Q: I've been told that another Sherlock Holmes series will air soon with a different actor for Sherlock. Do you have any info about this?
A: I do not know of any upcoming series about the famous fictional sleuth. Maybe you missed news around one of three current renderings.
"Mr. Holmes," a theatrical film, stars Ian McKellen as Sherlock retired and in his 90s. "Elementary," a CBS drama, stars Jonny Lee Miller as a modern-day version of Holmes and Lucy Liu as Watson; its fourth-season premiere is scheduled for Nov. 5.
Then there is "Sherlock," the contemporary BBC drama starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Holmes and Martin Freeman as Watson. Although the programs are few in number (they're more like a set of movies than episodes, really), they have been much loved in U.S. telecasts on PBS' "Masterpiece." A fourth set of shows is expected.
But right now the excitement surrounds a "Sherlock" special that takes the characters back to Victorian times. When that special will appear is still unknown, since telecasts here have to wait until after they are shown in England. PBS has referred to its arrival as "soon-ish."
Finding 'Magnum,' 'Rockford'
Q: Could you please tell me if any of the cable stations might be putting on "Magnum, P.I.," or "The Rockford Files"?
A: Television has become an ever more sprawling thing, including broadcast, cable, satellite services, secondary digital channels and online. So it can take some hunting to find shows. Here's what I found regarding your question.
Me TV (metvnetwork.com) carries "The Rockford Files"; Me is one of several channels specializing in older shows. You may be able to find it as a digital channel with one of your broadcast stations or via cable. Online service Hulu lists 69 episodes of "Rockford," while Netflix has even more. And the series has been released on DVD.
