It has been said no one can take Sherlock Holmes and put him in the modern day; he is forever stuck in Victorian London. Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss have proved this so wrong. Sherlock (PBS, BBC DVD) is one of the brightest shining beacons of TV. There's nothing 'elementary' about it (See what I did there?). The entertainingly named Benedict Cumberbatch plays our 21st century master detective, and has, with the rest of the crew, given new life blood to classic mysteries. Whereas the recent Holmes film series keeps the original time frame but adds lots of pyrotechnics, the TV show takes Arthur Conan Doyles original conceits and makes them thoroughly modern. While the traditional Dr. John Watson keeps a diary that is eventually published, today he (Martin Freeman, from the U.K. Office and upcoming Hobbit films) writes a popular blog. He's still a war veteran, but one of the Afghanistan conflict. Moriarty is no longer just an unpleasant chap. He (Andrew Scott) is totally unhinged, a master criminal who doesn't mind blowing up an old woman when she nearly says too much.
By the same token, Holmes himself can be eccentric, arrogant and downright rude. Not that he notices. Everything is a means to an end, from police officers he's forced to deal with to the love-struck Molly Hooper (Louise Brealey). He's the worlds greatest detective, but may also be as big a sociopath as Moriarty. Sherlock is a good man,however. Maybe the best. As Cumberbatch describes him, He is one step ahead of the audience, and of anyone around him with normal intellect. Technology plays a large part in this incarnation, with computers, GPS and cellphones. Sherlock receives tips via text, for instance. But unlike other shows, where either someone reads off the message or the camera goes to the phone screen, here the words come alive; on the walls, in the air. It's frankly a much more clever and realistic use of technology than we see in any incarnation of C.S.I.. You'd think Moffat would be content rebooting the universe as Producer/head writer on Doctor Who. But no, he takes the conceit of 'old character/new century that he'd already tested on Jekyl (BBC, 2007) to new heights, bringing his old friend and sometimes-Doctor Who-writer Mark Gatiss along as co-producer.
Series one starts off with a light touch, the fairly easy to deduce mystery A Study inour Pink, based on Conan-Doyle's A Study in Scarlet. The Blind Banker is somewhat the weak link among the three episodes, but by the finale, The Great Game, you are floored and begging for more. We finally meet Moriarty, though through a twist you will/did regret not noticing! A Scandal in Belgravia kicks off the recent series two with the introduction of Sherlocks female foil, Irene Adler (Lara Pulver). Sure, in todays version she's a dominatrix, but hey, it's part of the plot. The humor in Sherlock is rarely noted, but it should be said: Belgravia has some truly funny moments. Holmes must be the only person in history to refuse to get dressed, at ALL, for a visit to Buckingham Palace. The Hounds of Baskerville takes things into supernatural territory with Being Human co-star Russell Tovey, but it's the finale, The Reichenbach Fall, that still has the internet guessing. Those familiar with the original story may think they know how this one ends. You have no idea. It's a spectacular, utterly baffling cliffhanger. And one that won't see a resolution soon: although the opening scene of Series 3 has been filmed, full production will not begin until early 2013. This program entertains on every level great stories, wonderful acting, skilled direction and design.Sherlock is everything the great detective should be: intricate, witty, dark and brilliant. Doyle might not totally approve. But you'll love it.