The Final Problem

For those who really love the Sherlock Holmes stories, this one is where we have our radar up, watching intently to see if the writers and directors have done it justice. Holmes' adversary, Moriarity (played with panache by Eric Porter), has been presented as the equal of Holmes and he and his henchmen have as much at stake as the great detective. Holmes often remarks that the world is lucky that he (Holmes) never decided to turn to crime. After a nice presentation of the evil of his arch rival, Holmes meets him in Switzerland at the Reichenbach Falls. Part of the joy of this episode (and it is really well done) is that for his encounter, he must part ways with Watson and go it on his own. This is out of love as well as practicality. The scenery is breathtaking. If one has never seen the beauty of the Alps, the wonderful scenery contrasts the evil of Moriarity. Conan Doyle was tired of Holmes because he was being judged for only one part of his work. This, of course, sets up the next set of episodes.

The Mona Lisa is stolen, a crime orchestrated by Professor Moriarty to sell dozens of imitations for millions. When Holmes recovers the original, it urges the Professor to take the ultimate step to get rid of his rival.

Eric Porter is truly intimidating as Moriarty, and this final episode of the series is filled with great moments of delight. It's the last episode with David Burke as Dr. Watson, before he's replaced by Edward Hardwicke in the following series. This episode has some of the best scenery and score of the series. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes really ends on a high note.

After having written quite a few Sherlock Holmes stories, Arthur Conan Doyle was sick of the character and wanted to write other things. So, originally this was intended as the last Holmes story. Doyle's subsequent failure as a writer of other tales and a huge outcry from fans of the series eventually meant that Holmes would return...and "The Return of Sherlock Holmes" was the result. In other words, this is the last story in "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes".

In this story, Holmes has disappeared for some time. Eventually he shows up at 221B Baker Street and the story begins. It seems this time away was spent doing some undercover work. It seems he and his arch nemesis, Moriarty, are headed for a final showdown. This trip enventually takes him to the Continent and Reichenbach Falls.

This is one of the best Holmes stories...well written and with a lovely Swiss location. Because of this, it's really a must-see for Holmesophiles!

By the way, this story is about the Mona Lisa and one art expert declares it's the greatest portrait ever painted. While many believe this, it does seem ludicrous to say any one painting is the greatest of its type. I saw it twice and thought it was nice. But the best?!

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.

Well, I just watched this 1984 Granada production in October 2007 having read the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes in the late 1990's. And I must say that not only was the screenplay as faithful to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's story as you could get - it was an absolutely faithful production. For anyone who has read "The Final Problem", you will know that this is a very special and perhaps the most significant Sherlock Holmes tale. To those who are unfamiliar with the story, I shall be careful not to convey spoilers which will diminish the key plot points for you. But let me say that this tale takes Holmes and Watson beyond the bounds of England to face a formidable enemy, and in doing so expresses the depths of the friendship between Holmes and Watson, while also showing some spectacular scenery. Every minute detail was vividly shown and expressed, and I ACTUALLY applauded Granada at the conclusion of this episode, because their standards of quality and faithfulness to every detail of the story and characters is absolutely flawless. Bravo Granada! Bravo!