Dresden's Shows

I like good TV. I feel that the best-written shows can be just as good at telling a story as a good book can be. With that sentiment in mind, I decided to review a show that was recommended to me by the fine articles of TV Tropes.

Sherlock is aired on the BBC Network and was written by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss. It sets classic Sherlock Holmes stories in a modern day time period, keeping the original plot alive, while also modernizing the brilliance of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to this generation. Starring Benedict Cumberbatch as the eponymous Sherlock and Martin Freeman as Dr. John Watson, Sherlock has been met with near-universal acclaim, winning several awards.

Okay. The first thing that we need to get out of the way is that, yes, the writers of the show do make a few changes to the classic Holmes stories. However, these changes are done so beautifully as to impress even the crustiest of Holmes purists. Cumberbatch and Freeman are magnificent in their roles, delivering performances that range from heart-wrenching to side-splitting.

I was skeptical at first of the advisability of setting Sherlock Holmes stories in the modern day, but the concept is pulled off beautifully, and each ninety-minute episode is a masterpiece of storytelling. Each season consists of three hour and a half episodes, and two so far have been released, with a third season already greenlit.

I would recommend this brilliant series to fans of classic Holmes and newcomers alike. The acting is top-notch, the writing is downright unbelievable, and the fine layer of nostalgia sprinkled over the top combines to make a show I'd recommend everyone watch at least once.

Final Score: 9/10. Really, the only reason I couldn't justify giving this show a 10/10 is its brevity. Three ninety minute episodes a season is really just not enough Holmes.

As a side note, does anyone know the point when British television suddenly became awesome?