The best Sherlock Holmes

[WilliamtheWorldEater]

sorry but i think the new pbs series is OFF THE WALL. scandal in belgravia??? with holmes in some muslim country saving irene adler (cast as a dominitrix--sp?) from being beheaded, c'mon!!!

if the homes vs the axis series was debasing the sherlockian concept, the new pbs series trumps them in spades.

so i cannot nominate benedict cumberbatch as the "best" sherlock.....weirdest maybe!!

I guess I didnt think of it like that. Those are good points. I was just happy to see a new take on SH. Whats cool about it is that my 12 year old son can relate to it more easily than the older stuff, so its something we can watch together. But, I do appreciate what youre saying.

 

[WilliamtheWorldEater]

Slightly off-track, I think Jude Law has offered up the finest portrayal of John Watson. He's the only one I know of who portrays him in a sharp and more masculine light, and more of an equal to SH, rather than his side-kick

 

[jrtaster]

glad your son has such interest in holmes...and so nice it's a pursuit you can share.
has he read much of the conan doyle 'canon?' to me, being grounded in the written holmes enriches the experience of the film/tv experience all the more. conan doyle was quite a writer, and sherlock an immensely complex character. bringing his sherlock to the screen and tv (and radio) must be quite a challenge. and trying to put a fresh face to it, ala the new pbs series, is to be commended.
but having done so, it's difficult not to compare the pbs series to all which preceded it? in my old farty view, it just doesn't cut it as sherlock...tho it may have other elements to commend it.
i'm sure there are contrary views to share on this one. let's hear em!!

 

[WilliamtheWorldEater]

glad your son has such interest in holmes...and so nice it's a pursuit you can share.
has he read much of the conan doyle 'canon?' to me, being grounded in the written holmes enriches the experience of the film/tv experience all the more. conan doyle was quite a writer, and sherlock an immensely complex character. bringing his sherlock to the screen and tv (and radio) must be quite a challenge. and trying to put a fresh face to it, ala the new pbs series, is to be commended.
but having done so, it's difficult not to compare the pbs series to all which preceded it? in my old farty view, it just doesn't cut it as sherlock...tho it may have other elements to commend it.
i'm sure there are contrary views to share on this one. let's hear em!!

He is actually working his way through volume one of Bantam's Classic "The Complete Sherlock Holmes" box set, the same set I picked up at an estate sale back home in NY, when he was still just a little bump in his mom's belly. Im absolutely thrilled he has taken to them, I guess the apple doesnt fall far from the tree
I do understand what youre saying about the new series, though. The somewhat "metrosexual" vibe(if thats what it is) can be a little much at times. But, I guess, if it brings new fans to the fray, more power to them :lol:

 

[JimInks]

I prefer Rathbone as Holmes and even though Watson's buffoonery is annoying to modern day viewers, that was the style of what was a mostly-B movie series. Rathbone and Bruce on radio are much better, and perhaps due to the restriction of the medium and superior to their movies scripts, Watson is not as clownish and more acceptable as Holmes' friend. If they had worked in a more modern style, these actors would have played it straighter, which they do in the first two movies from 20th Century Fox.

Sometimes Brett is over the top a little and other times, more effeminate than I view Holmes to be, but I sure do enjoy the first few seasons. The later episodes aren't as good, as the scripts and of course, Brett's health decline.

Clive Merrison plays a terrific Sherlock Holmes and I also like the Hobbs-Shelly version.

 

[albondigas6277]

Has anyone caught the updated verion of Holmes by the BBC called SHERLOCK. It is very well written and has thousands of "easter Eggs" for real fans, plus Andrew Scott (fellow Irishman) is the best Moriarty by a country mile.

 

[user 2031]

Has anyone caught the updated verion of Holmes by the BBC called SHERLOCK. It is very well written and has thousands of "easter Eggs" for real fans, plus Andrew Scott (fellow Irishman) is the best Moriarty by a country mile.

Sherlock is a marvelous new series... I have season 1 on dvd, I've got to order season 2 soon. Also, I'm sure you all are aware, but season 1 is streaming on Netflix.

 

[JimInks]

I have to admit I was very dubious about the new Sherlock series... until I watched it. It's a terrific series and I wish they made more than they are making. And yes, this is perhaps the best Moriarty ever on screen.

Btw, many years back, there was a BBC radio series called Second Holmes, which wasn't great, but it wasn't bad either.

 

[friar_jay]

My wife and I really like Sherlock. It's done very well. I do have my concerns about the new show Elementary that is coming soon.

 

[PeterD]

...I simply prefer to read the books..my 2 volumes...what I have watched is the Rathbone Holmes...however, "perhaps a three pipe problem..."

 

[JimInks]

I've only watched the first episode of Elementary. It's inferior to the BBC Sherlock series. The storyline is dark and bit more graphic than I prefer. I also don't care for certain aspects of the Holmes character. I'll watch a couple more episodes and see if I change my mind.

 

[elshano]

Have been deep into SH films and research. If anyone is particularly interested in movies, I've got a good start with a folder of what is mostly on YouTube, along with a few others. I grew up reading Doyle's Holmes adventures, as well as being a regular Basil Rathbone-Nigel Bruce matinee kid along with older Arthur Wontner films and the like (in that territory of Mr. Moto, Charlie Chaplin, Bogart's Sam Spade and others). I'm very partial to Jeremy Brett, but appreciate everything Holmesian. I look forward - as my avatar might suggest - to any new and yet unread Sherlock posts.

 

[whitebriar]

sorry but i think the new pbs series is OFF THE WALL. scandal in belgravia??? with holmes in some muslim country saving irene adler (cast as a dominitrix--sp?) from being beheaded, c'mon!!!

if the homes vs the axis series was debasing the sherlockian concept, the new pbs series trumps them in spades.

so i cannot nominate benedict cumberbatch as the "best" sherlock.....weirdest maybe!!

total agreement here--i know i'm a geezer, and that the more modern versions will play for a younger audience, but for some reason taking such libertiy with the characters is just bit more than a little over the top for me--

heck, i'm ALMOST old enough to remember the victorian age--no not really but it wasn't that far in the past when i was a youth

 

[Pipe Smoker]

Jeremy Brett was the best Sherlock I ever saw. No competition!

 

[elshano]

I still concur with Pipe Smoker that Jeremy Brett's is the finest to date. A very fine attention to detail, respective of A.C. Doyle's writings, is most impressive. He even handled "Elementary, my dear Watson" without running the cliche well into the ground, as seems to be the custom. This itself deserves several kudos.

I've spent considerable time watching everything I can, from 1900 to the present. Not yet familiar enough with CBS’ "Elementary" with Johnny Lee Miller, to comment on that version, but the present day, BBC "Sherlock" with Benedict Cumberbatch, is certainly one of the most engaging personifications I've seen. It's insane how many literary, stage, film, t.v., anime and cartoon adaptions there are to this character and Doyle's original renderings there are. "Having a life", I'll have to terminate that research.

 

[dbl-haul]

the new BBC gets my vote.

 

[pipe-lover]

the best holmes for me is Jeremy Brett.a Charakter Player perfektly

 

[ktgivens]

the best holmes for me is Jeremy Brett.a Charakter Player perfektly

It seems like if you're under 30 the preference is the new BBC Sherlock. 30 to 45 or so the favorite is Jeremy Brett. Over 45, us old codgers prefer Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. Whoever was your introduction to the great Holmes.

I prefer Doyle's canon but have recently become enamored of the audiobooks as my eye site begins to fail.

I do like all the others, btw. Especially when the young'uns in my house get 'hooked' by watching the BBC Sherlock. My son, who has Aspergers watched about 10 minutes and said " I think he has Aspergers!"

 

[d4klutz]

I would love to be able to watch the older Sherlock shows. The BBC Sherlock just doesn't do it for me. He just never fit into the image I had in my mind's eye of who Sherlock was. However, I must say, the new Watson is how I imagined him from the books. I have read and re-read every Conan Doyle story many times. Never gets old.

 

[ktgivens]

I would love to be able to watch the older Sherlock shows. The BBC Sherlock just doesn't do it for me.  He just never fit into the image I had in my mind's eye of who Sherlock was. However, I must say, the new Watson is how I imagined him from the books.     I have read and re-read every Conan Doyle story many times.  Never gets old.  

EVERY Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce movie (of which there were 14) is available in full in YouTube ( I know because I recently re-watched them all) ... AND every Jeremy Brett episode (of which there were 42) are also available there (currently working my way thru these).
Caveats: at least, they're available in the US. And, who knows if they are there legally... Not me, but I enjoy them just the same)