I'm In Love....

For the past several weeks, I've had more than just an interesting show to look forward to on Masterpiece on Sunday nights, I've had a show that has made me want to be home in time to see every minute.  More than just remembering what time it's on, but avoiding any potential conflicts.  I can't even begin to tell you how long it has been since I've cared about a show that much!  Unfortunately, like many BBC shows, the season was painfully short and as I write this on Sunday, I wonder what I'll watch tonight, feeling a bit empty at the idea that Sherlock will not be on.

Before I link you to the site's website I think you deserve some background and why Sherlock is just so absolutely awesome.

First the show:  Let's be honest.  Sherlock Holmes is amazing.  Even the BBC standard of him as a laid back English Gentlemen are watchable and then when you discover the real Sherlock as written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle you discover characters so drastically dynamic and different - even more compelling and brilliant and real than you thought possible in a novelization from that time period, well... Your eyes open to something very very cool.  So lets take that amazing fascinating specimen that is so compelling, a bit erratic, a bit of an addict, and intellectually unparalleled and place him and all of his hyper-real associates into the 21st century.  That's the idea behind Sherlock.  Still seen through the narration of Dr. Watson, Sherlock joins the current era - and drives a modern London crazy.

The show catches all those nuances that the recent movie dropped while keeping in the action and ever present running that makes for excellent BBC programming.  Dr. Watson brings us into the present as the disillusioned injured soldier recently returned from Afghanistan.  He is brought to Sherlock through a University acquaintance and the show takes off and the running begins.  Martin Freeman's performance as Dr. Watson is wonderful and has definitely raised the radar at many blogs, notably GeekMom of Wired.    However, in my opinion it is the well written and excellently performed role of Sherlock (portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch) that really draws this show into the realm of extraordinary.  However, as I seem to be in the web-minority on this, maybe some background into my life is also needed.

A very very long time ago I was 6 years old.  I was a very shy girl.  I loved school, but I hated school.  I loved learning, but I dreaded dealing with the other kids.  I wanted friends, but I had no idea how to make friends.  I was awkward, easily embarrassed, the "wrong" religion, in the upper groups in reading and math in class - not a bad thing at my school, but nobody felt the need to befriend me to "help" me either.  Except there was this one guy.  Unlike Holmes, he noticed my social awkwardness, but like Sherlock, he didn't really care.  When we were so young life was exciting and full of adventure and he was smart, wicked smart, in fact he was a genius.  School was boring, so very boring, I mean I loved my teacher (well some of them anyway) and I loved learning, but things moved so slowly and there was so much time to do nothing that we, well ya know ya just get a special bond sharing that many hours of detention.

If my friend had lived to be 30 he would be Sherlock.  With the exception that he sought challenge through acting because he felt that it was the only true challenge ever set before him.  He could've had any degree in a heartbeat, but that was exactly the problem, none of them were a challenge, nor could hold his interest.  The casual obsession with drugs, the bored habits, the mind flying a million miles a minute coupled with acute observation..... it everything we think of as Sherlock and it reminds me of that lifelong friend (well his life, not mine, obviously.)  As I watched and thoroughly enjoyed the 3 hour long episodes that make up the first season, I felt so very drawn to Sherlock.  I mean sure I've always had a thing for the smart guys in the show, but there was also this familiarity, like he was my friend, back with me again.

Sherlock feels so like my friend.  Like someone I spent a large part of my life with.  Someone I spent so many hours in trouble with, whom I hated so much I wanted to kill, and loved so much I couldn't imagine life without.  He is arrogantly annoying.  He drives Watson insane as much as he fascinates him.  He readily insults those around him with his lack of acknowledgement of social mores.  Sherlock portrays everyone's favorite genius as a real genius, with all the positives and negatives that come with the burden of an overly brilliant mind trained to notice the most minutia of detail.  I will be eagerly awaiting the second season, you can bet on that!

If you have the time and want to explore the show further all of the major characters have blogs as they are portrayed in the show.  Sherlock  Watson   Connie Prince (deceased)  Molly Hooper

Most of the dialog simply deals with events in the show, but Sherlock does have some codes to solve, although they are very simple with a basic Google search, maybe I'll use them for some trivia at the elementary school.