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Sherlock

Started by Scribbly, January 15, 2012, 10:47:44 PM

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Scribbly

Just finished watching the climax to the second season of Sherlock.

I don't know if the first season has made it across to the states yet, but Sherlock is the updating of several of (unsurprisingly) Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories to a modern day setting.

I forget how often I've ranted here about my general hatred of 'modernisation' adaptations. I generally feel that you lose a lot when you take things between mediums let alone when you stuff stories into new time periods.

Sherlock is a pleasant break from that, possibly because the actors in it are all excellent. Sherlock and Mycroft both stand out for me, with Moriarty a very close third.

The stories aren't direct adaptations, which helps a lot. The set pieces remain the same but the actual mysteries tend to be twisted a little, which keeps it interesting. Each episode is 90 minutes long, so although there's only three episodes in each season, it is the equivalent of a movie trilogy.

It is the only series I've bothered following since Black Mirror and Doctor Who stopped, and now it is over again... there's nothing worth watching on the TV. If you find yourself in a similar position and haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend getting hold of the seasons (be sure to start with season 1 as it informs season 2).

It also involves a fantastically savage beating given to a Jack Bauer style CIA agent for his interrogation methods. Beautiful to watch.  :)
I had an existential crisis and all I got was this stupid gender.

Faust

I've seen the first two episodes of season one last year. I thought the pilot was excellent but the Chinese ninja episode was silly. However I loved the acting and storytelling method used in both. I've been meaning to watch the next episode, I'll watch them and get back here with a proper comment.
Sleepless nights at the chateau

Iron Sulfide

Is that the one written by Steven Mottat? If so, I found series 1 hard to get into. It was a while ago that I watched it, but I recall not being able to really identify with anyone, which is odd because I especially enjoy all of Moffat's Doctor Who episodes.

Come to think of it, the new Sherlock is a lot like the Doctor, IMO... just a lot more bitter.
Ya' stupid Yank.

Cain

I've heard good things about the series, but never managed to actually catch it while it was on TV.

I guess I'll have to buy the DVDs at some point...  What you say about there being nothing to watch on TV is totally true, however, the BBC back-catalogue of DVDs is surprisingly affordble, and contains more than a few hidden gems and old classics (House of Cards, TTSS, Smiley's People, Edge of Darkness, Spirals, etc). And that's without even looking at their documentaries.

Scribbly

Quote from: Iron Sulfide on January 15, 2012, 11:10:37 PM
Is that the one written by Steven Mottat? If so, I found series 1 hard to get into. It was a while ago that I watched it, but I recall not being able to really identify with anyone, which is odd because I especially enjoy all of Moffat's Doctor Who episodes.

Come to think of it, the new Sherlock is a lot like the Doctor, IMO... just a lot more bitter.

Yeah, that's the one. I hadn't made the connection between Sherlock and the Doctor before, but there are a lot of similarities. Sherlock is a lot more callous though.

Quote from: Faust on January 15, 2012, 11:09:43 PM
I've seen the first two episodes of season one last year. I thought the pilot was excellent but the Chinese ninja episode was silly. However I loved the acting and storytelling method used in both. I've been meaning to watch the next episode, I'll watch them and get back here with a proper comment.

The chinese ninja episode was definitely the silliest IMO. Sometimes the deductions that he makes are a little hard to swallow, too... but I think that's unavoidable.

Quote from: Cain on January 16, 2012, 06:57:48 AM
I've heard good things about the series, but never managed to actually catch it while it was on TV.

I guess I'll have to buy the DVDs at some point...  What you say about there being nothing to watch on TV is totally true, however, the BBC back-catalogue of DVDs is surprisingly affordble, and contains more than a few hidden gems and old classics (House of Cards, TTSS, Smiley's People, Edge of Darkness, Spirals, etc). And that's without even looking at their documentaries.

I've got everything on your list except Spirals (which I'm definitely going to have to grab now). They also did a TV adaptation of A Perfect Spy which I've had on DVD for a while but haven't actually gotten around to watching yet.

IIRC, a few years ago Charlie Brooker predicted that reality TV phone-ins would dominate the schedule because they are comparatively cheap and make back money quicker than having to release DVD series. Looking at the sheer number of stupid dancing competitions and talent contests, that's hard to argue with.
I had an existential crisis and all I got was this stupid gender.

Cain

I believe the BBC also sell the Danish series "The Killing" of which Season 2 has just come out now.

Spirals is set in Paris, it's kind of like The Wire in that it follows the crime from several different points of view, its heroes are not very heroic, most of its villains are small-timers and everyone is bound up in these close-knit relationships with each other: the police, the prosecutor, the judges, the politics of the city and the criminals.

And once you find yourself with Spirals and The Killing in your purchase history, you'll find yourself being recommended Henning Mankell's Inspector Wallander series, which is meant to be excellent Swedish neo-noir.  I have not watched any yet, but I intend to.

Rumckle

I just finished watching it yesterday, I really like the series, but I didn't like the final episode that much (especially the ending), maybe because there was too much focus on trying to humanise Sherlock, or the focus on Moriarty.

Anyway, if you liked Sherlock, you should watch Jekyll (if you haven't already seen it), which was Moffat's 2007 re-imagining of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, I really liked that series.

Also, thanks for those suggestions, Cain, they sound pretty cool.
It's not trolling, it's just satire.

Scribbly

I didn't know he did a Jekyll and Hyde remake. I'll definitely have to check that out.

I liked Moriarty but he did have shades of Moffat's The Master about him. Though that may only be occurring to me now that I can see bits of The Doctor in his Sherlock.

The last episode was interesting, but I did feel it dragged a bit. I was also pissed about the very end of the ending.
I had an existential crisis and all I got was this stupid gender.

Faust

Quote from: Demolition_Squid on January 20, 2012, 09:56:34 AM
I didn't know he did a Jekyll and Hyde remake. I'll definitely have to check that out.

I liked Moriarty but he did have shades of Moffat's The Master about him. Though that may only be occurring to me now that I can see bits of The Doctor in his Sherlock.

The last episode was interesting, but I did feel it dragged a bit. I was also pissed about the very end of the ending.

Forgive me for correcting you but that master was R. T. Davis incarnation, Moffat hasn't touched him yet.

I watched 1x03 last night, it was excellent. I really liked the fast pacing of each mystery and I was genuinely surprised with the Moriarty reveal. I'm glad I waited to watch season 1 and 2 together because the cliffhanger is a killer, I want to go home now to watch the next episode.
Sleepless nights at the chateau

Scribbly

Quote from: Faust on January 20, 2012, 10:08:30 AM
Quote from: Demolition_Squid on January 20, 2012, 09:56:34 AM
I didn't know he did a Jekyll and Hyde remake. I'll definitely have to check that out.

I liked Moriarty but he did have shades of Moffat's The Master about him. Though that may only be occurring to me now that I can see bits of The Doctor in his Sherlock.

The last episode was interesting, but I did feel it dragged a bit. I was also pissed about the very end of the ending.

Forgive me for correcting you but that master was R. T. Davis incarnation, Moffat hasn't touched him yet.

I watched 1x03 last night, it was excellent. I really liked the fast pacing of each mystery and I was genuinely surprised with the Moriarty reveal. I'm glad I waited to watch season 1 and 2 together because the cliffhanger is a killer, I want to go home now to watch the next episode.

Hah, so it is entirely in my head.  :lol:

The ending of season 1 is fantastic and the 1st episode of season 2 is probably the strongest IMO.
I had an existential crisis and all I got was this stupid gender.

Faust

Quote from: Demolition_Squid on January 20, 2012, 11:36:56 AM
The ending of season 1 is fantastic and the 1st episode of season 2 is probably the strongest IMO.
I've just finished this episode, everything I first liked about his doctor who is stronger in this then it has been in series six of DW.
His Irene Adler is an excellent strong, intelligent and sexy Mata Hari style femme fatale, admittedly with hints of River song and Amy but they do say that male writers can only ever truly write one woman. There are definitely parallels between the doctor and sherlock in this episode as smart virginal dufus types.
The overall episode mystery of cracking her phone password was fairly obvious but I didn't get it until it was pointed out.


I'll watch episode 2x02 tomorrow.
Sleepless nights at the chateau

Triple Zero

Finished watching the first season today. Thank you guys for the tip, I recommended the series to a bunch of other people, it's really good.

Also indeed glad I don't have to wait too long for the cliffhanger to resolve (just when I get time to watch 2x01).

I think Sherlock would make a pretty awesome Doctor as well. He's got the right "alien" face for it :) Would be cool if the series ended in a really strange and weird way and then in a later Dr Who season it would turn out it was the Doctor all along, caught in some timey-wimey memory loss episode :) Won't happen of course, but it would be cool :) [any other kind of cross-over would go bad IMO, the screen aint big enough for the both of em]
Ex-Soviet Bloc Sexual Attack Swede of Tomorrow™
e-prime disclaimer: let it seem fairly unclear I understand the apparent subjectivity of the above statements. maybe.

INFORMATION SO POWERFUL, YOU ACTUALLY NEED LESS.

Faust

The hound episode was goddawful, not much better then the Chinese ninja episode. I have yet to watch the final episode. If it is good there is a definite pattern of two good episodes with a shit one sandwiched in the middle of the season.
Sleepless nights at the chateau

Scribbly

I really enjoyed the Hounds episode. I saw the twist coming, but it was still pretty fun. I rewatched the third episode with my mum last night and it really drags the second time through.
I had an existential crisis and all I got was this stupid gender.

Cain

Seasons One and Two arrived in the post today.

Probably wont get to watch them until tomorrow, though.