Rachael Eyre's Blog - Posts Tagged "sherlock-holmes"
Sherlock Holmes's Strangest Cases
The news that Toby Jones will play an "iconic" villain in the next series of Sherlock has excited a great deal of comment. The Conan Doyle canon has a cornucopia of bad guys, unfairly overlooked due to the obsession with Professor Moriarty and Irene Adler. Begging the question: which stories will Gatiss and Moffat adapt for season 4?
Though we can't rule anything out, it almost certainly won't be one of these ...
Silver Blaze
The eponymous horse is the most sympathetic murderer in the series, acting in self defence against his scummy trainer. Although this tale of race fixing and corruption is as topical now as on publication, it's hard to imagine Cumberbatch making the big reveal with a straight face. A pity - as well as being one of the best adventures, it coined the phrase "the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime," where the fact a dog didn't raise the alarm holds the clue to the mystery.
The Yellow Face
Although liberal for its day, this story of race relations hasn't worn well, coming across as patronising and - dare we say it - racist. It's bad enough that Elsie feels the need to disguise her little girl with a mask (the 'yellow face' of the title), but the assertion her late husband was remarkably handsome and intelligent despite his colour, and Grant Monro's hesitation over whether or not he can accept a black stepchild, won't fly with a twenty first century audience.
The Three Gables
Oh, Sir Arthur. The good intentions of The Yellow Face are severely undermined by this, the most problematic story of the sixty. The portrayal of thuggish black boxer Steve Dixie is cringe making; the Great Detective's naked prejudice, abusing Dixie's smell and 'woolly head', even worse. The villain is a femme fatale called Isadora Klein - is he commenting on her heritage as well? Best avoided.
The Creeping Man
A dirty old git and quack science result in this, the oddest story Conan Doyle concocted. Professor Presbury worries he'll disappoint his considerably younger fiancée, so starts taking a rejuvenating drug. Which causes him to develop monkey like characteristics. Oh, dear.
The Illustrious Client
At times Holmes doubled as an agony aunt, helping clients with messes they could have easily solved themselves. One such case was preventing the marriage of Violet de Merville to Baron Gruner, seducer, murderer and general bad lot. The whole thing plays like a telenovela. It opens with the boys chilling down the Turkish bath (slash fics ahoy!), takes in the Baron's playbook and culminates in his Cockney ex flinging acid in his face. Lovely!
Honourable mentions
A consummate tease, Watson tantalises us with cases he never makes public. Who wouldn't want to see the giant rat of Sumatra or Ricoletti of the club foot, abominable wife in tow? Perhaps the most evocative of these glimpses is "the politician, the lighthouse and the trained cormorant -" we demand to know more!
Though we can't rule anything out, it almost certainly won't be one of these ...
Silver Blaze
The eponymous horse is the most sympathetic murderer in the series, acting in self defence against his scummy trainer. Although this tale of race fixing and corruption is as topical now as on publication, it's hard to imagine Cumberbatch making the big reveal with a straight face. A pity - as well as being one of the best adventures, it coined the phrase "the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime," where the fact a dog didn't raise the alarm holds the clue to the mystery.
The Yellow Face
Although liberal for its day, this story of race relations hasn't worn well, coming across as patronising and - dare we say it - racist. It's bad enough that Elsie feels the need to disguise her little girl with a mask (the 'yellow face' of the title), but the assertion her late husband was remarkably handsome and intelligent despite his colour, and Grant Monro's hesitation over whether or not he can accept a black stepchild, won't fly with a twenty first century audience.
The Three Gables
Oh, Sir Arthur. The good intentions of The Yellow Face are severely undermined by this, the most problematic story of the sixty. The portrayal of thuggish black boxer Steve Dixie is cringe making; the Great Detective's naked prejudice, abusing Dixie's smell and 'woolly head', even worse. The villain is a femme fatale called Isadora Klein - is he commenting on her heritage as well? Best avoided.
The Creeping Man
A dirty old git and quack science result in this, the oddest story Conan Doyle concocted. Professor Presbury worries he'll disappoint his considerably younger fiancée, so starts taking a rejuvenating drug. Which causes him to develop monkey like characteristics. Oh, dear.
The Illustrious Client
At times Holmes doubled as an agony aunt, helping clients with messes they could have easily solved themselves. One such case was preventing the marriage of Violet de Merville to Baron Gruner, seducer, murderer and general bad lot. The whole thing plays like a telenovela. It opens with the boys chilling down the Turkish bath (slash fics ahoy!), takes in the Baron's playbook and culminates in his Cockney ex flinging acid in his face. Lovely!
Honourable mentions
A consummate tease, Watson tantalises us with cases he never makes public. Who wouldn't want to see the giant rat of Sumatra or Ricoletti of the club foot, abominable wife in tow? Perhaps the most evocative of these glimpses is "the politician, the lighthouse and the trained cormorant -" we demand to know more!
