I do say this with regret, as I do love the Granada Sherlock Holmes series and always have. The Three Gables is marginally better as an episode than The Eligible Bachelor(my least favourite episode of the series), The Last Vampyre and The Mazarin Stone, but of the "Memoirs" series it is nowhere near as good as The Dying Detective and The Cardboard Box. For other classic episodes of the series the standouts alongside those two were The Crooked Man, The Blue Carbuncle, The Final Problem, The Devil's Foot, The Dancing Men, The Six Napoleons, The Norwood Builder, The Master Blackmailer, Sign of Four and Hound of the Baskervilles. The others range from good to great.
The Three Gables isn't irredeemable though. The evocative atmosphere and splendid production values are still there, as well as some very interesting camera work and the hauntingly beautiful music. Jeremy Brett does look ill and has given more inspired performances in other episodes but he is nonetheless commanding, and Edward Hardwicke is a quietly composed contrast. On the other hand, the supporting don't really have that much to do and don't shine as much. And there is no wonder seeing as pace-wise The Three Gables for me was one of the duller episodes, made more problematic by a story that is very confused and rambling(then again the story itself was I agree one of Conan Doyle's weakest, giving the impression he was running out of ideas) and a script that is mostly lacking in any life or intrigue.
All in all, not the worst episode and not a waste of time, but one of the weakest of the series and a disappointment in general. 5/10 Bethany Cox
The Three Gables isn't irredeemable though. The evocative atmosphere and splendid production values are still there, as well as some very interesting camera work and the hauntingly beautiful music. Jeremy Brett does look ill and has given more inspired performances in other episodes but he is nonetheless commanding, and Edward Hardwicke is a quietly composed contrast. On the other hand, the supporting don't really have that much to do and don't shine as much. And there is no wonder seeing as pace-wise The Three Gables for me was one of the duller episodes, made more problematic by a story that is very confused and rambling(then again the story itself was I agree one of Conan Doyle's weakest, giving the impression he was running out of ideas) and a script that is mostly lacking in any life or intrigue.
All in all, not the worst episode and not a waste of time, but one of the weakest of the series and a disappointment in general. 5/10 Bethany Cox