Sherlock Holmes & Dr. Watson Join the 21st Century

Did you catch the new Sherlock, “A Study In Pink”, on PBS last night? Already a smash in England, we finally get to see it Stateside and the first installment certainly exceeded my expectations.

I’ve never been a diehard Sherlock Holmes devotee, although I’ve read a few of the novels, seen some of the old telefilms and enjoyed the recent theatrical release with Robert Downey, Jr. When I was in London a couple of years ago, I stayed at a boutique hotel on Baker St. just for kicks and was delighted to find the iconic Holmesian profile in mosaic at the Tube station. For all that, Holmes has always been too abstract for me to really cozy up to, despite the literary pedigree. This adaptation seems to have been made for me, however, and now I’m even more upset that we missed the Sherlock panel at NYCC a couple of weeks ago.

The new faces of Holmes and Watson

Martin Freeman, who was so adorable in Love Actually and the original The Office, is phenomenal as Dr. John Watson. A military doctor, he’s recovering from serving in Afghanistan, although his injuries are not what they first appear. Far from the benevolent, wise doctor I’m used to, or even the more world-weary, dashing Watson from the recent movie with Jude Law, this Watson seems to be in a fog until meeting Sherlock and being unceremoniously thrust into a serial suicide investigation. (Yes, serial suicides.) Freeman blends his Everyman sensibility and almost cuddly looks with a sharper sardonic wit and a weariness of the soul that surprised me. This Watson is not simply a foil for Sherlock, he’s a fully-realized character in his own right who is worth the time to get to know.

Benedict Cumberbatch not only has the most amazing name, he seems born to play this version of Sherlock Holmes. He brings the classic, frock-coated Sherlock we know from previous incarnations into the 21st century with such ease that he makes one wonder why an update like this hasn’t been attempted before. Even his wardrobe straddles time periods. Possessed of an elegant grace and striking good looks, his Sherlock is infinitely crush-worthy, aside from that pesky “high-functioning sociopath” self-diagnosis. His powers of deduction are truly amazing to behold, but he lacks a certain ability to interact with other people without making them uncomfortable. Lest you think he’s a robot, now and then a hint of vulnerability escapes his stridently detached attitude, giving us something to cling to when he wheels off into deductive reasoning again.

The banter flies thick and fast, with Watson holding his own in the face of Sherlock’s frequent lack of tact and penchant for showing off. Both men are damaged in ways that are both obvious and less than. Thrown together by happenstance, the two seem to fulfill a need in each other that neither wishes to acknowledge. For Watson, Sherlock’s abruptness, brilliance, and need for grounding snap him out of what seems to be a self-indulgent depression. For Sherlock, Watson provides the makings of a true friend who admires his gift rather than thinking he’s a freak and brings him back down to earth on occasion.

The homoerotic undertones inferred in previous versions are given more than a wink and a nudge here, which is both amusing and provides Sherlock the opportunity to inform us that he is married to his job. Pine away, ladies, just don’t expect anything to come of that crush. It does look like Watson has romantic potential, although at this point I am so enamored of the two leads interacting with each other that I selfishly want them to remain single.

The case itself is intricately plotted and starts out from a seemingly impossible point: three suicides that appear to be linked, but how? And is it a crime if it’s suicide? The fun of Sherlock is less about solving the crime, however, and more about solving the characters. Unexpected twists and revelations pop up in both cases, making this a very satisfying 90 minutes indeed.

Did you watch? What did you think of this modern version of the Victorian classic? Will you be surprised to see either of the leads show up as a Nice Boy of the Week?

Sherlock continues with new 90-minute telefilms on October 31 and November 7 on PBS.