A television series running from 1984 to 1993 colloquially dubbed “Granada Holmes” after it’s production company.
Sherlock Holmes (Granada) | Baker Street Wiki | Fandom
The Granada Television series “Sherlock Holmes" is one of the most faithful adaptations of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's detective stories. Running from 1984 to 1993, the series starred Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes, who was often praised for his definitive portrayal of the detective.
The show initially featured David Burke as Dr. John Watson (1984-1985), who was later replaced by Edward Hardwicke (1986-1994). Both actors portrayed Watson as a capable and intelligent partner to Holmes, moving away from the bumbling characterization seen in earlier adaptations like the Rathbone films.
Granada's production values were notably high, with meticulous attention to period detail and Victorian atmosphere, with thanks to Brett to be sure. The series adapted 41 of the Canon stories across 36 one-hour episodes and 5 TV movies. Many episodes were direct adaptations of individual short stories, while some combined elements from multiple stories.
The production team's commitment to authenticity extended to filming at locations that closely matched Doyle's descriptions, including Baker Street sets that were designed to match the original illustrations by Sidney Paget. The series garnered critical acclaim for its production quality, accurate scriptwriting, and Brett's intense, nuanced performance as Holmes.
In my opinion, this is the best series out of all of the adaptations. I’d start here if you’re getting into the Canon and are intimidated by the length of it.
[Jeremy Brett Podcast]
[Jeremy Brett]