Like many people, I’ve been waiting to see Steven Moffat’s new TV series, Sherlock, because… well, because it’s Steven Moffat, that’s why. Seriously, look at the man’s pedigree. Press Gang. Chalk. The sheer brilliance of Coupling. The inspired dark insanity of Jekyll. And, of course, the unmitigated, unparalleled joy that is Doctor Who.
Oh, and it was co-created by Mark Gatiss of The League Of Gentlemen. And David Arnold (my new favourite film composer… seriously, I marginally prefer him to John Williams, as unbelievable as that is) is involved in the music for it. And not forgetting the most important part: it’s a note-perfect modern day reboot of Sherlock Holmes, that had me sat in rapt joy in front of the TV.
Y’see, this is exactly what it says on the tin: a modern day reboot of Sherlock Holmes, set (obviously) in modern London, but with everything else remaining pretty much intact. Watson’s military service. Inspector Lestrade unofficially bringing Holmes in as a ‘consulting detective’. Sherlock Holmes himself being a high-functioning sociopath with that marvellously deductive mind of his, and an addiction problem (but with nicotine patches replacing the pipe and, y’know, the cocaine).
Oh, and ‘cos it’s transplanted to the modern day, mobile phones take a starring turn. I mean that, too: in the first episode, not only did Holmes peg Watson’s sister’s relationship and drink problems from his phone (which I’m 99% sure was a Nokia N97 Mini), but phones themselves proved integral in solving the murders not once, but twice (the first when using the weather, rendered brilliantly in the actual Nokia font, the second by texting the killer, who still had the victim’s phone).
So, yes, Holmes is back to the way he was always written in the books. In fact, I’d argue that it’s possibly more faithful to the source material than any adaptation before it. ‘Tis amazing how well the true spirit of Holmes, as written by the inimitable Arthur Conan Doyle, slots so beautifully into the modern setting.
So, all in all, I shall be watching this miniseries with great interest, to see where it leads. And it will lead somewhere big, because there’s definitely a big story arc going on there. There pretty much has to be when the last word the killer in the first ep says before his death (spoiler alert) is in relation to a huge criminal conspiracy, and is a name. You all know what name it has to be, if you have any knowledge of Sherlock Holmes…
Moriarty…
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