Tweet Masterpiece Mystery - Sherlock Holmes

The second season of Sherlock Holmes starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman starts tonight on PBS.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/she ... ason2.html

Give me a re-run of Jeremy Brett's Holmes.

Thanks! I've been looking under "Mystery". Now I have to phone about ten people.....


Bob

Having been involved with a local Sherlock Holmes Society on and off over the years, I've always been puzzled why so many people get excited over SO many new and old photoplay versions of Arthur Conan Doyle's stories.

Having read all of the short stories and novels in this series, it's amazing how often the mark is missed--(as in the Robert Downey films and others) All the British television versions have their strong points, but I've always been drawn to the NOIR atmosphere of the Basil Rathbone films and his uncanny similarity to Doyle's description of Holmes, the sometimes bumbling Watson not withstanding.

The fact that this entire series of Fox/Universal pictures is now on Blu-Ray is of much more significance to me, in my opinion.

When I read the Holmes stories, the drabness of smoky, Victorian London registers in my mind as black & white--not HD color.

Taken as new re-workings of old friends, I really like the new Holmes and Watson. It's better than most TV shows out there and it's far better than the new movies. There's a real thought process and style behind the new show.

Absolutely fabulous episode last night. Just great writing and acting

Having read all of the short stories and novels in this series, it's amazing how often the mark is missed--(as in the Robert Downey films and others) All the British television versions have their strong points, but I've always been drawn to the NOIR atmosphere of the Basil Rathbone films and his uncanny similarity to Doyle's description of Holmes, the sometimes bumbling Watson not withstanding.

Comparing Rathbone's impersonation to Brett's...that's a hard call; I'd prefer to evade the question by calling it a dead heat. But as for Watson, always a critical element in the stories, there's simply no contest: adorable as Basil's big bumbler may be, he's almost the antithesis to Doyle's sharp, clever, energetic character, perfectly portrayed by that red-headed chap (?) in Brett's first couple of seasons.

Absolutely fabulous episode last night. Just great writing and acting

Must wait until it's available for streaming (bites nails).

The second series has already aired in Australia, and if you loved the first, you'll love this one (particularly the last episode - no spoilers!). Lovely to see such well-made television.

The second series has already aired in Australia, and if you loved the first, you'll love this one (particularly the last episode - no spoilers!). Lovely to see such well-made television.

Brooksie, I agree. This is television at it's finest. Well written, well acted, intelligent and hilarious. I was so enthralled with the first episode, half way through I clicked amazon to see if the DVD was available and pre-ordered it. I'm enjoying it more than Season 1.

Here's the LA Times Review which notes the ironic touches and humor, as well as the humanistic touches to the characters.
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/ne ... 8136.story

OHHH I saw that last Sunday BTW I hear the dude that played Sherlock Holmes going in new Star Trek sequel in 2013 he going play mysterious villian

Don't tell me A Romulan or Klington

The admiration is warranted, judging from the first season and A Scandal in Belgravia. However, calling Cumberbatch the most beautiful man to play the role.... well, Rathbone was a looker and so was Gillette.

Bob

OHHH I saw that last Sunday BTW I hear the dude that played Sherlock Holmes going in new Star Trek sequel in 2013 he going play mysterious villian

Don't tell me A Romulan or Klington

And Martin Freeman plays Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit, so both Freeman and Cumberbatch now have well-established geek street cred. If they can cast Christopher Lee in an upcoming Holmes episode, nirvana will be reached.

The admiration is warranted, judging from the first season and A Scandal in Belgravia. However, calling Cumberbatch the most beautiful man to play the role.... well, Rathbone was a looker and so was Gillette.

Bob

John Barrymore!

[Mike Gebert]

Eille Norwood is HAWT

OHHH I saw that last Sunday BTW I hear the dude that played Sherlock Holmes going in new Star Trek sequel in 2013 he going play mysterious villian

Don't tell me A Romulan or Klington

And Martin Freeman plays Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit, so both Freeman and Cumberbatch now have well-established geek street cred. If they can cast Christopher Lee in an upcoming Holmes episode, nirvana will be reached.

Cumberbatch is in The Hobbit too, as the voice of Smaug.

And Martin Freeman plays Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit, so both Freeman and Cumberbatch now have well-established geek street cred. If they can cast Christopher Lee in an upcoming Holmes episode, nirvana will be reached.

Cumberbatch is in The Hobbit too, as the voice of Smaug.

Geekapalooza!

" Must wait until it's available for streaming (bites nails)."

http://watchseries.eu/serie/sherlock" target="_blank

If anyone is interested, I wrote a very spoilerific article on the final episode of Series 2 The Reichenbach Fall. I know the final episode hasn't aired on PBS yet so those folks may want to stay away at the moment (or read at their own risk) but for those who have seen it, check it out:

http://from-the-archive.blogspot.com/

I'm going to be picky- IMHO Cumberbatch does not mime the violin playing very well.

I'm going to be picky- IMHO Cumberbatch does not mime the violin playing very well.

Isn't it awful when you're a musician and can easily spot bad miming? Violin is one of the harder ones to get right at that. When I saw Betty Compson in Street Girl, I sat up as I immediately saw she could play that accursed instrument.

When I saw Ernest Torrence at the keyboard in DESERT NIGHTS it was obvious he was actually playing.

A particularly bad example of an actor miming a musical instrument is Andy Griffith in A Face in the Crowd. He doesn't seem to even know how to hold a guitar, let alone play it. It's too bad, it detracts from what is otherwise a marvelous performance.

After last night's Hounds of Baskerville, as clever as the adaptation was, I must admit that I have never seen a screen adaptation of that story that doesn't put me to sleep. I'm talking, Rathbone, Lee, Brett...whoever. For me, the story just doesn't work as an adaptation.

Someone needs to explain to me how this BBC series is any different from the campy, much maligned feature film series with Downey Jr? I see the same byplay between Downey and Law recreated for this TV series. And Guy Ritchie's directorial touches of quick cuts to show Holmes mind at work is also borrowed here.

I am not a Holmes purist. I get bored with those who believe that nothing can be re-adapted into any other form -- so long as the creator is being honest about their intentions and doesn't try to pass it off as the real thing. And I should add that I am entertained by both of these feature film and TV series, which is the main point, isn't it?

I enjoy both series.

Bob

Someone needs to explain to me how this BBC series is any different from the campy, much maligned feature film series with Downey Jr? I see the same byplay between Downey and Law recreated for this TV series. And Guy Ritchie's directorial touches of quick cuts to show Holmes mind at work is also borrowed here.

I am not a Holmes purist. I get bored with those who believe that nothing can be re-adapted into any other form -- so long as the creator is being honest about their intentions and doesn't try to pass it off as the real thing. And I should add that I am entertained by both of these feature film and TV series, which is the main point, isn't it?

Absolutely that's the point......however, the main differences are; the BBC take is more of a cerebral thriller style, while the films are more Action thrillers; and the care with which the TV writers have updated not just the character to the present day, but many elements from the original Doyle stories too.....and lastly, however outlandish it gets, I can believe in the TV characters, but not the films'..... despite being a huge Robert Downey fan. Indeed, I believe his Tony Stark more than I believe his Holmes.....

The Downey films are pure fantasy- to the Holmesian community they are "Non Cannonical". Mostly the films exist to contain set pieces like thrill sequences, chases and explosions.

The Cumberbatch series is logical- the characters are consistently written and the plots make sense. They are meant to be taken seriously. I'm not a big fan of them but I think they are well done.

BTW- I loved the Brett series, but it did take some serious liberties with the stories- in particular from 1991 onwards. (In fairness some of the later Holmes stories are very weak)

Cumberbatch also appeared as Frankenstein/Frankenstein's monster in Danny Boyle's adaptation of the Mary Shelley novel in London (alternating roles with Trainspotting's Jonny Lee Miller), and a couple of the performances are going to be beamed live into theatres worldwide via satellite in June.