Sherloc Holmes and the case of the silk stocking.

* Masterpiece Theatre * PBS. October 23 (check local listings)

Rupert Everett, once hyped as a likely James Bond or the star of a new "gay 007" movie series, materializes instead as Arthur Conan Doyle's mastermind amateur sleuth in Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silk Stocking for Masterpiece Theatre. Everett's maiden voyage as the icily brilliant crime solver, confirmed bachelor (ahem), and drug user doesn't hold a candle to the performances of his big-screen predecessor, Basil Rathbone, let alone Jeremy Brett on TV, But he'll do nicely until someone much better comes along.

Alan Cubitt's script, directed by Simon Cellan Jones, sends Holmes and fellow detective Dr. Watson ambling through 1902 London on the bait of a fetishistic strangler of posh young beauties. Expectedly, fog swirls, Scotland Yard bumbles, and suspects act archly. Unexpectedly, the American psychiatrist fiancee of trusty old Watson (nicely played by Ian Hart) feeds Holmes Abnormal Psych 101 tips that unmask a sexually kinky culprit--whose identity should be instantly obvious to anyone half paying attention.

So, yeah, the script is iffy and the chintzy-looking production plays fast and loose with period details--why is scarily pale Everett dressed for a swank party at Noel Coward's?--but Everett and Hart's silk stalkings make for feet-up-on-the-couch good fun.