Favorite TV Shows of 2010, Part 3
(Disclaimer: These are in reverse alphabetical order, mostly because the last show listed (first in alpha- order) was also my favorite show.)
Sherlock (BBC/BBC America/PBS)
Sherlock Holmes adaptations are anything but short in supply. From the early portion of the 20th century until as recently as 2009’s Guy Ritchie-led blockbuster, live action versions of Sherlock Holmes and his great adventures have been something of interest intrigue for writers and the viewing public alike. The lore surrounding Holmes and his idiosyncrasies (is he a crackhead? should he be wearing a straitjacket during every one of his waking hours? is he a genius or a raving lunatic?) is a spectacle in and of itself. All of the surrounding questions led to the inevitable question of what could this new iteration from BBC offer that hasn’t already been said? The answer was a lot.
BBC’s Sherlock is decidedly modern (one downfall to the first episode is that it is beat into our brains that Sherlock depends heavily upon his smartphone and prefers to text over making phone calls), but has stylistic flourishes that do not detract from what the series offers. Sherlock Holmes, acted by Benedict Cumberbatch, is hyperactive and processes his thoughts at an exasperating pace. While we can barely keep up with the words he vocalizes, Cumberbatch plays Holmes with incredible precision. His facial expressions allow us to see him reaching conclusions, piece by piece, while we, and Watson, are worrying more with emotions and circumstance. Martin Freeman plays Dr. John Watson and is a perfect voice for the audience. Rather than be a dick and a doubter, in his first extended scene with Sherlock, Freeman offers up a simple statement of, “That’s incredible,” and as a viewer I found myself reacting with the same intrigue. Rather than being a wet towel and a prick, Watson is as impressed as any bystander would be.
Throughout first episode “A Study In Pink” I found myself enthralled. The photography is gorgeous. Wide angle shots tend to have off-center vignetting, giving us a glorious view of London that seems to have an air of fog covering the lens. The film work is pristine and has beautiful clarity. The score is slight, but pitch perfect. The pacing of the episode is outstanding, never slowing to a crawl or getting caught in insignificant details and never moving so quickly (outside of the foot chase scene) that we can’t keep up. I found the first episode of Sherlock considerably more engaging than Ritchie’s Holmes adaptation. The second episode, “The Blind Banker,” wasn’t quite the fun of the first episode, but progressed the story forward well. Finale “The Great Game” brought together open story threads in a clean fashion while telling an entirely enjoyable story that was full of action and excitement. The main detriment to the series is that there are only three episodes, with each being between 1 1/2 – 2 hours long. It’s a considerable time investment for each episode, but the payoff is well worth the effort. Anyone looking for a compelling drama or a worthy modern-day telling of Sherlock Holmes, BBC’s Sherlock has my approval.
The Downtown Brownie 