CBS (Wed., May 16, 9 P.M. ET)

B

Sherlock Holmes's archnemesis, Professor Moriarty (Anthony Andrews), escapes the gallows to hatch more dastardly plots. Andrews makes a formidable villain, but John (Magnum, P.I.) Hillerman is a mopey Watson, and Edward (The Equalizer) Wood-ward's severe profile is more impressive than his cranky portrayal of the detective. (Jeremy Brett has become the definitive TV Holmes.) The pace slows down considerably after a rapid opening and some aspects seem contrived, such as Holmes's deductive coups. But the period mood is sedulously maintained, and the Holmes mystique, even diluted, is diverting.