what a deformed thief
this fashion is

Holmes' "hah!" from behind the closed door a moment after Watson changes the title to "Resident Patient" is pure delight

Holmes' whistle when informed Blessington hung himself in The Resident Patient?

Bickering with Watson over the title (and his intrusive violining)?

Yes, Brett is the actual man that Watson aims to celebrate (despite Holmes' distaste for mere "adventure stories")

to this day, when my wife and I are debating some point, one of us will exclaim ala Brett: "I DON'T believe you!"

Yes, the nanny! (i think he once suggested Holmes had briefly been in love long ago, it never went anywhere, and he buried it deep down since)

Carbuncle also has Brett's most fun entrance as Holmes -- Mrs. Hudson shaking him awake: "Oh please, GO AWAY!"

As a sucker for all things Noel, among my favorite fictions (alongside George's dash thru Bedford Falls and Ebenezer being told off by Christmas Present), are Holmes and Watson at Baker Street, quietly toasting late in the evening, after freeing an innocent man for his family Christmas morning.

My guess is Brett decided Holmes had once been in a similar position, and made the opposite choice -- sending someone away for one mistake to prison who'd then been utterly destroyed by it -- and Holmes had regretted it ever since (tho perhaps without ever admitting it to himself)

as Ryder begs to be spared, Brett's Holmes has a distant, despondent look on his face. Afterward, Holmes snaps at Watson's disapproval, a volcanic outburst entirely unlike him.

Brett spoke of the personal history he'd imagine for Holmes to bring depth & humanity to the eccentric character Conan Doyle wrote.

Just watched The Blue Carbuncle (a holiday tradition here). There is a (wonderfully) shocking moment at the end of the story when Holmes lets Ryder, the thief, go. . .

a man full of obstacles

he is

"Happy Christmas!"

that sad little Mets pennant

so good in THE TERROR

because Ortiz was a single dimensional home run hitter who couldn't play in the field who helped the Sox navigate October(s).

if Schwarber continues as he has in Philadelphia (& esp if he finally helps get them over the WS hump), then he will be a HOF'er, and possibly a first-ballot one