Sherlock Holmes: Review
A modernised series of adaptations of the Sherlock Holmes novels by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the series is phenomenal and so is the rating and love it has gathered for itself.
Sherlock is a phenomenal television series with very well fleshed out episodes that are all film worthy, and standout the cast. In the series, John Watson (played by Martin Freeman) is an army doctor who has been wounded in Afghanistan and invalided out of the Army. Back in London, his search for a place to stay leads him to share a flat with Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch), a brilliant but eccentric private detective. Together they solve baffling, and often bizarre, murder mysteries. They also have to compete with Holmes’ nemesis, the criminal genius Moriarty.
Every part in this series is perfectly cast. Benedict Cumberbatch is, without a doubt, my favourite Sherlock to date, he delivers the part with so much intellect and thought, we are truly watching a genuine talent and a dedicated actor at work with this role. The highlight of the show along with Benedict Cumberbatch was Andrew Scott, who’s Moriarty. He was nothing short of astounding, he stole every scene he appeared in, a shame they killed him off when they did. The only thing the series lacks is its less space for character development for anyone other than Holmes and Watson. I obviously understand that they are the two that the series focuses on the most, but the likes of Mycroft Holmes, and even the title character’s housemaid Mrs Hudson, have so much potential to stretch beyond what we see of them, and its characters like these that I would love to see further developed in possible future episodes.
The contemporisation of the novels is very well done, with the stories fitting effortlessly into modern times and not feeling gimmicky at all. Smart scripts and deft direction make for great intrigue and engagement plus some sharp humour too. Moreover, each episode does not occur in isolation — there’s an overarching plot that connects all the episodes and keeps you coming back for more. Each one also runs at 90 minutes, meaning the whole series is really just a collection of stellar Holmes movies. The music is another strong asset, not just the clever main theme but the haunting and beautiful background music too. I found the stories very engaging, with a nice balance of humour, mystery and adventure, with the reveal of Moriarty both “campy” and chilling and each episode moving very briskly. The show never lingers or takes things slow, there is never a dull moment. In conclusion, the series was hugely entertaining and viewers get a fun take on the great literary detective of all times, the very best- Sherlock Holmes.
10/10 recommendation.
