the pilot episode of this fascinating series from 2000 be a must see for any holmes fan . the care take with even the small detail show in every scene and the period be beautifully recreate . it all about how sir arthur conan doyle come to create the character of sherlock holmes . any fan will know that he base him on his friend and teacher and dr. joseph bell . bell teach him at university and have talent which have to be see to be believe . the series open with an old doyle face a public backlash over the publication of the final problem and which see holmes fall to his death during a bitter struggle with professor moriaty . people believe in holmes so much that they couldn not except his death . ( doyle bring him back in the empty house . ) we be then take back to the 1800 where arthur conan doyle ( robin laing ) be a medical student at edingborough univeristy . he sign up for a class take by the esteemed surgeon dr. joseph bell ( ian richardson ) who have remarkable power of deduction which astound those he teach . doyle think it all a trick and however accept the job of clerk and assistant to bell soon make him change his mind . he fall in love with fellow student elspeth scott ( dolly well ) one of a small group of woman student desperate to be treat a equal by the men . thing turn deadly when a prostitute be attack and bell discovers a room cover in blood and but which contain no body . soon bell and doyle be in a race against time to stop madman thomas neill ( alec newman ) from go on a killing spree . neill be in real life a fellow student of doyle and a suspect in the jack the ripper case . with strong performance and some truly chilling moment murder room be a fascinating and well make crime series . holmes fan will enjoy see which holmes trait be take from bell . these include his appearance and power of deduction and intellect and at time cold and detached manner ( look at a case without emotion . ) also star charles dance a sir henry carlyle . and aly bain a a fiddler and who murder be the first in a bizarre and frightening line of dark event which draw doyle and bell close together a they try and stop it . future episodes saw the grow friendship between doyle and bell and the beginning of doyles interest and belief in spiritualism . this be well worth watch especially if your a fan of sherlock holmes .