Sherlock Holmes.
It’s about time I cross over to the BBC! Thank god it’s not "Doctor Who," though, am I right? Although this show is right up there with "Doctor Who," in the sense that they both have kind of a creepy fan base. You know, like overly obsessive fan girl nonsense -- but can you blame them? After all, "Sherlock’s" leading actor, Benedict Cumberbatch, is a handsome man who deserves the swooning of pasty girl-nerds, as well as some fanboys. But Eggs-Benedict Cumberbatch doesn’t own this role of the world’s greatest detective based just on his looks, he dominates this show with his great acting talent. The whole cast brings this show to life. The duo of Binoculars Crumblewatch and Martin Freeman (as John Watson) bring these old characters to life in the modern world.
So yeah, “Sherlock,” what do you really need to know? Well for starters, this show is a modernization of the classic character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. All events take place in modern London, with wonderfully intricate cases for Sherlock to solve. (Fun fact, Doyle’s stories of Sherlock Holmes are the first accounts of detectives using fingerprints to identify criminal suspects, which were then used in real life. Isn’t that s**t crazy? I learned that in community college.)
Now let’s break the show up into equal parts so we can analyze it a bit better. For starters, the writing is on point. It’s a great crime show with well-conceived mysteries. Dialogue is intelligent throughout the show, whether the situation is serious or lighthearted and humorous. Sherlock Holmes’ dialogue, in particular, is golden and Benadryl Cabbagepatch delivers each line with perfection and care. Supporting Belletrix Crabblewonk is Freeman, filling the role as Dr. John Watson, who is a wonderful supporting character. It’s hard not to enjoy the “bromance” these two characters create. There are also interesting choices of cinematography in "Sherlock." A lot of it is creative and beautiful, but at sometimes it left me thinking, “What’s up with this camera?”
One thing I do find a bit bothersome is the speed at which the characters talk. With their somewhat indistinct (albeit charming) accents, and the speed at which they talk, subtitles are a must for the show. It’s really easy to get lost on what’s happening in the show. Episodes are pretty long as well, with about an hour and a half of run time. There are only about nine episodes out right now, but the length of the episodes makes the whole series feel pretty full.
Overall, "Sherlock," is a good watch and a decent show to binge watch. It’s definitely for those who like a show to challenge them, and can pay attention. Characters are concrete and make every scene interesting. Cumberbatch and Freeman are a wonderful duo and really bring new life into old characters while the writing cements the show in a modern era. Obviously this is a show you must savor. Don’t put this on as background noise. Make some time to actually watch this show.
Score: 4/5
