"Highly functional sociopaths"
So I watched Stephen Moffat and Mark Gatiss' Sherlock - an adaptation of Sherlock Holmes set in modern-day London. I think I'm going to like it. It's indefinitely better than the rather horrible film with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, and I like how they've restrained themselves from making cheap post-modern references regarding Sherlock Holmes as a cultural item (yet).
I've been very curious about Benedict Cumberbatch, because I haven't had a strong impression of him yet, apart from the fact that I like the voice. Despite the fact that he plays an annoying character, I did not find him annoying. He'll do nicely.
However, I am getting sick of that "brilliant, yet damaged & disturbed genius solves crime, because the (rest of the) police are too thick to do it" genre. (House MD falls in the same category, despite not being a police drama. And, in a way, so does Doctor Who. I pray for some character to show up who's not either impressed or riled by them. "Oh, there goes the twitchy guy who likes to hear himself talk a lot," I hope someone would shrug. "Just ignore him so that he goes away." That would not make for good drama, but it would make me happy.)
itv's Identity is yet another such police drama featuring a damaged & disturbed expert (special interests: identity fraud) who does not work well with a team, but whom they need because he's a genius in his own field. Unlike Sherlock, the production is really quite bad, but I am watching it, because the resident mad genius is played by Aidan Gillen, who is utterly delicious. Dear god, is that man ageing well! I've always had a crush on his Stuart Alan Jones from Queer as Folk (UK), but haven't seen much of him since, and now I am utterly smitten. Smitten!
< / profound television critique >
I've been very curious about Benedict Cumberbatch, because I haven't had a strong impression of him yet, apart from the fact that I like the voice. Despite the fact that he plays an annoying character, I did not find him annoying. He'll do nicely.
However, I am getting sick of that "brilliant, yet damaged & disturbed genius solves crime, because the (rest of the) police are too thick to do it" genre. (House MD falls in the same category, despite not being a police drama. And, in a way, so does Doctor Who. I pray for some character to show up who's not either impressed or riled by them. "Oh, there goes the twitchy guy who likes to hear himself talk a lot," I hope someone would shrug. "Just ignore him so that he goes away." That would not make for good drama, but it would make me happy.)
itv's Identity is yet another such police drama featuring a damaged & disturbed expert (special interests: identity fraud) who does not work well with a team, but whom they need because he's a genius in his own field. Unlike Sherlock, the production is really quite bad, but I am watching it, because the resident mad genius is played by Aidan Gillen, who is utterly delicious. Dear god, is that man ageing well! I've always had a crush on his Stuart Alan Jones from Queer as Folk (UK), but haven't seen much of him since, and now I am utterly smitten. Smitten!
< / profound television critique >