Steven Moffat: Scottish television writer and producer, 18.11.1961
Mark Gatiss: English actor, screenwriter and novelist, 17.10.1966
Sherlock: TV-series, premiered in 2010
Simply the best Sherlock Holmes adaptation ever. Yes, you heard it, and that counts Jeremy Brett too. Everything in this series is first class: the script, the actors, directors and the technical implementation. The quality of the result is just amazing; especially when you look at the challenging and worn out subject matter and the weight of the standards created by former adaptations. But the new challenger comes out of nowhere and beats them all: it's innovative, imaginative, fresh, clever and most of all: new Sherlock comes closest to a believable Holmes character ever played.Thank you, BBC.
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| From en.wikipedia.org |
A Study in Pink, series 1
The series starts with modern war clips and is quickly cut to Watson's bedroom and therapy sessions. What?! Afghanistan war and Watson?! Sounds far fetched? But did you remember that Arthur Conan Doyle's original Watson was also the veteran of Afghanistan war of the 19th century? I certainly did not, but this was very nice reminder of one of the details in Sherlock Holmes stories. Perhaps I should read them again. I loved the original stories as youngster and read them all (almost all at least). The quality of the original stories, however, is varying and some of the stories and Sherlock's reasonings are even ridiculous. As it is well known, Conan Doyle himself did not think much of the Sherlock Holmes stories, and the weaknesses of the original stories have always passed, more less to the television and film adaptations too. But the new "Sherlock" series boldly throws into garbage all the unnecessary and most unbelievable elements and creates a fascinating, to the present day transformed chararacters and stories. The key to the succes is, of course, the script but also the performances of the actors, especially Sherlock played by Benedict Cumberbatch, are wonderful.
Blocker's Verdict: 4/5
The catchiest detail: Appearance of Sherlock's brother, Mycroft, whom the the spectator is first misleaded to recognize as Moriarty.
The Blind Banker, series 1
This episode was just a litttle bit weaker than the first one, we (that is me and my wife) thought. While watching this I paid attention to some of the Martin Freeman's acting manoeuvres. I loved his performance in "The Office", it was a bull's eye, but it was a surprise to see how much he used same manouvres with the character of John Watson. Not that they would not work, just paid attention to it. The other thing I noticed, was how constantly the depth impression was used in composition of scenes and individual shots. (Perhaps you know a proper expression for this, I'm no expert). What I mean is, that there is constantly somekind of secondary element set in the back or at the front of the actual target. This element of using the z-axis, is something that is many times missing from my homeland's tv-series, and I think, that the lack of it makes them often look clumsy and cheap.
Blocker's Verdict: 3/5
The catchiest detail: Benedict Cumberbatch's performance in front of the door camera, to get to the banker's apartment.
The Great Game, series 1
The rhythm of this episode is fast-paced, consisting of many puzzles set to Holmes by a villain, who in the end is revelead as Holmes' archenemy. The side characters, inspector Lestrade and Holmes' brother Mycroft, are more involved than in the previous episodes. The villain's implementation of crime is imaginatively made up and new details of Holmes' personality is revealed: e.g. violin playing and ignorance of common knowledge (such as "that the earth circles the sun".) Again great performances, great implementation and a script with fascinating details, that constantly plays with the spectators expectations and with his former knowledge of Sherlock Holmes. But, what a pity, the ending almost ruins it all: the apperance of Moriarty is weak. It's overacted (almost like the Joker in Batman) and the character is too snob and foppish, maybe too young also. At least that's what we thought and we came up with wonderful idea: Why not make the character of Moriarty older? So you could have a the element of contradiction of generations to the story too. Well it's too late now. Too bad. BBC: call us the next time before you start filming. But I'm waiting anxiously, what the writers can pull out of Moriarty's character in the upcoming episodes. It will certainly be a tough nut to crack, due to the fact that the personality of Moriarty seems already totally revealed: complete psychopath, that is. How can you deepen that kind of character thereof?
Blocker's Verdict: 4/5
The catchiest detail: Sherlock getting bored in his apartment, especially when raising from his couch, and taking a shortcut, absent-mindedly, through the top of the table.
Word of the day: reasoning = The deduction of inferences or interpretations from premises; abstract thought; ratiocination.
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