Sunday, August 26, 2012

My heart is Sherlocked on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Ever since it was recently brought to my attention that BBC had come out with a Television Series based around Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous Criminal Investigation books, Sherlock Holmes. I have been excited yet skeptical to see it. The Sherlock Holmes books have been a childhood favorite of mine for as long as I can remember. These books were the reason I once aspired to become a homicide detective, that is before I found a career path a little less bloody (only slightly). Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's books were written with beautiful elegance and his plots were brimming with anticipation and suspense. So you could imagine my skepticism when I found out someone was once again trying to remake my favorite pieces of literature. The Pilot started with an Episode titles, a study in pink. A play off of Sir Arthur's First Novel, the introduction to Sherlock Holmes; A Study in Scarlette. Now when I first saw this I was not only thrilled as A Study in Scarlette is one of my favorites of the series but also perplexed because I couldn't fathom why they would change the name to A Study in Pink. As I watched the Episode I noticed that it was based in modern time london which gave it a rather unique appeal. However, The story line did not match up with novel and therefore made me feel not only a bit frustrated but also sad at the same time. 
A Study in Scarlet is one of the most beautiful tales of love, passion, and struggle I have yet to come across. Set in the Mid-West America's, Utah to be specific. It is a tale of a lone nomad and a precious little girl, survived by her 2 parents who perished in the extreme desert sun from dehydration and starvation. 
 The lone nomad rescues the young girl and decides to raise her as his own. He carried her in a travel sac for miles until he could go no more, set and ready to die by the desert sun, he clutched the girl in his arms and rested what he imagined to be his final rest. Just in the nick of time they are rescued by a convoy of travelling Mormons who rescue to the two on the sole condition that they will take hold of their religion wholeheartedly. Left with little choice the man agrees and begins to build a life with in the Mormon community. 
This man raises the small girl into a fine young woman. It is only when she finds love outside the Mormon community that troubles arise. In a terrifying decision, the family abandons their religion and runs for freedom in a struggle between life and death... 
This was a something that was never even hinted upon in the Pilot of the show. It was what I felt to be, the most beautiful part of this story. Instead the show reflects the man to be a psychotic serial killer with a God complex.  I will not deny that the show was very intriguing and I did in fact absolutely love Benedict Cumberbatch as the character of sir Sherlock Holmes and the fact that it was based in modern day was a concept I instantly fell in love with. All in all I think the show will turn out to be quiet wonderful as long as I am willing to set my pickyness aside and enjoy it for what it is, another one of what I am sure will be Steven Moffat's masterpieces. 


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