This entertaining "Sherlock Holmes" episode is one of the most amusing ones in the 1954-1955 television series. Besides a solid mystery story, it features character actor Eugene Deckers in one of his best roles. Deckers appeared in a good number of episodes in the series, in all kinds of different roles. But here he has a character with an especially large part, and one that is well-suited to his eccentric, exuberant style. His portrayal of "Harry Crocker" fits in quite well with the show's characteristic banter and battle of wits between Holmes, Dr. Watson, and Inspector Lestrade.
The story has Harry Crocker as a vaudeville escape artist who is accused of strangling a chorus girl, with Lestrade satisfied that he has his man, but Holmes determined to look more carefully at the case. Crocker's repeated escapes from police custody add an extra dimension to this typical setup, as they cause Holmes considerable amusement and Lestrade considerable aggravation. The resulting characterizations by Ronald Howard and Archie Duncan are rather different from Arthur Conan Doyle's original characters, but they are a lot of fun to watch.
Deckers himself obviously enjoyed this role, going all out with offbeat mannerisms, and exaggerating his character's indignation in a manner that works well. As Watson, H. Marion Crawford vacillates believably between his suspicion that Lestrade is right this time and his loyalty and confidence towards Holmes. It all fits together to make for a very good episode.