Sherlock

I would love to say what a productive week I have had. I would love to say that I study for all my tests this week and got to bed at a decent time. I would love to say that I am fully prepared for the next few days. I can't. Since Friday night, I have been watching an episode of the BBC 1's Sherlock every night. My gosh. It is magnificent. I first watched the series when the pilot season aired on Masterpiece Theater in 2010. It ended with such a cliff-hanger that I could barely contain my disappointment when I discovered it wouldn't be airing again until 2012. Since it had been close to 2 years, I had kind of forgotten about the series until a friend of my mine up here started raving about this new show he was watching. It was Sherlock. So a group of my friends up here, including my roommate, began watching the first season on Netflix. The second season wasn't on Netflix but my roommate and I found someone who had the three episodes that made up the next season. We watched one every night since Monday. Our other friends were not pleased with us...


As of right now, only six episodes of Sherlock have been shot and aired. The reason being is that each episode is an hour and a half long. Not exactly a short span of time for a TV show, but while watching it you want it to go on as long as possible. Because each episode is essentially the same length as a movie, you need to make sure you dedicate a good amount of time to fully enjoy the brilliance of the show. The dialogue  is quick, witty and sharp. One of my favorite parts of the show is the little banter between Sherlock and Watson.

Sherlock and Watson

This TV version of Sherlock in not set in the late 1800s but rather in the present day which makes for an interesting interpretation. I haven't read any Sherlock Holmes's books yet (I just ordered them from the library and am still waiting for my email) but even I am able to notice the characters and places and names that are used come from the books. Mrs. Hudson is still the the landlady, DI Lestrade is present, and Watson and Sherlock reside at 221B Baker Street. Also Mycroft Holmes is ever present as the "British government" and  Irene Adler makes an appearance.

I think my favorite aspect of this series is the bromance between Sherlock and Watson. It is a running gag in the series that they are assumed to be partners. Watson is always the first one to chime in that he is straight and that they are nothing more than flatmates and friends. Watson appreciates Sherlock's deductive skills, unlike some others around him who get rather annoyed with Sherlock for being a smartypants) and Sherlock knows that Watson is a loyal friend and tries not to upset him. Too much. Here is a clip from the first episode of Watson and Sherlock meeting for the first time:


My roommate and I are already anxious waiting for the next season which won't be aired until later this year. It is a wonderful show with plenty of humor, mystery, and friendship. So far only two of the six episodes have been based on the work by Sir Conan Doyle with titles veering slightly from the related work. For example, the first episode is entitled A Study in Pink based off of the novel A Study in Scarlet.

Benedict Cumberbatch (the most English name I have ever come across) is fantastic as Sherlock and won the GQ award for actor of the year 2011. The show won the BAFTA for best drama series in 2011 and Martin Freeman won for best supporting actor as Watson. Another reason I think I may be drawn to this show is because both of the producers are writers for Doctor Who, which is another one of my favorite TV shows. It has a little bit of everything for everyone. Never a dull moment at 221B Baker Street.