This is an very good adaptation of the Conan Doyle short story. Both Brett and Hardwicke are fine and receive great support from the other actors. It is a vast improvement over the first episode, "The Three Gables."
"The Dying Detective" aired not even a year and a half before Jeremy Brett's death at the early age of 61. For a man of sixty, he looks quite a bit older. Although he turns in an excellent performance, his face looks puffy and his body appears bloated. According to Edward Hardwicke, he smoked up to 60 cigarettes a day, which "didn't help his health." It is almost painful to see him smoking during this episode knowing how sick he was.
"The Dying Detective" aired not even a year and a half before Jeremy Brett's death at the early age of 61. For a man of sixty, he looks quite a bit older. Although he turns in an excellent performance, his face looks puffy and his body appears bloated. According to Edward Hardwicke, he smoked up to 60 cigarettes a day, which "didn't help his health." It is almost painful to see him smoking during this episode knowing how sick he was.