Pretty much everything has been said about this magnificent work, but seeing as there are only 55 reviews so far (while comic book adaptations typically get 5500 reviews) I felt I owed it to the people involved to say something.
I won't go into how Jeremy Brett is the definitive Holmes etc, that's already mentioned abundantly. What I have to say, first of all, is how much a work of love this adaptation is, and it reflects upon the viewing experience. You can feel it in every frame, every bit of dialogue, every camera movement. From the producer to the actors to the set workers, these people obviously enjoyed what they were making, and I don't know if they had any idea how it would be treasured for decades to come, but I have a feeling that they did guess so.
So much has transferred from the pages to the screen that it leaves you in awe. Many bits of dialogue exactly as they were written, mannerisms, sets and costumes... In one particular episode (The Red-Headed League) there's a short scene where Holmes and Watson are at a violin performance. The musician's role was very brief and had no dialogue, but his appearance was so unique that I wondered if it was on purpose, and had a meaning. After watching the episode, I checked online and found out that I was correct: the actor was deliberately made to look like the real musician he was portraying. This is the definition of a work of love: The story would be just as entertaining and complete even without that detail, but they actually made an effort to make even that minor scene as authentic as possible.
In another episode (The Resident Patient) the doctor is taking notes about his patient, and asks him if he drinks alcohol. He replies "Vodka," and you can see from the doctor's hand movements that he's actually writing the word "vodka" among his notes, although the camera doesn't see his writing. He doesn't simply pretend to scribble, he's actually taking real notes.
The attention to detail doesn't end there, of course. In a series where every interior, every house, room, police station etc. is filled with glass cabinets, shiny objects and silverware, you'll be hard pressed to catch the reflection of a crew worker or a cameraman (although you can catch dozens of them in 100-million dollar productions).
The best thing about the whole canon, of course, is the production's respect to the intelligence of the audience. Unlike the dozens of previous Holmes productions, this one doesn't present Dr. Watson as a near-imbecile whose only purpose is to be awed at every conclusion Sherlock arrives at. Here he's a valuable companion. And Sherlock himself isn't a perfect man, either: He has his faults, as well as quirks, all lovingly portrayed by Jeremy Brett.
Although the later episodes of the whole Brett canon lose their momentum somewhat, each one still has something to offer: some dialogue, some acting, something that will stick in your memory.
It's more than a little curious as to why these wonderful stories had never been filmed as they were written until then, although they had been adapted numerous times. Even more have been made since this one, and still others will be made. But in many people's minds, Mr. Brett's face will be the first image to appear upon the mention of the name of Holmes.
I won't go into how Jeremy Brett is the definitive Holmes etc, that's already mentioned abundantly. What I have to say, first of all, is how much a work of love this adaptation is, and it reflects upon the viewing experience. You can feel it in every frame, every bit of dialogue, every camera movement. From the producer to the actors to the set workers, these people obviously enjoyed what they were making, and I don't know if they had any idea how it would be treasured for decades to come, but I have a feeling that they did guess so.
So much has transferred from the pages to the screen that it leaves you in awe. Many bits of dialogue exactly as they were written, mannerisms, sets and costumes... In one particular episode (The Red-Headed League) there's a short scene where Holmes and Watson are at a violin performance. The musician's role was very brief and had no dialogue, but his appearance was so unique that I wondered if it was on purpose, and had a meaning. After watching the episode, I checked online and found out that I was correct: the actor was deliberately made to look like the real musician he was portraying. This is the definition of a work of love: The story would be just as entertaining and complete even without that detail, but they actually made an effort to make even that minor scene as authentic as possible.
In another episode (The Resident Patient) the doctor is taking notes about his patient, and asks him if he drinks alcohol. He replies "Vodka," and you can see from the doctor's hand movements that he's actually writing the word "vodka" among his notes, although the camera doesn't see his writing. He doesn't simply pretend to scribble, he's actually taking real notes.
The attention to detail doesn't end there, of course. In a series where every interior, every house, room, police station etc. is filled with glass cabinets, shiny objects and silverware, you'll be hard pressed to catch the reflection of a crew worker or a cameraman (although you can catch dozens of them in 100-million dollar productions).
The best thing about the whole canon, of course, is the production's respect to the intelligence of the audience. Unlike the dozens of previous Holmes productions, this one doesn't present Dr. Watson as a near-imbecile whose only purpose is to be awed at every conclusion Sherlock arrives at. Here he's a valuable companion. And Sherlock himself isn't a perfect man, either: He has his faults, as well as quirks, all lovingly portrayed by Jeremy Brett.
Although the later episodes of the whole Brett canon lose their momentum somewhat, each one still has something to offer: some dialogue, some acting, something that will stick in your memory.
It's more than a little curious as to why these wonderful stories had never been filmed as they were written until then, although they had been adapted numerous times. Even more have been made since this one, and still others will be made. But in many people's minds, Mr. Brett's face will be the first image to appear upon the mention of the name of Holmes.