Sherlock on BBC

[foolish_m0rtal]

So I just finished watching Season One of BBC's Sherlock. OH MY GOD, it is FAN-TAS-TIC. It is completely absorbing. I watched all of Season One (Ep 1-3, 75 minutes long each. Seasons here in America are a lot longer, which is probably why less shows get greenlit?) yesterday and then went over to my friend's house to make her watch it.

It follows the exploits of a Sherlock Holmes (played by Benedict Cumberbatch, who looks uncomfortably like one of our former literary-debating club presidents) and Dr. John Watson (Martin Freeman!!) in a modern day context, which might seem sort of ehhh, but it really works! All the actors have a great dynamic, the writers are very flexible with the script, which makes it interesting, but still does enough research to keep it grounded in the Sherlock Holmes literature ("I would be lost without my blogger," Sherlock says, and I laughed spanakopita all over my laptop)

Cumberbatch does a really great job fleshing out Holmes. I think a lot of people know of Holmes as intensely brilliant, but he also revels in the eccentricity of Holmes in the best most ridiculous ways.

John Watson is adooorable. The only complaint I have with Watson is his slight badass decay after the first episode. Makes up for it at the end of episode 3 (don't you DARE read spoilers for the first season. Don't you DARE). But even thought I knew Holmes was being unreasonable asking Watson to do forensics, his reasons (that Watson had been an army doctor and was familiar with violent injuries) sort of makes sense, and I would have liked to see more of that- it would have been a nice contrast to see Watson getting facts from his medical background and Holmes getting different information just from observation. And I also expected Watson to be more of the fighter type since he was a soldier, but I suppose he still beats up his fair share of people.

So yeah. BBC's Sherlock. Watch it. Love it. Take it to a friend's house.

Comments

[mee-eep.livejournal.com]

My only complaint is the length of the series um season to you ;)

I think the average UK series is at least about 6 episodes. Thought doing a Sherlock miniseries was to test the waters but no apparently the next ones is only three episodes as well *SULK*

I've already done lots of squeeing over Sherlock. Like the nods to the past. Love the dynamic between the characters. Nice to see Watson protrayed as an intelligent man not an idiot. He doesn't compare to Sherlock but he's still a qualified medical doctor, more than a prop.

For me they got his character right, he's capable of fighting and I really liked the scene when Sherlock was all 'imagine someone holding a gun to your head' (or similar) and he dryly says he doesn't have to, Cumberbatch responded well, understated but a dawning of reality when he gets caught up in his dramas. Watson has been to war he thrives on danger and comes into his own, a calm steady shot... but the rest of the time he's a little lost and subdued. Still a humanising influence for Sherlck. They work well you can see how they need the what the other offers and are more believeable than in most dramatisations.

And you get the quirks of Sherlock his boredom and confused motivation. Where solving the puzzle has more fascination than saving the people.

*sigh* wantz more NOW!

[foolish-m0rtal.livejournal.com]

Yes, I am SO glad they got Watson right in that respect. I don't know why Watson gets portrayed as some kind of bumbling idiot. (if you read Hark a Vagrant, she brings up that exact point in her first Sherlock Holmes comic: http://www.harkavagrant.com/index.php?id=210)

I don't remember that scene. Which episode was it?

I am pretty excited for next season. ^___^

[mee-eep.livejournal.com]

LOL Love the comic and that's very true of most Holmes I've seen.

The first one Study in Pink, I found the quote ;) (yes, I'm sad enough to have goggled for quotes)

Sherlock: If you were dying, if you were being murdered, in your last few seconds what would you say?
Watson: Please God, let me live.
Sherlock: Oh, use your imagination!
Watson: I don't have to.

Sherlock is being all dramatic and Watson by comparison is very droll and matter of fact. It causes Sherlock to pause and really look at him for a moment and I liked the moment a lot, it was simple but it showed how Watson grounded Sherlock, he had experience of war and knows te reality while Sherlock gets caught up in ideas and puzzles and for all his puzzles looses sight of people.

Sherlock provides Watson with danger/excitement,
Watson brings Sherlock humanity/reality.
They need each other - slash or not ;)

Also loved the scene where Sherlock gets his blanket LOL he's caught up describing this incredible man who saved his life and then it belatedly dawns on him it was Watson and he claims 'shock' It's that glimpse of the 'real' Watson. He's unassuming and normal day-to-day but there's more to him, he's highly trainned and has faced things as a soldier.

The last one with the bomb too, Sherlock's expression at seeing Watson then relief at him getting free. Hard not to slash these two.

....um yes, so I like this series a lot :p

[foolish-m0rtal.livejournal.com]

Er, characters IN THE SHOW slash them. DO not be ashamed.

I think the bomb brings up a good point. Everyone else wearing the bombs were very hysterical and panicked, and as a sharp contrast, we see Watson being very calm and collected, even knowing how to work with his situation, what with him tackling Moriarty and threatening him with the bomb so Sherlock can escape. I DO really like Watson.

Also, is it strange that Moriarty is just immensely entertaining ALL THE TIME?
And at the end when Sherlock says, "Catch you later"
And Moriarty's sing-song "Nooo you wooon't!"

I'm grinning uncontrollably throughout his entire scene.

[foolish-m0rtal.livejournal.com]

'Everyone were?' Yes, I speak English gud very.

[mee-eep.livejournal.com]

Which again is something I liked :D the whole Sherlock 'admitting' he's gay, came accross to me more as them feeling each other out. Both carefully saying how ok it was if the other was.
Watson pointing out their 'just' friends/colleagues and Sherlock oblivious or (which seems more likely) not caring what people assume.

They're very domestic too, Sherlock casusal about telling watson to take his bank card. Watson passing him a pen...

Yep, Watson seemed totally calm and kind of apologetic about it. It was nice to see Sherlock stumble over it being Watson actualy caring about the person more than the puzzle. They're really well cast and play their parts very well.

Moriarty is just so happy all the time, he can't not be fun he's so clearly enjoying himself :D

[foolish-m0rtal.livejournal.com]

Yes, if I were to guess, it would fall more along Sherlock not caring what anyone thinks since it is irrelevant to the case.
Apologetic. Haha, yes. "Ah, yes- very sorry, but I must blow up now." I think that icon someone has of Watson that says Death in a Cuddly Jumper says everything that needs to be said.

Ah, Moriarty. :D Though apparently Reichenbach Falls is happening in the next three episodes. This makes me incredibly sad.

[mee-eep.livejournal.com]

NOOOOOOOOOOes hadn't heard that :( doesn't bode well for more series then *sulk*

'Death in a cuddly jumper' LOL not seen that, but yes perfect.

[foolish-m0rtal.livejournal.com]

The hints are Adler, Hound, and Reichenbach. I don't exactly want the second season to end with The Final Problem. What else exactly would be left after that? They would have to go to the whole beekeeping business, wouldn't they?

Also speaking of Adler, I am unspeakably relieved that they're making Sherlock asexual. The Richey movie was...really uncomfortable for me with the Adler scenes with every Sherlock Holmes cell in my body screaming "WRONG!"
Really, asexuals are a minority anyway, and there are only a few iconic asexuals out there for us. (Holmes and The Doctor are the first that come to my mind, haha) It makes me angry when they twist characters just for the sake or 'romance.' I don't see the point of it.

[mee-eep.livejournal.com]

LOL I don't really want to watch a season of Bee-Keeping ;)

Alder I hope will not be a major part, how many Holmes was she acrually in? only one/two I think. Need to pull the book out soon :)

Hound is iconic, I'm kind of disappointed they picked such an obvious story but also want to see how they play it.
Reichenbach *sigh* I like Moriaty, killing him of now doesn't bode well for there being future series. Though possibly means a cliff hanger ending *snicker* (sorry, couldnt' resist)

The Richie movie was ok, but very sexualized. There was Alder then it seemed Holmes was jealous and trying to split up Watsons relationbship. They were playing to both sets of shippers. I didn't watch it as a 'Holmes' film.

I like how the series has handled it too, hope they keep it the same.

[foolish-m0rtal.livejournal.com]

She was in A scandal in Bohemia, I remember.
Oh yes, WAY too sexual- I don't think of it as a Holmes either, though the scenery and costuming were very interesting. And the music. (- thought their Adler was dying of consumption the way she looked)
My friend liked the movie's music, and I liked them portraying Watson as competent, at least different from the bumbling Watson. The music for Sherlock is very enjoyable too, and I like Cumberbatch's Holmes the way he is.