The Detective and the Doctor

The Adventure of Black Peter

I think one of the most interesting features here involves the little "cabin" that the murdered sea captain has set up on his estate, to mimic his former surroundings on board ship.  It makes an absurd image and could have been a sign of charming eccentricity in a different kind of story, though, in this case, the captain's violent personality makes the scene brutal and grim.

There is one stand-out passage in terms of writing quality.  As Holmes and Watson stake-out the cabin, Watson muses "What savage creature was it which might steal upon us out of the darkness?  Was it a fierce tiger of crime, which could only be taken fighting hard with flashing fang and claw, or would it prove to be some skulking jackal, dangerous only to the weak and unguarded?"  It may not be subtle imagery, but it evokes the tension of scene.
 
While reflecting on this story, I realized that one of the appealing things about Sherlock Holmes is his (almost) invincible energy.  He doesn't care about convention.  Watson is startled to find that his friend has been carrying a harpoon around the city: "You don't mean to say you've been walking about London with that thing?"  And, towards the end of the tale, Holmes organizes a fake Arctic whaling expedition just to trap the criminal.  No project is too daunting for the man.

Thinking about that energy made me realize the connections between Holmes and my beloved Doctor Who.  Both have childlike enthusiasm, unparalleled genius, and boundless courage -- though Patrick Troughton's endearing version of the time traveler is certainly a bit panicky.  Both men seem to require a companion on their adventures, though the Time Lord understandably goes through a longer list.  There are many differences, of course -- including the Doctor's focus on compassion for others.  Still, I think it's not a coincidence that these two characters have become such icons of British culture.