The Hounds of Baskerville (13 May 2012)

Sherlock and John investigate the ghosts of a young man who has been seeing monstrous hounds out in the woods where his father died.

Director:

Paul McGuigan

Writers:

Mark Gatiss, Steven Moffat (created with),

Stars:

Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Una Stubbs

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Benedict Cumberbatch	...	Sherlock Holmes
Martin Freeman	...	Dr. John Watson
Una Stubbs	...	Mrs. Hudson
Rupert Graves	...	DI Lestrade
Mark Gatiss	...	Mycroft Holmes
Andrew Scott	...	Jim Moriarty
Russell Tovey	...	Henry Knight
Amelia Bullmore	...	Dr. Stapleton
Clive Mantle	...	Dr. Frankland
Simon Paisley Day	...	Major Barrymore
Sasha Behar	...	Dr. Mortimer
Will Sharpe	...	Corporal Lyons
Stephen Wight	...	Fletcher
Gordon Kennedy	...	Gary
Kevin Trainor	...	Billy

Storyline

Twenty years earlier, aged seven, young Henry Knight saw his father torn to pieces by a monstrous creature at Dewer's Hollow near their Dartmoor home. Now Henry has seen the footprints of a huge beast and suspects that the nearby Baskerville government research station is breeding mutant animals. Sherlock and John travel to the moor where local lad Fletcher organizes tourist walks cashing in on the legend of Dartmoor's spectral hound. Using false I.D. the pair infiltrate Baskerville and are challenged by secretive Major Barrymore but rescued by sympathetic Dr. Frankland, a friend to Henry. After Sherlock himself sees the monstrous creature he enlists the help of geneticist Dr. Stapleton to help him solve the mystery.

---

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

---

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 May 2012 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hartswood Films, BBC Wales, Masterpiece Theatre

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

16:9 HD

Did You Know?

Trivia

Young Dr. Franklyn in the picture Sherlock finds is actually Michael Price, one of the series' soundtrack composers.

---

Goofs

When Sherlock is looking for his secret supply of cigarettes he points his harpoon at Mrs Hudson and does his 'detective analysis' on her. After he identifies the perfume she is wearing he stops pointing his harpoon at her, however when the camera is facing back at her the tip of the harpoon is seen pointed at her again even though Sherlock is holding it upright.

---

Quotes

Sherlock Holmes: I didn't really ask, Dr. Franklyn, but what exactly do you do here?
Dr. Franklyn: Oh, Mr. Holmes, I'd love to tell you. But then of course, I'd have to kill you.
Sherlock Holmes: That would be tremendously ambitious of you.

---

Connections

Version of Der Hund von Baskerville (1914)

User Reviews

Barking up the wrong tree

Another entertaining outing for Benedict Cumberbatch as the modern incarnation of the great detective Sherlock Holmes taking on probably the most famous Conan-Doyle story of them all, "The Hound of The Bakervilles" in a tale of military skulduggery in genetics. That said, the tale did lack, for me, a little in suspense, with only a years-old death at its heart and a otherwise a shortage in drama or suspense.

The plot too seemed contrived and far-fetched and I'd go further and say that the special effects in conveying the terrifying beast were somewhat wanting in addition. There were the now obligatory jokey nods back to the source novels, in particular an amusing scene referring to the literary Holmes' cocaine addiction, with some good dialogue too, especially when Holmes has to apologise to Watson for saying he didn't have any friends.

Otherwise, the depiction of the great detective's computer-quick deduction skills was skilfully done, but on the whole this episode seemed a little underwritten with an over- emphasis on coincidence.

One neat casting touch for Robin Hood buffs was the appearance of the two most recent TV Little Johns Gordon Kennedy from the more recent Jonas Armstrong version and the older Clive Mantle from the 1980's "Robin of Sherwood".