The Final Problem

Jeremy Brett will forever be the quintessential Holmes! He Is magnificent portraying the elusive genius of Holmes like no other! He lives on forever in the hearts of Sherlock Holmes fans!

There is a cinematic element to The Final Problem as Holmes faces grave dangers to his life from Moriarty's henchmen right from the beginning.

The Mona Lisa has been stolen and the French authorities have bought in Sherlock Holmes.

Moriarty plans to use the story of the theft to sell expertly forged copies. However his plans are scuppered by the meddling detective.

Holmes and Watson flee to the continent with Moriarty giving chase. There is an encounter between the two at Reichenbach Falls.

Looking back at this know it is astonishing how I have not got used to younger version of the characters in the modern take of Sherlock and the Robert Downey Sherlock Holmes films. Porter really does look old in the part and it shows when the two men grapple when the fight scenes should be more punchy.

Dr Watson breaks the fourth wall and talks to the audience at the end of the episode.

Sadly this was David Burke's final episode as Watson. He decided to concentrate on theatre and spend time raising his young son. I always liked Burke's interpretation of Watson and preferred his version more than Edward Hardwicke's.

The Final Problem is without a shadow of a doubt one of the best episodes of Brett's Sherlock Holmes, and arguably one of the finest productions to feature Holmes.

The script is terrific, and hugely faithful to the book. Burke's narration throughout is a real highlight in what would sadly be his last appearance as Watson. The location work is breathtaking, it looks imposing, dramatic and wonderful throughout, overall it feels big budget.

The best aspects of this episode though, without any doubt are the performances of Jeremy Brett and Eric Porter, the pair individually are astonishing, but together they are beyond compare, with some incredible scenes.

Flawless. 10/10

Holmes is hired by the French government. The unthinkable has occurred: the Mona Lisa has been stolen from the Louvre. In his inimitable fashion, Holmes manages to solve the crime but this creates another problem: Professor Moriarty was behind the attempt to steal the Mona Lisa and is out for deadly vengeance. Moriarty may well be Holmes's final problem.

A fittingly gripping finale to the series. After being introduced to Professor Moriarty in the previous episode he now becomes the focal point of this episode. While Holmes is intellectually Moriarty's equal, if not superior, Moriarty has means at his disposal, violent means, that Holmes cannot counter. This makes for a very tense cat-and-mouse game and a thrilling conclusion.

As I have said many, many times I am a fan of the Granada Sherlock Holmes adaptations. I love how well made they are, I love the sophisticated stories and writing, I love the music and as much as I do like Basil Rathbone(a lot actually) I consider Jeremy Brett the best Sherlock Holmes.

The Final Problem is for me one of the best and most special of the series. And although that's part of why, it's not only because it has Holmes and Moriaty and a final ten minutes or so that will delight any Holmes or Conan Doyle fan.

The Final Problem also has a loyal and thoughtful script, and the story is thrilling with seldom a dull spot. The adaptation has some of the most beautiful scenery in any of these Granada adaptations, and it is beautifully shot as well. The music score is also one of my favourites in the series, the final moments are orchestrated beautifully especially as if in a reflective and doubtful way, and the direction is reliable.

Jeremy Brett gives a commanding performance as always in the titular role and David Burke is a more than a perfect match for him. Moriaty is also very effectively portrayed by Eric Porter as well. All in all, wonderful and will be always be very special to me. 10/10 Bethany Cox