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Sherlock: BBC TV Series

direstraits

Well-Known Member
Just watched the first season of Sherlock (all of 3 episodes, albeit they are 1.5 hours long each).

As a fan, I'm always wary of remakes or retcons, and the most visible recent effort is the Downey Jr/Guy Ritchie movies. I have to say I was not impressed.

However, Sherlock, the 2010 TV series from BBC was not what I expected at all. In that it was actually good. Hah.

Sherlock is set in modern day London, and our eponymous hero is a 30-something, blackberry-toting consulting detective, and trusty Watson is a medical doctor/soldier most recently returned from Afghanistan. Holmes is characteristically arrogant, acerbic but technically more savvy - often doing searches on his mobile while analysing the crime scenes. John is loyal and trusty, able companion, as he should be.

The stories has its roots in the canonical stories from Doyle, but of course the writers put twists and mashes things up. Those familiar with the original stories, though, will find plenty of references and cheeky little nods to the original material. There are also fine touches which highlight the contrast of the solving cases in the 1890s with the modern era. So if you've always wondered how Holmes would solve a case in the world of instantaneous communications, camera phones and wildly liberal social norms, instead of telegrams and gender stereotypes, your prayers have been answered.

The main problem I have with the show is somehow making me believe Sherlock has all the understanding of the criminal world, be able to establish a
network of contacts among the urban homeless, on-the-fly access to medical labs/mortuaries, able to hold up in a fight, have innate understanding of the human condition, all while being what appears to be a mere 30-something year old man, seems a little bit of stretch.

Putting that aside, however, I find the stories fascinating, the acting well done (mostly), and funny. Way better than Downey Jr.

Conclusion: Watch it.

Trivia: I was reading up on the upcoming The Hobbit, and found that the actor who plays Watson here is the Bilbo Baggins (lead!), and Holmes is Smaug. What a coincidence.
 
I agree, Sherlock is really excellent. There are new episodes coming up after new year's, I can't wait.
 
Did y'all like the second episode, The Hound of the Baskervilles? It felt odd seeing Benedict Cumberbatch's Sherlock out of the city, realised just how big a character London is in its own right.
 
Did y'all like the second episode, The Hound of the Baskervilles? It felt odd seeing Benedict Cumberbatch's Sherlock out of the city, realised just how big a character London is in its own right.

I mostly thought "Yes, Moffatt, you're right, Brotherhood Of The Wolf is a good movie." Then again, that movie was a bit Hound Of The Baskervilles-inspired to begin with, so I guess it's only fair that he should rip it off in turn.

Oh, and great casting gag: Russell Tovey, who played the guy who saw the Hound, is probably most well-known for his role in Being Human, where he plays... a werewolf.

Good episode, but too much government conspiracy for my taste.
 
I mostly thought "Yes, Moffatt, you're right, Brotherhood Of The Wolf is a good movie." Then again, that movie was a bit Hound Of The Baskervilles-inspired to begin with, so I guess it's only fair that he should rip it off in turn.

Oh, and great casting gag: Russell Tovey, who played the guy who saw the Hound, is probably most well-known for his role in Being Human, where he plays... a werewolf.

Good episode, but too much government conspiracy for my taste.

Brotherhood of the Wolf a good movie? The one with Mark Dacascos?? Seriously, it was the first movie that I actually got angry with for finishing - 2+ hours I was never going to get back! :sad:
 
I've not seen Brotherhood of the Wolf :(
That shot of Cumberbatch looking down onto the vale from on high was pretty neat, all gothicy like the Wanderer above the Sea of Clouds.
The mind palace was corny and amusing at the same time, however.
 
I love Sherlock Holmes, but I'm unsure if this is too much of a good thing.

You love gourmet coffee, then people set up imitation coffee chains everywhere and before you know it Starbucks, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, San Francisco Coffee, etc flood everywhere you see. Then suddenly gourmet coffee isn't so special anymore. Then you weep.
 
House is really good. But Hugh Laurie is gooder. I've been revisiting youtube vids of his acceptance speeches, and him being very patient on the hotseat of shows like Ellen, Craig Ferguson, Clive Anderson.
 

Wouldn't "House" or "Psych" already count as US modern-day takes on Sherlock Holmes (one being about a super-smart doctor and the other being a super smart guy who has to fake being a psychic in order to be taken seriously as a detective)?

And let's not forget that new show, "The Finder", that just popped up on Fox!
 
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