorite ship… I’m guessing you mean specifically in Villainous? If that’s the case, I suppose I would answer Paperhat as well. But, I don’t really ship it as adamantly now, I feel like it’s more out of nostalgia since I really liked the ship when I first got into Villainous. Though, to be specific, I only liked the Paperhat dynamic where both Black Hat and Flug genuinely cared for one another.

If you mean in general, I don’t think I really have an all-time favorite? I just move between ships I’m really into, but I don’t have one I’m currently obsessed over right now.

However, another notable ship I love is, of course, Johnlock. I was DEEP into the Sherlock fandom. I got into it through the BBC series and started to read the original series by Arthur Conan Doyle (haven’t finished all the books yet). I’ve seen a bit of Sherlock Holmes by Granada but never got around to seeing the whole thing… one of these days… hopefully.

Those along with some other minor ships:

Heine x Viktor (The Royal Tutor) Lightly ship it but also love them as just bffs as well.

Crowley x Aziraphale / Ineffable Husbands (Good Omens) Of course.

The Narrator x Stanley (The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe) The amazing fanart just absolutely dragged me into this ship and I can’t say I regret it.

And MANY more… haha�� Congratulations you’ve gotten me to expose myself in one post 🎉 /joke

Also, just as an extra thing I want to say, it’s been kind of mind-blowing that I’ve gotten asks asking me about myself instead of drawing prompts??? It feels like, “Oh my goodness, people are actually interested in me?” I find it very flattering so thank you!

Also, don’t get me wrong, I still love getting art prompts. They are very fun to do and it’s always incredibly rewarding seeing the reaction askers get when they see my art response! 💕 So feel free to keep them coming haha

[thefisherqueen]

Peter Cushings' Sherlock Holmes: The Boscombe Valley Mystery

I saw quite a few people mentioning Peter Cushings as their favorite on screen portrayal of Sherlock Holmes, so I decided to try if I could find some episodes. This BBC series was made in the '60's and only the second series actually starred Peter Cushings - the first series had Douglas Wilmer as Sherlock Holmes, but he declined to play Holmes in the second. Of the 16 episodes, sadly only 6 survive, and the Hound of Baskervilles makes up 2 of those (tapes were expensive and thus often recycled, and people at home at homes had no way to record). I'm watching The Boscombe Valley Mystery tonight.

The music theme is very intense, those strings are almost screaming. It at once gives this episode a different vibe than the homely Granada one

Full crotch shot of the son of the murdered man. It lasts four full seconds (I counted). Was that necessary? xD

Gods, I love the dressing robes of both Holmes and Watson. I have a teapot that looks almost the same as the one of their table! I took it home from the trash dump and managed to almost entirely restore it to its former glory. Not sure yet what I think about the actors' portrayal yet, but both are sure very pretty

The editing is a bit weird. Scenes jump from one to another rather abruptly

Not sure if it was just common during their time, but both actors seem so rushed to speak their lines

*another enters their train compartment* oh no, the boys are Upset

Ok, Peter Cushing is growing on me. His deduction scene in the train of Watson and of that poor other gentleman was quite funny

Some of the same shots are repeated, that feels a bit lazy

Is every girl in this episode going to cry? Repeatedly?

Holmes: "Watson What Arrrre You Doing? We have work to do!" loved that line :)

*Holmes takes off his coat* *Watson at once steps close* haha, I know it's just meant that Watson wanted to hold his coat for him but that sure looked suggestive

*Holmes shoving Watson into a tree for Investigation Purposes*

A lot of suspension in the music for a scene in which Holmes merely picking up a cigarette

*Holmes autistically rocking*

Watson: "We're going out again, Holmes? But what about dinner?" Holmes: "Dinner can wait" This is very book accurate. Poor Watson, I too get very upset when I don't get time to eat

Holmes: "Wait for me here" Watson, chugging his cider: "Willingly" Haha, love that

*Unnecessary long kissing scene*

Watson, scandalised: "Bigamy!" Holmes: "The world is not aways as you would have it, Watson" *slaps Watson's thighs* omg

It's a fine mystery story. The filming is a bit clumsy, but it feels quite authenticly victorian and Cushing portrays a dignified and clever detective with a quirk or two, and while Nigel Stock as Watson didn't have a much active role, I still enjoyed his acting. After watching the Granada series, however, this feels a bit bland for me. Decent, but nothing spectacular. I think I just miss the intensity and expressiveness and eccentric flair of Jeremy Brett, and David Burke and Edward Hardwicke also both poured so much of their heart into that series

[vergess]

Curious question, how many Sherlock Holmes adaptations have you watched? Also, if you watched several , which one is your favorite?

Well, setting aside the Great Mouse Detective because it's unfair to compare other adaptations to something I loved as a child and thus can only view with perfect adoration in spite of any actual truths.

I am a tumblr user of repute, so I've of course seen the BBC's Sherlock. I think that A Study in Pink is the best episode in the show because the editing and cinematography are outstanding and serve the story beautifully. The writing is mediocre but competently sets expectations for the quality of the rest of the show. Then the second episode is so shockingly racist. So overall, it's bad, but influential in fandom whether we want it to be or not. I enjoyed it at the time, but as a more... like. Informed adult? It's bad. Don't bother.

A Study in Emerald. Short story by Neil Gaiman. Barely constitutes an adaptation, but we deserve to be reminded of good writing after that last one. It's available for free on Mr Gaiman's website, here:

Apparently there's a graphic novel version of Emerald, but I've not read it. Unless the graphic novel is just the fake newspaper on the website? Wikipedia was somewhat unclear.

Downey Jr movies: I love them. Absolutely horrible adaptations, but fucking amazing films. More fun than you're expecting. Highly recommended.

Elementary: Probably the best modern adaptation. Captures the serial spirit and commitment to Solving Mysteries Realistically of the original. However, I cannot watch it. The lead actor's performance is basically perfect for 'what would the Holmes character be like today' but I cannot stand it for some reason. I haaaaate watching him, and that makes this one hard for me. I recommend it highly anyway.

I watched two of the Basil Rathbone films to the point of nausea as a kid, but over exposure to the Worst Kinds Of White People in high school discussions of his body of films left a bitter taste for me. Because these films were an adaptation for an audience MUCH closer to the audience of the original stories, there is a period and character authenticity that just cannot be matched by anything else. Honestly, if you only ever watch one adaptation, it should be one of these. I say that in spite of these movies attracting the worst people on earth. There's a reason the 'generic' image of Holmes looks that way, and it's Basil Rathbone.

I've only seen the Peter Cushing movie, not the show. But, he's very much the performance I imagine in my head when reading the stories these days. My favourite live action Holmes actor, and a really top tier Watson. Definitely worth the time. I'm told the show is, um. Not so good on the Watson front.

I didn't like The Private Life of Holmes. I thought it sucked. I have no redeeming statements for it. It's objectively better that the 2010 BBC show, but I have nostalgia for that one's fandom. I just hate this one. It's bad!! Watch anything else. Watch the Great Mouse Detective, it has the same plot but it doesn't suck.

Young Sherlock Holmes is also a bad movie, but it's a bad Pixar Kids Movie so it's still perfectly competent for what it wants to be. If you need something to give a Holmes loving kid under 12 has 'seen them all' give them this. It's forgettable, and thus kids never really see it anymore.

I haven't seen Enola Holmes yet, but I'll probably get around to it. So I guess that's a tentative recommendation there.

The BBC radio drama Adventures of Holmes and its sequel Further Adventures of Holmes is REALLY FUCKING GOOD. If you like podcasts or audio books or stage plays, you have GOT to try these. The first half is a complete adaptation of every Holmes story, and the second half is professional fanfic of identical quality. I've never tried the American version and don't intend to.

I liked the 3 VHS tapes of the Granada tv series that I watched as a little kid, but I honestly couldn't tell you if they're good. I haven't watched any of it since I turned 9. A lot of people like them to the point of thinking Jeremy Brett is THE Holmes actor, so they had to be doing something right.

Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century and Case Closed are both like... impossible for me to parse as Holmes adaptations. Wikipedia says they are but like........ okay. I've seen them both and they are their own entities to me lol. Case Closed in particular is bomb as hell, highly recommended. But like... in a retro anime way, not a Holmes way.

Miss Sherlock has been good so far. I haven't watched enough to have a strong opinion beyond, like. Gay shit. As a Known Fagotte, I gotta say. They sure did cast very attractive actresses and leave all the homoeroticism in place. This, reasonably IMO, distracts me from having anything valuable to say.

The Star Trek TNG episodes with Data and Moriarty are obviously personal favourites. If you can suspend your disbelief enough to accept the god like powers of the holodeck, I think it's a really good time.

And the only one I can remember that wasn't on the Wikipedia list of adaptations is Slylock Fox. These are riddle comics for very young kids, like, ages 3-7. They're to help early readers learn new vocabulary and practice critical thinking. They were my very, very first Holmes media.

I. Hated. Those. Goddamn. Comics. I wanted to kill them. Not the characters or the author, but the comics themselves as a concept. I NEVER solved ANY of the fucking riddles, and to this DAY I will NEVER FORGET that latex paint dyes water and oil paint doesn't.

Probably good for kids who get bored in class a lot, but be ready for the rage.

[ultimatedetectiveshowdown]

Hello!!! I would like to nominate Lt. Columbo but I prob don't need to considering your banner lol!!! I would also like to nominate the Soviet Russian Sherlock Holmes player by Vasily Livanov OBE!!! Best Holmes ever!!! I'll throw in a nom for Gumshoe he's adorable lol. Altho Miles Edgeworth acts as a pretty official investigator in his Investigations series of games, so I hope he would count?? Altho also hey shouldn't we also consider dr Watson a detective?? He's right there trying his best!! If you do count him I will throw in Lucy Liu as watson because she seems the most competent lolol. Or Granada watson. I'll also give a vote to elementary Holmes since I really like him too. Ok that's all I can think of for now so excited for this! Thank you!!! WAIT ALSO THE GREAT MOUSE DETECTIVE NOW THAT IS ALL THANK YOU GOODBYE

All lovely submissions and an interesting point about Edgeworth! I think I would still exclude him however as despite Investigations, he's mostly known for all the lawyer-ing.

But also, please direct your submissions towards the form pinned to my profile :) it'd easier for me to keep track of that way.

Can't wait to see you during polls!!

[tiger-moran]

Hello, I would just like to say I love your blog and while I've just started reading some of your fics, they have been very enjoyable. I was curious if you know any other basis or places for information on Moriarty and Sebastian that are not the Sherlock Holmes books or the movie (RDJ film), perhaps some other book I am not aware of.

Anyways, thank you and I'll definitely be looking forward to future work of yours. Your writing is quite interesting I must say.

Thank you very much anon.

There is not a huge amount of material for them unfortunately and there is even less if you want material that includes both characters in a meaningful way (i.e. as more than just a brief glimpse) and has them interacting positively. One or both of them turns up sometimes in published fiction or in films or TV shows but it's rarely in a major way.

I think I summarised my thoughts about the main books (and one short story) featuring them in this post (spoiler: most of my thoughts on these are not positive). A lot of other people would probably immediately say The Hound of the D'ubervilles. However I do not like The Hound of the D'urbervilles. The one I would say is the best because it features both characters in significant roles and has positive interaction between them is Michael Kurland's The Empress of India but with that you do have to bear in mind that Kurland's take is a very different one to the canon and very much his own universe (and having been attempting recently to reread his series, I can reconfirm that I don't actually enjoy the rest of the series that much. While I like Moriarty in it, it's far too focused on his original characters, Moran is barely in it apart from in Empress and even Moriarty is barely in some of the other stories for long stretches and when he is in it often he's interacting with characters I haven't got the slightest interest in or he's interacting with other characters such as Holmes in a manner I have no interest in either so a lot of the time I am quite bored by them).

There are some other published short stories involving one or both characters; sometimes they show up in some of these anthologies of new Sherlock Holmes related stories by various authors. Some I've read, some I haven't (and some of those I probably won't get to read because the books are just too expensive and not something I otherwise have any interest in and I can't obtain them elsewhere). I can't really say out of the ones I have read though that any of them really stood out as being particularly good or enjoyable.

There is the 1937 film Silver Blaze (also called Murder at the Baskervilles) which is reasonably faithful to the original story but includes Moriarty in it and also has Moran in it. It's no cinematic masterpiece or anything but considering that they are the 'bad guys' they got more interaction than I would have expected and did at least seem to get along (and I do still believe that in some ways Moriarty and Moran in that were probably an influence on Moriarty and Moran in A Game of Shadows).

Both characters do appear in other adaptations too of course, like the Granada/ITV series. But not together. Also I don't actually like Moriarty in that and though I like Moran in it, his role is very limited. They could have done a lot more with him but... didn't. (They were both in the Soviet series too and Moriarty was in the Russian series from a few years back also but I didn't like either of them and considering what Russia has been doing I'd prefer to just kind of... ignore those.)

(There may be other stuff that I can't really comment on like there's a podcast thing called The Devil's Game or something like that? Which apparently has both of them in? But I can't listen to it so unless someone provides a transcript of the entire thing sometime I'll never know what happens in that or how it portrays them. And I suppose some people might say that Moriarty the Patriot thing but I can say with 100% certainty without watching a single moment of it that that is very definitely Not My Thing.)

[mr-nauseam]

Tag Game

Tag nine people you’d like to catch up with or get to know better @rein-ette @Anyone who loves engport, portugal or england, loves to talk about sh and things like that is free to talk to me. Please do it, im so fucking shy.

favorite color? I like all colors, if something depends on what things. For example I love pink BUT I NEVER WOULD WEAR PINK CLOTHES however I think a pink backpack or piece of furniture would be FABULOUS, you know? so in general I love all colors.

currently reading: Uh, I fell back -AGAIN- into that hole called "Sherlock Holmes." So I'm furiously rereading all the books. And I'm also reading with great passion a lot of WatsonxHolmes fanfictions from the Victorian era, in fact I'm in a great mood of being addicted to Victorian things distantly related to SH, you know? because I am so tempted to start reading E. W. Hornung and all his works on A.J Raffles. And I am a few hours away from rereading The Picture of Dorian Gray and many other things by Oscar Wilde. Someone stop me.

5 songs I’ve been listening to: For some reason I became addicted to several Britney Spears songs but the looped prize goes to:

1. Britney Spears- Gimme More.

It's pride month so I've been addicted to a remix between two songs from the Attack on titan series that talk about the great and beautiful couple that make HistoriaxYmir:

2. Zero Eclipse x Call of Silence

I don't know how I got to this song but I fell in love with it:

3. Kate Bush-Babooshka

The other time I saw a great documentary about rock and social protests so:

4. Los fabulosos Cadillacs- El matador

I HAD A RARE DREAM AND I came up with a drawing that I am making and I need this song to work:

5. Rammstein-Sonne.

last movie? Cruella, I saw it with my family <3 last series? I'm addicted to SH so I saw the Granada Holmes series and the Lenafilms -russian holmes- version, and the Howard Holmes version. I also saw "Sherlock", I had already seen it but now I did it with my eyes open to despise the queerbaiting that serie does. :C I hate / like in a conflict way that series now ugh. I was also watching THE NEW SEASON OF HETALIA! LIKE MY GOD FINALLY PORTUGAL APPEARED AAAAH <3 <3 <3

Oh and I watched Jojos Bizarred Adventure again because IT'S FINALLY ON NETFLIX

sweet, spicy, or savory? I don't know. I probably had covid and my taste was screwed up so the food doesn't taste the same anymore, nothing tastes good to me anymore and -cry- but when I had a normal taste I loved sweet and salty. I'm not a big fan of spicy, which is torture if you live in Mexico like me hahahahaha -cry-, nah actually, not everything is spicy, only the sweets -evil laugh-

tea or coffee? TEAAAAAA with sugar. I liked milk with some coffee before but my taste got screwed up so I don't know what I love anymore.

currently working on: Trying to finish the #EngPortWeek. When this wonderful event was, I suffered from fever and severe anemia that almost killed me, fuck my life, so I'm working now, a few months later on it. I advance slowly but surely.

I have other THOUSANDS OF FICS that I must work on but the only one that I set out to get 100% this year is a pottertalia au that I did. I have not progressed much, but well in the end it turned out to be due to my anemia, probably when I recover my iron I will be well and I will be productive

I HOPE (?

[teabooksandsweets]

I was tagged by @pythionice ♥ Thank you very much!

Pick 5 shows, then answer the following questions. Tag 10 (or however many) people.

All Creatures Great and Small (BBC)

Sherlock Holmes (Granada)

The Golden Girls

The Nanny

Jeeves & Wooster

(1. is my favourite show in the world, and 2. my second fave. The other three are among my numerous favourites, because I thought them better suited for this kind of game than most of my other favourites.)

Who is your favourite character in 2?

The main cast—Watson is of course fabulous, and Mrs Hudson is a grem. But most of all Sherlock Holmes himself. One on hand, the entire series is very true to its source material. On the other hand, despite Conan Doyle’s own remarks about his most famous creation, Holmes has all the warmth he actually does, and in adaptations (which often make him unsympathetic—and not in the right way, but in a completely different, just nasty way) should have. And more. It’s in the small actions, the way he, in his rational clear-thinking way just cares about people and shows affection in quite his own way, and I got to be honest: I think a lot of that is just a natural thing coming from Jeremy Brett. He made Holmes as sleek and cool as he should be, but he radiated such a warmth and gentleness.

Who is your least favourite character in 1?

I could hardly think of one, except for the occasional really nasty animal owner or farmer, as those certainly do turn up. But of the recurring cast, I don’t exactly dislike one. If I’d have to pick an important character I like less, then Calum.

What is your favourite episode of 4?

Propably the first episode. Or the first Christmas episode.

What is your favourite season of 5?

Oh. Of them all, it’s got the least variety. And I honestly don’t know—I could pick a favourite season for 1. and for 4. if I had to, but here? No.

Who is your favourite couple in 3?

Romantic couple? I don’t know. The girls have this and that affair, and while I like some of the men more and some less I don’t have any sort of favourite couple for them. But since Dorothy ends up actually marrying the Lelsie Nielsen character (forgot his name) I suppose it’s them? He’s nice. And endgame.

Who is your favourite couple in 2?

Same! I have no idea. There are no proper couples to speak of, except for the occasional romantic couples who appear only in one episode or so. Watson doesn’t even get his own wife.

What is your favourite episode of 1?

Oh, dear. Merry Gentlemen. But The Last Furlong, Pig in the Middle, and The Brink of Disaster are all very close.

What is your favourite episode of 5? 

Uuuh, I think The Village Sports Day at Twing or probably Wooster with a Wife.

What is your favourite season of 2?

Umm... no specific one, but I like the episodes in the middle—all episodes are very good, but it’s not as stiff as the very early ones, and... and it does not yet pain to see poor Jeremy Brett so poorly.

How long have you watched 1?  

Oh! Well! I used to watch it occasionally as a child, since it’s pretty much a family favourite ever since it came out, but I properly re-watched it about a year ago, for the first time as an adult, and fell absolutely head-over-heels in love. It’s incredibly dear to me. And I had such an unfortunate start as a child: Since it’s so popular in my family, when that 1974 movie came on everyone thought it was that show, and even though it turned out to be something else, it was left on, and I had to watch it, and it was so horrible. Everyone was disappointed, but for me it was my first contact with it, and I was very reluctant about the series and the books at first afterwards. 

How did you become interested in 3?

Also an old family favourite, and at some point it just came on tv (I knew the show existed, but never seen it) before, or I think after some other show I watched, and I immediately liked it.

Who is your favourite actor in 4?

Daniel Davis. Definitely. He’s fabulous. And a great singer, too!

Which do you prefer, 1, 2, or 5?

One! Definitely!

Which show have you seen more episodes of, 1 or 3?

I’ve watched all episodes of both of them, but 3 has twice as many episodes as 1. They are roughly half the lenght, though.

If you could be anyone from 4, who would you be?

I wouldn’t want to.

Would a crossover between 3 and 4 work?

Perfectly, actually. The sense of humour is so similar, and the time overlaps.

Pair two characters in 1 who would make an unlikely but strangely okay couple?

This is difficult in a show in which the majority, though not all of the characters are technically real people. I personally do find that, although I don’t want Siegfried to be with anyone but Caroline, that he and Margery had lovely scenes together. In fact, though I know Donald Sinclair objected to these episodes, I do wonder if Margery, with all the similarities, as a first try as an equivalent for Audrey, before Caroline so to speak. But I definitely don’t want them as a couple! Otherwise, I think Tristan and Deirdre would have made a good couple. I don’t like how Calum treated Deirdre (though I may be one of the few who really like Deirdre and like her better than Calum) and I think it would have Tristan good to actually get married, like Brian, instead of having to play the youthful bachelor for another (nearly) four seasons. And I like that they don’t suit each other so well, as Deirdre and Calum did. They were different, from different backgrounds, but they both treated each other well and got on well, even after they seperated.

Overall, which show has the better storyline, 3 or 5?

Well, neither show has a storyline. The episodes do, and they are all fine! The shows have... concepts. So to speak. And both have fabulous concepts! Alright, Wodehouse’s concept for the Jeeves & Wooster books is stellar. But as a tv show, I think the Golden Girls were very much revolutionary, so 3 in this case.

Which has better theme music, 2 or 4?

Both are iconic, and in no way comparable.

I tag: @serenastella @sublimegentlemanalpaca @narnianarcher @lovehugsunexpected aaand... everyone who likes to!

[granada-brett-crumbs]

I'm in the mood for reading really long Holmes x Watson fics (victorian era or Granada). Any recommendation?

Oh yes, let me check my bookmarks.

Arte Regendus by Violsva, series, 60k: A series of stories about relationships and mysteries and secrets and people being in love and people talking to each other and people not talking to each other and people hurting each other without intending to and people working as hard as they can to not hurt each other. It has sex and drugs and angst and romance and adventure and interior monologues and case solving and pretentious classical references. It covers 1881 to 1894 in ACD canon.

Missing Pages by PlaidAdder, series, 105k, T: A group of interlinked short stories which tell the story of how Holmes and Watson really came to be separated at the Reichenbach Falls, and how they found each other again. Each story is in the form of a document–a letter, a journal, a surveillance report, an affidavit, etc.–which is linked to one or more ACD canon tales, and which tells us something about that story that was changed or suppressed in Watson’s published account of it.

Particular Peculiarity by saavik13, 43k, M: “How high is your regard for me, Watson?” He asked abruptly, his eyes still trained on the fire. “If I were to confess my darkest secret would you leave? Would you abandon me here to my melancholy?”A case forces Holmes to reveal the truth to Watson and risks both their reputations and their liberty. Just how understanding is John Watson?

Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Invisible Prism by CCNSurvivor, 56k, T, case fic: “In the year 1895, however, it so happened that Holmes and I became involved in not one but two cases of blackmail; the latter of which has never been spoken of since, for it was fraught with a danger which threatened the illusion of normalcy we had so desperately carved out of the ruins of our relationship since his return from the Reichenbach Falls a year prior. And yet it was of that case I often found myself thinking, as it carried some personal significance to both Holmes and myself and drastically changed our lives.”

Since First I Saw Your Face by Stavia_Scott_Grayson, 312k, M: “During the Great Hiatus, Holmes, studying in Tibet, reflects on his first meeting with Dr John Watson.” This fic is The Fic, it’s A Lot and I can’t recommend it enough.

The Case Of The Stolen Doctor by flawedamythyst, 47k, POV Holmes and Watson: Moriarty kidnaps Watson, a journey of angst and feelings with a happy ending.

Totus Mundus Agit Histrionem by mistyzeo, 42k, E, AU:  January, 1881: a despondent army doctor is offered a ticket to a Shakespeare play, and is instantly captivated by the fellow playing the Danish prince himself. Then there is a murder. Then they fall in love. A fandom classic.

[bakerstreetbabble]

Granada TV Series Review: "The Greek Interpreter" (S02, E02)

"The Greek Interpreter," one of the adventures from The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, is of interest to Sherlock Holmes fans mainly due to its being our first glimpse of Mycroft, Sherlock's older brother. And Mycroft is certainly a fascinating character: described as "absolutely corpulent" by Watson, but with "the sharpness of expression which was so remarkable in that of his brother," Mycroft has, according to his younger brother, "better powers of observation than I." So the tale is notable for its expansion of the great detective's back story. Sadly, as the reader reaches the end of the story, it is profoundly disappointing compared to many of Holmes's other cases. The bad guys get away, and a man is dead. The Greek interpreter of the title survives, just barely.

Therefore, it's no wonder that the writers of the Granada adaptation felt the need to flesh out the plot considerably. As a result, the last ten minutes or so of the episode contain a plot original to the episode, that is frankly rather ridiculous. Sherlock, Watson and Mycroft go running (literally) after the villains, and confront them on a train. The whole thing becomes a "train adventure," complete with the violent death of one of the baddies, a smooth bit of pocket picking by Mycroft, and even a moment where Mycroft holds a pistol to the other bad guy's head. One gets the distinct impression that the writers knew the ending as Doyle wrote it was worthless, so they just took a sharp turn, and wrote the adventure they wanted to see the main characters have. 

Still the episode is not completely worthless. Charles Gray does an admirable job as Mycroft. (My impression was that he was too old to play the role,  but I see from a quick Wikipedia search that he was only 5 years older than Brett.) I don't know that Gray was quite as "stout" as Watson describes him in the story, and he doesn't seem nearly tall enough. However, considering the trend in many Holmes adaptations for a slim Mycroft (BBC Sherlock, Elementary, and Enola Holmes spring to mind), I think the casting was pretty good. And we are treated to a lovely scene at the Diogenes Club, wherein Sherlock and Mycroft trade deductions about a random guy in the street below, to Watson's very clear delight.

Speaking of Watson, I am always impressed by David Burke's Watson. I only wish that he had been able to continue the role after this first series. Edward Hardwicke was very good, too, but Burke was the best, in my opinion. Indeed, if I had to rank all the Watsons I've seen over the years, I believe David Burke would be at the top of my list. It is also important to remember that, at the time, Burke was a breath of fresh air for a role that had been largely defined by Nigel Bruce's comic portrayal of the character.

Overall, in "The Greek Interpreter," we are left with an episode that is enjoyable enough for its character development, but that inherits many of the defects of its source material, and tries to over-compensate with a new ending that borders on the ludicrous. So, not a complete waste of time, but not one of the better episodes I've seen thus far.

Postscript: The Nashville Scholars of the Three Pipe Problem, the Sherlockian group in which I participate here in Nashville, TN, just discussed this story a week ago at our monthly meeting. Many of the opinions I've shared above (about the original story and its adaptation by Granada) were voiced by other members of the group. Indeed, we had a lively discussion about the story. And a good time was had by all...

[sanguinarysanguinity]

You made that amazing vid, Something Good, and know so much about various Holmes adaptations. What less-known adaptations would you recommend for watching and where to find them?

Oh, gosh, so much of this is a matter of personal taste! For myself, I like a competent, capable Watson, a Holmes that feels human joys and frailities, and a strong, affectionate relationship between them. So, things I love that deserve a bigger following:

Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson (1979-1980), starring Geoffrey Whitehead and Donald Pickering, is one of my two favorite discoveries from making the vid. Holmes is reserved but warm-hearted (and excellent with children!), and Watson is strong and active, with much to contribute to the partnership. (There’s a little bit of a through-line where Watson teaches himself Holmes’ methods, getting better and better at it as the series progresses.) Furthermore, the Holmes-and-Watson dynamic is lovely, with lots of affectionate, teasing banter. (In fact, Holmes can barely stop trolling Watson for long enough to solve a case!) Honestly, this is my comfort adaptation, the one I’m mostly like to put on when I’m blue or anxious and want to feel better. 

(Also, Holmes and Watson wear eyeliner, and who doesn’t need a Holmes or Watson in eyeliner?)?

If I understand its history correctly, it never aired in the UK or the US (and thus is far better known in Italy and Germany than among anglophones); further, it was tied up in a rights battle for yonks, so the only DVD release that I know of is dual-language German. But if you can tolerate somewhat-deteriorated VHS rips, most of it is available on YouTube. (Try this playlist, or this one.) I love it well enough that I gave myself the German DVD for a birthday present: it’s region-free, so it’ll play on both US and UK machines.

名探偵ホームズ | Sherlock Hound (1984-1985). Charming and sweet and silly (omg, Moriarty and his over-the-top mecha!), this is my other big favorite from making the vid. This is Japanese anime (the original six episodes were directed by Miyazaki, before the project got tied up in a rights battle and he moved on to the other things), set in a steampunk universe where everyone is a dog. (Except for Moriarty, who is a wolf.) Hound himself is hands-down one of my very favorite Holmeses: courteous, warm-hearted, human in his frailities, passionate in his defense of his clients, and with a child-like joy in his calling. Watson is fierce and growly and stubborn but also very warm-hearted, and the two of them are smitten with each other. (And both of them with Mrs. Hudson. Everyone loves Mrs. Hudson: even Moriarty!) Moriarty is ridonk over-the-top and I adore him: a brilliant inventor but a sad disaster at criminal masterminding. If you want more info, I have a longer post on Dreamwidth about why I love it, complete with links to various moments in the series.

If you’re in the US, the whole thing is available on the studio’s YouTube channel, although they have the episode order wrong and a few eps misnamed: start with “The Four Signatures” and continue to “The Mazalin Stone,” then you’re fine with playlist-order thereafter. Outside of the US I have no idea how to lay hands on it, sorry.

If you do subtitles, there are three Russian adaptations that are well worth your time: 

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson (1979-1986) aka “Russian Holmes” 

My Dearly Beloved Detective (1986), and 

Sherlock Holmes (2013) aka “New Russian Holmes”. 

The original Russian Holmes (1979-1986) is much like the Jeremy Brett Granada series in its loving regard for canon, and is similarly well-respected. Livanov and Solomin are a charming Holmes and Watson, and I honestly like their Reichenbach better than Granada’s. I find it a little slowly-paced overall, but if you’ve finished Granada and want something similar but with its own take, this is a solid choice.

My Dearly Beloved Detective is… gosh… a female-centric tragi-comic satire, maybe? It’s a bizarre little film, but I am fond of it. Its premise: all of England, much taken with Conan Doyle’s stories, cried out for a Holmes and Watson of their very own, and Shirley and Jane were hired to fulfill the need; unfortunately, Scotland Yard is jealous of Shirley’s and Jane’s success, and conspire to take them down. The film has as devoted a femslash following as you might expect, but I don’t think it will spoil too much if I warn you that nearly all the fic is pining or fix-it or both.

New Russian Holmes is a subversion of the original Russian series, where instead of a romantic fog-and-gaslight Victorian London, we get something much more gritty and Dickensian. I adore this series’ willingness to get down into the muck and wrestle with Holmes canon, but a lot of people hate it for that very same reason, so ymmv. I will say, however, that Panin is one of the very best Watsons running, and anyone who disagrees is categorically wrong. 

All three of these (and more besides!) can be found via @spiritcc, who is part of a fan-driven subtitling team that has heroically provided English subtitles to a variety of Russian Holmes adaptations. Masterpost for video and subtitles here.

Mystery Queen (2017) is a Korean drama that was released too late for us to use in the vid, but ugggggghhhhh it hurts me that it’s not in there. Holmes is an adorable, sweet, scythingly sharp housewife who is studying in secret against her family’s wishes to become a police detective; Watson is the highly-decorated police detective that she ends up collaborating with. I cannot convey how much I adored the first season: on the one hand, emotionally complex cases that ripped my heart out; on the other, fanservice slathered on with a goddamned trowel. (In the first episode, Holmes and Watson went from meet-cute to Three Garridebs in seven minutes flat.) I just. I mean. It’s a hard-fought Holmes-and-Watson relationship, but good god I love them each and together, and by series’ end either one would walk through fire for the other. I haven’t watched season two yet, but I have high hopes for it.

You can watch it with English subtitles on Vicki.com: Season 1 and Season 2.

And that’s my starter list of favorite lesser-known Holmes things – I hope you find something here you like! If there’s a specific kind of thing you’re looking for, let me know and I’ll try to make you a rec – this fandom is large enough that there’s a Holmes and Watson for nearly any taste. ;-)

[edgeofthedales]

A short birthday tribute to Robert Hardy

A little over a year ago today, Robert Hardy passed away at the age of 91. Had he lived, today would have been his 93th birthday.

(Image credit: The Stage)

Having only become aware of his work late last year, I know there are fans who are far more knowledgeable about his life and work and who could give a much more comprehensive analysis of his life and work. So, this essay will not be that.

Instead, I’d like to talk about what makes him stand out to me.

I actually had been introduced to him many years ago in the film adaptation of Jane Austin’s Sense and Sensibility. Hardy played Sir John Middleton, a kindly if boisterous member of the local gentry who shows compassion to the Dashwood sisters and whose first appearance onscreen involves having a pack of dogs travel with him in his carriage (shades of things to come, for me….). At the time, he mainly stayed in the sidelines for me although that was only because he was one in a cast of wonderful actors within a superb period film.

(Image credit: Frock Flicks)

Back then, I was rather ambivalent to period dramas and even more so to romantically themed ones, but Sense and Sensibility won me over with the high caliber of acting and film-making…of which Hardy certainly played a role.

It wasn’t until years later though, that he actually caught my eye in one of the roles he was probably best known for: Siegfried Farnon on All Creatures Great and Small.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

I had enjoyed the James Herriot books immensely when I was a teenager, but never thought to seek out the TV series until late last year. Originally, it was because I had recently became interested in Peter Davison’s work, first on Doctor Who and then on the vintage mystery series, Campion. Thus, I had fully expected to enjoy All Creatures if only to re-acquaint myself with Herriot’s charming stories and enjoy one of Davison’s most popular roles.

What I didn’t expect was how quickly I became intrigued with Hardy’s Siegfried Farnon. I remembered Siegfried as an explosive, eccentric and yet compassionate character from the books. Hardy, however, gave him even more depth on the TV series. Siegfried became hypocritical and yet charming, temperamental and yet loyal, whimsical and yet possessing sharp, clever mind.

Hardy did not shy away one inch from Siegfried’s flaws and instead showed us how those flaws were simply part of the ultimately warm, kind-hearted and yet complex person that Siegfried was. We wouldn’t want Siegfried to change who he was one bit, flaws and all, and it takes a true acting gift to bring a character like that to life while maintaining that careful balance of shortcomings and noble qualities.

Hardy also did plenty of other things besides All Creatures, of course. One thing that I enjoyed in particular was how he made use of his voice for readings and audio plays. Hardy uses pauses, changes in tone and pitch to add interest to his readings of works like H.G Wells’ The Time Machine.  I would love to hear how he handed Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories, but sadly, have not come across any of his audio-book readings.

Speaking of Holmes, Hardy did manage to have one role on the Granada adaptations of the Holmes stories: that of Sir Charles Milverton from the story, The Master Blackmailer. The episode is one of the longest in the Granada series for the short stories, and honestly, I can understand the temptation to spend more time with this one. Hardy makes Milverton an absolutely terrible character: condescending, odious, callous and smarmy. He doesn’t resort to the clichéd mustache-twirling techniques too many use when crafting truly evil villains. He doesn’t have to. There is an edge of danger to his Milverton that comes through despite his lack of making few direct threats.

(Image credit: I hear of Sherlock)

In fact, I think this is something that Hardy excelled at. Many of the characters he played, be they heroes or villains, were often a perfect blend of charm and menace. The mix ensured that his good guys were never too bland and that his villains remained thoroughly watchable.

One set of roles that absolutely required this sort of mix is the other series that I know Hardy best for: Hot Metal, a comedy series from the mid-80s. Hot Metal was a satire on the rise of tabloid journalism in general and on the infamous press figure, Rupert Murdoch in particular. It was an over-the-top, brutal satire of how this brand of journalism fueled an atmosphere of distrust, misinformation, and political polarization in the media and, if anything, is even more relevant today than it was back when it was on the air.

In this series, Hardy has the duel role of Terence “Twiggy” Rathbone (a clear spoof of Murdoch), a multimillionaire businessman who buys out The Daily Crucible, a failing newspaper, and Russell Spam, the editor Twiggy hires to steer the Crucible however he wishes. Both Twiggy and Russell are terrible in their own ways with Twiggy leaning toward egotism and vindictiveness and Russell having nonexistent scruples about getting the latest scoop and increasing readership.

However, despite the fact that these two are far from the protagonists of the show, Hardy manages to keep both Twiggy and Russell entertaining and intriguing. Yes, they are villains, but Hardy is wise enough to figure out that the show could get dreadfully dreary fast if he didn’t also give them an odd sort of charisma which makes it easy to laugh at them and with them even while they are being awful.

I think a detail that sums up a facet of Hardy’s acting best is a moment when Twiggy is being interviewed about his plans for the Crucible. During this interview, Twiggy tries to insist that he’s a “life-long socialist” and friend to the workers (both of which are categorically untrue). While he is spinning his lies, he has a charming smile on his face, but he is also playing with a letter opener, brandishing it like a weapon, like he fully plans on stabbing someone in the back. It’s the perfect quirk to remind us what is really lurking below the surface of Twiggy’s apparent goodwill.

It’s also the sort of detail that Hardy is a master at, going beyond just his dialogue and where his mark is onscreen to bring these characters to life.

Even toward the end of his life, Hardy demonstrated a true skill at giving depth to his characters, no matter how brief their time onscreen was. In Familia, short film by independent filmmaker, James Murray showcases this. Here, Hardy has his last film performance as Sir Ashton Leonard, a very old man who apparently has shown up for a driving lesson and ends up in a revealing conversation with the instructor, Nina. Although we are limited to watching him converse with Nina in a car, Hardy gives us a lovely, bittersweet snapshot of a man who is contemplating years gone by and the end that is surely coming soon. He does this with how his expression mirrors (or sometimes reveals) the emotions Leonard is working through during this conversation.

Honestly, I’m not sure how anyone can keep a completely dry eye when Leonard says “where I’m going, you can’t take anything with you.” It’s a heartbreaking thought, but Hardy delivers it with a quiet insight that is peaceful rather than depressing.

Perhaps that is the heart of what made Hardy such an extraordinary actor: his insight. His commitment to his characters to make them as real and as impactful as they could be, even if that impact was mainly about inspiring a laugh or sheer entertainment.

There is a lot more of Hardy’s work that I have left to discover and sadly, none of it will happen while he is still alive. However, I like to think that he’d enjoy the thought of people coming to know him through his work long after his death.

(Image credit: Move Nocitias)

So happy birthday Sir Robert Hardy (yes, he was never knighted, but really should have been). Thank you for leaving so much to those of us who will miss you.