The Empty House (9 Jul. 1986)

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

Director:

Howard Baker

Writers:

Arthur Conan Doyle (by), John Hawkesworth (developed for television by),

Stars:

Jeremy Brett, Edward Hardwicke, Eric Porter

Cast

Episode complete credited 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

Storyline

After Dr. Watson testifies at the inquest of the Honourable Ronald Adair, shot to death after returning home from his gambling club, he is followed back to his office by an eccentric bookseller who reveals himself to be Holmes in disguise. After the initial shock wears off, Holmes explains that he did not die in the fall that killed Professor Moriarity in their famous encounter at Reichenbach Falls in Switzerland three years earlier. Holmes has remained out of England to avoid Colonel Sebastian Moran, a Moriarity associate who witnessed Holmes' escape death and has vowed to kill Holmes in revenge. Holmes will try to foil Moran and solve the Adair murder.

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Plot Keywords:

gang member | disguise | gambling | autopsy | card playing | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 July 1986 (UK)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Granada Television

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Both Edward Hardwicke and Jeremy Brett hated the toupee Hardwicke wore for the first few episodes. Brett went so far as to nickname it "Roland" after the Roland Rat character in a children's TV series of the same name.

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Goofs

When we see Colonel Sebastian Moran firing his rifle from the empty house at what he thinks is Sherlock Holmes, the rifle has a traditional flintlock firing mechanism which we see operating at close range, albeit without generating a spark. As the rifle in question is revealed by Holmes to be an air-rifle and is indeed pressurized by Moran beforehand by use of a crank, such a mechanism would be useless. It seems unlikely that Moran, a master marksman, would have the lock on the weapon purely for show as its operation would impair his aim.

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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.

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Crazy Credits

The sketch of three hands holding champagne flutes over credits.

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Connections

Version of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1984)

User Reviews

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!