Shoscombe Old Place

Great seeing a young Jude Law. I don't really follow him but something seemed familiar so watched the credits attentively. Thought he did quite well.

Story was better than most. Great production as usual and all the acting is top notch. Edward Hardwicke is my favourite Dr. Watson but they all do a good job. Sad to read he passed away in May.

Love the locations and the production that goes into the series, especially all the horses and various hansom cabs and carriages. And the attention to detail of the period - can really lose oneself in the picture. Much better than merely reading it on the page.

John Mason is worried about his employer, Sir Robert Norberton. Sir Robert, a race horse owner, is under a lot of pressure due to his debts. His main creditor is Samuel Brewer, who has demanded payment but has now disappeared. In another strange turn of events Sir Robert has given away the dog belonging to his sister, Lady Beatrice Falder. Holmes and Watson head to Shoscombe Old Place, Sir Robert's stables, to investigate.

A reasonably intriguing and original episode of Sherlock Holmes. The twist is a tad bizarre and creepy but quite interesting.

A noteworthy feature of the episode is that it includes a 18-year-old Jude Law in only his third on-screen appearance.

A Horse trainer is worried about the strange behavior of his employer and decides to consult Sherlock Holmes. We later find out that his employer is a man that is ridden with debt. This ends up being a rather clever little tale with a twist in it that of a rather queer nature. The English countryside in this episode is beautiful as it usually is in this series. Brett and Hardwicke are also a treasure to watch. I just love the scene where an Inn Keeper brings a disgusting pot of stew and Holmes says "These are dark waters, Watson, dark and dirty." It also features a young Jude Law who plays a small but key role in the story.

A man is facing financial ruin. He needs to win a major horse-race to make enough money to pay his debts. He is given an ultimatum. Unfortunately, his fortune is really his sisters and upon her death, her brother inherits the fortune, the house, and property. There are some shady dealing involving a water spaniel, an old church, some strange sounds, and a woman who rides through the countryside fully draped in white linen. The groom at the stables alerts Holmes when he finds a femur bone in a furnace used to burn rubbish. This leads Holmes and Watson to Shoscombe Old Place. What follows is really quite memorable. Watch for Jude Law, a young boy who asks The Lord of Manor to hire him as a jockey. His employment becomes significant later. The performances are great again with Jeremy Brett being about as quirky as one can be and Edward Hardwicke filling the bill as the nervous, manipulated Watson. This later episode bears a close watch.

I have always treasured this series and while Shoscombe Old Place is not one the best it is worth watching. It is not always very secure in the pacing, sometimes coming across as sluggish, and the story lacks the dazzle of some of the earlier episodes, though it does its best with a story that isn't Conan Doyle's strongest or even one of them in the first place. As with all the Sherlock Holmes episode, it is meticulously made with the attention to detail very realistic, the music sounds beautiful with the odd haunting moment and the dialogue while just lacking the wit and sparkle of previous adaptations is still thoughtfully written. It is interesting to see Jude Law in an early small role, but Jeremy Brett, Edward Hardwicke and their chemistry together are the main attractions of the episode. Overall, decent and well made and acted but story-wise Shoscombe Old Place isn't one of the best to me. 7/10 Bethany Cox