Two Watsons: A Miracle
David Burke was a brilliant Dr. John Watson. His Watson is largely the Watson we see in ACD canon. He is competent and sassy. In his own way he challenges Holmes and their friendship makes Holmes a better person. He has a delightful sassiness. Burke fought for Watson not to disappear into his costume. His Watson had wonderful chemistry with Jeremy Brett’s Holmes.
David Burke clearly loved playing Watson, but he also loved his family and accepted an opportunity to work with his wife and have his son with them. He chose to leave Granada Holmes and recommended Edward Hardwicke as his replacement.
Recasting the actor who played Dr. Watson could easily have meant disaster for Granada Holmes. Jeremy Brett has acknowledged he had concerns about continuing the stories with a different actor playing Watson. Brett would have to find chemistry with a different actor and chemistry is something even the most brilliant actors can’t always create on demand. Viewers, especially fans, bond with an actor playing a character and some would be expected to not make the transition to another actor as Dr. John Watson.
Then, as Jeremy Brett, later said, “This [Edward Hardwicke] miracle occurred”. (SOURCE) Hardwicke was determined to respect Burke’s Dr. Watson to the point of worrying about the height difference between him and Burke. Yet no matter how much Hardwicke tried to channel Burke’s performance, he is a different person and completely recreating Burke’s Watson was impossible. Luckily, the narrative can explain the slight changes because Holmes and Watson have been separated and Watson believed that Holmes was dead only to have him reappear alive and well.
Brett and Hardwicke found their chemistry. They became close friends and that friendship infused their portrayals of two men who grew closer over the course of their relationship (however one interprets it). We see a more obvious closeness between Holmes and Watson during the Hardwicke episodes. Although Holmes will always be better at deductions he no longer serves as an obvious mentor as Watson has already learned much from Holmes and is smart enough not to need things constantly reexplained to him.
The writing and Jeremy Brett’s portrayals of Holmes also play a part in how we view Dr. John Watson. It took a few episodes for the writers to really become comfortable with their take on the stories. Jeremy Brett, who is very different from Holmes in real life, took time to become comfortable playing Holmes. It was primarily David Burke who had to contend with these challenges.
Hardwicke had the advantage that by the time he played Dr. Watson Brett was more comfortable in his role. He was also in significantly more episodes. Conversely, during later episodes Hardwicke had to contend with the writers having used up most of the best stories and Jeremy Brett’s worsening physical and mental health.
Some fans have strong opinions about whether David Burke or Edward Hardwicke was the best Dr. John Watson. I think both actors did an excellent job in showing us a competent and interesting Dr. John Watson who is a true partner to Sherlock Holmes. The fact that the show not only survived, but prospered with a change in the actor playing Watson is a tribute to Burke, Hardwicke, Brett, and the writers.
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