"The Return of Sherlock Holmes" The Empty House (1986)

Director:

Howard Baker

Writers:

Arthur Conan Doyle (short story "The Adventure of the Empty House" from "The Return of Sherlock Holmes")
John Hawkesworth (developer)

TV Series:

"The Return of Sherlock Holmes" (1986)

Original Air Date:

9 July 1986 (Season 1, Episode 1)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

Plot:

Believed dead after his fatal encounter with Prefessor Moriarity three years earlier, Sherlock Holmes returns to England to foil a plot to murder him by a former Moriarity gang member.

Plot Keywords:

Gambling | Disguise | Gang Member | Forensic Science | Coroner

Cast

Jeremy Brett	...	Sherlock Holmes
Edward Hardwicke	...	Dr. Watson
Eric Porter	...	Professor Moriarty
Patrick Allen	...	Colonel Sebastian Moran
James Bree	...	Coroner
Colin Jeavons	...	Inspector Lestrade
Richard Bebb	...	Sir John Hardy
Robert Addie	...	Mr Murray
Naomi Buch	...	The Countess of Maynooth
Paul Lacoux	...	The Hon. Ronald Adair
Rosalie Williams	...	Mrs Hudson
Elizabeth Ritson	...	Ivy
Roger Rowland	...	Butler
John Palmer	...	Policeman

Trivia:

Because Edward Hardwicke was substantially shorter than David Burke, his shoes were fitted with lifts. These proved to be a disaster when they filmed a scene in rain and mud - the lifts had no traction and Hardwicke kept slipping. Eventually the lifts were discarded.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Dr. John Watson: [voiceover] In 1891 at the Reichenbach Falls near Meiringen in Switzerland, Sherlock Holmes finally closed his account with Professor Moriarty, the most dangerous criminal of his generation. The two men were alone in that dreadful place, but the outcome of their struggle was obvious to a trained observer. Holmes had achieved the destruction of his arch-enemy only at the cost of his own life.

An excellent way to bring back Holmes!!!

When the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes finished because Sherlock had come to his demise at the hands of the infamous Moriarty a massive gap was left! How good was it to see Sherlock alive and returning in this series with the first episode 'Empty House' in which he has to beat Moriarty's right hand man who has a mission to finish off Holmes for good this time! Thankfully, for all of us who enjoy Jeremy Brett's portrayal, Holmes uses all his skill (with Watson's aid of course) to beat this henchman.

Sherlock Holmes will live forever in all of us that will never let him die!