Q&A with Martin Freeman (about Sherlock)
In an exclusive interview for The Times, Freeman of Love Actually and The Office fame chats about his new role as Dr John Watson in Sherlock, which premieres tonight on BBC Entertainment.
Q: How would you describe the modern version of Dr Watson and Sherlock, compared to the original?
A: As far as I can see, our view is a very faithful take on the spirit of their initial relationship in the Conan Doyle book. We have got away from the idea that Dr Watson is a bumbling sidekick and more in to the fact that he is a very capable colleague, really, of Sherlock's.
Q: Sherlock has been a big success. Why do you think it worked so well?
A: I think it worked well because the concept was good, it was very well written and thought out by Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat. The direction, I think, is brilliant. I think there is innovation in the direction and it does not feel like a programme that I have seen a million times before. The fact that it went down as well as it did in Britain was a very pleasant surprise. We expected it to be liked, but it was a real surprise it was liked as much as it was.
Q: Do you think Sherlock is a freak, as one of the police officers in the show refers to him?
A: I suppose he is a kind of freak. If someone was able to take a look at you for three seconds and tell you lots of stuff about your life, it would be pretty unnerving, to say the least. You don't know whether he is doing a kind of David Blaine on you or a Derren Brown.
Q: Have you noticed that you become more observant after each show?
A: That is a good question. I think in a way you do. If I applied those powers of observation then maybe I could. and, of course, that doesn't last very long. I have often wondered about what the real police think; I think they think it is bluff.
Sherlock premieres at 8pm. Episodes 2 and 3 follow on Thursday and Friday also at 8pm.
Source: Times Live-New Zealand