Practical Discussion of Sherlockian roots of Doctor Who: With Some Observations on "The Talons of Weng-Chiang" and other 'crossover' works: Introduction.

The essay that follows (in two parts), is an updated version of one written by myself in what has been termed the 'widerness years' of 'Doctor Who', namely 1999. In my introduction to the original essay, I referred to experiences of travelling between two specialised shops separated by a half-hour trip on the Hammersmith and City Line; "The Who Shop" then in East Ham, and "The Sherlock Holmes Memorabilia Company" (SHMC) in Baker Street (unfortunately no longer there). On one such trip in around 1997, having visited East Ham, I made my way to SHMC. Whilst browsing, the assistant noticed my "Who Shop" carrier-bag, and asked me about it, keenly writing down its phone number. About six months later, a similar event occurred, this time at "The Who Shop". It being my birthday, myself and a friend were having lunch at Hudson's restaurant, beneath the Sherlock Holmes Museum (also unfortunately no longer there), and we mentioned this to the manageress, who expressed interest stating that she had always meant to go there herself. This set me thinking, along with an article by Stephen Cartwright in "Doctor Who Magazine #253", and a copy of "Celestial Toyroom - June 1994" which I had acquired at the previous year's Longleat celebration - Why are Doctor Who fans, also ardent Sherlockians ? And why has "WHO", in particular its spin-off books, focused on this connection, by uniting the characters ? Holmes was even in the Doctor Who Trump Card Game !!

Of course, since then, the link has become even closer with the BBC's 'Sherlock', written and created by the current 'Doctor Who' showrunner, Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, regular contributor to new WHO, which along with the new series could only have been dreamed of back in 1999 when I wrote the original piece. The new series has also given us a 'Great Detective', albeit a Silurian warrior, backed up by her wife and a Sontaran butler.

Before beginning, I feel that I should admit to having a difficulty with terms. Holmes can refer both to Sherlock and Robert, the Master is both a bearded adversary and the term of respect used by Sherlockians to the adored detective, and the Doctor can be timelord or Watson. Luckily Sherlockian literature has handed on the idea of canonicity to "WHO", but whereas the distinction in the former is between adventures penned by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and those not, canonicity is not so clear cut in the latter. However, I will endeavour not to confuse, by referring to Sherlock by his first name whilst deeming Robert as RH, only using the Master to describe the evil one, and by referring to Doctor Watson as Watson. I will also stick with the agreed numbering of Doctors, ignoring the 'War Doctor' or 'TenTwo', so that the current incarnation is 'The Twelfth Doctor'.

The following are my own views, along with information gleaned from "Celestial Toyroom - June 1994" (Victorian Special with "The Strand Magazine" cover) and from Stephen Cartwright's article "Roots - Part 4: Holmes and Vardans" in DWM #253.

So let us see if we can unravel this three-pipe problem !