Hikari

I agree. Season 2 with 'Lila' was particularly good. The reason we love Dexter is because, apart from his homicidal tendencies, he tries to be a good citizen. When Lila was stealing lawn ornaments from people's yards, Dex was soo uncomfortable. He can plan a meticulous knife murder, dismemberment and body disposal but he would never be all right with stealing stuff from people's yards. Dexter is only a danger to murderers--to the innocent, particularly women & children, he is he ultimate bodyguard. After the shocking finale of Season 4 (and its outstanding guest villain) the show started to go downhill. Season 5 was moderately interesting, with Lumen (and Jonny Lee Miller as the villain) but after that I really struggled to like anything that was going on. "Dexter"'s strength was its ensemble cast and I don't think the new show can compete on that level, but it might be interesting to see 'Harrison' grown up.

Stumbling into this thread this morning is the first I've heard of the passing of Beryl Vertue. Beryl is a crystal that is found worldwide, but it seems to be a very popular girls' name in England. I had never really heard it before Beryl Markham (West with the Night) and then, Stephen's mother-in-law. And then I got into Sherlock Holmes stories and read "The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet", one of the lesser-known tales which was a Conan Doyle favorite if not highly ranked among the public. From a stone website . . I'm not into chakras and stuff but this was quite appropriate for Ms. Vertue, in consideration of the prominence she achieved in a male-dominated industry and singlehandedly remade a lot of it. Beryl is the stone of overcoming obstacles. It holds light and uplifting energies that will help you ease the stress and anxiety that you’re feeling. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventure_of_the_Beryl_Coronet

Not my personal preference . . . my preference would be to have the whole gang back together, including Mrs. Hudson. Using my powers of deduction, I rate the *likelihood* that all our actors will be 1. available at the same time, and 2. desirous of reuniting for further Sherlock episodes to be very minimal, at best. There are so many moving parts to this production, it was like moving heaven and Earth to get everyone back together for four consecutive series back when the show was hot. It's now 5 years since Season 4 aired. The fandom, here and elsewhere is continually discussing 'when' Season 5 can be expected. I think it's very much a case of 'IF, ever,' any more Sherlock episodes are forthcoming. While the team hasn't said absolutely that it will never happen, neither have they provided any positive affirmation that it will happen, either. 5 years in show business is a very long time. The handling of the last season was furthermore so controversial that it seemed to me that Moffat and Co. were *literally* torching the ship so as to get out of doing any more. This is just my opinion of course but I think it's actually quite pointless to keep on hoping for a Series 5 or anything like regularity in new programs. We will be lucky to get a one-off that most likely will not have all of the living cast members reconvening. Maybe, if the price is right and the scheduling gods are with everyone. It would be simpler to do a Sherlock-only story in terms of moving parts. I really don't think Cumberbatch and Freeman are on such great terms any more, but professionalism might reign, for the right amount of money. Ben and Martin, to a lesser extent, are probably getting out of the reach economically in terms of what they can command, of a TV show with a relatively modest budget. I've got no insider intel; I'm just trying to be realistic.

Ben is a current Oscar nominee for Power of the Dog and it's highly doubtful that, even if he had an enthusiastic desire to return to the small screen as Sherlock for a Series 5--a desire which it must be said has not been displayed by any of the principal cast or crew--his availability for shooting has got to be nil right now. That ostensible air date is only 6 months, give or take in the future. Without even a shooting script or verifiable commitments from any of the actors, I have to call this sheer fantasy. Even though this article was purported published only last month, it has the feel of something recycled from an earlier time. If Ben wins Best Actor, which is a plausible outcome, even though no amount of wild horses will ever drag me to see this film, I think it must be accepted that both principal actors and the Sherlock producing team have all firmly moved on to the next stage of their lives. "Sherlock" had its heyday and it was, for a brief and shining few years, one of the best things ever produced for television. I think it's firmly in the rear view for all parties concerned, except for its bereft and obsessive fans who can't let the dream die. Cumberbatch and Mofftiss have all made suitable noises at various times about reconvening for more episodes at some vague point in the future, perhaps when Holmes and Watson are 'in their 50s', as were the pair in the Granada TV series. Hope may spring eternal; in the meantime there's still money to be made in syndication deals & merch. I'm not sure that the headliner pair is keen to either reprise their signature roles or work together that closely again, but I may yet be surprised. At this point in time, my personal opinion is that we have got all the "Sherlock" we are going to get, unless a holiday special might be arranged, in the vein of "The Abominable Bride". That would be more likely than a return to shooting three features back to back to back. It's not uncommon for British TV shows, even great hits, to have long gaps in their production schedules (eg. "The Vicar of Dibley", who had a 20-year-run altogether, but factoring in the hiatuses of years at a time only ended up averaging one episode a year), but there was something very au courant about this iteration of Sherlock that I don't think will be repeated. Any more Sherlock episodes or stand-alones would take on the air of a tribute to our late, great Mrs. Hudson, so maybe they can squeeze out one more show in honor of Una. I said in an earlier comment that I wouldn't mind seeing Benedict 'move to Sussex' and take on the two Watson-free cases of the canon, "The Lion's Mane" and "The Blanched Soldier." Both cases are a bit too small on their own to make an entire feature length but they could be combined into one 90-minute holiday special. It'd be hilarious if Sherlock could run into his neighbor, Janine . . .and maybe Molly and her boyfriend du jour and Lestrade could all come on down for a week-end, even if Dr. Watson is a no-show. They could explain John's absence by saying that after Rosie went to boarding school full-time and he was a bit of an empty-nester, he decided to join Doctors Without Borders to scratch that itch for international adventure. If he were posted to Kabul or Kyiv or somewhere, he'd have to send his regrets over not joining the old gang. It's a nice idea. It's not going to happen like that, but it would if I were in charge of the writers' room.

I watched the first episode of Dexter: New Blood since it was available for free. I was not impressed. I really loved the original show until it went off the rails in the final season. It might sound weird, considering that I was rooting for Dexter all along, but if he had died in the finale saving his loved ones, I could have said that was the best possible ending for him. I find that I just simply do not care now what happens because I had already killed him off in my mind.

Even though I have Hulu and Amazon Prime, I spend most of my time aimlessly scrolling though YouTube videos every night. My concentration seems to be shot. I will begin a show or a movie and I either doze off after 20 minutes or I get bored and revert to YT or Facebook. Among an alleged wealth of choices . . .nothing appeals. I've taken to looking up old favorites available for free on YouTube like Foyle's War and Midsomer Murders. I tell myself every month I need to cancel the streaming because I'm certainly not getting my money's worth. Recently I re-watched a series I had purchased a couple of years ago--the Japanese HBO Asia "Miss Sherlock". Made with care and innovation by a team that obviously knows their Holmes canon, this contemporary adaptation with an all-female detective duo translates remarkably well. The edgy short format feels like "Elementary" but the partnership in that show never gelled for me. The crafting of the stories in "Miss Sherlock" as well as the chemistry among the cast feels more like the BBC Sherlock. It's the best of both recent adaptation predecessors, with a uniquely Japanese twist. Tragically, Yuko Tameuchi (Sherlock) took her own life in 2020 so there will be no more Miss Sherlock forthcoming.

Have you? 🙃 I don't have 'scientific data' as such about this but I think the fact that tea is considerably less popular in the United States than coffee can be directly traced to the Incident in Boston Harbor, 1773. Actually that was the culmination of a long-simmering grievance against His Majesty King George III for the Stamp Act, enacted 8 years previously that made the price of certain goods imported from the mother country and her dominions exorbitantly expensive. I'm not sure why coffee was not likewise affected, since it comes from the same regions as tea. Neither crop is indigenous to North America. But ever since then, hardcore patriots eschewed tea as the beverage for Tory sympathizers and coffee became Americans' choice. In recent years, tea culture has really taken off in the States. "Downton Abbey" may have helped there, and I see that coffee is gaining traction in the UK. So maybe our two countries have in fact gotten past our little kerfluffle.

That was me saying it, but Sherlock would have echoed those sentiments. Hate to break it to you, but despite being iconoclastic in other regards, SH was (is, if you play the Game) a monarchist. He shot a tribute to Victoria Regina in his sitting room wall (technically Mrs. Hudson's sitting room wall), and a lot of his cases were in support of the Crown, especially ones we didn't hear about. I'm confident that were SH around today (Gamers insist he still is), he would be a loyal subject to VR's successor, Elizabeth Regina, though he might be less keen on Charles. I'm an American, and so am an arch Republican, too. Just saying that ACD wrote Holmes to be a monarchist. He's not abrasively political and hectoring about it. Politics bores him, but he does love his Queen. Watch how he and Watson handle a bunch of Royal hecklers at the opera in "Murder by Decree". A love for the Queen is something the Baker Street flatmates have resolutely in common.

Many happy returns of the day to Mr. Sherlock Holmes, 168 years old today. God save Her Majesty and her most devoted servant and consulting detective. Tonight I shall be finishing the "Blue Carbuncle" episode of Grenada Sherlock to celebrate.

Jonathan Creek (BBCTV - 1997 - 2004, with intermittent specials until 2016) takes its name from its eponymous detective, a socially-awkward but brilliant young man (Alan Davies) with exuberant curly hair who lives in a windmill and earns his living by working as an 'engineer of illusions' for a professional stage magician, Adam Klaus, who's as stupid as he is narcissistic. Klaus is the showman and Jonathan is the guy who actually invents the tricks that are performed on stage. Jonathan has a distinctive personal style and lives very intensely for his work, just like another Detective we know. Like that other Detective, he also has a close association with someone who is very good with words on paper, investigative journalist Maddy Magellan (Carolyn Quentin). Maddy is the polar opposite of Jonathan in every way: apart from being female, she's brash, loud, pushy and being very fond of food in general and junk food in particular, quite zaftig. JC, in true Sherlock form is rarely, if ever, seen actually consuming food. He is more laconic than Sherlock Holmes, but just as observant, with a brain wired up to dismantle the mysteries of science, for entertainment purposes and also in how they relate to the commission of crime. Jonathan is the most reluctant of consulting detectives, being the shy and retiring sort that is happiest working in solitude on his illusions, but Maddy on the track of a potential story is a force of nature that drags Jonathan along in her wake, oftentimes in a literal sense. The centerpiece of the show, and the star detective's personal specialty is solving seemingly bizarre crimes (many of them deaths) which have, to all appearances, taken place under impossible conditions--a twist on the classic 'locked room murder'. Jonathan is a modern update on Sherlock Holmes's maxim that 'Once you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, is the truth.' Who better to unravel 'impossible' mysteries than a man whose day job it is to concoct impossibilities for gullible audiences? Using his professional skills, Jonathan unpicks the threads of various crime scenes by working backwards from the result, a similar deductive process he uses when constructing his stage tricks. The writing and situations are often clever but the real strength of the show is its appealing leading man and his dynamic with his 'Watson'. Additional opportunities for comedy arise from Maddy's actively desiring Jonathan as more than just a collaborator in crime-solving. For his part, though his association with Maddy has certainly made his insular existence more varied and interesting, Jonathan finds her overwhelming in too intensive doses and he is certainly Not Interested in anything like That. Despite an increasingly frustrated Maddy's most transparent efforts to make plain her availability for Whatever, Jonathan is not tuned to that frequency. A bit like Someone Else we could mention. Carolyn Quentin departed the show after three seasons to helm her own detective series, Blue Murder (another recommend from me), and Maddy's spot was filled by Julia Sawalha, playing another character. At this point the charm of the show wore off for me and I did not continue, though some of the Christmas specials were good. But if you are looking for a late-1990s update on the Golden Age of Crime locked-room mystery, a cosy procedural with a modern sensibility and a charming comedy-romance with some darker undertones, Jonathan Creek fits the bill.

Jonathan Creek is a delightful show . . at least the first three seasons were. I will have to dig up my review of the series. JC is decidedly in the Sherlock mold, with nods to "Columbo" and a sort of prototype of Sheldon from 'Big Bang Theory.' He's got a 'Watson', and the dynamic between them was really cute. When Caroline Quentin left to head up her own series, Alan Davies was paired with a series of different partners and it never quite gelled with the same results.

Now watch that and tell me you don't want to see it immediately!

I have been revisiting a favorite older show currently streaming on Amazon Prime. I first discovered the show via Netflix, and purchased my own DVDs because I liked it so much. My remote died and my DVDs are temporarily inaccessible so I'm viewing on streaming. Some 'revisionist' editions of classic shows don't work, but this one works brilliantly. THE MUSKETEERS (BBC 2014-2016-30 episodes This brisk and cheeky update of the Dumas classic finds the swashbuckling boys in top form. Athos (Tom Burke), Porthos (Howard Charles), Aramis (Santiago Cabrera) & the 'baby', D'Artagnan (Luke Pasqualino) are the King's bodyguard in the court of Louis XIII (Ryan Gage) and his Queen, Anne (Alexandra Dowling). We learn much more about the Musketeers than we ever did before including the fact that Milady d'Winter (Maimie McCoy), the sociopathic assassin employed by the Cardinal Richelieu (Peter Capaldi) to do his dirty work is the estranged wife of Athos, the tormented nobleman who walked away from his birthright as a gentlemen squire to lead the Musketeer regiment . . and that the long-awaited Dauphin of France is actually the son of Aramis, who has a brief passionate (and entirely treasonous) liaison with his Queen after he saves her life multiple times. This Porthos is biracial, in a nod to the author's heritage, and is the secret, unacknowledged son of a French aristocrat. The virtuous yet sassy Constance Bonacieux (the awesome Tamla Kari) is married to a pompous and overbearing draper and struggles with her feelings for D'Artagnan, while functioning as a sort of den mother to the rough and tumble boys. Peter Capaldi, with a mustache and beard that makes him resemble a schnauzer dog is an excellent malevolent Richelieu, the King's First Minister, who is secretly plotting with agents of Spain. Unfortunately for the show, Capaldi left after the first season to assume the mantle of the 12th Doctor, so Season 2 opens with the funeral of the Cardinal. His slimy lieutenant Comte de Rochefort (Marc Warren) steps ably into his place as the top court villain, but lacks Capaldi's charisma. Rochefort is also in love with the Queen, so things are going to get sticky for Aramis. As the King and Queen, Gage and Dowling are by turns petulant and entitled and touchingly vulnerable. Gage in particular has a tricky part and has to find the lost man under the foppish buffoon. We get frustrated with Louis in his more obtuse moments but never hate him. He is a victim of an upbringing of immense privilege, yet devoid of a father or any maternal love. He is a man-child with occasional flashes of nobility, and a very erratic boss indeed, but ultimately loveable despite it. The costumes and locations (shot in Prague, on a reconstruction of medieval Paris that looks sublime) are fantastic. The musical score rocks, including one of the catchiest opening titles in all of television. The actors all attended "Musketeer Camp" prior to shooting to learn how to ride and competently embody the fencing and fighting scenes, so it looks authentic. While there is a slightly modern sensibility in the dialog and relationships between characters (Milady and Constance as protofeminists, etc.) it is not done to an extreme that tends to mar other period dramas that attempt to be too 'modern'. We still feel like we are in France, circa 1600s, with better hygiene and beautiful teeth. Did I mention the clothes? Fantastic. Each Musketeer has his own signature variation on the 'uniform' that rarely changes but the ladies' fashions (and it must be said, those of the King) are off the chain gorgeous. Each one-hour episode flies by. Each Musketeer is loveable in his own way, but my favorite has always been the quiet, brooding leader with the dark side and the secret pain, Athos (these Musketeer names are 'nommes de guerre' . . in another life, Athos was known as the Comte de la Faire, with a grand estate. He is, one supposes, slightly older than the rest of his comrades, and is the acknowledged best swordsman in the regiment. He functions as a mentor to the fiery impulsive youth D'Artagnan who gets his Musketeer commission from the King at the end of the first season. I would be remiss if I did not mention that Tom Burke is the only child of Granada Watson Prime, David Burke, and he is the series' troubled heart as Athos. (Smokin' hot as well) Burke, Sr. has a supporting role as a priest in an episode modeled on another Dumas classic, 'The Man in the Iron Mask.' Each Musketeer has his own fan club, and each one of our actors is a perfect match to his character. They are all hot, so it's a buffet of riches.

Surprised BC was willing to put himself through the nicotine poisoning route again for a movie role . . .he went through the same thing during 'Scandal in Belgravia' filming, as I recall. As far as I know, American film productions are required by law to use non-tobacco (herbal) cigarettes during filming. Health and safety. Herbals are not without some side effects but they are not considered tobacco products and thus are permissible. Having seen the trailer, my impression is that this is essentially a riff on "Brokeback Mountain" with young (underage?) Kodi Smit-McPhee in the Heath Ledger role as the initiate into the particular love between men. There at least seems to be a homosexual undercurrent to 'Phil's' interactions with the boy, who he mocks mercilessly for being effeminate because he's secretly attracted to him. I don't *know* for sure that this is the way it goes, but Jane Campion is known for treading the sexual edge in all her movies. BC's current pictorial spread/lengthy interview in The Hollywood Reporter, entitled "The Age of Cumberbatch" shows Bendi decidedly playing around with a pansexual aura, to say the least. I will be recusing myself from seeing this movie. Not interested. I did see Brokeback Mountain and thought it was a sad but ultimately touching love story. I don't get the vibe of 'ultimately touching' or in any way life-affirming from this.

I didn't get it at first and then I realized it's the chorus to the Shawn Mendes/Camilla Cabello pop song of the same title. He's got other phrases he uses . . Matthew McConaughey and others saying "I like your cut, G." and "Honey, I'm home." His Tom Hiddleston was perfect, as was his Andrew Scott. His Cumberbatch was very very good . . hard to get as deep as the 'Batch. Downey, Jr. had me cracking up. Mycroft very good also. Really, just give this kid a berth on SNL already. He's the next Bill Hader.

I wasn't sure where I should put this, but this thread seems most appropriate. Lucas Arnold will amaze you with his vocal dexterity. This is only one of many compilations he's got on TikTok/YT. His run of Marvel/Sherlock characters starts at the :17 mark.

Hi, Herl, That middle one is my favorite. His eyes are exactly the same as in his younger face as Inspector Lestrade. He is my absolutely favorite Lestrade and I only regret that he could not time-travel so as to be part of the ensemble of the Guy Ritchie Sherlock Holmes films. It would have been of inestimable value to me to see Colin's face during the famous exchange: Lestrade: In another life, Holmes, you would have made an excellent criminal. SH: Yes, and you, sir, an excellent policeman. Eddie Marsan excels at this decidedly blunder-head version of Lestrade. What I seem to recall about Mr. Jeavons' performance is that he projects an air of too much class and competency to be the dolt that Lestrade is in the popular mind. Like Watson, he's been watered down to an idiot in popular use, when in fact, SH calls him 'the best of the Yarders'. Damning with faint praise perhaps, but Holmes does seek out Lestrade consistently for his aid, more than any others of his colleagues. That's got to mean an at-least grudging respect on Holmes's part. SH recognizes Lestrade's commitment to his duty, his doggedness & his personal bravery in the face of danger--traits that Sherlock Holmes shares, even if Lestrade's intellect, like all other mere mortals', falls short of Great Brain standards.

And the reason Sherlock generally has no one else around him besides John is because he likes it that way--he will tolerate other People as he must but he does not go out of his way to cultivate other friends. Those who choose to engage with Sherl put up with his idiosyncrasies and frequent verbal abuse. Not many people are willing to do that. For such an important personage in events of the greatest partnership of all time, Mike Stamford (simply called 'Young Stamford' in ASIS; don't think Young Stamford actually gets a first name) functions as a plot device never to be seen or heard from again. It's hard to imagine that SH had anything like the intense connection with him that he later shares with Watson, but in Stamford, another medical man, he found at least temporarily, someone else who didn't tell him to get stuffed and was at least, a mild friend willing to do him a favor. There may have been something a bit self-serving in Stamford's introduction of Holmes & Watson--Stamford did not want to be Sherlock Holmes's flatmate himself and realized he needed to get things sorted so that didn't happen. If it was a slightly back-handed favor, we are glad he did it.

Notice that his preferred audience is generally an audience of one--John. SH seeks Watson's approval and admiration (not that he would admit to it) and for the most part, all other people are noise. When he shows off for a larger gathering (e.g. at the Christmas drinkies) it's because he's in a mood and wants to be as irritating as possible in the hopes that everyone (save John) will Go Away. He enjoyed showing off for the Woman but he learnt his lesson there . . that didn't work out so well. However did SH function before Watson entered his orbit?-- Interesting question. Maybe he didn't feel the need of an audience until the perfect one walked into his life.

Oh, I see Sherlock's MBTI profile debate has cropped up again. I too lean toward INTJ, though he does often seem more or less equally balanced between opposing characteristics (E/I; J/P) We are all a mix of everything to varying degrees. I think SH's ability to morph into seemingly contradictory types at the drop of a hat is the reason the (invented) backstory of him being a travelling actor in his youth, prior to the consulting business is such an appealing idea. Fundamentally, I think SH skews to Introversion because his inner life is so active, his down moods so intense that he doesn't get off the couch for days, and his consideration of 'people' and their silly demands are not top priority. But, like a consummate performer (many of whom are self-admittedly very introverted in real life), SH can adopt the costume of the Extrovert when it suits. He retired before he was even 50 and went to the seaside to tend bees . . .I'd say the fascination with bee husbandry goes to to Is because the Es would not have the patience for such intricate, painstaking work. I do think SH prefers bees to people. For all his faults, SH has also been called a sort of Christ figure by some, and actually he's got such an array of strengths that he's very hard to 'type'. As somebody said, he makes his own rules. Kind of like Jesus Himself in that regard. We can't subject Jesus to the MBTI either because as the perfectly balanced personality, He'd come out even on all categories.

I love the picture of Una taking tea and dishing about the Troublesome Tenant with the other Mrs. Hudsons . . including the 'real' one, I presume. The Troublesome Tenant is not with them because he is still tending bees near Eastbourne and doing unspecified tasks on Her Majesty's secret service.

A fellow Sherlock enthusiast friend informed me of this sad news last night via a text message and it has cast a pall since. Una was a few months younger than my mother, both born in 1937. Based on the last photos of her taken in December 2019, she did not look well, a marked contrast from the vibrant lady pictured just a few years prior. Perusing the photos of her earlier career amongst the many tributes that have been pouring in, I see that smile was always the same, and she was a real dish! Una's characterization of Mrs. Hudson will go down in the annuals of Sherlockiana as one of the very best. She gave the landlady of Baker Street real humanity, wit, acerbity and moxie. As Stephan Moffat so eloquently put it: the brightest light in Baker Street has gone out. May it shine out brightly forever in an even better place.

BBally, It could be successfully argued, I think, that when "Complete Jerk Holmes" makes an appearance in Canon, it is usually only to Watson, since it is with Watson that Holmes can completely let down his hair. There are moments of biting acerbity/put-downs to the oft-abused Inspector Lestrade and other hapless members of the official police force . . and Holmes rarely bothers to disguise his disdain for members of the noble classes who have displayed their callous disregard for those they consider 'lesser' than themselves. IN his turn, SH makes plain how much above this kind of aristocratic boor he places himself. What struck me the most during my first really thorough reading of the Canon is how solicitous toward members of the so-called 'lower classes' and most especially women Holmes is. In "A Case of Identity", Watson has to physically restrain his flatmate from beating a two-timing man senseless with a riding crop in defense of a lady's honor. This is really a far cry from the condescending, misogynistic Holmes of popular reputation. I think most people have not in fact read all the stories, so their conception of Holmes is derived from 'other' treatments of him in popular culture, or from a line here or there taken out of the context of the whole. Under the facade of scientific detachment built up by decades of rigorous self-discipline, which can make him *seem* like little more than a deducing machine at times to more ordinary humans like Dr. Watson, Sherlock Holmes is actually a very passionate and deep-feeling man, I find. He has schooled himself not to *show* his feelings very often, but he does have them, and one supposes that he feels even 'more' than a more outwardly expressive individual. Dr. Watson did his friend a disservice by promoting the idea that Holmes dislikes and distrusts women. There may be some lines SH says that can be interpreted thusly, especially by a close associate who thinks of the fair sex far more often than he seems to think about his medical practice. I have also concluded that sometimes SH's more shocking or off-putting pronouncements, which his Boswell transcribes verbatim without gleaning the underlying puckishness are Holmes being contrary on purpose to wind up his flatmate. I don't see Jeremy Brett mentioned in your opening piece, but I think Mr. Brett embodied these two sides of Holmes very well. Of course, when Mr. Brett embarked on the part, both he and his Watson were nearly 50 years old and were portraying the established middle-aged versions of these characters which are the default settings in the popular mind. When we first meet up with Holmes and Watson and they with each other, Holmes is still shy of his 27th birthday and Watson is a year or so older. Significantly younger than either of our BBC pair were when they 'met'. Though truthfully I was shocked to learn that Ben was 34 years old; I'd thought him a decade younger and a recent drama school graduate. His Holmes is definitely written as the 'snotty antisocial Millennial Holmes' even though Ben was already getting a bit long in the tooth to be considered strictly a young up-and-comer. People matured faster in the Victorian era out of necessity, even Sherlock Holmes. There is very little evidence in the text that Sherlock was ever so rude to Mrs. Hudson, for example and ACD's Holmes is nothing but effusive towards his elder brother--admiring and suitably humble in the presence of an even greater brain-power. But if we consider the glimmers of the undergraduate Holmes and the 'nascent consulting detective around town' who hadn't actually engaged any clients yet which we get in Canon, Holmes' knack for rubbing people the wrong way, especially those in authority, was definitely less polished down when he was younger.

Sorry about the white boxes--don't know how to remove them. But it's a nice illustration by Sidney Paget, no? Incidentally I share a birthday with Sherlock's primary illustrator.

Hello, Distrofol, and welcome! I thought it best to go right to the source--Sir Arthur's text--since my mind was a bit hazy as to the circumstances of young Mr. Oppenshaw meeting his untimely death. The Five Orange Pips is in the public domain on the Internet, so I reproduce the relevant portion here for us to have a look at. *************************************** "I thank you," said the young man, rising, and pulling on his overcoat. "You have given me fresh life and hope. I shall certainly do as you advise." "Do not lose an instant. And, above all, take care of yourself in the meanwhile, for I do not think that there can be a doubt that you are threatened by a very real and imminent danger. How do you go back?" "By train from Waterloo." "It is not yet nine. The streets will be crowded, so I trust that you may be in safety. And yet you cannot guard yourself too closely." "I am armed." "That is well. To-morrow I shall set to work upon your case." "I shall see you at Horsham, then?" "No, your secret lies in London. It is there that I shall seek it." "Then I shall call upon you in a day, or in two days, with news as to the box and the papers. I shall take your advice in every particular." He shook hands with us, and took his leave. Outside the wind still screamed, and the rain splashed and pattered against the windows. This strange, wild story seemed to have come to us from amid the mad elements—blown in upon us like a sheet of sea-weed in a gale—and now to have been reabsorbed by them once more. Sherlock Holmes sat for some time in silence, with his head sunk forward and his eyes bent upon the red glow of the fire. Then he lit his pipe, and leaning back in his chair he watched the blue smoke-rings as they chased each other up to the ceiling. "I think, Watson," he remarked at last, "that of all our cases we have had none more fantastic than this." "Save, perhaps, the Sign of Four." "Well, yes. Save, perhaps, that. And yet this John shaw seems to me to be walking amid even greater perils than did the Sholtos." "But have you," I asked, "formed any definite conception as to what these perils are?" "There can be no question as to their nature," he answered. "Then what are they? Who is this K. K. K., and why does he pursue this unhappy family?" Sherlock Holmes closed his eyes and placed his elbows upon the arms of his chair, with his finger-tips together. "The ideal reasoner," he remarked, "would, when he had once been shown a single fact in all its bearings, deduce from it not only all the chain of events which led up to it, but also all the results which would follow from it. As Cuvier could correctly describe a whole animal by the contemplation of a single bone, so the observer who has thoroughly understood one link in a series of incidents, should be able to accurately state all the other ones, both before and after. We have not yet grasped the results which the reason alone can attain to. Problems may be solved in the study which have baffled all those who have sought a solution by the aid of their senses. To carry the art, however, to its highest pitch, it is necessary that the reasoner should be able to utilize all the facts which have come to his knowledge; and this in itself implies, as you will readily see, a possession of all knowledge, which, even in these days of free education and encyclopædias, is a somewhat rare accomplishment. It is not so impossible, however, that a man should possess all knowledge which is likely to be useful to him in his work, and this I have endeavored in my case to do. If I remember rightly, you on one occasion, in the early days of our friendship, defined my limits in a very precise fashion." "Yes," I answered, laughing. "It was a singular document. Philosophy, astronomy, and politics were marked at zero, I remember. Botany variable, geology profound as regards the mud-stains from any region within fifty miles of town, chemistry eccentric, anatomy unsystematic, sensational literature and crime records unique, violin-player, boxer, swordsman, lawyer, and self-poisoner by cocaine and tobacco. Those, I think, were the main points of my analysis." Holmes grinned at the last item. "Well," he said, "I say now, as I said then, that a man should keep his little brain-attic stocked with all the furniture that he is likely to use, and the rest he can put away in the lumber-room of his library, where he can get it if he wants it. Now, for such a case as the one which has been submitted to us to-night, we need certainly to muster all our resources. Kindly hand me down the letter K of the American Encyclopædia which stands upon the shelf beside you. Thank you. Now let us consider the situation, and see what may be deduced from it. In the first place, we may start with a strong presumption that Colonel Openshaw had some very strong reason for leaving America. Men at his time of life do not change all their habits, and exchange willingly the charming climate of Florida for the lonely life of an English provincial town. His extreme love of solitude in England suggests the idea that he was in fear of some one or something, so we may assume as a working hypothesis that it was fear of some one or something which drove him from America. As to what it was he feared, we can only deduce that by considering the formidable letters which were received by himself and his successors. Did you remark the post-marks of those letters?" "The first was from Pondicherry, the second from Dundee, and the third from London." "From East London. What do you deduce from that?" "They are all seaports. That the writer was on board of a ship." "Excellent. We have already a clew. There can be no doubt that the probability—the strong probability—is that the writer was on board of a ship. And now let us consider another point. In the case of Pondicherry, seven weeks elapsed between the threat and its fulfilment, in Dundee it was only some three or four days. Does that suggest anything?" "A greater distance to travel." "But the letter had also a greater distance to come." "Then I do not see the point." "There is at least a presumption that the vessel in which the man or men are is a sailing-ship. It looks as if they always sent their singular warning or token before them when starting upon their mission. You see how quickly the deed followed the sign when it came from Dundee. If they had come from Pondicherry in a steamer they would have arrived almost as soon as their letter. But as a matter of fact seven weeks elapsed. I think that those seven weeks represented the difference between the mail-boat which brought the letter, and the sailing-vessel which brought the writer." "It is possible." "More than that. It is probable. And now you see the deadly urgency of this new case, and why I urged young Openshaw to caution. The blow has always fallen at the end of the time which it would take the senders to travel the distance. But this one comes from London, and therefore we cannot count upon delay." "Good God!" I cried; "what can it mean, this relentless persecution?" "The papers which Openshaw carried are obviously of vital importance to the person or persons in the sailing-ship. I think that it is quite clear that there must be more than one of them. A single man could not have carried out two deaths in such a way as to deceive a coroner's jury. There must have been several in it, and they must have been men of resource and determination. Their papers they mean to have, be the holder of them who it may. In this way you see K. K. K. ceases to be the initials of an individual, and becomes the badge of a society." "But of what society?" "Have you never—" said Sherlock Holmes, bending forward and sinking his voice—"have you never heard of the Ku Klux Klan?" "I never have." Holmes turned over the leaves of the book upon his knee. "Here it is," said he, presently, " 'Ku Klux Klan. A name derived from the fanciful resemblance to the sound produced by cocking a rifle. This terrible secret society was formed by some ex-Confederate soldiers in the Southern States after the Civil War, and it rapidly formed local branches in different parts of the country, notably in Tennessee, Louisiana, the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. Its power was used for political purposes, principally for the terrorizing of the negro voters, and the murdering and driving from the country of those who were opposed to its views. Its outrages were usually preceded by a warning sent to the marked man in some fantastic but generally recognized shape—a sprig of oak-leaves in some parts, melon seeds or orange pips in others. On receiving this the victim might either openly abjure his former ways, or might fly from the country. If he braved the matter out, death would unfailingly come upon him, and usually in some strange and unforeseen manner. So perfect was the organization of the society, and so systematic its methods, that there is hardly a case upon record where any man succeeded in braving it with impunity, or in which any of its outrages were traced home to the perpetrators. For some years the organization flourished, in spite of the efforts of the United States Government and of the better classes of the community in the South. Eventually, in the year 1869, the movement rather suddenly collapsed, although there have been sporadic outbreaks of the same sort since that date.' "You will observe," said Holmes, laying down the volume, "that the sudden breaking up of the society was coincident with the disappearance of Openshaw from America with their papers. It may well have been cause and effect. It is no wonder that he and his family have some of the more implacable spirits upon their track. You can understand that this register and diary may implicate some of the first men in the South, and that there may be many who will not sleep easy at night until it is recovered." "Then the page we have seen—" "Is such as we might expect. It ran, if I remember right, 'sent the pips to A, B, and C,'—that is, sent the society's warning to them. Then there are successive entries that A and B cleared, or left the country, and finally that C was visited, with, I fear, a sinister result for C. Well, I think, Doctor, that we may let some light into this dark place, and I believe that the only chance young Openshaw has in the mean time is to do what I have told him. There is nothing more to be said or to be done to-night, so hand me over my violin, and let us try to forget for half an hour the miserable weather and the still more miserable ways of our fellowmen." It had cleared in the morning, and the sun was shining with a subdued brightness through the dim veil which hangs over the great city. Sherlock Holmes was already at breakfast when I came down. "You will excuse me for not waiting for you," said he; "I have, I foresee, a very busy day before me in looking into this case of young Openshaw's." "What steps will you take?" I asked. "It will very much depend upon the results of my first inquiries. I may have to go down to Horsham, after all." "You will not go there first?" "No, I shall commence with the city. Just ring the bell, and the maid will bring up your coffee." As I waited, I lifted the unopened newspaper from the table and glanced my eye over it. It rested upon a heading which sent a chill to my heart. "Holmes," I cried, "you are too late." "Ah!" said he, laying down his cup, "I feared as much. How was it done?" He spoke calmly, but I could see that he was deeply moved. "My eye caught the name of Openshaw, and the heading, 'Tragedy near Waterloo Bridge.' Here is the account: 'Between nine and ten last night Police-constable Cook, of the H Division, on duty near Waterloo Bridge, heard a cry for help and a splash in the water. The night, however, was extremely dark and stormy, so that, in spite of the help of several passers-by, it was quite impossible to effect a rescue. The alarm, however, was given, and, by the aid of the water-police, the body was eventually recovered. It proved to be that of a young gentleman whose name, as it appears from an envelope which was found in his pocket, was John Openshaw, and whose residence is near Horsham. It is conjectured that he may have been hurrying down to catch the last train from Waterloo Station, and that in his haste and the extreme darkness he missed his path and walked over the edge of one of the small landing-places for river steamboats. The body exhibited no traces of violence, and there can be no doubt that the deceased had been the victim of an unfortunate accident, which should have the effect of calling the attention of the authorities to the condition of the river-side landing-stages.' " We sat in silence for some minutes, Holmes more depressed and shaken than I had ever seen him. "That hurts my pride, Watson," he said, at last. "It is a petty feeling, no doubt, but it hurts my pride. It becomes a personal matter with me now, and, if God sends me health, I shall set my hand upon this gang. That he should come to me for help, and that I should send him away to his death—!" He sprang from his chair and paced about the room in uncontrollable agitation, with a flush upon his sallow cheeks, and a nervous clasping and unclasping of his long, thin hands. "They must be cunning devils," he exclaimed, at last. "How could they have decoyed him down there? The Embankment is not on the direct line to the station. The bridge, no doubt, was too crowded, even on such a night, for their "HOLMES,' I CRIED, 'YOU ARE TOO LATE'" purpose. Well, Watson, we shall see who will win in the long run. I am going out now!" "To the police?" "No; I shall be my own police. When I have spun the web they may take the flies, but not before." ****************************** It seems to me that the only 'Why' here is that in this case, Sherlock underestimated how imminent the threat to his client was. The man was young, fit and assured Holmes that he carried a firearm. He was not supposed to be wandering in lonely areas. But he didn't stick to the crowded streets and his gun wasn't of any use. With no injuries on the body, it seems that he was simply shoved into the Thames and being unable to swim, drowned. Had he taken a taxi from Baker Street, he would have survived the evening. Maybe Sherlock should have insisted. That he didn't was a mistake of judgement, which the Great Detective makes rarely, but he does make them. He's not infallible, and he was unfamiliar with this particular gang of assassins, the KKK. My recollection is that SH didn't seem to care very much that he had endangered his client . . who may have been kidnapped from the street and dumped in the river rather than being lured to the riverbank and going there of his own accord. I see that SH was on the contrary, very upset and depressed about what he had allowed to happen. But he doesn't linger long. The young gentleman also had some responsibility for his own safety and could have asked for an escort, or even to stay at Baker Street until it was daylight. Seems that he too underestimated the threat he was under, despite having the precaution of a gun. Had Holmes or Watson gone with him to the station, they might have been killed as well, so at least it was not a worse outcome, though the worst possible one for Mr. Openshaw. Mr. Holmes is a consulting detective, not a bodyguard for hire, nor is Watson. The client knew better than Holmes the people he was dealing with and yet he still went out on London streets alone at night. I don't think SH deserves all the blame here for what happened.