The Science of Deduction

Blogging had taken a step back lately due to a sudden series tsunami.And the influx was so overwhelming, my days and nights were practically swarmed. Thus, it comes as no surprise what my blog post's going to be about...afterall it's TV Tuesday!

When it comes to solving mysteries, the name Sherlock Holmes is never far off. What with Warner Bros. even bringing the character to life with a face that strikingly resembles a certain Robert Downey Jr. There's even an Iphone game bearing the same face - which I would probably cover in some other post. Sir Authur Conan Doyle created the character a few centuries back thus the stories  always take place in late 1800s London with cobblestone streets, horse-drawn carriages, Pea Soupers and what-nots. And I certainly do not have any complains about the settings, being a fan of the Renaissance and the Victorian eras.

So when I was introduced to Sherlock, the TV series, I was expecting a similar setting and eagerly looking forward to it. (Coincidentally, I am halfway through a Sherlock Holmes novel myself - check out "Aftertot is Reading" at the side.) You bet I was surprised to see a modern London setting to begin with. The thought of "Did I copy the wrong files?" flashed across momentarily but was quickly overwritten by "Wow, a modern Sherlock Holmes! Now, how are they gonna portray this?!" with the first appearance of Dr. Watson, Holmes' trusted sidekick.

And I must say, the guys who created this series are just brilliant. They managed to put a modern twist to the stories so well that one would believe the stories are written in the 21st century themselves. Obvious example; Dr. Watson no longer jots down his adventures with Holmes in a journal. Instead he is now a techie guy who owns a blog, aptly named The Personal Blog of Dr. John H. Watson - and yes, it really exists!

And Holmes in the show is a genius with a wit that makes you laugh out loud, as long as you are not at the receiving end of his remarks. He is arrogant and funny at the same time. And one would say he is really sly and manipulative. But in a good way i.e. in the name of solving mysteries and murders. Benedict Cumberbatch, the actor who plays Holmes, is superb in the role and plays it to a T. Martin Freeman is great as Watson with funny antics almost always befalling him. Dialogues, plots, places and characters are wonderful all around.At the end of the day, it makes you wanna visit London and speak like an English...

The only downside is the first season is too short with just three 90-minute episodes, each a case of its own. The cases are adapted from Doyle's works - A Study in Pink (based on A Study in Scarlet), The Banker (based on The Valley of Fear and The Dancing Men). Thankfully though, the show has been picked up for a 2nd season schedule to be broadcast in early 2012, seeing that it won the 2011 BAFTA Television Award for Best Drama Series..yay! (BAFTA is the UK-equivalent of the Emmy Awards.)

Looking forward to more Sherlock but am glad for the hiatus. Now my other series can fill in that gap *winks

When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth - Sherlock Holmes

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