I Watch TV: The Rivals Of Sherlock Holmes
This 1970s anthology crime series adapts short stories from the explosion of crime and detective stories during the period 1890-1910 (or so). One way to characterise episodes is by the different detectives, as done on the Wikipedia page, noting the forensic scientist, the blind detective, the bad detective, the working class one, the lady detective (Lady Molly in Baroness Orzy’s The Woman In The Big Hat not only sounds excellent, but actually was). Another might be by gritiness, though as most have a sordid secret concealed that might not work too well. Or the amount of pulp-zaniness, so The Horse Of The Invisible’s haunted house and others with drugs, voodoo, mesmerism would stand opposed to posh people murdering one another for the inheritance, with quick changes and disguises lurking somewhere in the middle.
Being from the 70s, and about stories from 60-80 years before that, it struggles sometimes to find roles for women. Most episodes manage one solid female part, and several of them are showcases for excellent female actors. Indeed the acting is generally good, with fine performances from well-known actors. A lot of each episode is in various indoor sets, dressed appropriately for the time and place. Yet every episode manages some location shooting, spending some money on dressing an outdoor place as though it is 1900 and filling it with extras in appropriate costume. A nice touch, to give it a little more feeling of reality.
The quality of the crimes and their detection varies, as might be expected from an anthology series. For most people more of a curiosity than a necessity, yet for those interested in quality TV crime drama, or period drama, or 70s actors, it is very rewarding.
Watch This: For a cool and varied series of old-fashioned crime stories
Don’t Watch This: If you want slick fast-moving crime stories (though a couple of them are more interested in pace than style)
Comments