As adaptations go, this is as close to perfect as they come. Arthur Conan Doyle's famous stories are realized faithfully and brilliantly with scarce a single blemish. The urban city Victorian era feel is brought out beautifully in the sets, the dialogue and scene design are taken directly from the source text, the acting is magnificent all round with especial praise due to the on-point portrayal of Holmes and Watson, and the episodic plots are paced well to make for a gripping watch. Music is used aptly to build tension or elevate emotion and the direction and cinematography are also excellent.
My one criticism is that some of the stories selected make for rather forgettable television mysteries. This can be because the source material may itself be less compelling; even if judging a work's quality is subjective, some of the short stories are definitely regarded as better than others. It could also be an effect of the translation to the television screen as a significant part of the episode's runtime gets spent describing the facts and particulars of the case. This is less apparent when reading the books since the descriptive passages therein feature more in the staging, props, costuming and enacting of the show instead of being incorporated in the script.
Nonetheless, for lovers of the famed consulting detective, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is a very rewarding and entertaining watch. It has aged gracefully and should also be enjoyed by aficionados of episodic whodunits.
My one criticism is that some of the stories selected make for rather forgettable television mysteries. This can be because the source material may itself be less compelling; even if judging a work's quality is subjective, some of the short stories are definitely regarded as better than others. It could also be an effect of the translation to the television screen as a significant part of the episode's runtime gets spent describing the facts and particulars of the case. This is less apparent when reading the books since the descriptive passages therein feature more in the staging, props, costuming and enacting of the show instead of being incorporated in the script.
Nonetheless, for lovers of the famed consulting detective, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is a very rewarding and entertaining watch. It has aged gracefully and should also be enjoyed by aficionados of episodic whodunits.