It starred Geoffrey Whitehead, Donald Pickering and Patrick Newell in the title roles of Sherlock Holmes, Doctor Watson and Inspector Lestrade respectively.

[2] Reynolds recycled some aspects from his earlier 1954 television series starring Ronald Howard such as scripts and even the conceit of having Inspector Lestrade an equal co-star with Holmes and Watson.

[citation needed] Most of the episodes were directed by Reynolds and by multiple British television and film directors, including Roy Ward Baker and Val Guest.

[citation needed] According to guest director Roy Ward Baker, as production wrapped up the head of Polish television, who had spearheaded the deal was arrested for corruption.

Szczepański himself stated that the charges against him were politically motivated, and had stemmed from conflicts inside the PZPR; he declared that Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson was one of the most profitable series to have ever been produced by Telewizja Polska, with distribution rights sold to 25 countries).

Geoffrey Whitehead's portrayal of Sherlock Holmes was particularly praised for its faithfulness to the character's original description by Arthur Conan Doyle, and the effortless switching between his multiple facets - the cold, emotionlessly objective and analytical detective, the refined Victorian gentleman, and the ruthless pursuer of criminals.