The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes is a British anthology mystery television series produced by Thames Television which was originally broadcast on the ITV Network. There were two series of 13 fifty-minute episodes; the first aired in 1971, the second in 1973. The programme presented adaptations of short mystery, suspense or crime stories featuring, as the title suggests, detectives who were literary contemporaries of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes.
The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes took its inspiration – and title – from a series of published anthologies by Hugh Greene, younger brother of author Graham Greene and the former director-general of the BBC. Greene is credited on the programme as a creative consultant.
Contents
Cast
Recurring
Douglas Wilmer as Augustus S. F. X. Van Dusen (2 episodes)
Peter Vaughan as Horace Dorrington (2 episodes)
Kenneth Colley as Farrish (2 episodes)
Petronella Barker as Miss Parrot (2 episodes)
Peter Barkworth as Martin Hewitt (2 episodes)
Ronald Hines as Jonathan Pryde (2 episodes)
Guests
Henri Szeps as Laval (1 episode)
Peter Sallis as Dr. Jervis (1 episode)
Reg Lye as Mortuary Superintendent (1 episode)
Episode list
Reception
Critical response
Jon E. Lewis and Penny Stempel described The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes as a "gaslight crime anthology" that "usually dependably" presented Victorian, "atmosphere‑drenched" cases featuring Holmes' contemporaries.
Jeffrey Kauffman of DVD Talk who reviewed the first series of the show recommended it but found it to be a bit disappoining in some areas. Paul Mavis of DVD Talk who reviewed the second series of the show called it "terrifically entertaining" and "perfect" for a "Saturday night viewing when you want something quick, something mysterious, and something English".
Percival Wexley-Smith of Television Heaven called the series a true gem of the early 1970s for British television.
Awards
In 1972, the first series of the show won a BAFTA Award for Best Design.
Home media
The first series was released on a 4-disc Region 2 DVD set by Network Distributing on 15 June 2009. Acorn Media released a Region 1 version of this set on 1 September 2009. Series Two was released on a Network DVD 4-disc Region 2 release on 15 February 2010; Acorn followed with a Region 1 version on 27 April.
