Like most people, I have read about the exploits of Sherlock
Holmes, the most famous fictional detective. However, I had mostly read abridged
versions of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories. Recently I have been trying to
plough through the unabridged Complete Works but the going has been tough. The
stories are more than a 150 years old and the writing style is naturally dated
and dry. Some of the stories themselves also feel a bit ridiculous given the
plethora of crime novels and serials we have been exposed to. So basically to
read the original works and enjoy it, one always has to keep in mind the time
period when it was written and make allowances for it. Kind of spoils the fun.
More literature and less a good detective story, if you know what I mean.
That’s why when it comes to favourite literary sleuths, I
always turn to Monsieur Hercule Poirot – he of the ‘little gray cells’ and the
passion for order and method. More importantly, Agatha Christie’s detective
stories are much more about the psychological human drama behind the murders.
This in itself renders them timeless because the key human passions remain the
same whatever be the generation. They are also written about a 100 years after
Sherlock which makes them more readable but again, they do contain several
stereotypes which seem amusingly old-fashioned and sometimes downright racist
in today’s world.
Anyway, I digress. What has, in fact, prompted me to write
this piece is BBC Entertainment’s inventive new series, “Sherlock”. This is a
Sherlock set not in Victorian, but contemporary England. While the idea of a modern setting might make
purists scoff, it is surprisingly effective in reinvigorating the franchise.
The adaptation is intelligent, witty and entertaining – it retains the soul of the original while bringing in a 21st centurytwist. London, where most of the stories are set, is not a rainy smog-filled city with the clattering of horses’ hoofs but a bright and lively one to be traversed in the ubiquitous black taxicabs. There have been 2 seasons so far with only 3 episodes each but each one has
been a gem. Only a few Holmes stories have been used for the main episodes with
their plots suitably tweaked. For instance, the first episode is “A Study in
Pink” derived from the first Holmes story, “A Study in Scarlet”. However, there
are several passing references to other Holmes tales scattered throughout the
episodes for the aficionados. “The Greek Interpreter” becomes a story about
comic book related murders, “The Geek Interpreter”, “The Speckled Band” becomes
the case of a “Speckled Blonde”and so on.
A big reason why the series works is of course, Sherlock himself. Sherlock is played to perfection by Benedict Cumberbatch who
portrays Sherlock as a slightly eccentric, “high-functioning sociopath” with
just the right amount of charm. Cumberbatch
uses his wonderfully deep voice to great effect as he delivers rapid-fire
speeches giving the impression of his tongue struggling to keep pace with his
mind. His intense ice blue eyes and razor sharp cheekbones add to the image of
an intense, obsessive and incredibly intelligent mind. His Sherlock is however
also one who is childishly gleeful at the prospect of a serial killer and goes
into a sulk when he can’t find a challenging case. This strange man-child is
focused only on the gratification of his own need to solve mysteries and has an
alarming disregard for social skills. But despite his negligent attitude and
sharp tongue, he is still capable of caring quite deeply – for his
friend Watson, for Mrs. Hudson, his landlady and for ‘the woman’, Irene Adler. In keeping with the times, Sherlock also prefers to text message his associates, uses the GPS to track criminals and is trying to give up smoking by using nicotine patches. Trust me, it's more entertaining than sacreligious. The constant know-it-all behavior, the immense egoism, a certain ruthlessness are all present but strangely seem almost expected in a man so gifted.
Martin Freeman essays the role of Dr. John Watson, the
closest thing to a friend that Sherlock has. He is the perfect foil to the
mercurial Sherlock and brings in the Everyman point of view and bewilderment
when faced with the Sherlock’s brilliance. The camaraderie between the complex
Sherlock and the forthright John (‘not’ Holmes and Watson) hits the right notes
and has the nowadays-mandatory touches of bromance thrown in.
This reminds me of Guy Ritchie’s adaptations of Sherlock
Holmes tales. Let me just say that I find them vile; especially when I compare
them to the TV series. Like most of his other popular roles, Robert Downey Jr. plays
himself and reduces Sherlock Holmes to a clownish ragamuffin. The movies are
like any other modern action-adventure Shanghai Knights kind of a flick and the
Jude Law and Robert Downey chemistry is forced. Guy Ritchie’s movies could have
been about anybody else but definitely not Sherlock Holmes, the greatest detective
of all time!
To appreciate the genius of Sherlock Holmes, read the books
if you can, watch him in his original Victorian setting in the older BBC series
or best of all… watch ‘Sherlock’.
