The episode "The Red-Headed League" is the 12th episode of the second season of the British television series The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, based on the short story of the same name by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It was first aired on September 22, 1985.In the episode, Jabez Wilson, a red-headed shopkeeper, comes to Sherlock Holmes for help after he is offered a job at the Red-Headed League, a mysterious organization that pays him a generous salary to copy out the Encyclopædia Britannica. Wilson is puzzled by the job, as he is not very intelligent and there are no other red-headed men working at the League.Holmes and Watson investigate the League and discover that it is a front for a crime. The League is actually a way for the Napoleon of Crime, Moriarty, to keep Wilson out of his shop so that he can tunnel into a neighboring bank. Holmes and Watson stop Moriarty's plan and recover the stolen bank money.The episode is notable for its suspenseful plot and its clever twist ending. It is also a classic example of Holmes's deductive reasoning skills. The episode was praised by critics for its faithful adaptation of the short story and its strong performances.Here are some of the key events of the episode:
- Jabez Wilson, a red-headed shopkeeper, comes to Sherlock Holmes for help after he is offered a job at the Red-Headed League.
- Holmes and Watson investigate the League and discover that it is a front for a crime.
- Holmes and Watson stop Moriarty's plan and recover the stolen bank money.
The episode ends with Holmes telling Watson that the Red-Headed League was "the cleverest thing of Moriarty's that I have come across"."The Red-Headed League" is a classic Sherlock Holmes story that has been adapted many times for stage, film, and television. It is a well-crafted mystery with a suspenseful plot and memorable characters. The episode is a must-watch for any fan of Sherlock Holmes.Here are some of the differences between the episode and the short story:
- In the short story, Wilson is a pawnbroker, not a shopkeeper.
- In the short story, the League pays Wilson to copy out the Encyclopædia Britannica in the Diogenes Club, a gentlemen's club in London.
- In the short story, Holmes and Watson discover that the League is a front for a crime when they see Moriarty leaving the League's office.
- In the short story, Holmes and Watson stop Moriarty's plan by sending Wilson back to the League's office.
Despite these differences, the episode is a faithful adaptation of the short story and captures the essence of the mystery.