In 2010, the BBC aired a series of three mini-films featuring a 21st century Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. He’s still a genius detective who uses observation, logic and science to solve mysteries; Watson is an injured army doctor recently returned from action in Afghanistan. They meet in a chemistry lab where they’re introduced as potential roommates (neither can afford to stay in London on his own) and shortly get caught up assisting Scotland Yard in solving a series of murders. But in the modern world, the good guys and bad guys use mobile phones and the Web. Smoking is banned in so many places that Holmes relies on nicotine patches. Watson keeps a blog, not a journal.
I should confess up front that I am not a diehard, purist Holmes fan. But Sherlock was created by two men who are fervant fans – Steven Moffet and Mark Gatiss. And this was one of my favorite programs I saw on television last year. (PBS aired all three in the fall. Did you catch any of them?)
The two leads, Benedict Cumberbatch as Holmes and Martin Freeman as Watson, are fantastic in their roles and with each other. Holmes is brilliant, eccentric and generally uncaring of social norms – he’s ecstatic to be on the trail of a serial killer and his overwhelming desire to know the answers (and be right) lead him to risk his life on numerous occasions. John Watson, loyal and determined, is amazed at what Sherlock is able to deduce about people but not always impressed with his people skills or all the experiments he sets up at 221B Baker Street.
Random information for you: The series (or mini-series) received the TV Dagger and Cumberbatch the Best Actor Dagger at the ITV Crime Thriller Awards last fall. Also, Martin Freeman (Dr. Watson) portrayed Tim Canterbury on the BBC version of The Office (essentially Jim Halpert in the American version), was Arthur Dent in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and will play Bilbo Baggins in the upcoming film of The Hobbit.
Are you curious yet? See if Sherlock’s on the shelf at your local library or place a hold!
-Julie G., Summitview
