A modern day Sherlock Holmes, part 2

Here's the review from the season 2 of Sherlock I promised.

                                                                                  A Scandal in Belgravia:

In Buckingham Palace

Unlike in many series, this season follows on immediately after the end of The Great Game. Holmes solve several cases, and start to get publicity in media.
   One day Holmes' brother Mycroft (who works for the goverment like in the original stories) has Watson and Holmes brought to Buckingham Palace and ask them to help him with a dominatrix Irene Adler, who have some delicate information. This episode based on the Doyle's first short story A Scandal in Bohemia.
Somehow this episode managed to woke that small voice in my head, which haunted me while watching A Game of Shadows. The beginning is fine (almost), but after that allusions to the short story disappier and the rest of the episode seems pointless and prolonged.
   (Tip: In this episode is an allusion to the famous pictures of an illustrator Sidney Paget.)

The Hounds of Baskerville:

This episode based on maybe the most famous Holmes story: The Hound of the Baskervilles. Henry Knight, who had seen how a gigantic hound ripped his father apart, comes to ask Holmes' help: the terrors are again started to haunt him. This case lead Holmes and Watson to dark moores of Dartmoor and secretiv laboratories of the Baskerville military research base.
    The episode is better than the first one, but it's still not quite in the level of the first season. Maybe because the small absurdity of it, like a luminous rabbit.
   (Tip: The memory palace technique Holmes uses in the episode really works and it's worth of try)

                                                                                       The Reichenbach Falls:

Even the Crown Jewels aren't safe for Moriarty

The title of the episode refers to the short story called The Final Problem. Moriarty is back in the business and has once again made his devious plans. The rumor mill around Holmes reach its full power.
   This episode really raise the state of the season. All has done their best to make it worth of its original story. It's very cleverly build and acted and is maybe the best episode so far. Salute to Andrew Stuart as Moriarty.
   (Tip: Even if you would have read The Final Problem and could guess how it ends, there's still plenty of twist and turns to amaze you)

[Sherlock bursts into the room, covered in blood, brandishing a harpoon]

Sherlock Holmes: Well, that was tedious.

John Watson: You went on The Tube like that?!

Sherlock Holmes: None of the cabs would take me.

- The Hounds of the Baskerville

Mark: 9

A modern day Sherlock Homes

This time I'll review maybe the best tv-show I've ever seen: Sherlock. As the title tells, this series is about sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, and his loyal friend, Doctor John Watson. A new version for the old classic, this is seen almost too many times. But this time there's also something new: the creators of the series, Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, are set the story to modern London. Yes, I know what this might sound, but Moffat and Gatiss have somehow managed to do it by respecting the original stories and still having the fresh and fascinating style. Also huge part of the glory goes to the great actors of the lead roles: Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.
   Because seasons are so short (only three episodes) I can easily review the whole first season here:

A Study in Pink:

Holmes and Watson at 221B, Baker Street

This episode based strongly to the first Holmes-story ever writen: A Study in Scarlet. If you haven't already read the novel, this is good time to do that. You can detect amazinly much cohesion between the novel and the episode.
   As in the novel, wounded ex-army doctor, John Watson, is seeking a flatmate, when he encounter a mysterious man, Sherlock Holmes. Things started to develop and soon he'll notice he's sharing a flat with him and chasing a killer.
   The episode is delightfully filled with different kinds of hints to original stories.
   (Tip: you can spot Mark Gatiss as 'the arch enemy' of Sherlock)

                                                                                    The Blind Banker:

The episode doesn't especially hint to any specific story. This time Holmes and Watson are investigating a cipher somehow linked to China.
   The episode aren't really as awesome as others, but it's still nice to watch.
   (Tip: Go to check John's blog, but watch out for spoilers)




The Great Game:

The wall, which had feeled the apathy of Sherlock Holmes

The pink phone from A Study in Pink comes back to haunt our heroes and starts the fight against time.
   Because this's the final episode of the season, you can see how different clues left to previous episodes comes together and Sherlock face Moriarty.
   (Tip: The second season (which I'll review as soon as I have some time) is already aired, if you want to see what will happen after the cliffhanger)


"That's clever. Is it clever? Why is it clever?" - Sherlock Holmes (A Study in Pink)

Mark: 10

The Curious Incident

The title of Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time and its cover make this novel seems as a children's book, but it surely aren't that. The main character is a 15-year-old Christopher Boone, with his own words 'a mathematician with some behavioral difficulties'. Eventhought the writer has denied it and it's not said in the book, the summaries in the cover still claim he would have Asperger syndrome. But sure is Christopher has a severe problems to regonise and understand emotions.
   One night on his night-time trips in the neighbourhood he found his neighbour's dog Wellington cruelly murdered with a garden fork. Against his father's will he start to investigate the dead of Wellington and eventually he'll reveal some other secrets too...
   The narration is an interesting mix of scientific facts and childish naivety. Chapters are numbered with prime numbers, there's some graphic problems, mostly on math.  The title is a quote of Sherlock Holmes in the short story Silver Blaze.
   Christopher aren't the most easiest character to identify, but his narration voice force the reader to look things for his point of view, which is a fascinating experience.
   The whole reading experience could be described as a one word: interesting.

Mark: 6-

Victorian bachelor party

Like with 'J. Edgar', I'm not so sure what I should think about the newest Guy Richie's film Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. A tiny voice in the back of my head  can't stop from screaming 'sacrilege!', but other voice tell me it's just entertaiment.
   The film is a sequel to Richie's first Holmes film, which became a blockbuster. A Game of Shadows is placed in time after the first part. Watson is finally going to married and the evil mastermind professor Moriarty intrigues. With these ingredients come into being a wild adventure throught continental Europe, reminding misleadingly a victorian bachelor party. There's suspicious foods, dancing, a man in woman's clothes and of course lots of explosions.
   Sherlock Holmes was a refreshing exception in Holmes canon. It brought a new perspective to original stories. But I can't say same from A Game of Shadows. It, like so many other Hollywood sequels, ride on success of it predecessor. It doesn't have the same wit and all marvellous hints to original stories had been replaced with populist jokes. Especially the handling of the character of Holmes' brother Mycroft and the connection to lower its quality. As a vacant eye candy the film work perfectly, but that's all.
   And the tiny voice keep screaming in the back of my head.

Mark: 7-

J. Edgar

I watched the Clint Eastwood's latest direction, J. Edgar, but don't have a clue what to think about it. As the name says, the film tells about J. Edgar Hoover, the founder of FBI.
   I don't know is the fault in me or the film, but it didn't caused any emotions in me. It was like staring a wall: it makes you feel just, well, hollow. Mayde it's 'cause I'm not an American. I don't know.
   So, I can't give any review. But if want to see Leonardo DiCaprio in dress, then go ahead.