The second set in Universal's release of its Sherlock Holmes collection is labelled 'Volume 4'. The episodes follow straight on from the six earlier episodes presented in Volume 5.
In their wild and wacky way, Universal begins this three-disc collection with Disc 3. On this we find The Man with the Twisted Lip (episode five of season three) and The Six Napoleons (episode seven of season three).
We then segue to Disc 2, for episodes three and four from Season four (The Devil's Foot and Silver Blaze), and finish up with Disc 1, for episodes five and six from season four (Wisteria Lodge and The Bruce Partington Plans).
Confusing? Sure is - and I guarantee that not even Universal knew what they were doing when they issued this series.
But these episodes, drawn from The Return of Sherlock Holmes, are amongst the series' finest. Particularly pleasing is Wisteria Lodge, which sees Sherlock pitted against a friendly adversary in rural police inspector Baynes, where Holmes meets his deductive and intuitive match. Baynes is played by the great character actor Freddie Jones (compelling some years back as the deranged rural poet John Clare), and these actors strike sparks with their deliciously mannered acting.
Edward Hardwicke is as sturdy and reliable a back-up as ever as Dr Watson, though not quite the calibre of Jeremy Brett's first detection partner, David Burke, who featured in the first 13 episodes of the Granada television series. It's a pity Universal have chosen to leave out the dozen opening episodes.
Jeremy Brett is more neurotic than before. His hair is clipped short in a way that reminds us of disturbed patients - and in fact, he had his hair cropped during a depressive phase after the death of his second wife. His mannerisms and growing illness never however get disturbing. Strange to say, they add strength to the legend that is Sherlock Holmes.
And now to begin Volume 3 in this essential collection...
The image is generally good for a vintage television presentation, although at times there seem severe colour-grading problems in some episodes which render them tone-on-tone of beige.
But you don't watch this series of Sherlock Holmes' adventures to quibble about picture quality. A series as consistently good as this, drawn from the casebooks of the Great Detective, will surely never be made again. That is, not unless Alan Rickman is tempted into essaying the role - I can see him now...
The sound is medium-fidelity mono only, but is quite sparkling, with good presentation of its of dialogue and score. No need to search for guilty parties in this audio presentation.
This is a great series, and I just hope that local collectors will one day be offered an opening volume, with the first 12 episodes of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.
Universal's behaviour in issuing this set totally out of sequence staggers belief. This is package-and-sell with a vengeance, with no evident logic or care.
But it's still indispensable - and the opening The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is available as a box-set from Region 1, along with the missing mini-movie The Eligible Bachelor.