In addition to building a relationship between landlady and detective, many film adaptations grant the character of Mrs. Hudson herself a great deal more importance than the original canon does. In one of the earlier renditions of the Holmes stories, the Werker 1939 film series, Mary Gordon, hailed as Scotland’s first Hollywood star (Daily Record), plays a grandmotherly Mrs. Hudson. However, although a recurring character in the 10 films about the detective, her character is not a major one and her part in the actual storylines is negligible, relegated to one line mentions—usually merely noting her presence as a character—in reviews and summaries (Hardy, 170; Pitts, 189-201). However, as noted by Terry Rowan, Mrs. Hudson is one of the very few recurring characters played by the same actor throughout the series of films, rather than switching between company actors for each appearance, which would suggest some measure of importance placed on the continuity of her character (Rowan, 205).

This importance appears to grow through the modern adaptations. By the time of the Granada series staring Jeremy Brett, which aired between 1984 and 1994, Mrs. Hudson is a character in her own right. She has a personality and opinions, although she generally keeps them to herself, rather than sharing them with the detective. Like Mary Gordon’s Mrs. Hudson, this character, played by Rosalie Williams, has relatively little impact on the plot line and additionally does not appear in ever episode, an aspect that  may be a reflection or recognition of the treatment of the character in canon. However despite this, she is the third most appearing character in the series, following only Holmes and Watson, and when she does appear, she is obviously more important than in the previous adaptation—if not to the plot, at least as a personal figure in the lives of the famous detective and his friend the doctor (“Mrs Hudson (Williams)”). This status is clearly evident upon the return of the character of Holmes following his supposed death. Even the ascetic personalization of Sherlock Holmes captured by Brett shows physical affection for Mrs. Hudson in the vein of a son returned to his elderly mother. The celebration that follows is shared by Mrs. Hudson, who brings three classes of Champagne for a toast (The Adventure of the Empty House, 1986).

In addition, the portrayal given by Rosalie Williams suggests familiarity, ease, and affection in another way. As noted by The Baker Street Babes in their podcast Femme Friday: Mrs. Hudson, “…she talks back … While she might let Sherlock Holmes do whatever he bloody well wants—such as shooting the wall, filling his flat with poisonous fumes, and playing loud music in the middle of the night—she makes sure that Holmes knows how she feels about it” (“Femme Friday: Mrs. Hudson”). This is no passive, bland, faceless landlady. She is present, spunky, and “her sass is something which even Martin Freeman’s John Watson could learn from” (“Femme Friday: Mrs. Hudson”).

            However, the most prominent portrayal of the Mrs. Hudson character in modern adaptations appears in the BBC series Sherlock (2010), where she is played by actress Una Stubbs. It is in this rendition of the character that we see the most developed relationship between characters. In fact, Mrs. Hudson is one of the three people Sherlock considers a friend. Indeed, she is one of the three people he disappears to save (Lane, 226). This relationship is possible because in this adaptation, Mrs. Hudson is at her most developed and individual. She has a backstory created by the writers, which we discover over the course of the series. We know that Holmes and Watson came to rent 221b Baker Street because Mrs. Hudson offered Sherlock a low rate in return for his ensuring the conviction and execution of her husband, therefore giving both information about her marital status and past life (Moffat, A Study in Pink, 27). More information, including her name and various knowledge about her current and past circumstances come to light in the episode His Final Bow (His Last Vow, 2014). This Mrs. Hudson is a character in her own right. Her role has evolved from canon from a character who “is important because of what she provides, not because of some innate trait” to “not only a well-rounded character but [one] important enough that we see Holmes become violent when she’s threatened (Lane, 235). As put by The Baker Street Babes, “Una Stubbs’s Mrs. Hudson takes the cake of course … We love her, because despite all the trouble Sherlock causes, and despite his often offensive behavior … she loves her boys and very much acts like a mother hen” (“Femme Friday: Mrs. Hudson”).

            However, the potential for relationship growth and fan interaction with the character of Mrs. Hudson in the BBC Sherlock was made possible by the creation of a fleshed out character by the writers of the show. This highlights the status of the series—and adaptations generally of the Holmes stories—as a species of fan work. Indeed, in a panel at ‘Sherlocked: The Official Sherlock Convention,” Steven Moffat, in response to being asked whether he viewed fan fiction as a worthwhile pastime for fans, replied that he was a “man who writes fan fiction for a living” (Sherlockology). This implied that he views Sherlock as a fan fiction work, which rightfully it is as an adaptation of the canon literature by enthusiasts of the world created by Conan Doyle. As with any fan work, the reality and worldview of the creator influences the creation. Therefore, it seems logical that the backstory for the character as created by the BBC Sherlock writers would be shaped in many ways by the climate in which it was constructed.