A new Sherlock Holmes series

[LL]

It's an updated (20th century) take, but the BBC's Masterpiece Mystery Theater rarely disappoints:

http://video.pbs.org/video/1619685888

Note before you start watching --- it's movie-length. Just under an hour and a half.

 

[Eric]

I watched this Sunday night. If I approached it as part of the Sherlock Holmes continuum I think I would have been disappointed ("a 3 patch problem", really!?) but taking it in as something new... it was rather good television; a good solid mystery with lots of references to the classic Holmes and even the specific story "A Study in Scarlet". Some of the sets were quite interesting too - the initial meeting between Watson and Holmes rings back to the original as written by Doyle - and the 221B Baker Street set could have been the very same used by the Granada (Jeremy Brett) series and simply "modernized".

 

[Hunter5117]

I have only seen the first hour or so, waiting to watch the rest with the wife, but I liked what I saw so far. There are a lot of modern analogues to the original stories, such as Holmes using Watson's cell phone (instead of his watch) to deduce his family history, some of the lines were almost verbatim from the book. As a pipe smoker, it would have been nice to see Holmes and Watson buck the politically correct England and continue to be smokers in the 21st century, but the nic-patches were a humorous twist.

Just noticed that this is the 1st in a 3 part series, have to keep an eye at Costco for the DVD's they usually carry them pretty soon this close to Christmas.

 

[SmokeyTweed]

Apologies for hijacking a thread here but have you heard about the latest castings for Mycroft and Moriarty in Guy Ritchie's next Sherlock adventure?

Stephen Fry as Mycroft and Jared Harris as Moriarty (Richard Harris' son of MadMen fame)

as for the new series i don't know if i'm a real fan but i'll give it a go for sure.

 

[Hunter5117]

Mrs Hunter and I just finished watching the last half of the new Sherlock. Was a thoroughly enjoyable hour and a half. We both liked it a lot. Looking forward to next week's 2nd installment in the series.

 

[pipedirector]

I watched it on Sun night at work. (I work for PBS conveniently)

It was a solid program. I do miss the victorian setting quite a bit, though. For me, that's part of the allure of the Holmes stories -- the period setting, costumes. Guess I'm being a little too nostalgic.

Matt

 

[Irene Adler]

I completely love this show, though I've been watching it through slightly less legal means. Thank you for sharing this! I hadn't realized that the BBC finally made it availible in America. :cheers:

 

[Hunter5117]

I completely love this show, though I've been watching it through slightly less legal means. Thank you for sharing this! I hadn't realized that the BBC finally made it availible in America. :cheers:

Amy, if you are ahead of the rest of us through your "dubious" access to the show, care to tell us if your namesake has been introduced into the new series yet?

I'm curious, although the others may prefer you to not spill the beans.

 

[Irene Adler]

Not that I've seen yet. I've only managed to get my hands on the first three episodes so far. =(

 

[tweaksource]

I like this series quite a lot. Of course, the Victorian era charm and mystique is missing, but it is very enjoyable. Fast-paced, Holmes-ish, modern, intellectual...what more could you ask for?

The wife likes it too. She wants to know when there will be more!

 

[lowflyingpenguin]

Not that I've seen yet. I've only managed to get my hands on the first three episodes so far. =(

There are only three episodes in season one. The BBC will be airing the next season in August.

 

[AlanJohn]

I am obviously in a minority, but I loved the Jeremy Brett series of Sherlock Holmes and hate this modern version, it pains me to watch it, so I don't.
It has to be set in the Victorian era for me.

 

[scottbtdmb]

I am obviously in a minority, but I loved the Jeremy Brett series of Sherlock Holmes and hate this modern version, it pains me to watch it, so I don't.
It has to be set in the Victorian era for me.

Have to agree with you Alan. I'll stick with Rathbone/Bruce movies, my Jeremy Brett Grenada box set, and hundreds of Old Time Radio broadcasts with various actors playing Holmes&Watson. Can't get into Holmes set in modern times, with three nicotine patch problems replacing three pipe problems filled with the strongest black shag. Even though I can tolerate the Robert Downey "Holmes" to a degree, I have always felt that there will never be a truly epic Sherlock Holmes production after Jeremy Brett took his last bow. I will say though that as far as radio productions go, Imagination Theater is still churning out some wonderful radio broadcasts of Sherlock Holmes, which in addition to faithful reproduction of the Canon, is also experimenting with original stories as well. To each his own though! I suppose I am just too much of a purist to enjoy the new BBC production.

-Scott

 

[Guy]

I am obviously in a minority, but I loved the Jeremy Brett series of Sherlock Holmes and hate this modern version, it pains me to watch it, so I don't.
It has to be set in the Victorian era for me.

You may be in less of a minority than you deduce.

 

[AlanJohn]

I am obviously in a minority, but I loved the Jeremy Brett series of Sherlock Holmes and hate this modern version, it pains me to watch it, so I don't.
It has to be set in the Victorian era for me.

You may be in less of a minority than you deduce.

Well that's nice to know, I suppose it was elementary really.

 

[AlanJohn]

I'm reading The Return of Sherlock Holmes at the moment, and I'm on the third story and he hasn't smoked a pipe yet, he mostly smoked cigarettes in the stories. And I don't believe he ever smoked a Calabash either.

 

[Airborne]

And I don't believe he ever smoked a Calabash either.

I read years ago that the first actor who played Holmes on stage was a pipe smoker and smoked his own calabash pipe while acting the part. The rest is history as they say. The association stuck.

Have a wonderful weekend, AlanJohn!

 

[Doc Manhattan]

I read years ago that the first actor who played Holmes on stage was a pipe smoker and smoked his own calabash pipe while acting the part. The rest is history as they say. The association stuck.

Apocryphally, that actor was William Gillette, whose other legacy was the creation of an eccentric, castle-shaped mansion--now a state park in CT.

 

[AlanJohn]

And I don't believe he ever smoked a Calabash either.

I read years ago that the first actor who played Holmes on stage was a pipe smoker and smoked his own calabash pipe while acting the part. The rest is history as they say. The association stuck.

Have a wonderful weekend, AlanJohn!

I'm sure you're right John, I like to visualise him smoking a calabash though, it seems to fit him so well.

Have a good day John.
Alan.