I've never been a big fan of Sherlock Holmes; I don't find it particularly engaging to be talked down to by someone who is smarter than I am, and the stories mostly felt that way to me (I have bigger issues with mystery as a genre, but that's a different conversation). I did manage to catch Guy Ritchie's revision of the character and found that mostly amusing, but that's not really orthodox Sherlock Holmes; but my neighbor Bob talked up this series so strongly (and, as she stingingly reminded me, so had my friend Nancy), so I decided to give it a try mainly because, well, it's British, and I've had remarkable luck with British series lately.
Here the creators have erased the historical Sherlock and replaced him with a modern-day counterpart (Benedict Cumberbatch) – a "high functioning sociopath," by his own description, a man whose only joy seems to be challenging his incredible brain to solve a puzzle. When he encounters Dr. John Watson (Martin Freeman) – they are introduced by a mutual friend as both of them require roommates to be able to afford to live in London – Sherlock allows Watson within his orbit, and Watson – who is no dope himself – has to try to avoid looking like an idiot.
Obviously the entrée to the series is Watson, a man we sympathize with almost immediately; Freeman has that sort of everyman quality, and while we learn that Watson is a cut above, he's still human, still mortal, still relatable. Not so Holmes; while he's indisputably brilliant, he's also emotionally thoughtless and needlessly, though not intentionally, cruel and disrespectful to others. Sherlock simply operates on a different wavelength than the rest of us, and if you can't keep up, he has no use for you. By making such a genius so difficult – as would likely be the case in real life – the writers have hit upon the core of an interesting relationship.
Another masterstroke is the series' length. Rather than give us a dozen or two episodes, we are treated to three ninety-minute films. While, yes, this emphasizes quality over quantity, it allows the writers to spool out the stories and develop the characters better, as you're not being relentlessly driven by the needs to fitting all that plotting into forty minutes. The series greatly benefits from this breathing room, and it does play with your expectations as a viewer. I kept expecting a solution at the hour (or so) mark, and this is used to great effect in the third episode, where Holmes indeed seems to have solved the crime, only to have the carpet drawn out from under him. Despite their length the shows move along at a brisk pace. I'm not sure every series would benefit from this format, but this one certainly does.
Cumberbatch is simply riveting as Holmes; it's hard to imagine anyone else in the role, or at the very least anyone else being half as effective. It's a joy simply to watch him, and to try to keep up with him. He could almost become overbearing, but Freeman's Watson balances him out perfectly. Watson is one of the most engaging characters I've seen in a while – smart, capable, flawed, sympathetic, utterly human – and yet, like the viewer, both drawn to and irritated by Holmes. As good as Cumberbatch is, the show simply wouldn't work without this character being so perfectly written and performed; points to Freeman.
The show is smart, funny, interesting, and keeps you guessing; there's really nothing more you could ask from any mystery, or any representation of the Holmes character. His older brother Mycroft (Mark Gatiss), who works for the government, is like Sherlock but with more polish, and their relationship is amusing. The show is written exceptionally well, and hits on every cylinder except one – an unexpected misstep all the more jarring because the rest of the series is so artfully conceived. The depiction of Moriarty, to put it simply and inelegantly, sucks. Moriarty is not the Joker (not even Heath Ledger's amazing version), and yet here he is played like a fey clown prince of crime. I understand they wanted to go in a different direction from Holmes, but they went directly the wrong one here. It's a colossal letdown when we finally come face to face with the man who might possibly be smarter than Holmes and he's a raving goofball.
That somewhat important nitpick aside, though, this is an impressive and well-done series, even for those of you (like me) who abhor mystery. Unless you just can't stand all things British (and if so, by now, why are you reading my reviews?), then by all means take the time to track these down – Netflix has 'em – and give them a spin. Time exceptionally well spent.
December 16, 2011
Here the creators have erased the historical Sherlock and replaced him with a modern-day counterpart (Benedict Cumberbatch) – a "high functioning sociopath," by his own description, a man whose only joy seems to be challenging his incredible brain to solve a puzzle. When he encounters Dr. John Watson (Martin Freeman) – they are introduced by a mutual friend as both of them require roommates to be able to afford to live in London – Sherlock allows Watson within his orbit, and Watson – who is no dope himself – has to try to avoid looking like an idiot.
Obviously the entrée to the series is Watson, a man we sympathize with almost immediately; Freeman has that sort of everyman quality, and while we learn that Watson is a cut above, he's still human, still mortal, still relatable. Not so Holmes; while he's indisputably brilliant, he's also emotionally thoughtless and needlessly, though not intentionally, cruel and disrespectful to others. Sherlock simply operates on a different wavelength than the rest of us, and if you can't keep up, he has no use for you. By making such a genius so difficult – as would likely be the case in real life – the writers have hit upon the core of an interesting relationship.
Another masterstroke is the series' length. Rather than give us a dozen or two episodes, we are treated to three ninety-minute films. While, yes, this emphasizes quality over quantity, it allows the writers to spool out the stories and develop the characters better, as you're not being relentlessly driven by the needs to fitting all that plotting into forty minutes. The series greatly benefits from this breathing room, and it does play with your expectations as a viewer. I kept expecting a solution at the hour (or so) mark, and this is used to great effect in the third episode, where Holmes indeed seems to have solved the crime, only to have the carpet drawn out from under him. Despite their length the shows move along at a brisk pace. I'm not sure every series would benefit from this format, but this one certainly does.
Cumberbatch is simply riveting as Holmes; it's hard to imagine anyone else in the role, or at the very least anyone else being half as effective. It's a joy simply to watch him, and to try to keep up with him. He could almost become overbearing, but Freeman's Watson balances him out perfectly. Watson is one of the most engaging characters I've seen in a while – smart, capable, flawed, sympathetic, utterly human – and yet, like the viewer, both drawn to and irritated by Holmes. As good as Cumberbatch is, the show simply wouldn't work without this character being so perfectly written and performed; points to Freeman.
The show is smart, funny, interesting, and keeps you guessing; there's really nothing more you could ask from any mystery, or any representation of the Holmes character. His older brother Mycroft (Mark Gatiss), who works for the government, is like Sherlock but with more polish, and their relationship is amusing. The show is written exceptionally well, and hits on every cylinder except one – an unexpected misstep all the more jarring because the rest of the series is so artfully conceived. The depiction of Moriarty, to put it simply and inelegantly, sucks. Moriarty is not the Joker (not even Heath Ledger's amazing version), and yet here he is played like a fey clown prince of crime. I understand they wanted to go in a different direction from Holmes, but they went directly the wrong one here. It's a colossal letdown when we finally come face to face with the man who might possibly be smarter than Holmes and he's a raving goofball.
That somewhat important nitpick aside, though, this is an impressive and well-done series, even for those of you (like me) who abhor mystery. Unless you just can't stand all things British (and if so, by now, why are you reading my reviews?), then by all means take the time to track these down – Netflix has 'em – and give them a spin. Time exceptionally well spent.
December 16, 2011