Tuesday 28 December 2010

Sherlock: Series 1

by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss

This Christmas, we’ve spent three evenings watching this DVD (from the library). A classic with a modern twist. Of the three episodes, I liked the best the first one, A Study in Pink.

Benedict Cumberbatch plays the most arrogant (even though frighteningly brilliant) Holmes I’ve ever seen. Martin Freeman is a fine, very intelligent Dr. Watson — just like Conan Doyle’s hero, he is back to London from Afghan war. (A nice 21st century detail: both Holmes and Watson are bloggers.) However it is “minor” characters who make Sherlock such a fantastic show: rather likeable Lestrade (Rupert Graves), not your caricature dumb Scotland Yard inspector; Sgt Sally Donovan (Vinette Robinson); Jeff the cabbie (Phil Davis)... On the contrary, Moriarty (Andrew Scott) is a disappointment: too psycho to be truly scary; the first appearance of Mycroft Holmes (Mark Gatiss) is so much more impressive.

Both Gatiss and Moffat are Doctor Who writers — which explains the Time Lord’s fingerprints all over the place. Which I mean as a compliment. The picture quality of the DVD is excellent. I am looking forward to more Sherlock in 2011.

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