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sherlock60Let's talk telly in the discussion post for Granada's adaptation of The Dying Detective. If you haven't seen this episode yet, you can find it at YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Video, and DVD. Follow me behind the jump for some of my random thoughts and impressions. Please add your own in the comments!
Oh, and I finally got my notes up for Granada's Red-Headed League from last week. Sorry about that complete failure on my part. It's one of my absolute favorite episodes, too!
Note: Canon discussion is available in the canon discussion post. Thanks!
- There are some fine qualities to this episode. The bit from A Case of Identity about a woman wavering on the street before coming inside is a nice touch. The fleshing out of the case works well, giving depth and real life to the characters we barely meet in the original story. And of course, the actor who plays Culverton Smith is great at being evil. You may have seen Jonathan Hyde previously as Bruce Ismay in Titanic, among other villainous roles. His eyes convey malice and self-interested cruelty so beautifully.
- But of course, a quality villain can only do so much when the hero is in such rough shape. Jeremy Brett is obviously very ill here, pale and swollen. Brett is always at risk of overacting at even the best of times, but when he's ailing, he overcompensates and the production suffers for it. He tries too hard, and instead of just acting, he's ACTING!, shouting half the words of any given sentence at the top of his lungs and mumbling the other half. JB can be amazing as Holmes, but when he's off, it's tough to watch.
Some more random thoughts about the episode:
- No happy, affectionate, adorable couple like Victor and Adelaide ever survives one of these episodes. *sigh* Also, Victor? Judging by the vacant stare and the drooling, I don't think the opium is doing much to help your writing there, buddy.
- Culverton Smith kills Victor with an infected mosquito that doesn't leave a mark on the man's body. Clever.
- The plot Holmes hatches is not quite as stupid here as it is in canon since at least there's no inexplicable two hour wait to contend with. It's just a quick frightening of Watson, just enough to get him moving and go get Smith to finish this thing. Much better.
- Holmes notices Victor Savage feverish and sickly at the party, but other than an oblique reference at dinner never mentions it or does anything about it. I know Victor would have died anyway, but did Holmes know that? There was a doctor just two feet to his left; you'd think he might have said something. Of course, you might just as well ask why the good Doctor Watson didn't notice Victor sweating and swaying himself.
- The gentlemen entertain themselves by sliding around on the hardwood floor, using a rug as a surfboard. That was a favorite game of mine too years ago, but I was a little girl then, not a grown, respected gentleman of Victorian society.
- Holmes is cute with the kids in this episode. He worries when he sees one of his Irregulars with no boots, he affectionately jostles one's hat when he brings him the quarry he asked for, and despite his coldness, flashes a smile at Victor Savage's daughter and shakes her hand as she thanks him.
Oh, and I finally got my notes up for Granada's Red-Headed League from last week. Sorry about that complete failure on my part. It's one of my absolute favorite episodes, too!
Note: Canon discussion is available in the canon discussion post. Thanks!
- There are some fine qualities to this episode. The bit from A Case of Identity about a woman wavering on the street before coming inside is a nice touch. The fleshing out of the case works well, giving depth and real life to the characters we barely meet in the original story. And of course, the actor who plays Culverton Smith is great at being evil. You may have seen Jonathan Hyde previously as Bruce Ismay in Titanic, among other villainous roles. His eyes convey malice and self-interested cruelty so beautifully.
- But of course, a quality villain can only do so much when the hero is in such rough shape. Jeremy Brett is obviously very ill here, pale and swollen. Brett is always at risk of overacting at even the best of times, but when he's ailing, he overcompensates and the production suffers for it. He tries too hard, and instead of just acting, he's ACTING!, shouting half the words of any given sentence at the top of his lungs and mumbling the other half. JB can be amazing as Holmes, but when he's off, it's tough to watch.
Some more random thoughts about the episode:
- No happy, affectionate, adorable couple like Victor and Adelaide ever survives one of these episodes. *sigh* Also, Victor? Judging by the vacant stare and the drooling, I don't think the opium is doing much to help your writing there, buddy.
- Culverton Smith kills Victor with an infected mosquito that doesn't leave a mark on the man's body. Clever.
- The plot Holmes hatches is not quite as stupid here as it is in canon since at least there's no inexplicable two hour wait to contend with. It's just a quick frightening of Watson, just enough to get him moving and go get Smith to finish this thing. Much better.
- Holmes notices Victor Savage feverish and sickly at the party, but other than an oblique reference at dinner never mentions it or does anything about it. I know Victor would have died anyway, but did Holmes know that? There was a doctor just two feet to his left; you'd think he might have said something. Of course, you might just as well ask why the good Doctor Watson didn't notice Victor sweating and swaying himself.
- The gentlemen entertain themselves by sliding around on the hardwood floor, using a rug as a surfboard. That was a favorite game of mine too years ago, but I was a little girl then, not a grown, respected gentleman of Victorian society.
- Holmes is cute with the kids in this episode. He worries when he sees one of his Irregulars with no boots, he affectionately jostles one's hat when he brings him the quarry he asked for, and despite his coldness, flashes a smile at Victor Savage's daughter and shakes her hand as she thanks him.
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