Elementary, My Dear Watson

Listening To: Prepared to do Anything - Sherlock Series 2 Soundtrack

My Mood:

To begin, sorry about last night's insane post, I was clearly sleep deprived and emotionally unstable. 

Okay, so I spent all yesterday afternoon and evening in bed, only leaving it for food and the bathroom (though very reluctantly). It’s not exactly the studying that I had in mind, with a history exam coming up this Monday, nevertheless it was, in my opinion, time well spent.

And if you read my last post, you will know I wasn’t spending this time catching up on some much needed sleep. Instead I was watching all the seasons of BBCOne’s modern adaptation of Sherlock Holmes, aptly named Sherlock. I have been meaning to watch this series for quite some time, it reviews well and my fellow Tumblrians seem to be crazy about it. And no more than ten minutes in did I start to understand what all the hype was about. Now, it currently only has two seasons, with three episodes per season, but as these episodes run for an hour and a half, it makes the whole thing pretty special. Effectively I watched six Sherlock films, and every second was brilliant.

To truly explain the full effect of the program, each character needs to be dissected and praised, by me!

Sherlock Holmes is, for lack of a better word, brilliantly portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch. His dialogue is well delivered, which would be an arduous task considering the sheer intelligence and speed of it all. He brings quirks and vulnerabilities to the character which have been left out in past portrayals, which altogether humanise his genius. Dr John Watson, played by the cute as a button Martin Freeman, expresses more through his actions than he ever could with words. In fact his wonderful skill won him a BAFTA last year, unfortunately Sherlock (aka Benedict) is still waiting on his.

Mrs Hudson has a much more motherly relationship with Sherlock than the current film characters do, and the relationship between Sherlock and Lestrade is also a lot warmer. Lestrade is considered as one of Sherlock’s only three friends, and their relationship is built on mutual respect and admiration. The modernised depiction of Irene Adler raised a few eyebrows amongst the British public, but I absolutely adored her portrayal. She is a severely damaged person, yet she hides under a mask of seduction and beauty. However, as her affiliation with Sherlock continues, this mask cracks and her vulnerabilities show.

Finally, the series depiction of Moriarty, though in my opinion initially annoying, is the pinnacle of entertainment. Rather than the traditional, Professor Moriarty, he is much younger, and is equal in intelligence and insanity. He is sassy, dramatic, his life is a performance, and he also MENTAL, an absolute nutcase. And this is what makes him so darn entertaining.

Everything in this series just works, the acting, the chemistry between the characters and the way in which they fit seamlessly into modern day London. I just hope The Hobbit trilogy is good, because Martin has kept the fans waiting long enough. Filming begins in January next year, and new episodes should start midyear.

221b Baker Street will never be the same again.

Em