If you think Sherlock is the definitive Sherlock Holmes adaptation, the argument dates back to 1984. The ITV series starring Jeremy Brett as the detective and David Burke and Edward Hardwicke as Dr. Watson is called the most faithful and the best ever made.
The Case for Faithfulness
Doyle’s stories have been adapted dozens of times, and most of them add their own twists. This series does the opposite. It draws directly from the novels, keeping the Victorian-era setting and the stories almost unchanged.
The show adapts 43 of Doyle’s 60 stories, which is a remarkable number for a television series. The source praises its “impressively detailed sets, costumes, and dialogue” that put the audience inside the era.
Brett and Burke Carry the Weight
Brett’s performance gets the source’s strongest praise. He captures the character’s hyper-intelligence without making him cold or robotic, which earlier adaptations often did.
Burke’s Watson is described as wizened, sharp and athletic, a far cry from the clumsy assistant of earlier shows. The source calls his portrayal “the playbook for the character ever since.”
Hardwicke takes Watson a step further, giving him elegance and authority. The source says he moves the character away from the “clumsy assistant” stereotype.
A Decade on Screen
The series ran for 10 years and four seasons, with 41 episodes and five feature-length specials. It is sometimes called The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.
Brett stars as Holmes, Burke plays Watson in season one, and Hardwicke takes over Watson’s role for the rest of the show.
Why It Beats Later Shows
The source compares the ITV series to other Holmes adaptations. Sherlock, the BBC’s modern take, focuses on how Holmes can be both charismatic and robotic. Elementary, the CBS show, reads Watson as a caretaker rather than a sidekick.
The ITV series does neither. It simply trusts the source material.
Some liberties are taken, such as Holmes ending his cocaine habit, one of his few vices. But the source says these are minor. The show gets to the heart of what Doyle was trying to say.
The Burden of Proof
The source’s assessment rests on fidelity. Most adaptations use Doyle’s stories as a jumping-off point. This one gets right to the heart of the author’s intent.
A Lasting Standard
The source’s verdict is not subtle. It calls the ITV series the definitive adaptation, and it has not been topped in 32 years.
The show’s longevity is part of the case. It ran for a decade, and its performances have shaped how audiences expect Holmes and Watson to look and act.
The Comparison
The source’s opinion is the story, and it is an honest one: the ITV series is the definitive adaptation. Brett and Burke’s performances are career-defining, and the show’s faithfulness to the books is unmatched.
Those shows reinvent the source material.
The ITV series does not need to. It simply does it justice.
- Sherlock’s focus: how Holmes can be both charismatic and robotic
- Elementary’s focus: reading Watson as a caretaker rather than a sidekick
- ITV’s focus: straight adaptation of Doyle’s novels
- The source’s verdict: ITV is the definitive adaptation
Source material: “Forget Sherlock, The Definitive Arthur Conan Doyle Adaptation Still Hasn’t Been Topped 32 Years Later,” Screen Rant.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.