From his Baker Street lodgings, the brilliant consulting detective Sherlock Holmes (Jeremy Brett) tackles a succession of baffling cases. Aided by his loyal friend and biographer, Doctor John Watson (David Burke), Holmes uses his extraordinary powers of observation and deductive reasoning to solve crimes that have stumped the official police force. Under the care of their landlady Mrs. Hudson (Rosalie Williams), the pair confront blackmailers, thieves, and murderers. The first two series establish Holmes’s unique world, introducing his enigmatic brother Mycroft (Charles Gray) and culminating in a fateful confrontation with his arch-nemesis, the criminal mastermind Professor Moriarty (Eric Porter).
Granada Television’s production became the benchmark against which all subsequent screen portrayals of Sherlock Holmes are measured. Developed by John Hawkesworth and produced by Michael Cox, the series was defined by its commitment to authenticity; it adhered strictly to the tone and plot of Conan Doyle’s original text while painstakingly recreating the gaslit world of Victorian London.
At its centre was Jeremy Brett’s career-defining performance. His interpretation was a major departure from previous, more avuncular versions of the character. Brett’s Holmes is mercurial, arrogant, and melancholic; a figure of intense intellectual energy whose obsessive genius pushes him to the edge of polite society. Just as importantly, David Burke’s intelligent and dependable Watson restored the character to his proper place as a worthy and capable partner, not a bumbling sidekick.
Broadcast: ITV – Granada, 13 Episodes, 24 April 1984 – 29 September 1985
Developed by: John Hawkesworth
Producer: Michael Cox
Based on the stories of: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Music: Patrick Gowers
Main Cast: Jeremy Brett (Sherlock Holmes), David Burke (Doctor Watson), Rosalie Williams (Mrs Hudson), Eric Porter (Professor Moriarty), Charles Gray (Mycroft Holmes), Colin Jeavons (Inspector Lestrade)
