In 1887, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle began writing about the famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, and his trusty sidekick, Dr. Watson, in a series that revolutionized the way crime stories were told.
The four novels and 56 short stories are told from Dr. Watson’s perspective, where he recounts with admiration the stories of the oftentimes strange clients who came to visit him and Holmes, the crimes and mysteries which they were given to solve, and the incredible ways in which Sherlock Holmes went about solving them. Holmes was a genius with incredible powers of memory, intelligence and deduction and could seem almost inhuman at times.
Sherlock Holmes had a huge fan base around the turn of the century, and devoted fans still exist today. After all, without Sherlock Holmes and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle we wouldn’t have the same crime television series or mystery novels that are around now, let alone the many Sherlock Holmes remakes and spinoffs. Of these adaptations, one of the more popular versions is the BBC’s Sherlock.
The BBC’s Sherlock was created by Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat, two brilliantly creative writers who are also ardent fans of Doyle’s beloved series. The show stars the talented Benedict Cumberbatch as the titular character and the equally adept Martin Freeman as the detective’s faithful companion.
Set in modern-day London, the crime-solving duo makes use of current technologies and trends while retaining many aspects of Doyle’s original characters.
Cumberbatch’s Sherlock is a brilliant “high-functioning sociopath” who lacks social grace and compassion, while Freeman’s Watson is one that is imbued with such genuine emotion that he is essentially the detective’s polar opposite.
Yet, throughout the series, it becomes clear that both men rely heavily on each other, with Sherlock providing the excitement that John longs for, and John acting as Sherlock’s moral compass. Simply put, both actors are brilliant, and their chemistry is one that lies firmly at the foundation of the show.
Departing from the traditional crime-solving backbone of Doyle’s stories and subsequent adaptations, Moffat and Gatiss have chosen to focus on the development of Sherlock and John’s friendship.
From the series premiere to the series three finale, Moffat and Gatiss have beautifully crafted the show’s characters into multidimensional individuals who each undergo noticeable personal growth. These individual changes are particularly evident in the series two finale, “Reichenbach Fall,” where Sherlock sacrifices everything he has in order to save those he cares for most.
This series tackles more serious and slightly unexpected themes of sexuality, human fear, and love, toying with the audience’s emotions and its ability to discern between reality and illusion.
Sherlock is a brilliant show that is supported by equally incredible music, writing, and cinematography. Sherlock’s personalized deductions appear as words on the screen as unique transitions are made between scenes, allowing for an unusually in-depth analysis of the show.
While the plot can be a bit outlandish, whatever is lacking in feasibility is compensated by the characters themselves. Sherlock causes both laughter and tears while making your head spin, and with plenty of references to Doyle’s original series, such as in the titles of the episodes, it is sure to please traditional fans as well as new ones and is well worth the 90 minutes per episode and two year wait between seasons. In the meantime, you may want to log onto Tumblr.com and watch the fandom flail as “Moftiss” trolls its audience.