Since I was 14, I have loved Sherlock Holmes, the stories, the Basil Rathbone adaptations and especially the Granada adaptations. The Second Stain is not one of my favourites of Return of Sherlock Holmes..., my favourite(excluding Sign of Four and Hound of the Baskervilles, though they would be among the favourites as well) is The Devil's Foot, closely followed by The Red-Headed League. However, despite a slightly dull beginning it is well worth watching. Although the premise is well-worn and not always exciting, the pace from the 25 minute mark does liven up considerably and the solution is clever. I do enjoy the whole rapport between Holmes, Watson and Lestrade also. The episode looks splendid as the series always did, with everything meticulous and very evocative. The music is both haunting and beautiful, and the writing maintains your attention throughout. The acting is great, Harry Andrews is good if not at his best, but Colin Jeavons is an amusing Lestrade and Patricia Hodge is at her most elegant and captivating. Edward Hardwicke is a quietly intelligent and thoughtful Watson, but Jeremy Brett's commanding Holmes is the main attraction here. In conclusion, interesting and very good. 8/10 Bethany Cox
Review of The Second Stain
