I enjoyed Sherlock series one, however less so, series two, mainly because of the Hounds of the Baskerville episode. I don't mind the modernisation of the Conan-Doyle stories and the reinvention of the Sherlock Holmes character. The problem is the Hounds of the Baskerville is a traditional Sherlock Holmes story. With little trace of the original story, and the clumsy, far-fetched story replacing it, raises the question – what is the point.
The original Conon-Doyle story has the following key elements: A legendary hound killed a Baskerville two centuries ago. The recent death of Sir Charles Baskerville by a heart attack is caused by fright by a giant hound. The return of the American Sir Henry Baskerville from the USA to reclaim his inheritance. Theft of a new and old boot from Henry Baskerville. The escaped prisoner Seldon, who is related to Mrs Barrymore, a domestic servant at Baskerville Hall, is secretly fed by Mrs Barrymore through employment of signal lights and later when wearing some of Henry Baskervilles donated clothes, is killed in a chase with the Hound. Sherlock Holmes is secretly staying in a prehistoric dwelling on the moors and has Watson's letters to Baker Street intercepted. The protagonist - Jack Stapleton – a naturalist - turns out to be an heir of the Baskerville inheritance. Holmes pretends to leave again while secretly with Watson and Lestrade, watching for Henry Baskerville to complete dinner and leave Merripit House. Watson kills the Hound, before it seriously injures Baskerville. Stapleton escapes but on his way to his hideout (where he keeps the dog) in the Great Grimpen Mire, slips and is sucked into the bog.
The Sherlock story: Henry Knight witnesses his father's death by a hound 20 years ago and still troubled after receiving therapy from Dr Jacqui Stapleton, returns to the original site, only to have his fears return. The nearby Defence Base – Baskerville – that conducts secret biological weapons experiments is suspected. Holmes breaks in using his brother Mycroft's pass, and receives a tour. Watson meanwhile interprets signal lights as Morse code, which later turnout to be vehicle lights. Holmes upon visiting the site also sees the hound and then attempts to recreate the hound affect in Watson by locking him in a lab in the Defence base. To test a theory, Sherlock later exposes Watson to what he assumes is drugged sugar, which has no effect. A vegetarian restaurant is found to have ordered large quantities of meat and admits it used to keep a dog to attempt to stimulate interest in the defence experiments/local giant hound legend. Holmes using a memory technique determines that words remembered by Henry Knight are Liberty, Indiana and later determines, by accessing the base computers, that HOUND is an acronym for a cancelled secret military project to weaponise a hallucinatory drug. Dr Robert Frankland, who works at the base was involved in the original experiments on the drug. In the climax, Holmes, Watson and Lestrade are called to find Henry, who has returned to the original site of his father death. They find Henry overcome by a fog containing the hallucinatory drug, the inn keeper's dog and Frankland. The dog is killed and Frankland runs away and is killed by a mine on the Grimpen minefield that protects the military base.
As can be seen by comparing the original Conan-Doyle and the Sherlock story outlines, that while the original story elements may be mentioned, the new content is completely different. Mark Gatiss (the Sherlock writer) was quoted as saying that the popularity of the novel necessitated including more of the familiar elements of the story. Implying that the other episodes based on less well known stories had displayed more script flexibility. The new stories are in general well written and the modernising approach fresh, however the Sherlock story is in my view designed to fit the story elements and appears clumsily constructed and some of the replacement storyline is far-fetched (eg Baskervilles a military base and HOUND a hallucinatory drug).
According to the Wikipedia, the Hound of the Baskervilles has 24 film and television adaptations. In the others I have seen (Basil Rathbone 1939, Tom Baker 1982 and Jeremy Brett 1988) all were faithful to the original Conan-Doyle story, with minor variations. (It should be pointed out however that the Rathbone Baskerville was the first movie in the series and was intended to be standalone. Its success led to the other 13 movies. These 13 movies updated the stories to the early 1940's England time period - ie the 2nd World War. The Jeremy Brett series in general tried to be closest to the Conan-Doyle time period.)
In conclusion, Dartmoor still exists in Devon and is protected by National Park status. The Dartmoor bogs are still dangerous. (Baskerville Hall exists – although it's in Powys, Wales). It may have been better to keep the Hound of the Baskervilles story largely intact and modernise it – or leave it alone.
The original Conon-Doyle story has the following key elements: A legendary hound killed a Baskerville two centuries ago. The recent death of Sir Charles Baskerville by a heart attack is caused by fright by a giant hound. The return of the American Sir Henry Baskerville from the USA to reclaim his inheritance. Theft of a new and old boot from Henry Baskerville. The escaped prisoner Seldon, who is related to Mrs Barrymore, a domestic servant at Baskerville Hall, is secretly fed by Mrs Barrymore through employment of signal lights and later when wearing some of Henry Baskervilles donated clothes, is killed in a chase with the Hound. Sherlock Holmes is secretly staying in a prehistoric dwelling on the moors and has Watson's letters to Baker Street intercepted. The protagonist - Jack Stapleton – a naturalist - turns out to be an heir of the Baskerville inheritance. Holmes pretends to leave again while secretly with Watson and Lestrade, watching for Henry Baskerville to complete dinner and leave Merripit House. Watson kills the Hound, before it seriously injures Baskerville. Stapleton escapes but on his way to his hideout (where he keeps the dog) in the Great Grimpen Mire, slips and is sucked into the bog.
The Sherlock story: Henry Knight witnesses his father's death by a hound 20 years ago and still troubled after receiving therapy from Dr Jacqui Stapleton, returns to the original site, only to have his fears return. The nearby Defence Base – Baskerville – that conducts secret biological weapons experiments is suspected. Holmes breaks in using his brother Mycroft's pass, and receives a tour. Watson meanwhile interprets signal lights as Morse code, which later turnout to be vehicle lights. Holmes upon visiting the site also sees the hound and then attempts to recreate the hound affect in Watson by locking him in a lab in the Defence base. To test a theory, Sherlock later exposes Watson to what he assumes is drugged sugar, which has no effect. A vegetarian restaurant is found to have ordered large quantities of meat and admits it used to keep a dog to attempt to stimulate interest in the defence experiments/local giant hound legend. Holmes using a memory technique determines that words remembered by Henry Knight are Liberty, Indiana and later determines, by accessing the base computers, that HOUND is an acronym for a cancelled secret military project to weaponise a hallucinatory drug. Dr Robert Frankland, who works at the base was involved in the original experiments on the drug. In the climax, Holmes, Watson and Lestrade are called to find Henry, who has returned to the original site of his father death. They find Henry overcome by a fog containing the hallucinatory drug, the inn keeper's dog and Frankland. The dog is killed and Frankland runs away and is killed by a mine on the Grimpen minefield that protects the military base.
As can be seen by comparing the original Conan-Doyle and the Sherlock story outlines, that while the original story elements may be mentioned, the new content is completely different. Mark Gatiss (the Sherlock writer) was quoted as saying that the popularity of the novel necessitated including more of the familiar elements of the story. Implying that the other episodes based on less well known stories had displayed more script flexibility. The new stories are in general well written and the modernising approach fresh, however the Sherlock story is in my view designed to fit the story elements and appears clumsily constructed and some of the replacement storyline is far-fetched (eg Baskervilles a military base and HOUND a hallucinatory drug).
According to the Wikipedia, the Hound of the Baskervilles has 24 film and television adaptations. In the others I have seen (Basil Rathbone 1939, Tom Baker 1982 and Jeremy Brett 1988) all were faithful to the original Conan-Doyle story, with minor variations. (It should be pointed out however that the Rathbone Baskerville was the first movie in the series and was intended to be standalone. Its success led to the other 13 movies. These 13 movies updated the stories to the early 1940's England time period - ie the 2nd World War. The Jeremy Brett series in general tried to be closest to the Conan-Doyle time period.)
In conclusion, Dartmoor still exists in Devon and is protected by National Park status. The Dartmoor bogs are still dangerous. (Baskerville Hall exists – although it's in Powys, Wales). It may have been better to keep the Hound of the Baskervilles story largely intact and modernise it – or leave it alone.