Sherlock's Greatest Moments

The more Sherlock-like among you may have realised there's two very good reasons for a doing a post such as this. Firstly, its a year ago this month that we were all enjoying the flabbergasting fruits of Sherlock Series Two and with the lack of any new Sherlock for the next few months its nice to remind ourselves of how good  the show is. The second reason is that today, Twelfth Night, is Sherlock Holmes' 159th birthday! Its been a long-held Sherlockian idea (based on hints in the Holmes canon) that Holmes was born on 6th January 1854.  It's a testament to Conan Doyle's genius that he created a character who inspired people enough to search through his works so they could give their hero a birthday. Really, though, Holmes is timeless; as a show which updates he and his loyal friend's adventures to the 21st century shows. Many Happy Returns, Mr Holmes!

5. I've Just Got One... 
From: 'The Hounds of Baskerville'

Why: The heart of Sherlock is the staunch friendship between Sherlock and John - which is rarely better demonstrated than in this touching scene. After shouting at John the previous night during their investigation in Dartmoor, Sherlock admits to John that the good doctor is his only friend. This scene also shows the development of Sherlock since the start of Series One; it seems impossible that that Sherlock Holmes would have admitted to have a relationship of any kind with a(nother) human being.

4. Sherlock Christmas
From: 'A Scandal in Belgravia'

Why: A real favourite of mine. It adds nothing to the overall plot but which Sherlock fan would not want to see all the CSI Baker Street gang celebrating Chrimble round Sherlock and John's? Its hilarious to see that Sherlock does not even switch off his dream-shattering deductions at Christmas, costs John another girlfriend by getting her name wrong whilst still showing off his violin skills. This scene also delivers a bittersweet moment when Sherlock humiliates dear old Molly Hooper, as usual, but then apologises for his behaviour! Perhaps even Sherlock's stony heart gets warmed by the spirit of Christmas?


3. Meet Moriarty
From: 'The Great Game'

Why: Right from his first appearance, Andrew Scott as Jim Moriarty, 'the most dangerous criminal mind the world has ever seen', is completely engrossing - in a camp yet dangerous way that's all his own. The way he dances rings round Sherlock in this scene - a man we know well enough by now to know that's very unusual - and spouts some of the most memorable lines of  the series makes this one of the show's best scenes. But then, if you're a fan like me, everything I have  to say has already crossed your mind...

2. The Address is 221B Baker Street...
From: 'A Study in Pink'

Why: Simply because its the moment our two heroes first meet! Ingeniously lifted straight from the pages of Conan Doyle and plonked into this spanking new TV show, this wonderful scene introduces John's fascination and amazement at Sherlock's methods as well as giving us a very good impression of the fundamentals of Sherlock's character: his coldness, charisma, love of technology, scientific knowledge - and, of course, his brilliance. The two men - although very different - clearly like each other straight away. Little knowing it will be the start of a great friendship.


1. The Fall
From: 'The Reichenbach Fall'

The Sherlock moment at the top of my list is also the last (for the moment, not ever - I for one can't wait for Series Three later this year). Moriarty's masterplan has been deployed, and Sherlock's reputation lays in tatters. With Moriarty threatening his only friends in the world - John, Lestrade and Mrs Hudson - it seems Sherlock's only option is to give into his nemesis - and jump from the roof of Barts Hospital. The build-up to THE moment is full of tension and cracking dialogue ('the side of the angels' line is one of my favourites) while the phone-conversation between John and Sherlock is heart-breaking, beaten only by John's lament to Sherlock's grave in the following scene. Even though we know Sherlock (somehow) lives on, its still quite the powerful scene. Series Three has a lot to live up to but after the quality of the previous two series,  I have full faith.

Sherlock Holmes and the Other Adaptions

As the triumphant modern version of Sherlock has returned to our screens recently with Steven Moffat's 'A Scandal in Belgravia' and Mark Gatiss' 'Hounds of the Baskerville' and finishes this week with Steven Thompson's 'The Reichenbach Fall' (I know, I can't flippin' wait either!) I thought I'd run through some of the best -  or my favourite - adaptations that I have immensely enjoyed since I became a Holmes fan. So if the BBC smash hit series has made you one of a whole new generation (including me) that have fallen for the world's greatest detective I highly recommend you don your deerstalker, cape and magnifying glass and seek these other versions of Holmes out. Now.*

5. Clive Merrison   

The star of BBC Radio Four's complete adaptations of the original stories and its spin-off The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, all-new stories based on references to untold cases in the canon, Merrison is a great Holmes. Faithful to Conan Doyle's original portrayal, unlike many onscreen Holmes he gets the balance between morose layabout and excited investigator right and him and Michael Williams have an obvious rapport and believably fond friendship.

4. Robert Stephens

The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, in which Stephens is the lead, is one of the best Holmes films out there. It sets out to address the real Holmes behind Conan Doyle's mysteries. Raising the questions fans debate for hours; his sexuality, his upbringing, his drug addiction ETC and largely answers them satisfyingly. Plus, it finds time for a rollicking mystery involving the Loch Ness Monster and Queen Victoria! Steven Moffat's also quoted it as one of the influences on Sherlock (it features a scene where a woman walks around stark naked in front of Holmes - coincidence, I think not!). Stephens himself plays both the comedy moments and drama with aplomb although Colin Blakely as his Watson is a bit of a prat.

3. Peter Cushing

Cushing, whom you might know from his roles as Dr Frankenstein and Van Helsing in the old Hammer Horror films (he also played Doctor Who in a couple of movies in the sixties), was Holmes in a Hammer version of 'Hound of the Baskervilles'. It's a pleasing adaptation, the spookiness and atmosphere are beefed up while there's also more bright technicolour blood than you may remember from the story.Cushing certainly gets the brainiac side of Holmes well, as he furrows his brow a lot while thinking about the case and always eager to get sleuthing. His Watson is pretty forgetful, however, although I remember him being a fairly competent, serious character rather than a comic bumbler.

2. Basil Rathbone

Perhaps still the most iconic version of Holmes, Rathbone played Holmes in a series of films in the 40s which uprooted the intrepid detectives from fog-bound London and plopped them in modern-day wartime Britain (and yes, of course, Moffat and Gatiss have said these are their favourite adaptations). Rathbone is not the closest Holmes to the original - he's far too charming and genial for that - but he is thoroughly likeable. His Watson, Nigel Bruce, is the ultimate buffoon, constantly asking Holmes how he worked it out - enter the famous 'Elementary, my dear Watson!'

1. Jeremy Brett

Probably the Master of the Holmes adaptation. The Granada (now ITV) series of adaptions of the original stories is famous for going out of its way to be as faithful to Conan Doyle as possible. The sets are exquisite and, at the risk of sounding stupidly sycophantic, it really feels like the 1890s! Both actors who played Watson over the years (David Burke and Edward Hardwicke) are reliable, intelligent and more on a par with the detective. However, Brett is undoubtedly the star. He encapsulated all the aspects and complex personality of Holmes - the mood swings, the calculating mind, the asexuality - greater than perhaps any other actor (I would place Cumberbatch top, but that's my opinion). However, his success came at a price as he infamously had a breakdown in the 1990s and was haunted by the character in his dreams - afterwards, he only referred to Holmes as 'He'. After his death a few years His legacy remained in tact and is many Sherlockian's favourite Holmes - for good reason.


* I haven't included the new Hollywood blockbuster series starring Robert Downing Jr and Jude Law as you most probably have come across them before. I haven't seen the sequel A Game of Shadows but the first film was great fun although still not a patch on Sherlock  - I know, I'm loyal.

Doctor Who vs Sherlock!

Here we are again. Another year gone, another just starting. Same old, same old. Christmas has just been and gone, leaving you empty-pocketed and the warm glow you get from giving out presents and eating too much food has faded. It can be quite a depressing time of year for some, can January. However, this year we all have a bit of a pick-me-up, or should I say a huge chuck-me-into-the-stratosphere as the long-awaited second series of mega-clever, mega-exciting and mega-short Sherlock is BACK! Three new 90 minute movies are being given to us by the good people at the BBC and scriptwriting geniuses Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss. AND this Christmas Day, as per tradition, we had a new Doctor Who special which will be our only Who fix for several months. So, the big question is, for someone like me who loves the worlds of Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes more than any other fiction; which was better? There's only one way to find out! Fight? No, a cerebral consideration of each.

By the way, spoilers ahead, sweeties. So if you haven't seen either the Who special or Sherlock, go and do so at once. Then come straight back here, OK? Promise? Good, I'll see you lot later.

There is definitely something extra Christmassy about Matt Smith's Christmas specials. Out of all of the Doctors, the Eleventh Doctor loves Christmas the most, perhaps on account of him being just a big kid. So when he lands in the cheery mid-winter this year in Steven Moffat's The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe, his Doctor really enjoying himself and Matt Smith is on top form. The rest of the main guest cast are also great. Maurice Cole and Holly Earl are good as the kids and Claire Skinner (Sue in BBC sitcom Outnumbered, which if you haven't seen you really should) again gets to play a put-upon mum, Madge, very well, managing to be, as all great Doctor Who guest stars are, both touching and funny.
In narrative terms, The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe (I warn you not to initialise this title as part of it makes a rather un-family friendly word) follows the loose literary adaption theme started last year. However, I think this is where the story sadly falls short of last year's superb A Christmas Carol which largely stuck to how the Dickens classic plays out but with a huge dollop of timey-wimey, Wardrobe only takes the opening premise of CS Lewis's original tale - children are evacuated from London to a country house where they enter a magical winter wonderland. Once the Doctor and Madge join the kids, the tale spirals off into a tale of living trees with glowing orbs on their tops like Christmas trees that represent their souls. It's wonderful Christmas madness that only Doctor Who can do and Moffat has again pitched his episode to fit right in with the 'xmas atmos', but such a daft (in a good way) idea fails to pack the emotional punch of last year and all seems to whizz by until suddenly the Doctor's saying his goodbyes to the Arwells.
However, it's what happens next which was the highlight of this reviewer's Christmas (special of Doctor Who) - he goes and visits the Ponds! It's a joy to see Amy, armed with water pistol, answering the door on Christmas day to find her best friend she has not seen for two years standing on the doorstep, before inviting him in for Christmas dinner (they always set him a place apparently).The Doctor's own reaction, his own surprise at crying with happiness, is perfect. All in all, as it's Christmas (I can still say that as it's Twelfth Night) I say sod the subtle plot points, here's to this great slice of Doctor Who Christmas cake!

Just seven days later, as the year 2012 first opened its eyes, we were treated to the first big, possibly the biggest, treat of the year: the Return of Sherlock Holmes!
As you may know, from a quick glace at this blog, I adore Sherlock Holmes and in particular Moffat and Gattiss' modern versions of the classic tales; by stripping away the deerstalker, the fog and gaslight (all fun of course but not necessities) and concentrating on the characters of Holmes and Watson - or as we are in the 21st century, Sherlock and John - and the impossible mysteries, they have come up with the surprisingly closest adaptations of the original stories.
The opening episode of the second series, A Scandal in Belgravia, gets off to a brilliant start with the nail-biting cliffhanger from last year's finale being resolved so quickly and trivially that it is extremely funny - but there's also some foreboding as Moriarty skulks away, promising Sherlock they will meet again. The genius continues as we see the duo's success and fame growth over the months pass in minutes as John's blog becomes the talk of the town, causing Sherlock to don a deerstalker- yep, I know I what I just said, but this is a brilliant use of the stereotype - in disguise while out in public. We see several cases pass by which all have devilishly clever references to Conan Doyle tales ('The Greek Interpreter' becomes The Geek Interpreter, 'The Speckled Band' is The Speckled Blonde ETC) which is a great pay-off for Sherlockians like yours truly and hopefully encourages those who haven't to seek out the originals - if this sounds like you, please seek away.
Not to give to much away about the plot, Sherlock is sent on a mission by Buckingham Palace to recover compromising photos of an unnamed royal from dominatrix Irene Adler, known professionally as 'The Woman.' Fans of classic Holmes will know Adler as the only woman Holmes has ever taken too - something which is explored brilliantly here. Adler and Sherlock's form of flirting ranges from their playful battle of wits over his guessing her phone - that holds the photos - password (the answer to which is sure to become a catchphrase for fans) and her strutting around naked when they first meet. Theirs is a twisted love story to the highest degree and is fantastic viewing to watch unfold.
What brings the script to life is the excellent cast. As always, Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock is superb, drawing you too him every time he's on screen. As is Martin Freeman, who, although Cumberbatch as the best on-screen Holmes is debatable, is undoubtedly the best on-screen Watson. Una Stubbs gets quite a bit to do as Mrs Hudson, the Baker Street boy's resilient landlady, and Louise Brealey is again adorable in her few minutes on screen as the Sherlock-infatuated Molly. However, Lara Pulver is the star of the supporting cast as her Adler is sassy, sexy and a genius and is believably more than a match for Sherlock. After watching 90 minutes of something so cerebral yet exciting as this, your brain is throbbing from all it has taken it but you'll find yourself beaming at the expert telly you've just watched - why can't more telly be like this?!

So, overall, although both Who and Sherlock are the best examples of television out there, and it is extremely hard to choose between them, in this instance Sherlock wins, by a smidgen.

Write away!

Season's greetings folks! Most of you would most probably have got all your presents together by now (although you there, yes, you with the glasses, are you sure your mum wants an umbrella for Chritmas?) so it's time to settle down in front of the warm fire for a post on the trials and tribulations of writing.

As mentioned on my previous post, this 'holiday season' I'm writing a Sherlock Holmes story, original to me but, the initial idea was, to be inspired by a reference of an untold case in the Holmes Canon (if you've read them, you'll know what I mean; one of the most famous is 'the giant rat of sumatra' which Watson tells us 'the world is not prepared for'). However, as with everything I write, the actual writing bit fills me with apprehension. It's terrible and completely illogical but I feel I have to plan it out a great deal before I write a word, I suppose, In case I write something and decide I hate it and then will be sent into a melancholic sob about the state of my writing. It's illogical because, if you're interested in writing you'll have no doubt heard this sentence, writing is all about rewriting. So my first draft won't ever be perfect so I might as well go and put pen to paper (well, finger to key; I've always planned to start writing first in notebooks then write up in neat on a computer because - anyway, that's a whole other kettle of fish).
But, I am determined to get over this detrimental habit of mine. I'm trying to set myself the task to write something everyday (that's a silly thing to do at this time of dear, really, as several days in the next couple of weeks will be filled with family visits or catching up with friends). So far today I have scribbled stuff on screen and paper and have come up with a (in my opinion) good plot and plan to strt writing tonight! After blogging, of course.
What sparked my thinking about how I write was a couple of excellent blog posts concerning advice on writing and some illusions wannabe writers have about the profession. A lot of it is really quite sobering stuff but is fascinating nonetheless. These are Paul Cornell's (the writer of the excellent Doctor Who episodes 'Human Nature/ The Family of Blood') Top 40 things to know about writing and James Swallow's (who wrote the wild west Doctor Who novel 'Peacemaker') Twelve harsh truths about writing.

I'll have to start worrying about these things a lot more in the future but for now it's Christmas! Time for eating several too many mince pies and playing board games and watching Christmas telly. You enjoy yourselves, make sure to watch this year's Who special at 7.00pm on Chrimble Day and I'll be back blogging after the big day.

Bonne Noel!

Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Melting Man

By Jove, what a suprise! While rooting through old Word documents on my laptop, I came across this; an abandoned opening to a Sherlock Holmes story. See what you think.

The Adventure of the Melting Man

From the Reminisces of Dr John H. Watson M.D.

Of all of our incredible cases that have threatened to break a man’s view of the world, few have been as singular as the affair of the death of the eminent author, Vincent De Lacey.
The year was 1887 and it was a bitter February morning. The rain hammered on down on the cobbled streets of London with terrific force; I pitied any poor soul misfortunate enough to be out in such a storm. Fortunately, I was inside 221B Baker Street in front of a blazing fire Mrs Hudson had lit for us earlier that day. My wife had gone to visit her sister for a short period so I had temporarily taken up my old lodgings with my dear friend, Sherlock Holmes.  Holmes was busying himself on the opposite side of the room with the morning’s papers, reading through his favourite agony columns.  In my particularly comfortable armchair, I had begun to doze but a sudden call from my friend woke me:

‘Watson, look sharp, there is a poor young woman making her way towards us.’

I went over to Holmes and discovered he was peering out of the window. Soon, the door to our room was opened by Mrs Hudson, who led in the sobbing, soaked young woman Holmes had foreseen.

She was a simply delectable creature, her golden brown hair, carefully gathered under her hat, was beautiful if considerably wet from the rain. I instinctively lent the girl my seat in front of the fire and knelt down beside her with a comforting pat on the hand.

‘My dear child,’ began Holmes with a gentle smile. ‘You must be in dire circumstances to travel to us on such a day. Pray, when you have composed yourself; tell us what troubles you so.’ 

‘I’m sorry to trouble you, Mr Holmes, Dr Watson, but I don’t know who else to turn to. It’s my father. Last night, he was fine, as jovial as ever, but this morning –‘ The young woman relapsed into her outburst of tears.

‘Carry on, my dear,’ I soothed. ‘What happened?’

‘When I came into my father’s chamber this morning, he had simply melted. away.’

And that's all I did. I'd largely forgotten about and am actually quite impressed by how I portray Watson's 'voice' in the piece. And the 'favourite agony columns' part completes fathoms me now, but must be a reference to Holmes' tastes within the real stories. The idea of the Mystery of the Melting Man has been with me for awhile and eventually found life in some form as a (very) short story I entered into a Crime Writing competition (you can read it here). It's an idea that I still think I can do something else with so I may come back to it again in the future. What I'm definitely doing, or at least planning to, is to write a Sherlock Holmes story this Christmas, proisionally titled 'The Phantom of Vortigern House'. So watch this space!

The Power of Twitter

Ah, Twitter. Ever-reliable Twitter. You can always count on the loveable, massively popular bird-themed social network to distract you, especially when you have something due in presently (as does your truly; ssh if we won't mention it again, it might go away). You may even tweet solely about twitter distracting you - perhaps the most ludicrously way of time-wasting which I hope I haven't sunk to yet. Social networks are a drug. And I - as are so many - am addicted.

It's terrible to admit but it is true. Thankfully, I'm not as bad as some people who, largely self-confessed which is good, check twitter and tweet with much more ferocity than I do. Columnist Andrew Collins thought it was for 'stalkers, narcissists and people who talk to themselves'. I'd like to think I'm none of the above but, you never know, I may be all three.

However, despite its perhaps sole purpose as a distraction machine, I love it. It strangely satisfying when you clip your thoughts down into a (hopefully) witty nugget of 140 characters. Plus, celebrities have it so it's a good way to see what they're up to. And, occasionally, you may even get a tweet back from them. I once get a reply from Mark Gatiss when I asked him a question about his Who episode (more words than I said to him in person, in fact) while my sister recently was tweeted by Russell Tovey.
However, despite its witty chatty appearance, Twitter and other social networks -it's not alone in this - have a dark side...

As brilliantly shown in Charlie Brooker's recent opener to his new Black Mirror series (a Twilight Zone inspired anthology series), Twitter - or more accurately the collective thoughts of the mass of people who use it - can control what happens in the 'real' world. In the aforementioned episode 'The National Anthem', a popular royal princess is kidnapped and the ransom states the Prime Minister (a clear Cameron pastiche but well-played by Rory Kinnear) must... do something thoroughly abhorrent and embarrasing on live TV for the princess' safe return. Whether or not he goes through with it is largley based on how people are reacting to it on Twitter and other such sites, due to the government's constant reliance on public opinion. I'm deliberatly witholding details from you as if you ever get round to watching it I have no intention to spoil the surprise. If you are interested you can watch it here.

Of course, at this moment in time Twitter isn't distracting me from my work but Blogger is. Yet I didn't blame it. Cue Twilight Zone music.

A blog for Christmas cheer!

Just to start us off - I love Christmas! Truly I do. I think it has something to do with all the memories I retain from childhood; when Christmas was a HUGE deal. There was never a more exciting time of the year when you're a kid. Christmas TV is woven into the fond memories too; the adverts, the usually awful comedy specials - even those '100 greatest...' shows C4 used to churn out. I would have mentioned the now great tradition of the Doctor Who special but that didn't come around til I was 13.

Talking of Christmas TV, it has been confirmed that the first episode of Sherlock Series Two will be broadcast on New Year's Day! For anyone, who doesn't know, it's a modern-day version of the classic Holmes story A Scandal in Bohemia, now titled 'A Scandal in Belgravia'. However, as anyone who has seen the fabulous series will know, it won't be a straight adaption.

Christmas movies are also an important part of the season. There's the classics that everyone should watch - It's A Wonderful Life, Scrooge and Miracle on 34th Street - and also modern favourites like the eternally lovable Home Alone (the sequel's just as good, the third is passable but please do not subject yourself to No.4) and the brilliantly irreverent Gremlins. Personal favourites include Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas for its sheer creative spirit and a Christmas never goes by where I haven't seen A Muppet's Christmas Carol - what? Don't look at me like that; it's really good.

This Noe`l-themed nostalgia fest has been sparked by a saunter through Winchester High street which, regaled in bright Christmas lights, brim-full with busy Christmas shoppers and topped off with a giant tree in its centre, really felt very festive. Here, here Winchester for getting into the spirit!

Yeah, I know it's blurry but I think it has a certain effect. 

In terms of writing this 'holiday season'. I'm currently tackling with the idea of Christmas Sherlock Holmes adventure. Yes, I know Holmesians out there will point out there is indeed a Holmes story set at this time of year (The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle, which sees a priceless jewel found in a Christmas goose) but I've been planning to write a proper Holmes story for ages and I thought there's no better time than the present. Plus, with the Guy Ritchie movie and the return of the Moffat/Gatiss series it's going to be a very Holmesian Christmas anyway. I'm planning it as a full, original Holmes short story in the style of Conan Doyle - the current idea is for it to involve a haunted house but that is subject to change. I'll keep you all posted.

And so all there's left to say is, in the words of the First Doctor in a fourth-wall breaking Who episode in the 60s; 'A very merry Christmas to all of you at home.'