AaronCapenBanner Outstanding adaptations of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's celebrated stories is exemplary; Jeremy Brett was an inspiration in the role, capturing the eccentricity, curiosity, impatience, yet strong moral convictions of the famous detective. He was supported in this first series superbly by David Burke, who does not play it like a lovable bumbler, but an honorable and loyal friend who simply has his hands full keeping up with the genius that is Holmes.Handsome and authentic productions enhance the atmosphere in these intelligent stories; all are first-rate, and deserve multiple viewings to appreciate how much skill went into this.A masterpiece!

TigerShark 90 Whether you grew up reading Arthur Conan Doyle's stories of Sherlock Holmes or not (I didn't), this superbly crafted, lavishly produced series from Granada Television is arguably by far the best filmed version of Sherlock Holmes. With faithful translations that are artfully done, historical accurate, and acted to perfection. It aired on ITV in England and in America aired on PBS's Anthology series Mystery!. It became a popular series running from 1984 to 1994 in four volumes along with five feature length films.However, the main attraction is Jeremy Brett, by far the definitive Sherlock Holmes to me. No actor previously has played him more masterfully and memorably than him and will remain an incredibly difficult act to follow for who decide to play Holmes in the future. His performance makes Holmes into a complex character. His Holmes is conceited, melancholy, eccentric, and often very aloof, being a brilliant but very human detective. Brett truly captured a man whose mind is always at work. He truly embodies the role showing nothing but prowess in each and every performance. Whenever, I think of Sherlock Holmes it will always be his Sherlock Holmes.In "Adventures", David Burke makes a wonderful Dr. Watson bringing a certain exuberance to the role. His Watson is not the annoying buffoon that Nigel Bruce was but an intelligent person that can hold his own and plays off very well with Holmes. I just love the banter they have. Burke's Watson is also impulsive and always makes room for humor. He would be replaced afterward in later volumes by Edward Hardwicke whose take is different but equally excellent.The series also had fine supporting casts which included Rosalie Williams as Holmes's motherly housekeeper Mrs. Hudson, Charles Gray as Holmes's brother Mycroft, who is as brilliant if not more so than Holmes himself, and Colin Jeavons as the inept Inspector Lestrade, who thinks he can outdo Holmes in solving cases but always ends up being proved wrong. Also, Eric Porter made a very menacing Professor Moriarty.Another thing that stands out in the Granada series is the vivid period flavor. It makes you feel like your there in Victorian Era England with the mansions, countrysides, trains, and horse drawn carriages. The interiors of houses look like they would during this period, especially with the look of Holmes flat on 221 B Baker Street. You can tell that the makers of the series went to incredible lengths to make every detail accurate to the era and in the text. This series has the finest locations, costumes, props, and sets that I've ever seen."The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" is the first and best volume in the series. It has several of the finest adaptations that Granada has to offer. Episodes such as "A Scandal in Bohemia", "The Greek Interpreter", and "The Final Problem" are sensational. Although, my personal favorites are "The Crooked Man," "The Copper Beeches," and "The Blue Carbuncle". The tales in this volume are the most playful and just like the title, they are adventurous. The photography and directing in these is magnificent giving the stories great visual flavor. These are classy adaptations of classic stories.This series is a must watch for Holmes fans, mystery lovers, and anyone who craves high quality television.

Ian Quann Brett was, put simply the definitive Holmes and a brilliant much underrated actor. This is obvious when looking at the score this series receives from the discerning users of the IMDb website. This wasn't the only reason for the success of his 4 Sherlock series. The attention to detail, the beautiful sets and the respectful adherence for the most part to the original books all combine to make this some of the best British TV ever made. There are few DVD sets that bear repeated watching but this is certainly one and rates in my top 3 of all time screen favourites. I guarantee you wont be disappointed when you buy one or all of these!

Jimmy L. "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" is highly acclaimed for faithfully adapting the stories of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The detective may be best remembered from the well-known 1940s film series starring Basil Rathbone in the iconic role, with Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson. Those enjoyable adventures, however, were only very loosely based on the source material. I've never read the original stories, but I understand this British television series is regarded as one of the better Holmes productions.The mysteries take place in the Victorian Era, like the sourcework did. (The Rathbone movies moved Holmes to WWII-era London.) The show also differs from the Rathbone series in many other ways. Watson, as played by David Burke, is much younger (younger than Holmes?) and is smarter than the Nigel Bruce comic-relief portrayal. The first episode emphasizes Holmes as a master of disguise and the show even hints at the detective's recreational drug use. In my opinion, this version is more similar to Billy Wilder's THE PRIVATE LIFE OF SHERLOCK HOLMES than to the Basil Rathbone films, if that's a useful comparison.Jeremy Brett is lauded for his characterization of the titular eccentric genius, but I think I might still prefer Rathbone. Maybe I'm too used to seeing Rathbone, but Brett doesn't quite look right as Sherlock Holmes. (Something about the eyes...) But you get used to it over time. And Brett does do an admirable job stepping into the role of the great detective and making it his own.There's not a lot of action or excitement, even compared with earlier depictions of Sherlock Holmes adventures. Each episode is a self-contained mystery, often a low-key scheme in the English countryside. And I don't know if it's the television production values or the lighting, but the stories seem to lack a certain atmosphere. They don't feel as suspenseful or ominous as the Rathbone films, which had that 1940s detective movie flair to them. (Shadows and fog, standoffs at gunpoint, double crosses, races against time, sinister plots that threatened the entire country.) By comparison, this show seems kind of bland. Brightly lit mansions, methodical investigations and long expository flashback sequences. (Perhaps this style is truer to Arthur Conan Doyle's storytelling.)But the Holmesian mysteries are generally splendid, as the detective uses his unmatched intellect to piece together solutions to complex problems. Watching Sherlock Holmes solve crimes is always fun, and this show offers some classic Holmes stories. I find that some episodes are more entertaining than others, but they all are of a fairly high quality, and should satisfy your thirst for deduction.I think I prefer the look and feel of the Rathbone movies, but this show earns points for sticking with the Victorian setting and the details of Doyle's source material. It's allegedly the most faithful interpretation of the original stories, so it could be argued that "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" brings to life the TRUE Sherlock Holmes. Worth checking out if you're a Holmes enthusiast or a mystery lover.