Houdini & Doyle is a British television drama series loosely based on the real-world friendship of Harry Houdini and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. A 10-episode first season was ordered by Fox in the United States, ITV in the United Kingdom, and Global in Canada.[2][3] The pilot episode was written by co-creators David Hoselton and David Titcher.[3] The first episode was broadcast simultaneously on ITV and ITV Encore on Sunday 13 March 2016.[4][5]
On August 3, 2016, Fox cancelled the series after one season.[6]
Premise
Harry Houdini is a cynical skeptic and atheist whereas Dr. Arthur Conan Doyle is a believer in the paranormal and supernatural. The drama opens in 1901 London, shortly after the publication of Doyle's The Great Boer War. Houdini and Doyle become involved in the investigation of several mysterious deaths. They debate over whether the causes are natural or supernatural, and often bet on the cause, which causes their police liaison, Constable Adelaide Stratton, some embarrassment.
Adelaide Stratton, Scotland Yard's first female constable, investigates the death of a murdered nun at a convent. Houdini and Doyle join the case as consultants when a witness claims the nun was murdered by the ghost of a young unwed mother who died at the convent six months ago.
A 12-year old boy shoots well-known suffragette Lydia Belworth (Laura Fraser), but not fatally. Houdini and Doyle get involved when the boy claims he is the reincarnation of a man whom he says Belworth murdered.
Houdini, Doyle and Adelaide investigate a faith healer when a heckler drops dead at one of the healer's public sessions. The healer appears to have the power he claims when he pays a visit to Doyle's wife who soon awakes from her coma, while doubter Houdini is overcome with boils and a debilitating illness.
The death of a motorcar entrepreneur is initially attributed to a mysterious dark demon, the legend of which goes back several decades. When a second murder is attributed to the same demon, Houdini and Doyle try to determine if the legend may be true.
Madame Korzha (Emily Hampshire), a travelling medium, uses her powers to help the local police find a missing girl. While Doyle believes some people have psychic powers, Houdini remains skeptical, especially when Korzha is unable to locate another missing girl. Doyle is also taken aback when Korzha predicts Adelaide's demise.
When a young man wakes up naked in a burned out circle claiming that his wife was kidnapped by aliens, Houdini becomes the believer and Doyle the skeptic.
When people start to seemingly become scared to death, the gang sets out to find the source and are led to Bethlem Hospital, where Doyle has a mysterious connection.
When the housemaid of Doyle's old friend Bram Stoker is murdered with a stake through the heart, suspicions arise that Stoker may either be the killer...or a vampire.
While Houdini visits New York to bury his mother, Doyle and Adelaide investigate a murderous poltergeist in Canada, encountering Thomas Edison (played by Peter Outerbridge) with his newest invention, the Necrophone, a device for communicating with the dead.
The trio investigate a small town where almost everyone died simultaneously with no visible cause. However Adelaide is distracted by the revelation that her husband faked his death, while Houdini continues to see his mother's ghost, and fears he is going mad.
