The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes returns for a second series. The sleuthing is done by Baroness Orczy's enthusiastic young newspaper reporter Polly Burton (Judy Geeson) with help from her uncle Sir Arthur Inglewood, a rotund defence barrister who likes to eat sweets and puddings.
The episode opens with a prologue. A young woman Beatrice Hazeldene is poisoned on an underground train, right in front of a witness who was in the carriage. Just before the train set off, someone familiar with the victim had gone on the train and poisoned her.
Polly with her police sergeant friend Richard Frobisher (Richard Beckinsale) quickly come up with a suspect Frank Errington, someone who might had been close with the victim but who might have also had an interest in poisons. The body was identified later by the victim's sister and husband.
This is another production that is studio bound and the director does his best with the limitations. Geeson is very bright and perky as Polly Burton having to put up with constant sexist comments from Frobisher.
Polly realises that the accused has just carelessly laid out too many clues to convict him. It all points to a set up.
This is a busy episode. It starts off with a murder, a macabre bit with a queue of people having a peek at the deceased. It then goes to an inquest before Sir Arthur defends the accused at the Old Bailey.
It has a rather reckless denouement. Sir Arthur hatches a trap for the murderer but Polly has to put herself at risk. Frobisher is not best pleased.
A lot happens here but the identity of the murderer is not difficult to figure out if Errington is innocent.