Sherlock: Season 1

Let me begin with a confession: I was not entirely "okay" with the idea of a modern version of one of the most beloved literary characters of all time...until I saw the first episode of Series 3 on whro several weeks ago. Of course, like any rational Sherlockian I immediately purchased Series/Season 1 and waited anxiously for its arrival. There have been by far too many plot summaries, and delightful as they are, they do get tedious and repetitive after a time so instead i'll do a 'Character Portrayal' thing. Starting with The Master— BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH AS SHERLOCK HOLMES: I was quite impressed. He is a brilliant actor; quite handsome in that interesting, original way that—I feel—is nessecary to pull off Sherlock, and he does—pull it off. Brilliantly! His Sherlock is wonderful, a self described "High-Functioning Sociopath" with a rapier-sharp mind and an even faster tongue; the man delivers the famous Sherlock monologues in a rapid, lyrical staccato—VERY fast! He also is quite in touch with the quirks and vices of Sherlock: randomly firing his pistol at the wall because he's bored, plucking despondently at the strings of his violin whenever the mood strikes him, abusing drugs, silently staring blankly into space while he thinks, dashing off in the middle of a sentence with no explanation, not eating for days on end, not sleeping—all of Sherlock's classic habits. I highly commend both Benedict and the writers for bringing Sherlock Holmes to life again in the modern world. Bravo! MARTIN FREEMAN AS DR. JOHN WATSON: An intriguing interpretation. Watson is a war veteran who misses the danger of combat and the thrill of the chase. He is the only man who could possibly be Sherlock's flatmate—simply because no one else could tolerate him. But Watson thrills in the excitement, even if Sherlock sometimes drives him to his breaking point. When they meet, Watson is recovering from an injury—there are a few fun nods to the original stories where Watson never can seem to decide where his wound actually was!—and looking for a flatmate. Martin Freeman is an excellent Watson; his acting is top-notch and his portrayal wonderful. His Watson is both amazed by Sherlock's extraordinary mental powers and at the same time bewildered by Sherlock's lack of common knowledge and social skills. He can't help being frustrated with Sherlock at times, for all the obvious reasons, but Martin Freeman treads the fine line between nagging and extreme tolerance with grace. Wonderful. MRS. HUDSON: Mrs. Hudson has perhaps undergone the greatest change from the original stories, usually a rarely seen character with seemingly no past, future, or family; this Mrs. Hudson is introduced as a woman whose past relationship with Sherlock is that of a former client. He ensured her husband was executed, and so owes him a favor. This Mrs. Hudson is rather spacy, is always popping in and out with a tea tray and despairing at the mess 'her boys' have made. She is less of a landlady and housekeeper and more of a mother-figure for Sherlock and Watson. DETECTIVE INSPECTOR LESTRADE: Classic Lestrade. Basically competent; resents the fact that he needs Sherlock's help, while at the same time admiring him—though he'd die before admitting it. It's interesting to see the relationship between Sherlock and Lestrade; they bicker like two pageant girls most of the time, but it is evident there's something akin to grudging mutual respect between them. MYCROFT HOLMES: Excellent job. Mycroft is the very mysterious elder—and smarter—brother of Sherlock. He practically is the British government, and seems to have a hand in every secret agency you've ever heard of, and no doubt some you haven't. He's a delightfully odd, never-leaves-the-office-but-happy-to-do-the-brainwork type and the sibling rivalry between him and Sherlock is hysterical; they're always trying to outdo one another, while at the same time pretending the other doesn't exist. It's quite funny. The repeated jokes about Mycroft's weight are an amusing throwback to the original stories where Mycroft is quite rotund. MORIARTY: He scares me. He really does. Others have said he yells and carries on too much...but I find him terrifying. It's bone-chilling, and his picture should be in the dictionary under: criminally insane, demented, manipulative, psychopath with serious problems that absolutely no psychiatrist in the world could solve. An absolutely wonderful portrayal of Moriarty for which the actor deserves great applause(though it won't be coming from me, because I'd be too scared to be in the same room with him, even though i'm sure he's a lovely person in real life). All in all a wonderful show that masterfully transports the greatest detective of all time to our time. I am a fan.

I am a Sherlock Holmes purist, and don't have a lot of tolerance for cheap knock-offs. I grew up reading Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and still hold Jeremy Brett, and that series of Sherlock Holmes dramatizations, to be the quintessential example of excellence. When I first heard about this series, I was extremely skeptical, especially with the idea of moving Homes and Watson into the modern age, and I had no love, whatsoever, for the Guy Ritchie/Robert Downey Jr. version, which I thought was absolutely, undeniably atrocious. BUT, I am a huge fan of Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss from their work on Doctor Who, and I think Moffat and Gatiss have done an exceptional and superb job in updating both Holmes and Watson, while staying true to the original spirit of Conan Doyle's stories and characters, and the transition into the 21st Century feels almost effortless. The stories themselves -- "A Study In Pink", "The Blind Banker" and "The Great Game" -- are sharp, savvy and very well written, and well within the vein of Conan Doyle's work. As for the cast, well, they were cast perfectly. Benedict Cumberbatch looks like Sherlock Holmes, and Martin Freeman is perfect as Watson, and the interaction of the two characters is flawless. Cumberbatch deftly portrays the disconnected, but calculated weirdness and coldness of Holmes, almost with a tinge of the unhinged -- or the zen master -- take your pick; Martin Freeman, as Watson, while warmer and more inviting than Holmes, has his own streak of deliberateness and danger. Mark Gatiss, as the beleaguered Mycroft, adds his own bit of eccentricity and mystery. The character of Moriarty is the one character that I'm still kind of ambivalent about. I can't decide if that was miscast or not. Andrew Scott, who plays Moriarty, lends a certain insanity to Moriarty, but in a way, he seems to lack a certain gravitas, or authority, that Moriarty should command. Perhaps that will change or morph with the upcoming second series. But overall, you cannot go wrong with this first series. It's exciting, it's fun, the writing is top-notch, and it's true to Conan Doyle's original version, even though it's updated and resides in the 21st Century. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Steven Moffat is a genius. He's one of the best screenwriters out there, and Mark Gatiss isn't too far behind. These guys have done fantastic work, but truly shine with their re-imagining of Sherlock Holmes, and his faithful sidekick/brother-in-arms, John Watson.

Clever turns, witty dialogue - loved it. I am a big fan of all things Holmes but I don't like change. It took me a while to get used to Brett's over the top portrayal after Rathbone's rather crisp Holmes, but he was so droll and on point how could you not love it! I sat down prepared to completely hate this new take but after an hour - hooked all over again! Cumberbatch's face when he has an ephipany is priceless. His chemistry with Martin Freeman is solid and believable and this show would be worthless without it. Finally a Dr. Watson I can enjoy. The others were dreary. I think that the Holmes from the original stories *is* a diva, *is* rather a spoiled brat, but someone who operates on a far different level the most folks so it's merely very exasperating. He needs a sane and wry Dr Watson to keep him tethered to the real world, grounded in whatever century that world and its sun happen to turn in. I loved the first episode, Study in Pink, but not the Blind Banker. I watched it several times but there were many "and ok yeah but what was that supposed to mean" on my side of the screen. And it's not an Brit/American translation problem, it's a plot thing. Doubtless more erudite people then myself will state it more clearly. The last episode, The Great Game made up for it all. And how. The last 15 minutes had me literally yelling NO WAY! Moriarty saying "I will burn the heart out of you" was just so perfectly evil. He's wonderfully nasty in this series. I can't get enough Mycroft either, isn't he perfect? Too much fun indeed. It's been a long time since anything on TV has involved me that much. I do love how they throw many bits of the stories in where you don't expect it, like "Rache" and the Vermeer painting, really added to the fun for me. You know, sure, it's got holes and flaws (and the best Dr. Watson and Mycroft EVER) but you know what? When you watch anything like this, you have to suspend disbelief for a bit and just have fun. I surely did and I can't ask more then that. Addendum: I just received the DVD and had a Festival of Sherlock. Watched it all from end to end :). The pilot included is a great take on Study in Pink but the 90 minute version is far superior. Still, it's lots of fun. I just love that cabbie! I am assuming I have the full BBC version and not the PBS edits but I am not 100% sure. There's some included material on the Blind Banker especially that I wish hadn't been edited out. "The making of" episodes were enjoyable. I am really glad I bought this DVD! I'm such a big Sherlock Holmes fan and this adaptation is just wonderful.

I run BluntReview's website and there's a full review there as well: The BBC's three-movie resurrection of Sherlock Holmes has made a sort of thunder across the Atlantic. This brilliant update of Holmes will please aficionados, and, perhaps, make the Victorian-phobe electronics culture dip in. Sherlock has a website, Watson a blog. Yet, Sir Conan Doyle's lads - and stories - have everything they need. There are even nods through out the films to the original stories. You can tell (feel) the creators love Holmes as much as his followers. This DVD has the three films in what one hopes is a first season to be followed by many more. With the films, you get the pilot that got the producers the high-production-value nod from BBC, and a doc on how they went about updating Holmes and Watson for the 21st Century. They've properly de-fogged him, but added a bit of mystery, as you watch in wonder (if you know the works), how they've adapted the tales, and characters. Study in Pink is the first film. The pilot on the DVD is Study in Pink as well - with uncanny Dr. Who music...hmm.TIP: Watch the pilot after the high-end production. In fact, I suggest viewing the three films then the doc, then the pilot. Layer the tastes! As I was typing...SIP introduces us to Watson, and Holmes. Holmes is asked by Lestrade to help on an odd bit of suicides that have gripped Londontown. Folks without a worry (it seems) are committing suicide, in random places, in the very same manner - and they do not have any connections, that the police can find.Enter Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch). He's a tall, eccentric fellow who like to store severed heads, and whip cadavers in his spare time to further his deductive skills. This is just the sort of thing that gets him going. Just as he's to jump into the investigation, an acquaintance has introduced him to Watson (Martin Freeman). They may share a central London flat - over at 221B Baker. Faster then you can say "How are they gonna work in a deerstalker?" the duo take on a clever killer and Sherlock and Watson appear to have always been here - now. You may well read their web-thingies daily via RSS. Next, comes The Blinded Banker. The way they've spun the tale - I think - of The Dancing Men to fit into the current era is magical. If it's not that update, it's still freakin' brilliant; all ciphers and foreign drug smugglers. Watson gets a gal pal, and Sherlock manipulates another. This one's very much going to thrill mystery viewers of any sorts. There's just a mélange of parts that puff up into a hearty stew of viewing; rich and robust. Finally there is The Great Game. Ah, missing treaty papers do smoothly reshape into missile plans, sadly. War is the same in any century. We get to meet Mycroft (Mark "co-creator" Gatiss) and Moriaty (whose name I confess I couldn't catch within the speeding credits - sorry sir. It's the season's cliff hanger and it should leave you sufficiently stunned - and praying there's another season to come! The reason Sherlock works is two-fold really. The casting of Martin Freeman and Benedict Cumberbatch is spot on. It need to be. This is a bromance people take very seriously. The players need to be quite spectacular to work. They do, it does... Freeman is known (here in USA at least) for comedy delivered with that subtle British "thing" they do...Freeman's got that everyman look that director's love. But, he works his face like a concert pianist (immediately order the under-loved, absolutely hilarious, "The Robinsons" for a visual lecture on acting with the face). Little remarks wash across, and the watcher can read his character's soul. The man's amazing frankly. Not too shabby is the lad beside him either. Benedict Cumberbatch, for all his manly looks, can not escape his deep DNA. He looks as though he's walked off a fox hunt, bullied the stable keeper and could do those fancy ball dances so "in" back in 1890. Hell, even his name is a tad pompous. That said, he is scruffed up a bit here (really just the hair) and is perfect for the eccentric genius. The two have a chemistry that is rarely found proper these days. And, they are both swell on the eyes. Not Guy Ritchie's ass-biting version, which had the beautiful Jude Law and Robert Downey Jr., swell, but the man-loving among us will get it... Then there's the two who bring us the update themselves....Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat. They are clever Dr. Who sorts to begin with. But, honestly, they've pulled off a remarkable feat here. Sherlock is like a sacred character to many of us. There's an assumed brilliance, mixed with a bit of arrogance. Mix the two improperly, and you've got a jerk. The team behind this project mixed like mixologists at a contest for the best bar tenders of the world. The result is a cocktail of awe. Then there's the London they've placed Watson and Sherlock in. It's 100% now. And they use the now in everyway. At each moment you know, this Sherlock is part of the modern city, and the modern technology. He uses the apps on his phone to assist him, the way a consulting detective would... Even the theme and ambience music is worthy! Snack recommendation: Chinese Take Away; to be including, lotus scented rice, and tea from 500 year old clay pots please. Splurge a bit.

After Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes movie I was quite frankly getting sick of the Sherlock Holmes character and all of his incarnations (i.e. 'House' and any major CSI character). Now I don't like to be gushy over anything but not only have Doctor Who's Stephan Moffat and Mark Gatiss faithfully updated the Conan-Doyle characters to a fresh, modern day setting, BBC's Sherlock is by far the best TV series I've seen all year! The show Sherlock (as I mentioned) updates the characters of Sherlock Holmes, Dr. John Watson, and Inspector Lestrade to a modern day London setting. This transition actually works better than I thought it would: Sherlock uses texting and computers to his advantage, Watson Blogs his stories but still WAS in the current Afghanistan conflict, they both use credit cards to pay for things etc. But aside from the technology the episodes play out in a very faithful and thrilling manner taking Sherlock and John (they're on a first name basis) all over England using Sherlock's deductive reasoning to solve complex and bizarre crimes. What's even better is all of the original characterizations are intact making Sherlock and John a fun duo who argue while trying to figure each other out. The characters of course wouldn't work as well as if the actor didn't do such an exceptional job. Benedict Cumberbatch is immediatly acceptable as Holmes, and while probably won't make you forget Jeremy Brett or Basil Rathbone he's 100 percent believable and convincing as this modern man who despite his brilliant mind has a hard time understanding people. Martin Freeman is superb as John Watson, portraying someone haunted by his war injuries but sticking to his human principals and provides an empathetic personality to Holmes' sometimes cold methods. Rupert Graves is excellently cast as Inspector Lestrade, a dedicated cop who, despite his better judgment is willing to let Sherlock into an investigation if it means saving lives. If there's one low point to this DVD set it's that the three 90 minute episodes included behave more like a trilogy of films than a TV series. The overarching plot is an exciting one but the middle episode 'The Blind Banker' feels like it takes a back seat to the first and final episodes. It's a solid episode and worth seeing, but just doesn't have the overarching energy of the other two. The DVD set also includes a making-of, the original 60 minute 'Study in Pink' pilot and commentaries on the first and last episodes. Like I said, Sherlock is easily my favorite show of 2010. It's got great characters, cunning mysteries, and thrilling action and chase scenes. Any mystery fan and especially Sherlock Holmes fan will want to check out the best incarnations of these characters to come out in the last 20 years!

With over 400 reviews, its hard to imagine that I can say anything which has not already been said. But let me rehash some obvious points. First, these are not rewritings of the original Sherlock Holmes stories. They should best be though of as new stories, based loosely on one or more of Arthur Conan Doyle's works, with the same characters, but in 21st century London rather than 19th century London. Some things have been sanitized. Holmes morphine habit is replaced by nicotine patches. Also, the sense of several secondary characters have been changed. Chief inspector Lestrade seems far less helpless, and far more a decent policeman, albeit a bit colorless. But his assistants have no respect. One sargeant, for example, rather appropriately refers to Holmes as "freak". Both Mycroft and Moriarity have been made either younger and thinner, or both. And both are played with the kind of tics which distinguish someone who is far, far smarter than anyone you will ever meet, aside from Sherlock himself. All that is to the good. The modernization is done with absolutely no amount of clever asides which say "Look what I did to modernize this or that." Now the down side. The first episode, "A Study in Pink" is loosely based on the novel "A Study in Scarlet", but without the whole Mormon back story. The conclusion is totally different. But being based on a preexisting plot gives it good coherence. The second episode is based on a few different short stories, but it has a certain coherence. The end resolves the situation laid out in the opening. The third episode, "The Great Game" has problems, at least on two successive viewings. It is based on several different Holmes short stories, but they are pidgon-holed into a plot which is has so many twists and turns that no amount of Holmes reading will help. This leads me to the voice-over commentary provided by the principle actors. It helps not one wit in understanding the plot. It has lots of useful comments about how scenes were shot, but no illumination about what is driving the plot. When we find out that it was all orchestrated by Moriarty, and we meet him, in the end, helps very little. All in all, this is a really great series. The acting, the direction, and the music are spot on. In the third episode, it seems the writing became a bit too enthralled with its cleverness. But, get it and judge for yourself. You will be entertained and entranced.

If it weren't for NetFlix, I never would have found this gem! It popped up as a recommendation and I'm SO glad I took the time to watch it. I'm not keen on the recent Sherlock Holmes movies (RDJ is just so arrogant, and it bleeds into all his characters, something I find takes me out of the watching experience), but this portrayal was far more deep and genuine. Yes, Holmes is a self-absorbed character, but in Cumberbatch's portrayal, it worked, and not because the actor is a pig (like RDJ). I found that it likely required far more acting prowess than RDJ (or Johnny Miller on "Elementary") ever bring to the character. There is no better, more loyal, more hilarious, or more soulful Watson than Freeman's. He's not a sidekick in this version. I'm so grateful to the creators and writers that Watson is not a stooge or a babysitter. He's an active member of the team and an excellent foil to Sherlock. The writing is superb; it's not as dark as American crime procedural shows are (a fine relief for this Yank who's more than a little sick of all the gratuitous bloodbaths on TV these days), and instead has to be carried by thoughtful writing and believable acting - "Sherlock" has both. It's also got some wonderfully comedic one-liners, which lighten the dark scenes without cheapening them. A note to those who haven't watched the series, especially American friends who aren't familiar with this style - this is not like regular US TV series where a season will have 21-26 episodes, 42 minutes a piece. This is similar to BBC's "Wallander" (another immensely good show!) in that it's a series of 3, 90-minute movies, essentially. It's easy to get greedy and want far more than 3 episodes per season!

It's unfortunate that Amazon has a ratings limit, because this series is such a cut above the rest, allotting 'Sherlock' only five stars seems to be doing it a disservice. The writing is phenomenal, managing to update Conan Doyle's characters in a way that parallels the original with the modern instead of changing Sherlock Holmes and Dr John Watson to fit in the 21st century. Their personas are so recognizable that everything else that you assumed epitomized Holmes - the Victorian setting, the heavy smoking/pipes, the cliched deerstalker and Inverness - is quickly forgotten. Messrs Moffat and Gatiss have done a remarkable job proving that Sherlock Holmes was not, in fact, a product of the Victorian era, as even I suspected he might be, and they've not only updated a few of Doyle's own deductions, but have written in originals that rival those of the stories. A word on Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman as Holmes and Watson, or Sherlock and John, as the case may be. Being that I read the Holmes Canon and had a precise mental image of him before ever seriously watching any adaptation, even the best Holmes actors have always been that - actors. Even Jeremy Brett took some getting used to. But Cumberbatch exudes Sherlock Holmes from every pore. He was my Holmes practically from the first twenty seconds he was on screen. Martin Freeman's Watson is fleshed out wonderfully, retaining the above average intelligence he was possessed of in the original stories, while not resorting to making him hostile or put-upon in the process. He's a loyal partner and friend, the most important person in Holmes' life and vice versa. He is no pushover by any means, but is in awe of Holmes and will do anything for him. Basically, he is ACD's Watson, just as Cumberbatch is Holmes of early Canon. You cannot go wrong with this series, whether you are a stuffy purist Sherlockian or just looking for an entertaining mystery. It is brilliant and utterly delightful. My only gripe is the fact we only have three episodes. ETA: There has been speculation that this DVD set contained the edited versions aired on PBS's Masterpiece Mystery. All three episodes are included in their entirety, with no cut scenes. The special features also include a commentary with Gatiss/Moffatt and the original unaired pilot.

Llegada mucho antes de lo previsto. Muy contenta, llegada en perfecto estado. Es para?Navidades y es una serie perfecta y magnifica para regalar. Muy satisfecha.

Was happy with goods

Se siete fan di Sherlock Holmes come me è una serie che fa per voi. Molto "british", Benedict Cumberbatch come Sherlock è semplicemente spettacolare. E se lo vedete in lingua originale - la sua voce da un tocco in più alla serie. l'unica pecca- mancano sottotitoli

Fan inconditionnelle de Sherlock Holmes, avant de voir la série à la télévision, j'était un peu dubitative. Je l'ai vu et j'ai pris une sacrée claque! Cette énième adaptation est un vrai "bijou" d'intelligence, de finesse et d'humour. Le défi était pourtant de taille: adapter à notre époque les aventures d'un héros de l'aire victorienne. Pari réussi haut la main! Ce "Sherlock" est très bien ancré dans le 21ème siècle et se paye le luxe d'accrocher son public du début à la fin. Les histoires du "canon" sont bien là, les acteurs sont excellents ( mention particulière aux interprètes de Sherlock et Watson ), le rythme est soutenu, et les "manies" du héros sont irresistibles. A noter, une mise en images esthétique et dynamique. A voir absolument.

I thoroughly enjoyed the three BBC television movies that comprise the first season of Sherlock. The three features are A Study in Pink, The Blind Banker, and The Great Game. As you've probably already read some of the previous descriptions and reviews, I'll simply say that this is an intriguing update on the characters, stories, and location (London looks great with both its historic and modern look). Many interesting and amusing details from the original short-stories and novels have been incorporated and the cast is very good. My few quibbles are more a matter of personal taste than flaws in this version. However, I get the feeling that this new look will not be appreciated by those who don't want to see any modern changes. I also enjoyed the special feature Unlocking Sherlock-The Making of, and will be looking forward to the second season (due to be released/broadcast in late 2011) .