Within the past few years the BBC has been hard at work reviving classic titles and updating them for modern audiences such as Robin Hood, Jekyll, and Merlin. Now, hot on the heels of the recent movie release starring Robert Downey Jr., comes a modern take on Sherlock Holmes, simply titled Sherlock. Set in modern day, this retelling of some of the best Sir Arthur Conan Doyle stories in a new way.
It’s obvious that the BBC wanted this to stand on its own and try and stay far away from the territory that was already explored by the aforementioned new movie, so they decided to put their best team on the adaptation. Fresh from working on the brilliant and stunning new season of Doctor Who, Stephen Moffat and Mark Gatiss bring their “A” game to the table for this re-imagining of a classic bringing with them all the quirks and fast paced smart and funny dialog that made Season 5 of Who so entertaining.
Taking on the role of the good detective is Benedict Cumberbatch (Amazing Grace, Hawking), who pulls it off with style and grace. He manages to handle all the fast paced dialog and quarkiness almost flawlessly, portraying Holmes as quite the eccentric madman who is obsessed with his self-given profession. Arrogrant, impusive, and lacking any sort of tact, watching Cumberbatch’s Holmes work his way in and out of various situations is quite amusing to say the least.
Every mad genius/funny guy needs to play off of a straight man. That’s where Dr. John Watson, played by Martin Freeman (Arthur Dent from Hitchiker’s Guide To The Galaxy and soon to be Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit), comes in. A grizzled war vet from his time in Afganstian, Dr. Watson’s dreams are haunted by days out on the battlefield and looks to find a way to relieve his anxieties. He finds solace in helping Holmes with various cases. Right off the bat Cumberbatch and Freeman have great on-screen chemistry and presence that they bring to their respective roles. Perfect casting choices here.
The first season is made up of three 90 minute episodes which seems more like a trilogy of movies, complete with all the attention to detail and quality that normally comes from the silver screen.
“A Study In Pink”:
An adaptation of the story “A Study in Scarlet”, this episode provides the introduction to the timeless duo. A series of suicides has been sweeping London and despite the police denying murder as a possiblity, Sherlock chases after a suspect that always gets away!
“The Blind Banker”:
Two similar deaths at two different banks puts Sherlock on the trail of a killer who can manage to get into rooms locked from the inside. After finding a lead putting him and Watson hot on the trail of the Yakuza.
“The Great Game”:
Sherlock and Watson have attracted the attention of a serial killer who doesn’t want Sherlock ruining his plans. To keep the detective busy, Sherlock is forced to constantly solve puzzles to keep random innocent people alive. Despite advice from Watson and even Sherlock’s own brother to stop running after this madman, his lust for answers pushes him onward and deeper into this twisted game.
Special Features:
Unlocking Sherlock: Making of Featurette
Audio commentary by Cumberbatch, Freeman, Moffat
1080p Video
5.1 DTS-HD Audio
Overall:
Sherlock: Season One is quite a delight to watch. After watching the three episodes you will be very upset there aren’t anymore to immediately continue watching. The way this series manages to give its viewers a look into the mind of the mad genius Sherlock and how he works is a very unique way of seeing the character. Moffat and Gatiss should be commended for their work on how well they managed to make this series in modern day, and Cumberbatch and Freeman’s portrayals really bring you to love this new take on such classic characters!
ComicsOnline gives Sherlock: Season One – 5 out of 5 interpretations of classic stories!
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