No Shit, "Sherlock" (the BBC series)

[on:]

(I searched for some sort of mention about this show, including "Benedict Cumberbatch," but got no relevant hits. If this is a redundant topic, mods please move accordingly.)

So, is anyone a fan of this show like I have become within the past week? Seriously, the only TV I watch has been Futurama (and sporadically, PBS cooking shows and okay, occasionally, "Ghost Adventures" for the beefcake factor), and I discovered this show on Netflix Instant Watch. I absolutely love it. I think what bothers me the most about it is some of the contrived plot points and the sometimes tenuous connections in logic that leads Holmes to his deductions.

But I find everything else--the acting, dialogue, cinematography, production values, use of graphics and effects, pacing--to be superb. Really, it's the characters and the excellent acting behind those characters that makes the show; otherwise it would just be a dime-a-dozen procedural crime show. Benedict Cumberbatch is absolutely brilliant. He manages to make Holmes aloof, maddeningly anti-social, and arrogant, while also revealing a more complicated, surprising side. I was especially intrigued by his characterization in "A Scandal in Belgravia," where there were hints of him actually feeling some kind of emotion--however nebulous and ambiguous it was--for Irene Adler. It's been over 20 years since I read "A Scandal in Bohemia" so I don't recall if Conan Doyle portrayed Holmes' admiration for The Woman as begrudging admiration rather than actual attraction. I think it's the former, but maybe this uncertainty is an excuse for me to pick up my anthology again and snuggle into some blankets and read, now that the weather is mercifully cooling off here.

I find the show quite hilarious at times, too. It's very well done. Anyone else enjoy it?

(I confess that I have to enable subtitles to fully understand everything, especially since the pacing can be quite fast--I wonder if British people are sometimes also stymied by American accents, too.)

[Reply #1 on:]

Is that the one with Martin Freeman? If so, then yes, I've seen the first episode, and yes, I thought it was great. It was a while ago, so I don't really remember much.

[Reply #2 on:]

But the US version has Lucy Liu bot as Jane Watson!

CAN'T DECIDE!

[Reply #3 on:]

Why do Americans insist on taking perfectly good films and shows and "Americanizing" them? I heard of that Lucy Liu one, but I'm not sure if it's supposed to be an adaptation of the BBC show. I mean, do entertainment execs think that Americans are so dumb and unsophisticated that they can't appreciate anything where characters speak with non-American accents, or in a foreign language?

I mean, case in point, "Let the Right One In"--why did they go and make another version of that, an already wonderful movie? It really gets on my nerves, and makes me wonder if we're just really doomed here.

OT, I love Benedict. He's the shit. He plays Sherlock so well. I have always found that character incredibly fascinating. Maybe he was really a high-functioning autistic savant, before the world came up with such a label.

[Reply #4 on:]

I finished the first season (i had started 2 years ago and left the 3rd episode until this night"

i absolutelly love this show... it seems quite natural despite being in the modern era .. its totally "transported" ...  love the plot, the acting, how we see Holmes mind working (tought usually after he made the math) and his relationship with Watson is quite hilarious.. actually sometimes is a bit anoying when Watson fails in front of Holmes.. is funny but quite played in the first season (didnt yet watched the second)

cant believe the americans "versioned" this... is that a joke?

[Reply #5 on:]

But the US version has Lucy Liu bot as Jane Watson!

CAN'T DECIDE!

British version is better hands down.  Although Lucy Liu is in the other thing.

Btw, Sherlock dies in series 2.

Why do Americans insist on taking perfectly good films and shows and "Americanizing" them? I heard of that Lucy Liu one, but I'm not sure if it's supposed to be an adaptation of the BBC show. I mean, do entertainment execs think that Americans are so dumb and unsophisticated that they can't appreciate anything where characters speak with non-American accents, or in a foreign language?

I mean, case in point, "Let the Right One In"--why did they go and make another version of that, an already wonderful movie? It really gets on my nerves, and makes me wonder if we're just really doomed here.

OT, I love Benedict. He's the shit. He plays Sherlock so well. I have always found that character incredibly fascinating. Maybe he was really a high-functioning autistic savant, before the world came up with such a label.

British television does it too.  The worst case is the American version of Coupling which was secretly just a British version of Friends.  Coupling is better than Friends though.

I'm not sure if the American Sherlock is an adaptation or them just trying to ride the wave.  Robert Downey Jr. played Sherlock in those successful american movies before this recent Sherlock series on the BBC as an example.  Plus Sherlock Holmes is an interesting character to begin with; House happens to be Sherlock Holmes wrapped in something else, as well.

The Robert Downey Jr. movies were alright action flicks, but the BBC's Sherlock series is really a great drama, and humorous to boot.  I haven't seen the American version yet, but I don't have to to know that it doesn't hold a candle to its British counterpart.

[Reply #6 on:]

*bumpementary*

New episode was good, the boys are back in town!

[Reply #7 on:]

Aw yiss, I have been waiting so long for season three, and the first episode did not dissapoint! I wonder how the new main bad guy is, and I certantly want one of these t-shirts.

[Reply #8 on:]

* winna blinks

[Reply #9 on:]

I thought the second episode of the season was better than the first; Sherlock's delivery of the best man's speech was rather hilarious!

[Reply #10 on:]

Johnny Lee Miller's version Elementary has Lucy Liu in it.   

[Reply #11 on:]

Quite nice series 3... the first episode is the weakest of the tree but its good non the less (still better than 1X02 and 2X02)

The second episode doesnt start much good..it looks like a bottled show and that its all about Sherlock preparing for a wedding and getting drunk.. until all the sudden all pieces fall in place and youhave to quickly build the rest of the episode to understanf how all is related..

Third episode was quite good with a quite original and nasty "villain" (wich comes from a Sherlock Holmes original story like many many other elements) ..

tought the ending provoques quite mixed feelings

Show spoiler

So Moriaty is or isnt dead? we love moriarty back and his suicide seemed odd to me..like not quite clearly shown... enought for this show to be open to faking.. but many people complain that its a cheap element due to popular pressure to bring him back

Also i dont quite liked the statement that all Moriarty "burning" sherlock in the final episode of series 2 was a plot of Mycroft and Sherlock and that everything was ploted and under control.. the fun of that episode was seeing someone beating Sherlock and "burning" him down bit by bit.. to show that he isnt that invincible and allmighty..saying that everything was ploted to fool Moriarty ruins all that ...unless now turn out that Moriarty might had over-outwitted them out

Also some people complain that Sherlock seems less clever (or more stupid depending on the perspective).. but i actually prefer this to the Asperger perfect all-knowing Sherlock that seems short of a robot..or alien...or an alien-robot

also Sherlock has been interacting with people (and Watson specially) for some years now.. that has to soft him down somehow

[Reply #12 on:]

I just finished catching up on this show, and it's really darn good. I particularly love the editing and neat effects they use with Sherlock's "mind palace". Benedict Cumberbatch's amazing acting ability is just the icing on the cake.

[Reply #13 on:]

So, I finally decided to buy season 1+2 on blueray.
The show does look good so far. As I am familiar with Jeremy Bretts old Sherlock, it was obvious where Benedict Cumberbatch got his inspiration from.

[Reply #14 on:]

I've been thinking of starting this show or dexter, does anyone have any opinions which one I should start first? Or if I should even bother

[Reply #15 on:]

I've been thinking of starting this show or dexter, does anyone have any opinions which one I should start first? Or if I should even bother

I had my doubts about watching 'Sherlock' as I was initially put off by the length of each episode (1 hour 30 minutes), as I'm so used to watching 20 minute comedies, but I'm so glad I eventually watched it. It's a great series with a great twist on some familiar characters and stories, along with a good amount of humour to boot.

I haven't watched 'Dexter', but from what I've heard it's a long ride that fluctuates in quality over its run.

[Reply #16 on:]

I haven't watched 'Dexter', but from what I've heard it's a long slide that fucks itself in quality over its run.

FTFY

[Reply #17 on:]

Thanks Boxy I'm gonna have to start in now I am used to the shorter lengthened shows, like friends was one of my favorites

[Reply #18 on:]

Well, you're pretty much guaranteed to love Sherlock's first episode because it's fucking amazing.

[Reply #19 on:]

Well if it's fucking amazing.... Then yessss. I've always been into criminal kinds of shows and comedies at that. I was really into monk, which got lots of shit.

[Reply #20 on:]

Admittedly, season 3 is bit worse than the other two but it's still incredibly solid. My favourite episode is definitely "The Reichenbach Fall" (season 2 finale), which has one of the most intense cliffhangers I've ever seen.

Hopefully season 4 comes out some time this century.

[Reply #21 on:]

Yeah I heard it takes forever for new seasons to come out but basically almost any series after the first few seasons slowly goes downhill.