Sherlock Holmes
"So this is the deceased detective who's going to save civilization
as we know it?"
Chief Inspector Greyson, FALL
"....the best and wisest man I have ever known."
Dr. John H. Watson, "The Final Problem"
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Sherlock Holmes was the world's first consulting detective. Since the day-to-day
work of a police or private detective did not provide his talents with
enough of a challenge, he helped these detectives when they were stumped
and collected a healthy fee for it. Occasionally he took on a member of
the public as a client, but only when the matter was interesting to him.
Holmes also was responsible for inventing and publicizing many advances
in the forensic sciences. We know of his activities primarily through his
friend Dr. John H. Watson, whose articles made Holmes famous.
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Holmes was revived in the 22nd century in order to help Inspector Beth
Lestrade find and catch Moriarty -- another consultation! He is currently
being retained by New Scotland Yard as a consultant, and apparently is
making a good amount of credits that way.
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Despite much research, Holmes' background is largely a mystery to us. He
never spoke about his family. We know that Holmes had a brother, Mycroft,
only because Holmes was forced to call upon his aid during a case. Mycroft
worked for the British government in a high but mysterious position. Holmes
told Watson that Mycroft was more intelligent than himself, but did not
like to do the legwork of investigation. Holmes also had a cousin named
Verner, who at point purchased Watson's practice from him. We know that
his family lived in Sussex and that one side was descended from the French
painter Vernet. That's it. Perhaps Inspector Lestrade may know more, given
that she owns Watson's journals, but if she does, she hasn't said anything
about it.
In the 22nd century, Holmes is apparently a very minor celebrity. His existence
is known to the public (as witness Miss Morstan's consultation with him),
but perhaps the vagaries of News On Demand have prevented people from getting
properly excited about the life of a famous detective returned from the
dead. Nevertheless, Holmes' status was still high enough to allow Lestrade
to get him back into his old rooms on Baker Street
(preserved as the alternate universe version of the
Sherlock Holmes Museum).
Holmes still has a lot of catching up to do, but he has embraced the use
of computers, hololearners, and video communication over the net. His Stradivarius
does not seem to be in evidence (and heck! Did you think a Strad was going
to be allowed to rot in a museum? And did you think that anyone, even Lestrade,
could persuade a violinist to give one up?) but Holmes has adopted
an electronic instrument which combines frets with a keyboard (EMPT2) and
seems to be happy with it -- except that by TWIS2, he was still having
trouble playing the rather simple melody of "Ode to Joy".
Holmes is of course an expert boxer and singlestick player and knows
baritsu, but his primary martial art in the 22nd century is cane
fighting. La canne really was practiced back in Victorian times as
part of the French martial art Savate, which was folded into Bartitsu
(and hence, very likely, into baritsu). Here are some links:
Happily, Holmes seems to be kept busy enough by his cases and studies that
he has not suffered from any of the frequent bouts of depression and lethargy
which often afflicted him in previous years. Well, except at Christmastime.
And when he got bored and frustrated with his new instrument during the
long stretch of fog (TWIS2). Argumentativeness and smugness are his major vices.
Holmes owns or leases a gold and purple coachcraft, which Watson generally
drives. However, Holmes had learned how to drive it (well, sorta) by TWIS2.
Holmes habitually carries on his person:
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a retractable/extendable cane (FALL)
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a magnifying glass (DERA)
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a futuristic flashlight (DERA)
Here's what Fox's press releases had to say about Holmes:
Sherlock Holmes: The most striking feature of this great detective is
his ability to focus on the task as hand; he becomes completely self-absorbed
by solving crimes with his brain, not his physical strength. If he makes
a mistake, he will admit he's wrong, and he will ask for help if he needs
to.
He wears his signature Victorian cape and deerstalker hat, although
he gave up his pipe because smoking is forbidden in the 22nd Century. Holmes
is very traditional; he loves music and will always hold a door for a lady,
no matter how politically incorrect it might be.
Sherlock Holmes is not just the world's greatest detective - he is a
true Renaissance Man.
*******
The world's greatest detective is back and this time, he's battling
crime in the brave new world of the 22nd Century. Thanks to Inspector Beth
Lestrade of New Scotland Yard, Sherlock Holmes is brought back rejuvenated
to that of a 25-year-old to help Lestrade battle an unprecedented crime
wave wreaking havoc on this peaceful future.
*******
From the Teacher's Guide:
When Sherlock Holmes, the world's greatest detective, is involved
in a case, he tunes out everything else around him. If he's self-absorbed,
it's because he's always thinking, solving mysteries and fighting crime
with his brain, not his brawn. He admits his rare mistakes and will ask
for help when he needs it. Holmes is a gentleman with a keen sense of
tradition and a wry wit. He still wears his trademark cape and deerstalker
hat, but the pipe is gone because people no longer smoke in the 22nd
century.
Well, that's all well and good...but Holmes really is no bastion of traditional
values. In his own time, he was a rebel, loving to break conventions and
challenge authority. (Which is one reason he ended up having adversarial
relationships with his police detective clients.) He often acted highhandedly
to achieve a higher justice than what the law could provide, he championed
people whom society looked down upon, he was always in the forefront of
investigative techniques -- and let's not even talk about the advanced
state of mess that 221B was usually in. His love of being different and
of things which are bizarre and unusual is probably the major reason Holmes
has been able to adjust so well to a time so different from his own.
Other essays:
Whatever Remains: a page suggesting that if
you eliminate the impossible, you'll see the improbable truth about Holmes
and Lestrade.
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