I just listened to the last Sherlock Holmes story on BBC7 -- The Retired Colourman. In print, it hasn't that much to recommend it, but the Coules adaptation was one of the best episodes; funny, interesting, and incredibly poignant. If you care at all about Sherlock Holmes then you must listen to this episode!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbc7/listenagain/thursday

It seemed as if The Lion's Mane, which aired a few days before, was just as good, but I haven't got the chance to listen to it properly as yet.

Also: I now have ALL 56 short story episodes RECORDED. Oh yes!! Now for the BBC to air the two hour novel adaptations... and of course Coules' own original Further Adventures (oh please do it BBC you know you want to).

I'm listening to The Reigate Squires.

I am so in love with Clive Merrison.

But I might be even more in love with Michael Williams.

*loves them both*


ETA: Have finished listening. *dies*

The Boscombe Valley Mystery

Watson: The strains of such an existence had not escaped the attention of Mary, my wife, whose habit of drawing conclusions from small details was sometimes disconcertingly familiar.

Mary: Well, John, what does Mr. Holmes have to say?
Watson: How on earth did you know this was from Holmes?
Mary: A telegram from a patient would have had you rushing from the room at once -- and there's a distinctly nostalgic look in your eyes... shall you go?
Watson: Good lord, you're doing it again!
Mary: Oh, John, stop it, you're sounding like one of your own stories.

Holmes: I see you're blending into the country setting Lestrade -- those leather leggings are extremely fetching.

Watson: [incredulous] You got him bail.
Holmes: It was the logical thing to do.
Watson: You weren't, of course, motivated by their feelings for each other.
Holmes: Oh really, doctor.

Watson: Holmes and Lestrade, at each other's throats. I don't know which one is the worst.
Mary: I think I could probably guess.
Watson: [laughs] I think you probably could.
Mary: Come along now, or your homecoming meal will be spoiled. ...John?
Watson: Oh, I'm sorry. I was just thinking about Holmes... buried away on his own. Do you think we should invite him to dinner sometime?
Mary: Would he come?
Watson: No... probably not. [sighs] Oh well.

Watson: It was with some relief, therefore, that I found Holmes in when I called at his Baker Street lodgings, and an even greater relief to sit in front of a cheerful fire, and discuss the world in general, and crime in particular.

That, of course, is when the arguments started.



Watson: Well done, Holmes.
Holmes: My dear fellow, I can hardly claim credit for predicting the predictable.
Watson: Oh really, why not?

Red-Headed League... ah...

Watson has an absolutely beautiful monologue about half-way through the episode, when he and Holmes go to the Sarasate concert. It starts off with the actual text from the story (already good) and then branches off to musings about Holmes' character... Michael Williams' delivery, his voice, his kindness... gah.

( Watson! )

And the end scene...

Wednesday night Tim and I watched the Granada adaptation of Shoscombe Old Place which I had SOMEHOW managed to never see (picked it up at the library, oh yeah), and then watched Easy Rider, while I made homework type things.

Easy Rider: Way, WAY overrated. Yikes.

Shoscombe Old Place: Holy crap!!!! I will cut this for spoilers, in case anyone actually cares (for all puzzled parties this is an episode of Sherlock Holmes, I'm talking about). Also included under cut: wittering about the BBC episode of SCAN.

( Weirdness! )

Ah, can't wait for The Red-Headed League.

THANK YOU BBC7.

BBC7, you know I've always loved you; since the moment I first set eyes upon you, in fact. Though your colour sense is atrocious, I can put up with it because you are so good at heart, and because you are always trying to think of ways to help people. When you came out with that Listen Again feature I knew I was with the right radio station. And now you have reaffirmed my faith in you.

Because you have started playing The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes again. Oh, the terrible beauty.

People on my friends-list may now be groaning slightly, as they know this means that there shall be many entries about scenes, dialogue and the perfectness of Merrison, Williams and Coules, but let them groan! They don't understand what we have together! They don't understand how much I am looking forward to listening to A Scandal in Bohemia tomorrow at lunch. I don't even think I understand how much I'm looking forward to it!

In any case, thanks for starting at the beginning, thanks for starting today (even though I won't be able to listen until tomorrow), and thanks for just being the coolest, BBC7. You are a many splendoured thing.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbc7/listenagain/
Adventures is starts today (Thursday), and will be playing weekdays at 1.00 pm GMT (this means 8.00 am EST), repeated at 5.00 am the next morning (that means midnight EST). But that doesn't matter with Listen Again! cesario, I am pointing at YOU, to make sure that you make a note of this!


*does a happy dance*

BBC Cult has a Sherlock Holmes page, and contained upon said page is an interview with Bert Coules (the adaptor of the oft-mentioned and worshipped BBC Holmes series). While I wish it had been a bit more in depth, it's definitely worth reading.

"I know that they are firmly in the realms of what you might call light fiction, but the depth of characterisation that Doyle brings to the partnership is a wonderful thing. And I think it's important to regard the stories as the stories of a partnership. Everyone refers to the Sherlock Holmes stories, but they are in fact the Sherlock Holmes and John Watson stories."

"A good quote about writing a Sherlock Holmes story is, "It doesn't need to be a good detective story, but it does have to be a very good story about a detective.""

"But what brings them together and what keeps them together is that Watson would love to be Holmes, and Holmes needs to be Watson. Together they make a whole functioning individual. Without Watson, Holmes would probably kill himself, deliberately or otherwise. And without Holmes, Watson would probably die of boredom."


The rest is here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/sherlock/coules.shtml

I don't know if I can ever properly describe the bizarre feeling one has after hearing Holmes say:

"Nothing missing in my toolbox, I can tell ya. -- Wanna have a look?"

Also, you have to enjoy the tone in which Milverton says to Watson, "Now, be good enough to join your...partner, by the door." after their attempt at waylaying the slimy little blackmailer goes awry.

( If you want to find out what 'thrills' Watson, click here, kids )

This is long and pointless, but it struck me for some reason.

( Why did I just transcribe all of this? Who can say. )