The Return of Sherlock Holmes (1986–1988): Season 1, Episode 1 - The Empty House - full transcript

In 1891 the Reichenbach Falls
near Marlington in Switzerland,

Sherlock Holmes finally closed his
account with Professor Moriarty,

the most dangerous
criminal of his generation.

The two men were alone
in that dreadful place

but the outcome of their struggle
was obvious to a trained observer.

Holmes had achieved the
destruction of his archenemy

only at the cost
of his own life.

It is now three long years since my
dear friend plunged to his death.

There deep down under
the swirling water

the infamous Professor Moriarty

and the foremost
champion of law of his



generation will lie
together for all time.

Even now, there is
hardly a corner of London

that does not remind
me of my old friend.

I never walk down Baker Street where we
shared rooms for so many eventful years

without it reminding me
only too keenly of the past

and the loss of one
I shall ever regard

as the best and wisest
man I have ever known.

I retained a keen interest
in criminal matters

and supplemented my meager practice
by working as a police surgeon.

It was in the early
spring of 1894

that I was called out
early in the morning

to an appointment
in the west end.

Good morning Constable.

Good morning Doctor. Inspector Lestrade
is waiting for you, first floor sir.



Inspector?

Early call I'm afraid
Doctor. I'm glad to see you.

The Honorable Ronald Adair.

Not there sir if you please.

I'm sorry...

Age twenty-three,

the second son of the Earl
and Countess of Maynooth,

father is governor of one
of the Australian colonies,

mother in London for the winter,

son and daughter are living
in this house with him.

Suicide?

Oh, no. No weapon.

Oh uh, this, this found on
the floor beside the corpse.

It's one of those soft nose
revolver bullets, horrible things.

Must have gone right through
the poor fellows head.

It's unusual, isn't it, for a
pistol to have such velocity?

More like a rifle.

Yes.

Well it's murder
then, Inspector.

Oh yes.

Any idea who it was?

No. It's early days yet
but this one looks to me

as if it could turn out
to be a bit of a puzzle.

Well presumably he was
sitting in that chair.

I suppose counting that money.

Oh the murderer doesn't
appear to have been a thief.

Adair had spent the evening
playing cards at his club.

Time for one last hand?

Oh yes indeed.

Now we can get our revenge.

Now Ronald, what's the damage?

Ronald?

Ronald?

Ronald?

I don't think Ronald
couldn't have gone out again.

No, my lady. I heard him come
home at about half past ten.

And he hasn't gone out
again that I'm sure.

Mr. Ronald?

Mr. Ronald sir.

Let's break it down my lady.

The condition of the body
death was instantaneous.

I suppose the murderer
came in through the window.

The window was open. Same
spot of the matter is, there-

there are no signs of any
intruder, nothing, inside or out,

I wouldn't like to climb up here at
night. It must have been a monkey.

As you say Doctor,
an impossibility.

Looks like the
murderer had wings

Sort of case that would have interested
our old friend Mr. Sherlock Holmes.

Yes indeed.

What a loss he is Doctor.

I didn't always
approve of his methods

but he was the best amateur
there was or ever likely to be.

There were times when he
even got the better of me.

All right, Inspector, if you arrange for
our friend to be brought down the mortuary.

I'll conduct an
autopsy this afternoon.

Yes indeed Doctor.

See you at the inquest.

Till then.

Doctor... Watson.

You are a police surgeon?

Yes sir.

You examined the deceased,
Ronald Frances Adair,

who is the subject
of this inquest

and later conducted a
postmortem on the corpse?

I did sir.

Pray what are your findings?

Well death occurred
as the result

of a bullet wound from a
point four-five revolver.

Dr. Watson? I beg
you to keep to fact.

My business is to establish
the facts of this case.

I'm sorry sir. I
don't understand.

You say that the bullet came
from a point four-five revolver

that is pure speculation
on your part.

It is not your business to start
guessing at the type of weapon used.

That is a subject
for the police.

I'm sorry sir.

Pray continue.

Death occurred as
the result of a wound

from a soft-nosed lead
bullet. The bullet-

penetrated the skull
above the left eye,

traversing the left frontal
lobe through the cerebellum

and then exited from the
skull at the back of the head

by the left occipital
parietal suture.

Your opinion, when
did death take place?

Oh it would have
been instantaneous.

Have you any idea how far

this bullet had traveled
before it entered the body?

I cannot be sure but it would certainly
be more than four or five feet.

Time of death?

Death occurred between
10:30 and 11:30

post meridian on the
twentieth of this month.

Thank you Doctor...

Watson.

Ronald Adair and I were in
the "Harrow Eleven" together.

He was a first-class bat,
pretty effective leg spinner.

A good sportsman, in fact?

Absolutely first
class sportsman sir.

Straight as a dime. One of the
most popular fellows I know.

Thank you Mr. Murray.

Sir John Hardy.

I was Ronald Adair's godfather
and a trustee of the estate.

Of course the family's absolutely
devastated by this appalling tragedy.

I put the boy up for the
Bagatelle Club as a matter of fact.

He always he enjoyed
the game of cards.

Win or lose?

Would that affect Mr. Adair
in any way, Sir John?

Lord no, not in the least,

He never played such high stakes
that could affect him at all.

The family fortune is a
very considerable one.

Thank you Sir John.

You have been a great help

and may I say that evidence from such
a distinguished person, as yourself,

is greatly valued by the court.

Colonel Moran.

You were the last person
known to have seen Mr. Adair.

Did you know him well?

I wouldn't say that I
knew Ronald Adair well.

I knew his father, Lord
Maynooth, very well.

We used to play polo
together in India.

But Ronald...

I've seen quite a good bit in
the dark clubs over the past

few months we played cards
together from time to time.

Oh charming boy. Good
manners, intelligent,

Matter of fact, he's just
the stamp of a young fellow

I'd like to see joining
my old regiment.

Did you notice anything unusual about
him? Did he seem worried or upset

on the last evening you saw him?

Not in the least, Quite
the opposite in fact.

Have you any idea why someone
should choose to murder him?

No idea at all.

I doubt if he had an
enemy in the world.

Thank you Colonel Moran.

Inspector Lestrade, would you give
me your opinion as to the cause

of the Honorable
Ronald Adair's death?

Yes sir. Willful murder by
person or persons unknown.

Cab.

Willful murder by person
or persons unknown.

Yes?

A gentleman to see you Doctor.

Is it an urgent matter?

I don't know Doctor.

Well did he give you his card?

No, Doctor.

Ivy if I've told you once,
I've told you hundred times,

my consulting hours are
plainly displayed outside.

Now please...

Oh sir,

Doctor Watson?

Yes indeed sir.
You may go Ivy.

I am exceedingly busy sir.

Oh of course you are Doctor.

Of course you are a man of
considerable responsibilities

but I heard you give your address to
that cab driver outside the courtroom.

I said to myself I'll just hobble
around and see that Kind gentlemen,

I have a consciens. I felt
a little gruff in my manner

I meant no harm by it I'm much obliged
to him for helping me pick up my books.

You make too much
of a trifle sir.

You should have spared yourself the
journey. Now if you'll excuse me...

No great journey sir, I
am a neighbor of yours.

You will find my little bookshop
on the corner of Church Street.

I'm very happy to see
you and I'm sure Doctor...

perhaps... you collect...

I have British Birds...

quite a rare volume of The Holy War,
bargains everyone.

Just the books you need
to fill up your bookcase.

Give it a little weight. It
does look untidy, does it not?

Watson, do you mind if I smoke a
cigarette in your consulting room?

A thousand apologies
my dear Watson.

I had no idea that you
would be so affected.

Holmes! Is it really you?

Can it really be
that you're alive?

But are you really fit
enough to discuss things?

I have given you a serious shock by my
unnecessarily dramatic reappearance.

No, No, No I'm all
right. I'm all right,

but indeed, Holmes,

I can hardly believe
my eyes. Good heavens,

to think that you, you of all men
should be here in my consulting room.

Well you're not a spirit
at least. My dear chap,

I'm overjoyed to see
you. Sit down, sit down

and tell me how you came
alive out of that awful chasm.

Oh I'm glad to stretch myself.

It's no joke when a tall man
has to take a foot off his

stature for several
hours on end.

Now, my dear fellow,
we have a hard

and dangerous night's
work ahead of us.

Perhaps it would be better
if I gave you an account

of the whole situation
when that work is finished.

No, no, no. I'm full of curiosity,
I should much prefer to hear now.

But you will come
with me tonight?

When you like where you like.

Ha! Watson.

This is just like the old days.

We might have a chance for a
mouthful of dinner before we need go.

Dinner of course, but first
you must tell me everything.

You sure you're all right?

Yeah, I'm fine.

Well then...

about that chasm.

I had no serious difficulty in getting
out of it for the very simple reason

that I was never in it.

You were never in it?

No, Watson. I never was in it.

The note that I left on the rock at the
Reichenbach Falls was absolutely genuine.

I had little doubt that my
career had come to an end

when I perceived the somewhat
sinister figure of Moriarty

standing upon the narrow
pathway that led to safety.

I read an inexorable
purpose in his gray eyes.

I managed to obtain his
courteous permission

to write the note which
you afterwards received.

It has remained my
treasured possession.

It was a few months
later that I read with

great interest your
description of my death.

It was excellently done,
the most picturesque

and exciting piece of fiction.

Well I'm certainly glad from the
bottom of my heart that it was fiction,

but what did really happen?

When I reached the
ledge, I stood at bay.

He drew no weapon,
but rushed at me

and threw his long
arms around me.

He knew that his game was up.

He was only anxious to
revenge himself upon me.

I have, however, some
knowledge of baritsu,

or the Japanese
system of wrestling,

which has on more than one
occasion, been very useful to me.

My God.

But... but how did you
get away from that place?

It was not a pleasant business.

Even as Professor Moriarty
disappeared into oblivion

it struck me what an
extraordinary lucky chance

Fate had placed in my way.

I knew that at least one of Moriarty's
henchmen would seek my demise now.

With even keener determination
to revenge their dead leader

but if I could convince the
world that I too was dead,

so I decided

to disappear then and there.

Heavens above.

But the tracks Holmes?

I saw them with my own eyes. Two
went down the path and none returned.

I'm not a fanciful
person Watson,

but I give you my word there
were times during that climb

when I seemed to
hear Moriarty's voice

screaming at me from
out of the abyss.

At last I reached a place where
I was able to remain unseen.

Holmes.

Holmes.

Holmes.

From my concealed place,

I watched you and your followers
investigate in the most sympathetic

and inefficient manner the
circumstances of my death.

At last, when you
had all formed your

inevitable but totally erroneous
conclusions, you departed.

It was time for me
to be on my way.

Of course, the meaning
of this was obvious.

Moriarty had not been alone.

A confederate

from a distance had been witness to
his friend's demise and my escape.

I did not take long to
think about it, Watson.

I took to my heels
and covered ten miles

over the mountains in
the pending darkness.

A week later I found
myself in Florence,

with the certainty that no one in
the world knew what had become of me.

I had one confidant
my brother Mycroft.

I had to confide in him in order to
obtain the money I needed to live.

Of course.

I owe you many apologies,
my dear Watson,

but it was all-important that
it should be thought I was dead,

and it is quite certain that you
would not have written so convincing

an account of my unhappy end

had you yourself not
thought that it was true.

I have taken up my pen to write
to you, but always I feared

lest your affectionate regard might
tempt you to some indiscretion,

which would betray my secret.

I would have thought I was as
trustworthy as your brother.

Of course you are Watson...

But you have a kinder heart.

But what have you done
all these long years?

As you may have read
of the remarkable

explorations of a
Norwegian called Sigerson,

but I am sure that it
never occurred to you

that you were receiving
news of your friend.

For two years I
traveled, to Tibet

and amused myself
by visiting Lhasa

and spending some time
with the head Lama.

I then moved to Persia,
and paid a short

but interesting visit to
the Khalif a in Khartoum,

the results of which I have
passed on to Lord Ketchum

in the Foreign Office,
anonymously of course.

You mean you actually saw the
palace where Gordon was murdered?

It was a sorry sight, of ruin.

His blood still upon his jacket.

Lately I've been in France in Montpellier
to research the coal tar derivatives.

Then came the news of
this remarkable murder,

which not only appealed
to my by its own merits,

but would seem to offer
some most peculiar

personal opportunities.

So here I am.

Have you been to Baker Street?

Yes. I called there this
morning in my own person.

Mycroft had preserved my rooms

and my papers exactly
as they had always been.

So it was, that I found
myself in my old rooms,

sitting in my old chair,
and only wishing that

I could have seen my
dear friend, Watson

sitting in the other chair
which he has so often adorned.

And so I hope I will be.

What... what a
remarkable story.

Are you still in possession
of your Army revolver?

Well I think I
have it somewhere.

See that you bring
it with you tonight.

I have piece of work
for both of us which

if we bring to a successful
conclusion, will in itself

justify a man's
life on this planet.

I beg you to tell me about it.

You will see and hear
enough before morning.

Watson? May I occupy your
couch for a few hours?

The sea was exceeding rough
during the channel crossing

and the prospect of seeing London again
and an imminent encounter with one of

Moriarty's confederates
plus the added pleasure

of seeing my old friend Watson

quite prohibited sleep
on the railway train.

My dear Holmes, please, my
bedroom is at your disposal.

No, No, No. This will
suit me very well.

I've had harder beds than
this over the past few years.

Do you know where we are?

Surely that is Baker Street.

Exactly. But in the empty house
opposite our old quarters.

Why are we here?

Because it commands such an excellent
a view of that picturesque pile.

Might I trouble you, Watson,

to be so kind as to draw a
little nearer to the window,

taking every precaution
not to reveal yourself,

and then to look
into our old rooms?

Let us see where the three
years of absence have entirely

taken away my power
to surprise you.

Good heavens!

It's marvelous.

I trust that age doth not wither nor
custom stale my infinite variety.

It is rather like me, is it not?

I should be prepared
to swear it was you.

The construction is due to a
Monsieur Oscar Meunier of Grenoble.

The bust is in wax.

The rest I arranged during my
visit to Baker Street earlier.

But why?

Because I have the
strongest possible reason

for wishing certain people
to believe that I was there

when I was really elsewhere.

You thought the
rooms were watched?

I knew that they
were being watched.

By Whom?

By the one remaining member
of that charming society

whose leader lies in
the Reichenbach Falls.

Sooner or later he believed
that I would come back

to my rooms. So he had
them watched continuously.

I was observed when I
arrived this morning.

I recognized the sentinel.

Parker by name,

a garrotter by trade

and a remarkable exponent
upon the Jew's harp.

Now I understand the reason
for the old bookseller.

I cared not about Parker

but I care a great deal about the much
more formidable person who is behind him,

the bosom friend of Moriarty.

That is the man who
is after me tonight

and let us hope that
he is also the man

who is totally unaware
that we are after him.

Holmes. Look.

Just beyond the house.

Couple of shady
characters in the doorway.

Yes I see them.

Well shouldn't we do something?

Holmes, the shadow's moved.

Certainly it has moved.

I involved Mrs. Hudson.

We have been in this room
two hours and she has made-

some change in that figure eight
times, or once every quarter,

Mr. Holmes.

Lestrade how nice to see you.

So it really is you? When I received
your message I could scarce believe it.

You seem to want
some unofficial help.

Three undetected murders in
one year won't do you know.

Holmes I know this man.

Of course you do Watson.
So does the Inspector.

Colonel Sebastian Moran, once
of Her Majesty's Indian Army,

and the best heavy game shot our
Eastern Empire has ever produced.

I believe I'm correct, Colonel,

in saying that your bag of
tigers still remain unrivalled?

I wonder that my simple stratagem
could deceive so old a shikari.

How many times have you not
tethered a young kid under a tree,

laid above it with your rifle,

and waited for your bait
to bring up your tiger?

This empty house is my
tree, and you're my tiger!

The parallel is exact.

You may or may not have
just cause for arresting me

but there can be no reason why I should
be subjected to the jives of this person.

If I'm in the hands of the law
let things be done in a legal way.

Well that sounds reasonable.

Anything further to
say before we go?

Only to ask what charge
you intend to prefer?

What charge sir?

Why of course the attempted
murder of Mr. Sherlock Holmes.

Not so Lestrade.

To you, and to you only belongs the
credit of this remarkable arrest.

With your usual mixture of cunning
and audacity and you have got him.

I don't understand
you Mr. Holmes.

Do you mean this man?

The man whom the entire police
force has been seeking in vain,

Colonel Sebastian Moran,

who shot the young Adair
through the open window

of his parent's house upon
the twentieth of last month.

That is your charge Lestrade.

You were quite the heron of
the occasion Mrs. Hudson.

Why I don't know, I'm short.

I hope you have observed
all precautions?

Oh yes sir, I went to it on my
knees just exactly as you told me

and a good crick in
my back to prove it.

Oh I was frightened Doctor

and when that window shattered
I thought I should have died.

Yes you did it very
well Mrs. Hudson.

There's no sign of the bullet.

Excuse me sir, a
moment if you please.

What is it?

I have it here. I picked
it up off the carpet.

Mrs. Hudson you are
becoming indispensable.

A soft revolver bullet,

as you perceive,
there's genius in that-

for who would expect such a thing
to be fired from an air gun?

It's no ordinary air gun.

No indeed. A remarkable
and unique weapon.

Noiseless and of tremendous
power I knew Von Herder

the blind German mechanic
who constructed it

to the order of the late
Professor James Moriarty.

Watson, look at this.
The old shikari's nerves-

had not lost their steadiness
nor his eyes their keenness.

The results are appalling.

Yes indeed.

Have you heard of the name
Moran before Adairs murder?

No I had not.

Well, well, well such
is the price of fame.

Would you be so kind to
hand me down my L-M index?

Our biographies Watson?

My list of M's is a fine one.

Mind you Moriarty's name is enough
to make any letter illustrious.

I seem to remember
Morgan the poisoner.

Merridew an abominable
memory. And there was Mathews,

who knocked out my left canine
in Charing Cross Station.

Ah, there is our
friend of last night.

Moran, Sebastian, Colonel.
Son of Sir Augustus Moran,

once British Minister to
Persia. Educated Eton, Oxford.

Served in Jowaki
Campaign, Afghan Campaign

Sherpur, Cabul
mention to dispatches.

The second most
dangerous man in London.

This is astonishing Holmes. This is
the career of an honorable soldier.

It's true.

Up to a certain point he did well
yet there are some trees, Watson,

which grow to a certain
height and then suddenly

develop some unsightly eccentricity.
You will often find it in humans.

Whatever the cause,
Moran began to go wrong.

Without an open scandal he still
made India too hot to hold him.

He retired, came back to London
but again he acquired an evil name.

It was about this time that he was
sought out by Professor Moriarty.

When you were in
Switzerland, Watson,

Moran followed us with Moriarty
and it was undoubtedly he

who gave me those evil five minutes
above the Reichenbach Falls.

Well now I can understand
why you disappeared.

With a fellow like
this, free in London,

your life would not
have been worth living.

All I could do was wait and
watch the criminal news knowing

that if I was patient sooner or
later he would make a mistake.

But I heard of the
murder of Ronald Adair,

I knew that at last
my chance had come.

Knowing what I did was it not certain
that Colonel Moran had done it.

He played cards with the lad

followed him home from
his club and shot him

through the open window
from the rooftop opposite.

Watson does anything else
remain for me to explain?

Yes.

You have not made clear
what was Moran's motive

in murdering the
Honorable Ronald Adair.

There we move into the
realms of conjecture.

Each may form his own hypothesis
upon the present evidence

and yours is as likely
to be correct as mine.

Watson have you formed one?

I think so.

Let me hear.

Well it's not difficult
to explain the facts.

There must have been a considerable
amount of money involved

and Moran had
undoubtedly played foul.

I think that Adair had
discovered that he was cheating.

Splendid.

Very likely he spoke to him privately
and threatened to expose Moran unless he

voluntarily resigned membership in his
club and promised not to play again.

Watson this is excellent.

Exclusion from his club
would mean ruin to Moran,

who lived by his
ill-gotten card gains.

Therefore, he murdered Adair.

Will it pass?

I think, without doubt, that
you have hit upon the truth.

Anyway it will be verified or disproved
at the trial. Meanwhile, come what may

Colonel Moran will
trouble us no more.

And the famous air gun of Von Herder
will embellish the Scotland Yard Museum.

Come in.

Once again Mr. Sherlock Holmes
is free to devote his life

to examining those
interesting little problems,

which the complex life of
London. So plentifully presents.

Mr. Sherlock Holmes.