A new take on Sherlock Holmes? I have to admit I didn’t go to see the new film with Downey. I love Downey and most of his films, but his take on Sherlock Holmes left me cold, and I did see all that I could online before deciding not to go. I’m a believer in the canon, an early convert. I discovered Holmes at the age of 9 or 10 and loved them unconditionally, and I’ve loved them ever since. Holmes for me is a man with a receding hairline, a noble forehead, large nose, a big man, not just tall, but powerfully built, but also capable of extreme emaciation, as he puts his body through the worst of torture. He’s not an addict, but he uses cocaine to stop being bored. Downey didn’t look like Holmes and in the clips I saw, didn’t behave like him, either. My ideal Holmes was Jeremy Brett, who filmed the whole of the stories for ITV in the 1980’s. Perfect.
So when the BBC announced what amounted to a reboot, I was less than impressed. Tonight, I planned not to watch the first episode, but somehow I got sucked in. Somehow? With a sharp script, a reverence for the original, and engaging actors, yes, I was sucked in, and now I can’t wait for the next episode.
Written by Steven Moffatt (of Dr. Who) and Mark Gatiss (of The League of Gentlemen – this one) it had a good start. While the latest series of Dr. Who was a little disappointing, I still had faith in Moffatt, and he’s on top form with this one. They’ve engaged actor Benedict Cumberbatch to play Sherlock, and because it’s set in the present day, he is called Sherlock by most people.
Yes, that’s what I said, it’s set in the present day. That’s how they rebooted it. A “three pipe problem” has become a “three patch problem” because Sherlock claims it’s impossible to cultivate a smoking habit these days and he appreciates the way nicotine attunes his thinking process. We have yet to discover if he’s retained the cocaine use, because in this first episode, Sherlock was never bored.
It starts, as the original “Study in Scarlet” does, with Watson returning from Afghanistan, an army doctor, invalided out. Works perfectly for both eras. Sherlock Holmes is looking for someone to share the expenses of his flat in Baker Street. While 221b Baker Street never actually existed in the way Conan Doyle described it, and these days is the headquarters of a bank, there are buildings around the corner that look very similar to the ones described in the books, and they’ve used these as the site of the apartment.
When Sherlock, now as then a “consulting detective,” probably the world’s only one, is called in on a case, Watson goes with him. Sherlock has impressed him with his deductive acumen, and he wants to see more. I loved the way we were with Sherlock as he dissected the clues. A locked room, a dead woman and “Rache” written on the wall in blood. And without spoilers, the solution echoed the original without providing a slavish copy in a most intriguing way.
There are some fun hints on the homoerotic side of the relationship, and I have a private bet with my daughter on how long it will take to get Sherlock slash up on the web – oh, I just lost.
Watch this trailer and then tell me you don’t want to see it:
And here’s the BBC site. If you google, you’ll find more, I’m sure, because this is the best start to a new series for a long time. And yes, I’m almost certain you’ll get this across the Pond. Don’t miss it.
Thanks for a super review of a unexpectedly wonderful show, Lynne! I totally agree with your assessment. I’m a Holmes aficionado myself, mainly via the amazing Jeremy Brett’s performances, and I too had misgivings about this new modern day take on Sherlock. Especially after watching the Robert Downey Jnr version, which I enjoyed in a way, but didn’t feel was ‘real’ Sherlock Holmes.
But this ‘Sherlock’ gets it right. For me, it evokes the authentic spirit of Holmes in a way that the Guy Ritchie film misses. I love all the little nods to, and twists on the original stories. And the two actors, Benedict and Martin, nail Holmes and Watson beautifully, reflecting the Victorian characters, yet also men of their time.
I can’t wait to see the next two instalments, and if they’re as good as the first, I’ll be praying for another series. I watched A Study in Pink again this afternoon on iPlayer, and waiting to see if I’d missed the word “elementary” first time around. I know Sherlock never actually says “Elementary, my Dear Watson” in the stories, but I’ll bet you anything the writers find a way to cleverly and subtly sneak in some version of it. 🙂
As Lynne says, don’t miss it!
*squee!* Sounds awesome. And setting it in the present–gutsy and very brilliant. I can’t wait till we can see it in the US.
I hope that this series comes to New Zealand sooner rather than later, although I do have a bad habit of buying DVD’s from Amazon UK if the tv programmers in NZ take too long! As with others, I am a fan of the Jeremy Brett series, and have them all on DVD so I would be keen to see what a modern take on Sherlock Holmes will be like.
I quite enjoyed Robert Downey Jr’s Sherlock Holmes but it didn’t really bring anything new or intriguing to the character, just a good excuse for yet another action movie.
He got me with the wink and that little sound at the end of video. Can’t wait for this to hit the US.
I’ve never been a particular fan of Sherlock Holmes, never hated it, it just never set me on fire, but I really enjoyed this version. I’m very much looking forward to next Sunday.
I’m excited about this being a Doctor Who fan. I think Steven Moffat is a great writer and I love that he’s given the opportunity to be really creative. I can’t wait to see this.
Soooooo. About this bet with your daughter, you wouldn’t happens to know where to find some fan fiction, would you? ^__^
The BBC and slash go together like ducks and water.
Also, the Guy Ritchie Sherlock Holmes was far more faithful to canon than I expected.