Some thoughts on "A Study in Pink"

All right, this will probably end up being an amalgam of rambling with little to no smooth transition, but I thought I'd post some thoughts on "A Study in Pink." I'm a Sherlock Holmes fan of the most casual kind--I've only read the more well-known stories (Speckled Band, Red-Headed League, etc), and have watched a few of the films, so I guess I'm viewing the show from the perspective of someone with their foot barely in the door.

First off, thought the modern setting was very elegantly executed. The addition of modern technology like text messaging threw me off-guard initially because of how strange it seemed next to the name Sherlock, but it then occurred to me that Holmes would probably make full use of all the world has to offer nowadays. Nothing seemed shoehorned in for the sake of seeming more modern; it was all interwoven with the more traditional elements, and I thought the result was awesome.

The imagery: beautiful, just beautiful. The depiction of modern-day London is practically a character in itself, and the chase scene was a great way of showing it off. Slick, dark, faintly Victorian, insert another adjective here. Not much to say other than I love the camerawork in this show.

As for the actors, nothing I say about them will be original in the slightest, but they're both brilliantly immersed in their characters and it shows. Benedict is able to strike this…delicate balance of being both superior to and faintly bewildered by the world, if that makes any sense. And yet, he's a fresh face (in more than one way). Stays faithful to a lot of traditional Holmes traits, yet twists it in his own unique, modern way and doesn't adhere to the exact same performance as any previous Holmes. Love Freeman as Watson too, really love him. My least favorite depiction of Watson is the simple-minded sidekick who exists solely for comedy relief, and this Watson of course stays far away from that. Not that there isn't humor in the interaction between the two--there's quite a bit--but it's not forced at all. You don't need to force any humor when you have two characters that meld together so well, y'know?

The relationship between Holmes and Watson has always been the most appealing element of the series for me, and the first episode does an excellent job setting up the dynamic between the two in a natural way. Great to end the episode on a good note with both of them protecting each other. It's not rushed at all, and even though it's only the first episode their relationship is already intriguing and genuine. That was pretty much the make-or-break element when I started watching the show--how genuine their relationship would be. And as it turns out, it absolutely makes the show.

What else…I really enjoyed the plot and overall tone of the show. It really bothers me when dramas incessantly pound a point or theme into the viewer's skull as if they think people are too stupid to catch on without it being made painfully obvious. This show doesn't do that. It keeps a genuine air of mystery about it by actually being subtle and foreshadowing in a meaningful way. It's an intelligent show compared to a lot of other dramas, for me at least, and it's great that it doesn't lay everything out perfectly. Makes the mystery that much more compelling.

That's about it. Good stuff.