A Baker-Rated Situation - "The Hound of the Baskervilles"

Note: This is a hiatus episode, part of the Wilderness Years series. Love the podcast? Consider joining us on Patreon for early access to episodes, exclusive content, and the option to commission your own Doctor Who story.

Tom Baker Wearing a Sherlock Holmes Mask

When Tom Baker signed on to play Sherlock Holmes in the BBC's 1982 adaptation of The Hound of the Baskervilles, the hosts expected brilliance—an alien intelligence wrapped in the detective's coat, bringing the mysterious, otherworldly quality Baker had mastered as the Doctor. Instead, what emerged was a performance so restrained it felt like he was reading lines from a script rather than inhabiting the character. One host summed it up perfectly: Baker looks like he's wearing a paper mask of Sherlock Holmes that literally says "Sherlock Holmes" on the forehead—recognizable as the character, but somehow still fundamentally Baker doing an impression of what he thinks Holmes should be, rather than becoming Holmes.

A Watson Story with the Wrong Focus

The story itself—one of Conan Doyle's four Holmes novels—is genuinely more Watson's tale than Holmes's. Holmes disappears for large stretches while Watson investigates the mystery on the moor, interacting with the household at Baskerville Hall, and gathering clues. This is Watson's chance to prove himself, to apply Holmes's methods, to earn praise from his mentor. The hosts recognized this structure and appreciated how the adaptation leaned into it. Terrence Rigby's Watson is good—more aligned with Doyle's original vision than Nigel Bruce's bumbling caricature. The problem: Baker's Holmes is so uncomfortable, so clearly second-guessing himself, that he undercuts every scene he's in.

A Production Full of Doctor Who Faces

Behind and in front of the camera, this was a Doctor Who reunion. Barry Letts produced it. Terrence Dicks served as story editor. Alexander Baron adapted the script. The cast included Hubert Reeves (chief engineer in Fury from the Deep, Captain Ransom in The War Games, John Stevenson in The Seeds of Doom), William Squire (the Shadow in The Armageddon Factor), and Morris Perry (leader of the IMF troop in The Colony in Space). The production itself was solid—good sets, striking location work on the moors, money was spent. The problem was always the central performance.

What Everyone Thought, Then and Now

At the time, the series ran in the afternoon rather than evening—a sign the BBC lacked confidence even as it aired. The BBC later apologized for Baker's performance. He himself has been critical, appearing on the DVD commentary in Australia to discuss his own unhappiness with the role. The Independent called him "oddly flat" compared to Basil Rathbone, Peter Cushing, and Jeremy Brett. A book titled A Study in Error: The Ten Worst Sherlock Holmes apparently includes this adaptation. Yet both hosts argue this reputation is undeserved—the production is competent, the adaptation faithful, and only Baker's restraint truly hampers it.

The Dog That Didn't Want to Attack

One charming behind-the-scenes detail: the dog playing the hound became very fond of the actor playing the murdered Baskerville and refused to attack him on cue. Instead of jumping and snarling, the dog wanted pets and hugs. They had to work around the animal's affection to create the necessary threatening scenes.

A Series That Never Happened

The plan was for this to be the beginning of a series of Tom Baker Sherlock Holmes adaptations. The poor reception killed that idea. The BBC made another Holmes adaptation the next year with a different actor, effectively trying to wash the taste of this one away.

Production Details:

• Air Date: October 3–24, 1982
• Network: BBC (aired afternoons, not prime time)
• Adapter: Alexander Baron | Director: Peter Hammond
• Producer: Barry Letts | Story Editor: Terrence Dicks
• Main Cast: Tom Baker (Sherlock Holmes), Terence Rigby (Dr. Watson), Nicholas Woodison (Sir Henry Baskerville)
• Notable Guest Cast:
  • Hubert Reeves (Inspector Lestrade)
  • William Squire (Franklin)
  • Morris Perry (Barrymore)
• Structure: Four-part serial
• Filmed Locations: English moors, Baskerville Hall sets
• Notable Detail: The dog playing the hound had to be coaxed to attack; it preferred affection to aggression

Key Discussion Points:

• Why Baker seems to be reading lines rather than inhabiting the character
• Whether booking Baker was a scheduling decision (he's absent for large portions of the story)
• Why Hound of the Baskervilles is fundamentally a Watson story, not a Holmes story
• Terrence Rigby's Watson as more true to Doyle's original than other adaptations
• The paradox of Holmes as an "alien" character—brilliant beyond human comprehension, unable to relate to mortals
• Why Baker should have brought his alien-Doctor energy to the role
• The quality of the production itself (sets, locations, costumes) despite Baker's performance
• Nicholas Woodison's uncomfortable American accent as Sir Henry
• The "getting to know you" montage as shorthand storytelling
• Recognizing Carolyn John (who played Elizabeth Shaw in Season Seven) as Mrs. Lyons
• Why this adaptation is unfairly maligned compared to other Holmes performances
• The BBC's apology and Baker's own criticism of his work

Coming Up Next:

Wednesday (Patreon Exclusive 137 or 138): Music discussion, "The Stars Fell on Stockbridge" comics, and a review of "Creatures of Beauty" (Peter Davison and Sarah Sutton audio).

Friday (Patreon Early) / Monday (Main Feed): Back to Classic Doctor Who with "Arc of Infinity" (Season 20, four-parter with Peter Davison).

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