In the Granada series with Jeremy Brett there were two different actors playing Dr. Watson. In the first series, he was played by David Burke but in the second series and the ones that had followed it was Edward Hardwicke that took on the role.
 
Burke’s Watson was youthful and playful. He was clearly a man who longed for adventure and the thrill of it all and thus capturing the former Afghan war veteran side to the character very well. Often he would gleefully engage with Holmes in regards to how he comes to his deductions and conclusions. You get the sense that he finds Holmes to be an interesting and fun friend to have. Both him and Holmes come across if they are old college chums that still know how to have a good time.
 
On the other hand, Hardwicke’s Watson is more serious and thoughtful. Since Holmes took a three-year hiatus after his encounter with Moriarty at Reichenbach Falls, it made sense that Watson would be older and have a different outlook. While Burke’s was all about the joy of living with a man like Holmes, Hardwicke’s suggests the difficulty, as there are moments where he does not put up with Holmes’s nonsense. However, he always shows care and concern for his friend. Not to mention that he captures the medical doctor side of Watson better than anyone. In general, you always get the impression that he is a good-hearted person as well an intelligent person who can hold his own.
 
So while I do think David Burke has more charm, Edward Hardwicke seems more genuine and thus I lean more towards him. Yet both actors made for truly ideal victorian Watsons that were close to the original stories. Although, this is not to take anything away from Martin Freeman’s excellent modern interpretation of Watson portraying him as an “everyman” that we can all relate to.

Last edited by BrettHolmes (June 11, 2014 1:21 pm)