Silver Blaze

Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson head out to horse training stables in the country, hired by wealthy horse owner Colonel Ross. His trainer has been murdered and his prize racehorse Silver Blaze has disappeared just days before the prestigious Wessex Cup.

An intriguing episode of Sherlock Holmes with a fairly original setting of country stables. A reasonably clever and watertight plot, complete with very good twists in terms of both crimes involved. A good ending too that closes off the story well.

As always, Jeremy Brett is in great form as Sherlock Holmes and Edward Hardwicke lends solid support as Dr Watson.

I would have been bored if this turned out to be a racetrack story, but SILVER BLAZE is a very clever mystery about a missing horse who disappears from his stable and goes somewhere on the moors. It takes Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson to solve the mystery of his disappearance.

Not overly complicated with baffling clues, it's one of the better Holmes stories. Little by little Holmes puts together pieces of what might have happened by questioning servants and stable boys and dealing with the owner of a nearby estate who knows something about the whole episode.

The usual good photography, especially for the outdoor settings on the moors and a nice performance by PETER BARKWORTH as the owner of Silver Blaze.

Silver Blaze is a very clever mystery, it holds a fair amount of intrigue and has an excellent, unexpected conclusion. If I'm honest it's not one of my favourites, I definitely think the story benefits from being produced during a purple patch for the Granada show, having just put out The Devil's Foot, the show was very much on form. I feel the story is elevated by the superb production values, and the excellent performances, particularly from Peter Barkworth, a much missed, tremendous actor.

I like the story, I just prefer most of the others from The Return series. It's clever, well made, and definitely worth a watch. 7/10

Peter Barkworth appeared in several episodes of The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes as Martin Hewitt. He elevates this episode as Colonel Ross the owner of the race horse Silver Blaze who has gone missing in the eve of a famous horse race. The trainer is found dead, thought to have been stabbed when fighting with the abductors of the horse.

Colonel Ross has no time for Sherlock Holmes but reluctantly accepts his aid as the police are getting nowhere.

Holmes and Watson go off to Dartmoor. Suspicion lies with the neighbouring race horse breeder. Colonel Ross blames the gypsies.

The short story starts off slowly but then races ahead. It is cleverly put together and Sherlock even has a flutter at the race course. The episode is very atmospherically shot.

I think both Brett and Hardwicke were delighted to have Barkworth among the cast.

The Granada Holmes episodes are hit and miss. This is a hit.

For this to work, you have to have a backbone that's strong. In this case, it is because Holmes is depicted here as an actual detective, someone who figures things out. No tricking, no undercover work, just thinking.

On that, you hope the adapter hangs appropriate cinematic storytelling. This isn't great, but compared to other episodes is refreshing.

This is the famous episode where an important clue is that the dog didn't bark.

This is the series where Holmes is depicted as the detective that does bark. It works, after a fashion.

Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.