During my little illness, I did enjoy one treat: the new series of BBC's Sherlock has begun, and the famous investigator stages -- or tries to stage -- his return. He's been quite convincingly dead for two years, so... Well. "Madcap hijinks ensue," at least for a certain range of values for both "madcap" and "jinks greater than zero."
Some of the tension is artificial but it was a fine episode nevertheless. He's trying to be a bit more human, occasionally with distressingly aspie results and if -- if! -- the series can maintain this precarious balance, it will be great fun.
Word is Auntie's on board for a fourth series (three episodes). Show creators Stephen Moffatt and Mark Gatiss say they're got plots for a fifth season as well. The largest hurdle is talent schedules; the main and supporting players have plenty of other work. It's a remarkable updating of the character and somehow leaves both Holmes and Watson more like their originals than most "faithful" adaptations of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's stories.
I've heard great things about this series but my wife is a Sherlock Holmes freak and she refuses to watch this show or that other one with Lucy Liu as Watson. She also hated Robert Downey/Holmes.
ReplyDeleteShe's a purist and goes off on a rant every time I try to watch. For her it's either Jeremy Brett as Holmes or her old books and NOTHING else.
So enjoy and hope you feel better soon.
I love the way they give a nod to the books in brief, off hand ways. Also the way he "met" Watson again was GREAT!
ReplyDeleteI think your last sentence is the key. In the books, Watson is not merely the narrator, but a key part of the partnership.
ReplyDeleteI've been enjoying it, but sometimes it falls into what Torchwood also fell into -- substituting flashy graphics and people running through streets for actual plot development.
ReplyDeleteI have seen all three episodes for this season and this is the most consistently good season yet in my opinion.Season 1 and 2 had some great and not so great episodes. While 3 might not reach the highest it also is well above the lowest of the previous seasons.
ReplyDeleteReno, I'm sort of a purist. I hated the Robert Downey Jr. films and Elementary really does stink.
ReplyDeleteGet her to try the Sherlock because while it is indeed "modernized", its much more like what a modern Sherlock Holmes would really appear.
And its version of Scandal in Bohemia is brilliant.
I haven't seen season 3 yet, but my wife and I agree with you that BBC's Sherlock is the best adaptation ever, bar none.
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Brett is best.
ReplyDeleteRathbone hard on his heels in proper period pieces. The WWII films are great period pieces in their own right.
The BBC revamp of Holmes is very well done and makes suitable nods to the original. I dislike this version of Moriarty but since the actor is also one of the writers what can you do?
The American Sherlock takes amusing liberties with The Canon and is quite enjoyable.
Who is this Robert Downey you speak of?
I agree the Robert Downey films are dreadful. They do violence to the characters.
ReplyDeleteConversely, I kind of like "Elementary," though the writing can be seriously low-research pulp; but I always liked the show it is based on, too: "House." It's hardly a patch on the current BBC series.
Jeremy Brett made a good Holmes, especially early on. His failing health affected his portrayal in the last season; can't blame the man for that. The pacing was a bit slow for my American expectations.
The current series is fun; far enough from the originals that it doesn't have to adhere to canon, close enough that (IMO) the characters are believable as modern versions of themselves. (Moriarty is a bit over the top but he's a supervillian -- practically the original supervillian.)
I still can't get used to a thin Mycroft. At least "Elementary" mentioned that he'd lost weight.
ReplyDeleteHe is a bit odd, thin; but the character is so very much on-track in every other way that I'll overlook it. His loathing of having to bestir himself certainly comes through.
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