When Sir Arthur Conan Doyle let Sherlock and Watson run riot across his Victorian imagination, letting them loose onto the page, the world could not have been more delighted.
When Sir Arthur Conan Doyle let Sherlock and Watson run riot across his Victorian imagination, letting them loose onto the page, the world could not have been more delighted. Holmes and his trusty Doctor Watson have had many incarnations over the years, from Jeremy Brett to Robert Downey Jr. the most recent being Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock for BBC1.
Sherlock Holmes is almost a superhero, the only power at his disposal being his remarkable intelligence. The new Sherlock has well and truly made its mark, finishing with an overwhelmingly popular end to the second series. Fans are now eager to know how their hero escaped death. Unfortunately answers will have to wait as both lead actors are currently in high demand after their recent success.
Although a third series of Sherlock is in the pipe line. The original Conan Doyle stories were adapted by Doctor Who’s Head writer Steven Moffat and actor and writer Mark Gatiss, who are both said to be avid fans of the original tales. They have kept the stories true to the original Holmes while bringing him crashing into the modern world, and of course bringing Watson along for the ride. Holmes has a mobile phone, he texts, or rather gets others to text for him. Although, Sherlock and Dr Watson can be seen texting murderers, rather than the usual lovers and friends.
As normal his wit and intelligence outsmarts everyone in the world around him, and Sherlock does not understand why people cannot just observe as he does, see what is really going on. With the aid of modern science Sherlock is able to outwit people, the world and the police even faster, but of course there are a number of quick and keen villains all keeping him on his toes. Mr Jim Moriarty is one to look out for and well worth watching. On a number of occasions Sherlock claims he has no friends, but as the viewer you know this is not strictly true. The delectable Doctor Watson played by Martin Freeman is of course his firm favourite not that either of them would let on that they have a friendship, not to each other anyway.
Martin Freeman is currently filming Peter Jackson’s adaptation of J.RR Tolkien’s book The Hobbit, a prequel to The Lord of the rings trilogy. The Ying to Martin Freeman’s Yang, Benedict Cumberbatch, the actor has been seen in films Atonement, Wreckers and more recently Steven Spielberg’s War Horse. Cumberbatch who was specifically requested to play the role of Sherlock plays the traditionally asexual Holmes, but in this twenty first century adaptation the question of Holmes and Watson’s sexuality is constantly debated, the conclusion of course is yet to be reached and I do not think it ever will be.
Sherlock is a brilliant new adaptation of something that was already popular and had been done to death. Bringing Holmes and Watson into a modern day London gives a whole new twist on tales that have been told over and over again. The pipe and deerstalker are out the window and a new chic, fashionable Sherlock is on the scene. This is Holmes as he would have been seen by his original audience. So boil the kettle, get comfy and get ready to be wowed because every episode is ninety minutes of great writing and quick fire wit that you are not going to want to miss. Fact.
