Sherlock Holmes on BBC1

Loved it, particularly when the snotty forensic guy called Holmes a psychopath, Holmes immediately replying “I'm a high-functioning sociopath…do your research”. Watson being injured in Afghanistan in the original stories is perfect for the current series as well. Loved Jeremy Brett, but having recently read all the stories for the first time as ebooks on my phone I've realised that previous portrayals have shown Holmes a lot older than in the stories, where he can be very physical, despite describing himself as the laziest human in all creation. Looking forward to the rest of the series and future stories. References to Dr Who aren't too far off, leaving aside the writer, the original idea was that the Doctor would
travel in history, with stories that would help educate children, as well as the alien stories.

Just watched this, much better than the usual dross.

I quite liked the fact that situated on "Northumberland Street"(where they went to the restaurant to wait for the killer) is the Sherlock Holmes public house:

Well here's another one. The scene before they walk into the restaurant, they are walking along Percy Street from the corner of Charlotte Street (used to work further up Charlotte Street, so recognised the corner).

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=northumberland+street+london&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Northumberland+St,+Westminster,+London+WC2N+5,+United+Kingdom&layer=c&cbll=51.518017,-0.134311&panoid=JztYENW7j1z-RvZ-ZOIYng&cbp=12,236.07,,0,3.81&ll=51.518132,-0.134427&spn=0,0.002631&t=h&z=19

That corner also marks the top of Rathbone Place…. Basil Rathbone was the actor who made the famous Sherlock Holmes of the 1940s.

Walk down Rathbone Place and you'll get to Blacks & Evans Cycles, so we're now back to a cycling topic. Elementary!

I think this may be the best TV I've ever watched!

I watched last nights, and something occurred to me. Several people on here commented on the similarity between it and Dr Who. I wonder though if it's really the other way round – is Dr Who even subconsciously based on the original Sherlock Holmes stories? I mean that character has been a big part of our culture for over a century, so it's not unreasonable.

On the other hand, perhaps the original Holmes was a representation of ideas embedded even further within British or even world culture.

Didn't think last night's was quite as good as the first one, but it was still great TV.

Burts – Member
Well here's another one. The scene before they walk into the restaurant, they are walking along Percy Street from the corner of Charlotte Street (used to work further up Charlotte Street, so recognised the corner).

Heh, brilliant!

Watched the second one, fairly decent but one fundamental error that I would have thought Holmes would have known:

He kept referring to the scrawled graffiti symbols as "the cipher". In fact, the graffit symbols were the "ciphertext" – the cipher was the technique that would be used to encrypt and then decrypt (or "de-cipher") the ciphertext into plaintext.

Can't imagine someone with his purported attention to detail wouldn't have got that.

V enjoyable codswallop, though!

Also, I guessed Chinese numerals immediately. Surely he'd have known or at least been aware of the possibility, and looked up various different number systems…?

He kept referring to the scrawled graffiti symbols as "the cipher". In fact, the graffit symbols were the "ciphertext" – the cipher was the technique that would be used to encrypt and then decrypt (or "de-cipher") the ciphertext into plaintext.

that is English usage, and nothing to do with its later adoption in cryptography:

wiki: “Cipher” was later used for any decimal digit, even any number.

I was gutted when there was no Sherlock last night, even though the third episode was too self-referential for my liking, and Moriarty an unconvincing nemesis…

I thought Moriarty stole the show with the swimming pool scene and a great cliff hanger.

I thought Moriarty stole the show

are you also a small Irish person with a squeaky voice ?

lol

Nope the complete opposite, a tall Englishman with a deep voice.

Nope the complete opposite, a tall Englishman with a deep voice.

any acting ability ?

Just as a fool.

Hopefully they'll commission a few more episodes. I was thinking that it's really the British equivalent of CSI 🙂

If they don't I may have to boycott the BBC 🙁

They have commisioned more episodes according to my wife – yay:)

Hopefully they'll commission a few more episodes.

I believe that this has already happened:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/aug/10/sherlock-second-series-bbc

PHEW!! But it'll be ages 🙁

As Peter Preston in the Guardian argues the commissioning of only three episodes was a bit odd.

Not really they were an hour and half long each.

are you also a small Irish person with a squeaky voice

That was the best bit. You'd have expected some big tough evil looking guy, but the quirky cheerful cheeky monkey bit was actually way more sinister I think. He was supposed to be quite crazy too ("I change my mind a lot") which was pretty good I think.

Personally, I'd have leapt into the pool twisting mid air to shoot at the bomb mid-flight.

Really good tv, 1st and 3rd episodes were the best.

Personally, I'd have leapt into the pool twisting mid air to shoot at the bomb mid-flight.

despite the impression given in the movies, the shock front from an explosion travels faster than the speed of sound and would almost certaining take you in midair, if your aim were good enough 🙁

1st and 3rd episodes were the best.

That is because they were the ones written by Mark Gatis and Stephen Moffat.

despite the impression given in the movies, the shock front from an explosion travels faster than the speed of sound and would almost certaining take you in midair, if your aim were good enough

Barnes, did you really think that I'd think it would actually work? It was a tongue in cheek argument, clearly 🙂

did you really think that I'd think it would actually work?

it's hard to estimate your naivety from here…

YOU find it hard..!

YOU find it hard..!

yes, I can only speak for myself 🙂

It's cos of your Asperger's syndrome, Simon.

It's cos of your Asperger's syndrome, Simon.

you mean if you don't have it you can tell what other people you've never met are thinking ?

To a much greater extent, yes 🙂

Maybe it's just online-Aspergers syndrome you have.

Oh great. It's the Molgrips and SFB show….

*changes channel*

I'll be Sherlock…

can someone please shoot molgrips/Watson for verisimilitude ?

Lol 🙂

I like the last episode but I'd clocked Moriarty as soon as he appeared as the IT help/love interest for that lass. If it's similar to the book then this would be where Holmes and Moriarty fall off the cliff into the waterfall (although the twist would be Watson dies as well as the bomb is exploded).

Good 3 episodes and I'm pleased to hear more are being commissioned…thought it was a very good take on the Holmes story/character and Watson as well – brought into more modern times…I guess the obvious stuff that was missed had to be missed to make it a longer episode and more suspenseful? Thought it was good far better than the other crap that is on terrestrial tv just now – almost all reality shows – why? Cheap tv to make and just grim to watch.

I guess the obvious stuff that was missed had to be missed to make it a longer episode and more suspenseful?

Shouldn't need to have the characters miss obvious stuff. Slack writing. If you want to write Holmes, you have to be as clever as Holmes 🙂

Still enjoyed it muchly tho.

And I liked the water tie-in with the Moriarty showdown. Pool/waterfall.

I just hope they give Watson a pair of bollocks and a brain in the new ones.

Watched all three parts last week. Wasn't too bothered but caught part of it round a friends house and thought it looked ok. So picked it up on iPlayer. Thought it was good. Different enough to make it good and watchable. Love the little touches "this is a 3 (nicotine) patch problem", excellent!