Tweet Sherlock Holmes for the 21st Century

Sherlock Holmes has been updated for the 21st Century on Masterpiece Theatre and received excellent reviews.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/ne ... 2614.story

Sherlock Holmes has been updated for the 21st Century on Masterpiece Theatre and received excellent reviews.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/ne ... 2614.story

Well, that review lets us know the guy liked it, but only a rather vague idea of what it's actually like.

I've read and heard a few reviews and it sounds promising. At least it seems to have some life in it, unlike the Rupert Everett versions which were attractive mush.

It's more than promising; it's excellent. The UK consensus was that it - particularly the first and third films - was, as quality entertainment, as good as anything out of the UK for a decade. You get a special extended trailer; what this doesn't reveal is quite how many references back there are to the original stories, intervening adaptations (particularly the Brett one), and quite how successfully the above are woven into today's London of laptops, mobiles, crimescenes and forensics.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kewHgXwgemk

Here's a non-spoiling sample.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgKcbu_0b-8&feature=related

In case you didn't know, Moffat & Gatiss are associated with BBC Wales and Moffat -- who won two Hugos for his Dr. Who scripts -- has just finished his first season as Executive producer.

Bob

[Mike Gebert]

I've read and heard a few reviews and it sounds promising. At least it seems to have some life in it, unlike the Rupert Everett versions which were attractive mush.

I watched one-- what a disappointment! Even before we got to the reveal that there was an evil twin. Honestly, could anything be more cliched than that?

In case you didn't know, Moffat & Gatiss are associated with BBC Wales and Moffat -- who won two Hugos for his Dr. Who scripts -- has just finished his first season as Executive producer.

Bob

Bob, are you a Doctor Who fan? It's my favorite series. Started with the classic many years ago.

I would like to echo the appreciation for Sherlock. It is a very well made and smart piece of television.

I've read and heard a few reviews and it sounds promising. At least it seems to have some life in it, unlike the Rupert Everett versions which were attractive mush.

I watched one-- what a disappointment! Even before we got to the reveal that there was an evil twin. Honestly, could anything be more cliched than that?

We get BBC so I watched the first one and gave up after that. Very much like the last few series of Doctor Who in that there is a lot of "sound and fury" but very little substance. My wife liked them well enough, though.

[Mike Gebert]

The oddest thing was that Everett seemed so unsure of himself in the part.

Actually, the oddest thing is that no one has ever cast Richard E. Grant as Holmes; he'd be ideal, in the Robert Stephens mode. (He's even been in Holmes movies, but once as Mycroft, once in Hound of the Baskervilles , but never as Holmes himself.)

Rupert Everett's looks are better than his talents- he's good in something requiring a touch of self parody, best in an over-the-top mode, like the villain in Spy Kids.

There was a proposal, I believe, for Richard E. Grant to play Sherlock Holmes and Paul McGann to play Watson, reuniting them from Withnail and I....it came to nothing.

[Mike Gebert]

Rupert Everett's looks are better than his talents- he's good in something requiring a touch of self parody, best in an over-the-top mode, like the villain in Spy Kids.

That was Alan Cumming, but I take your point. That's why I thought Stephens, who played a flip, Wildean Holmes, offered a decent model. Ian Richardson played him tongue in cheek very well too, even though the productions he was in were kind of cheesy. But Everett just seemed intimidated by the part.

Ahh- it was Inspector Gadget I was thinking of. Everett was one of the few good things there.

Alan Cumming was rather more subtle- his character was co-opted into villlany for what he thought were good reasons.

Well, I loved, loved, LOVED the Homes reboot. It was good fun, tongue in cheek and moved with lightening speed.

I loved the tracking shot that was a dead on nod to the Brett Holmes episodes.

Looking forward to the next episode. Two thumbs up!

I liked it but didn't love it, thought the actors and setting were better than the actual plot: the dying man who kills at random isn't the most satisfying of conclusions- serial killers ARE often random but fiction should be a bit more motivated. Many fine touches, and its good to see a Lestrade who is competent. The superimposed titles helped to speed things along (no need for Sherlock to describe everything he finds)

I thought it was a bit too long- the actual story could have been wrapped up in an hour.

Do you suppose Irene Adler will turn up someplace?

I only saw the last half hour but enjoyed it. Will watch the next one.

Okay, talk about a cliff hanger!

IMDB shows only 3 programs have been produced?

Any of our friends across the pond (Hello Penfold) have any dirt on this series. Such as more are on the way?? I hope.

I totally loved the reboot of Sherlock. The character was great, often hilariously funny. A shot in the arm for Masterpiece Mystery, to me. Maybe not great mysteries to be solved, but the riffs on the old cases here and there and all done with good fun.

YMMV, but I have not warmed at all to the Wallendar series nor Inspector Lewis. I still miss John Thaw as Morse more than I can describe.

I rented it from my local tape store and was also much taken with it -- but I also enjoyed Moffat's take on Jekyll & Hyde and Dr. Who. We'll see what BBC Wales has to offer us in December.

Bob

Yes Donna, the powers-that-be at the BBC commissioned a second series as soon as they saw the first batch; in fact, when they saw the first films, and realised how well it had worked, they rushed them out....
The Beeb were under enormous pressure to slash budgets, as the regular licence-fee renewal negotiation was coming up, and the new Government here far less disposed to be friendly; the series was initially due to be broadcast here over this coming Christmas; they rushed it out as soon as it was ready, which was back in August, in order to demonstrate what they were capable of in advance of those negotiations.
Of course, big success, the call goes out for more....but the talent is busy with other stuff, until after Christmas, so it will be next year before shooting starts.
I had no idea you got all our detective series over there.....we miss John Thaw too.

I had no idea you got all our detective series over there.....we miss John Thaw too.

I don't know if we get all of them but we get a lot of them. I love Foyle's War, it almost makes up for John Thaw. Almost. I like Wallander, though, pace Donna.

However, I think there should be a 25-year moratorium placed on filming anything by Jane Austen.

I will pay for a ban on Anthony Trollope, with which I was afflicted in high school and has only gotten worse. I've managed to read Jane Austen to please my aunt, but Trollop is worse than Henry James.

Bob

I will pay for a ban on Anthony Trollope, with which I was afflicted in high school and has only gotten worse. I've managed to read Jane Austen to please my aunt, but Trollop is worse than Henry James.

Bob

Uh oh. I like Henry James and love Jane Austen. (I'm with you on Trollope, though). I meant a 25-year moratorium on filming anything by Austen. They haven't done a new version of Pride & Prejudice this year. Yet. But I'll bet they thought about it.

Yes Donna, the powers-that-be at the BBC commissioned a second series as soon as they saw the first batch; in fact, when they saw the first films, and realised how well it had worked, they rushed them out....
<snip>
Of course, big success, the call goes out for more....but the talent is busy with other stuff, until after Christmas, so it will be next year before shooting starts.
I had no idea you got all our detective series over there.....we miss John Thaw too.

Thanks Mark, this is great news and thanks for all the backstory, too.

Oh sure, our local PBS station carries a lot of British mystery series (and other series, I'm very fond of Doc Martin).

I've been through all the Midsummer Murders series and all the Morse and several others. Morse, however, is a favorite.

I've been through all the Midsummer Murders series and all the Morse and several others. Morse, however, is a favorite.

I watched about 13-14 of the Midsomer Murders, but I began to be disturbed at the inordinantly high body count in that one English county. Like Murder She Wrote--wherever Jessica Fletcher went, bodies turned up. If you see Jessica Fletcher coming your way, flee for your life.

I've been through all the Midsummer Murders series and all the Morse and several others. Morse, however, is a favorite.

I watched about 13-14 of the Midsomer Murders, but I began to be disturbed at the inordinantly high body count in that one English county. Like Murder She Wrote--wherever Jessica Fletcher went, bodies turned up. If you see Jessica Fletcher coming your way, flee for your life.

You could say the same for Oxford, too.

I think Miss Marple did it.

Bob

Jane Austen is a local girl to my home county; she lived a short hop in a carriage away from where I was brought up; no one disses Jane Austen around my patch....
Mansfield Park was my favourite; I don't think there has ever been a decent adaptation of it. Certainly not along the lines of the Jennifer Ehle/Colin Firth P&P....What happened to Jennifer Ehle ???

I don't think there has ever been a decent adaptation of it. Certainly not along the lines of the Jennifer Ehle/Colin Firth P&P....What happened to Jennifer Ehle ???

Someone other than Colin Firth was in that?

Who knew?

Jane Austen is a local girl to my home county; she lived a short hop in a carriage away from where I was brought up; no one disses Jane Austen around my patch....
Mansfield Park was my favourite; I don't think there has ever been a decent adaptation of it. Certainly not along the lines of the Jennifer Ehle/Colin Firth P&P....What happened to Jennifer Ehle ???

According to IMDB (always a reliable source) she's still working on film and television. Not a long list of new credits.

P&P with Ehle and Firth is my favorite and I have a major soft spot for the 1995 Sense and Sensibility. My two favorite books, as well.