Sherlock Review

November 9, 2010
Filed under TV

By: Anjali Gupta

From the original books to movie adaptations to television series, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most famous character, Sherlock Holmes, has been iconic for decades. The mere mention of the name evokes images of a man in a funny-looking hat smoking a pipe at 221B Baker Street. But the question is, how do you update an icon and still keep the qualities that made him so famous in the first place? Well, Steven Moffat, acclaimed writer/producer of the British TV show Doctor Who, has done just that. Public Broadcasting System’s Masterpiece Mystery series is now showing a three week run of Sherlock, a fast-paced, clever reworking of the Conan Doyle’s work set in contemporary London. Although the premise of a Sherlock Holmes who always carries an iPhone rather than a magnifying glass may have some skeptical, Sherlock’s first episode called “A Study in Pink” proved to be full of humor, suspense and of course, mystery.

When I first heard about this adaptation, my initial reactions were a mix of excitement and apprehension. As a Doctor Who fan, I was familiar with Moffat’s writing, and in my opinion, he is one of television’s best. But my misgivings stemmed from the fact that I have never been a fan of taking period pieces and updating them because the transition is usually jarring. In most cases, the dialogue, traditions or character stereotypes of the original work do not quite hold up in modern times, resulting in an odd, off-balance piece.

However, I could not have been more wrong: 21st Century Holmes actually worked well. The writing for “A Study in Pink” was filled with what I have come to expect from Moffat: strong characters and sharp, witty dialogue with a touch of creepiness and mystery. A take-off on Conan Doyle’s very first Holmes tale, A Study in Scarlet, this episode pays respectful tribute to the original story. Rather than trying to stray from the source material, Moffat embraces it, often slipping in winking references to A Study in Scarlet. Basing Sherlock off the actual Holmes stories was an excellent move as well. The entire setting is updated, with Holmes using the internet and texting to solve crimes, and it was smart to leave familiar elements in the show that the fans of the books could identify with. And throughout the episode, the thought that Holmes was actually a Victorian-era character never even crossed my mind. For those who thought that the recent 2009 version of Sherlock Holmes with Robert Downey Jr. was too butch and strayed too far from Conan Doyle’s vision, Sherlock is an excellent alternative.

The show was also excellently cast. Atonement’s Benedict Cumberbatch stars as the great detective, and his Holmes retains all of his signature sarcasm, arrogance and intelligence. He commands every scene he is in, owning the imperious air of a man who clearly knows he is the most intelligent person in every room. Watson, played by The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy‘s Martin Freeman, is a war veteran recently returned from Afghanistan who longs to get back into the thick of the action. The two actors play off each other with ease, and the back-and-forth banter between Holmes and Watson goes a long way to establishing their relationship.

Overall, this episode was nothing short of fantastic. It was beautifully shot as well as brilliantly written and acted. Even though knowing the story’s background adds some depth to the episode, you do not have to be a Sherlock Holmes aficionado to appreciate the characters and the plot. I have no doubt that the second part in the series, entitled “The Blind Banker,” will be equally as good as the first, and I can only hope that somehow this three-part series will end up transforming into a full-length TV show.
Sherlock airs at 8 p.m. Sunday nights on PBS.