Sherlock - TV Series (Season 1)

Creators: Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss
Written by: Steven Moffat, Mark Gatiss, Stephen Thompson (based on the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle) 
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman
Music: David Arnold, Michael Price
Time: 88 minutes (per episode)
Bottom-line: Spellbinding... as good as can get 

Though the title of my blog says ‘revisiting films’, I was so impressed by the TV Series Sherlock that I had to write my opinion about it. In fact, the main reason I am posting this review is because my blog turns 250 days old today. And the unexpected coincidence is that yesterday (July 7th) happened to be the birthday of the detective Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock is the contemporary adaptation of Sherlock Holmes, who is portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch. His friend Dr. John Watson is portrayed by Martin Freeman. Only eleven episodes, spanning three seasons, have come out so far, but the first season kicks off the series in sensational style!

The idea is the same: Sherlock Holmes is a ‘consulting detective’ (as he calls himself), who lives in 221B Baker Street. He is assisted in solving cases by his flatmate and friend, Dr. John Watson, who has returned home from Afghanistan. The cases use storylines of many of Conan Doyle’s short stories, and the episodes are also named accordingly. Holmes’ landlady, Mrs. Hudson, and brother, Mycroft Holmes (played by Mark Gatiss) are recurring characters. And of course, there is Holmes’ arch-nemesis, Jim Moriarty.

Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes

The first episode, A Study in Pink tells about how Watson and Holmes meet, and how Holmes solves a case regarding a serial killer. I liked this episode very much – especially the way Holmes and Watson were introduced. The story was solid, with many instances of comedy as well. The second episode, The Blind Banker is about Holmes solving a case related to serial killings, where each time, the killer leaves behind a cryptic message. This episode was a bit of a disappointment; the whole case seemed too complex, and somehow didn’t impress me as much as the other two episodes. The third and final episode of series one, The Great Game is the story in which Holmes is given a deadline for solving murder cases. The character of Jim Moriarty is revealed for the first time, and as the audience would expect, the series ends with a clash between arch rivals Holmes and Moriarty.

Martin Freeman as John Watson

Each episode has a high level of suspense, and the cases are well constructed. I really like the way the writers have brought the same atmosphere as the novels, even though the timelines are a century apart. Other things have also changed –Holmes now uses nicotine patches, and instead of telegrams, he sends text messages! But other than the writing, another person who has given a big boost to the series is Benedict Cumberbatch. His portrayal of Sherlock Holmes is absolutely amazing. And then there is Martin Freeman, who also has done really well as John Watson. This dynamic duo makes the series all the more entertaining.

So, though the series has only three episodes, each one comes with guaranteed quality in all aspects – story, acting and dialogues. The first episode was good, the third was superb (and the last ten minutes in it are electrifying), and the second episode was a slight disappointment. But overall, the series in an excellent achievement by the actors, writers, and the whole crew. Go for it, whether or not you know anything about Sherlock Holmes, and even if you are a purist... the result will be rewarding!

My Rating: 4.5/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 100%