Late to the party
Right, so I already knew that I'm a fan of the BBC's modern version of Sherlock Holmes, Sherlock. It's utterly brilliant and it has Rupert Graves; I have no other requirements to instantly love something. Seriously. It's a bit embarrassing some of the things I've watched just because Rupert Graves was in it. Anyway, back on topic.
When they first aired on PBS in the fall I had only managed to catch "The Blind Banker" and "The Great Game". I've just gotten around to watching "A Study in Pink" and holy hell, someone needs to smack me upside my head for taking nearly a year from it's initial showing in this world for me to finally watch it.
Here's why I say this:
It was perfect. Not just the greatest modern adaptation of Sherlock Holmes, but the greatest modern adaptation of a classic work ever. (Please note that I am prone to hyperbole.) And it was brutally honest about two aspects of Sherlock: the first being the fact that he is a high functioning sociopath and the second being that while Sherlock is married to his work, if he were inclined to seek human companionship it would be with a man. Anyone who watches this series and disagrees with the second point is either an idiot or someone who has no understanding of subtlety.
Everyone they run into, including Sherlock's brother Mycroft, (who at this point knows Sherlock better than anyone else) thinks that John and Sherlock are either a couple or out on a date. (And note that by "The Great Game" Mycroft was still convinced that they are a couple.) Absolutely no one bats an eye about it while they are making these assumptions. Then you have this wonderfully awkward conversation in the resturaunt while they are staking out a building across the street:
John: "You have a girlfriend?"
Sherlock: "Girlfriend, no. Not really my area."
John: "Oh...so do you have a boyfriend? Which is fine."
Sherlock: "I know it's fine."
John: "So you have a boyfriend."
Sherlock: "No."
John: "Oh, okay. So you're unattatched then. Just like me. Fine, good."
Sherlock: "... John, erm... I think you should know that I consider myself married to my work, and while I'm flattered I'm not really looking for any-- "
John: "No, no, that's not what I... no! I'm just saying... it's all fine."
Sherlock: "... Good. Thank you."
That doesn't exactly leave it open to interpretation.
This all makes me happy because while I enjoy Sherlock Holmes in all his incarnations, the most recent versions (who should have had the most freedom) have chickened out. The recent film with Robert Downey Jr. came the closest by making it clear that Sherlock bore an unrequited love for Watson, but the filmmakers felt they needed either a female star in the film or a female love interest for Sherlock so they dug up Irene Adler. Points for mining canon, but poor show over all.
This is going off the rails; I'm sleepy. I can continue this with anyone who wants to discuss it ^.^
When they first aired on PBS in the fall I had only managed to catch "The Blind Banker" and "The Great Game". I've just gotten around to watching "A Study in Pink" and holy hell, someone needs to smack me upside my head for taking nearly a year from it's initial showing in this world for me to finally watch it.
Here's why I say this:
It was perfect. Not just the greatest modern adaptation of Sherlock Holmes, but the greatest modern adaptation of a classic work ever. (Please note that I am prone to hyperbole.) And it was brutally honest about two aspects of Sherlock: the first being the fact that he is a high functioning sociopath and the second being that while Sherlock is married to his work, if he were inclined to seek human companionship it would be with a man. Anyone who watches this series and disagrees with the second point is either an idiot or someone who has no understanding of subtlety.
Everyone they run into, including Sherlock's brother Mycroft, (who at this point knows Sherlock better than anyone else) thinks that John and Sherlock are either a couple or out on a date. (And note that by "The Great Game" Mycroft was still convinced that they are a couple.) Absolutely no one bats an eye about it while they are making these assumptions. Then you have this wonderfully awkward conversation in the resturaunt while they are staking out a building across the street:
John: "You have a girlfriend?"
Sherlock: "Girlfriend, no. Not really my area."
John: "Oh...so do you have a boyfriend? Which is fine."
Sherlock: "I know it's fine."
John: "So you have a boyfriend."
Sherlock: "No."
John: "Oh, okay. So you're unattatched then. Just like me. Fine, good."
Sherlock: "... John, erm... I think you should know that I consider myself married to my work, and while I'm flattered I'm not really looking for any-- "
John: "No, no, that's not what I... no! I'm just saying... it's all fine."
Sherlock: "... Good. Thank you."
That doesn't exactly leave it open to interpretation.
This all makes me happy because while I enjoy Sherlock Holmes in all his incarnations, the most recent versions (who should have had the most freedom) have chickened out. The recent film with Robert Downey Jr. came the closest by making it clear that Sherlock bore an unrequited love for Watson, but the filmmakers felt they needed either a female star in the film or a female love interest for Sherlock so they dug up Irene Adler. Points for mining canon, but poor show over all.
This is going off the rails; I'm sleepy. I can continue this with anyone who wants to discuss it ^.^