Review of Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars

Introduction

I`d love to give this Acorn Media release a far more glowing report than I feel I can. With a bare two months between the original broadcast and the DVD release, this Victorian adventure for the family has fairly raced out on to disc. Unfortunately this speed of release has meant that the check discs issued are "screeners" - menuless, extraless video-only DVD-Rs. Although Acorn Media releases are usually light on extras anyway, the disc I`ve viewed potentially bears no relationship whatsoever to the final production disc.

Jonathan Pryce makes the most of playing second fiddle (pun intended) as Sherlock Holmes to the Irregulars, while Bill Paterson comes across as a particularly interesting Dr Watson as he strongly resembles illustrations of Arthur Conan Doyle. According to the Radio Times article on the making of the show (my only source of reference as I have sod all otherwise to work on), Paterson and Pryce have been close friends since making Terry Gilliam`s Baron Munchhausen. Although the two had not worked together since the movie, Paterson - a Holmes enthusiast - had frequently suggested to Pryce that they should play Holmes and Watson. When Pryce was approached to play Holmes for this production, he immediately suggested his friend Bill for the role of Watson.

The Irregulars are a motley bunch of youngsters who really do not make any compromises to period authenticity. Although they are dressed like Victorian street urchins, they are distinctly modern young people in their attitudes. Led by Jack (Benjamin Smith), the Irregulars have a problem of their own that Holmes appears reluctant to help them with. When Jack disappears, his second in command Finch (Aaron Johnson) has to take over, although Jack`s sister Sadie (Mia Fernandez) has a lot to say about them helping Mr Holmes when they should be out looking for Jack.

Jack has fallen into the clutches of Irene Adler, Holmes` female nemesis. Anna Chancellor makes a glacially beautiful villainess - a departure from the Holmes canon that will annoy true believers. Adler, introduced in A Scandal In Bohemia, was the only woman to attract Holmes as anything approaching an equal. She has a diabolical scheme to frame Holmes for the murders of a number of policemen while gearing up to steal bullion from the Bank of England.

Video

Absolutely beautiful. Presented in anamorphic widescreen 16:9 as shot. The programme was made by RDF Television for CBBC with Dublin standing in picturesquely for Victorian London.

Audio

Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround Stereo.

Features

Nothing at all on the check disc. Not even subtitles.

Conclusion

This review is placed more as a courtesy to Acorn Media who supplied the viewing copy than as an actual review. A review by its very nature should be that of the finished product, and unfortunately the disc supplied is nothing remotely like a finished product. It is simply a viewing copy of the two programmes as transmitted. No menus, no extras, no subtitles. Therefore this isn`t a review of the disc, just the programme content.