(by Scarecrow-88 on 10 January 2010)

I was thrilled to find a set containing television episodes of Sherlock Holmes starring Peter Cushing, Nigel Stock as Watson. It is shot as a balance between video and film, working satisfyingly well, I felt. Exteriors are shot on film, interiors containing conversations/dialogue are shot on dressed up, detailed sets. The English countryside where Sir Henry Baskerville's manor resides is used to great effect. I guess this is as close we come to seeing how Cushing might've performed in theater, as his screen time mostly derives of major exposition with Watson over matters concerning Henry's safety and a murderer wanting him dead. Interesting enough, we only see the "hell hound" once at the beginning when the tale of Sir Hugo Baskerville is being told to us, setting up this part 1 of a double header containing the Arthur Conan Doyle story. You hear it's growl off camera out in the darkness, and that in itself is enough to "chill the bones" of our characters who are privy to it's presence somewhere on the Moor. Both Parts 1 & 2 never really deviate(..unlike the Hammer version which changed quite a bit of the Conan Doyle story)from the '39 version. In Part one Holmes has Watson traveling by train with Henry Baskerville to his estate to watch after his safety. A letter was sent warning him to stay in London. Like in other adaptations, Holmes isn't a major contributing factor until near the end of the second part. In this one, he tells Watson to go in his stead, as he has urgent matters keeping him from going with Sir Henry. Meanwhile, Henry and Watson notice that the maid(..butler's wife)is in sorrow, later to be determined why. Also established is the fact that an escaped convict is loose in the Moor. Established characters include Stapleton(Philip Bond), an entomologist/naturalist enamored with the Moor who lives not far from Baskerville manor, whose sister Beryl(Gabriella Licudi)tells Watson that Sir Henry must leave or else grave consequences await him. Meanwhile, the Barrymores, servants for the late Sir Charles Baskerville, seem to be harboring a secret which relates to the convict on the loose.
This episode establishes the characters who live near Sir Henry and the threat of the hound. Watson, as we see in this and the second part, as played by Nigel Stock, is as inquisitive and direct as ever, ruffling feathers with his straight, to-the-point questions regarding Sir Charles' odd death..such as who wrote a note getting him outside at Midnight, causing the fear of the hound which in turn brings on a heart attack.