Why I'm done with BBC's Sherlock

[birdienl]

With the recent airing of Sherlock's third series on the BBC and now it's run on USA television, my Blogger and LJ reading lists are filled with posts about this show. All of them positive, raving reviews and recaps, stating how the show is better than ever and how wonderful the characters are.

I can't write such a post. Yes, I did watch series 3 of Sherlock and I did enjoy the previous series (never was on my top favourite list of tv-series though). Yes, I do think Sherlock is made extremely well storywise and with regard to cinematography. And yes, I do think the acting is phenomenal. Still, series 3 has made me realize I don't really like Sherlock anymore and I most likely will not spend time on any further series*.

Why, do you ask? Well, because I don't like this series' Sherlock. I know, maybe Sherlock Holmes is not a character you should really 'like', more begrudgingly admire for his mind. And I know I shouldn't want to 'make' Sherlock adhere to societal mores, because then he wouldn't be the unique person he is anymore. I've read quite some blog posts this week where people claim Sherlock has gotten much nicer in series 3 and is showing more of his heart. Maybe I judge too harsh, but I don't see it. Yes, Sherlock claims he loves John in his best-man speech. But to me these are just words as he is also still willfully cruel. Like when he made John believe they were going to die in The Empty Hearse just to make John forgive him. Like when he began a relationship with Janine in His Last Vow, just to get to a suspect. These are things that, no matter how much Sherlock is a special person, are just nasty and I can't possibly admire a main character of a tv show who does these things.

I don't want to make this an Elementary vs. Sherlock post, I just want to point out that I think Elementary's Sherlock Holmes is a good 'compromise' between being a socially-inept person and being a good man inside. Elementary's Sherlock may be blunt and rude and totally misunderstand social clues, but he's never willfully cruel (at least not since the second half of season 1). I like watching Elementary's Sherlock and Joan together, because between them I see real friendship. Friendship that challenges and changes both of them. Again, maybe I judge too harshly, but I don't see that as much as I would like in BBC's Sherlock.

I'm sure many of you won't agree with me and I welcome your comments and a friendly discussion! I just wanted to get my 'two cents worth' in the Sherlock mania currently going on in the blogosphere!

* I also really don't like who/what Mary turned out to be and that they are bringing a certain character I loathe back for series 4, other reasons I don't think I'll watch this series.

Comments

[plumeriandeity.livejournal.com]

I've only watched the very first episode of S3, so I can't comment on the rest of the season. BUT, from what I did watch in the S3 premiere, I wasn't...as into the show as I have been in the past. I dunno, after waiting for it for so long, I felt a bit cheated out of the explanation (which I guess is a season long arc, maybe?).

What really bugged me was Sherlock's treatment of John. Yes, he apologizes and all that, but making John freak out in the train with the bomb in it was ridiculous. I can't believe Sherlock LET John think he was going to die when he KNEW well into their whole adventure that he could turn the bomb off. I mean, really? REALLY? I honestly think that Benedict's Sherlock came off as a HUGE jerk in that one segment, and I was really disappointed. It's not just Sherlock being an apathetic, unemotional person. It just came off as unnecessarily mean to someone who really cares about Sherlock (probably the only person who cares about him).

As for Elementary, I REALLY want to start watching it, for Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu. I watched one episode of it, but I'm hoping it'll show up on Netflix sometime soon so I can binge watch it :)

[birdienl.livejournal.com]

I didn't even mind the 'no-explanation' in the first episode, I thought it was clever and unexpected.

I so agree with you about the scene in the train. And acting like that just after you've already stretched John's understanding by being 'dead' for two years....

I hope you'll get to watch Elementary soon!

[crazymaryt.livejournal.com]

I don't think the series is as fun as it was with S1. It's lost something.

I do really like Elementary. I am very impressed with both leads and I like how Jonny Lee Miller is playing that role.

[birdienl.livejournal.com]

Yes, that's a good way to describe it. It's lost some of its 'simple' good crime-solving stories from S1, in favor of complex arcs etc. I believe this is a Moffat 'thing', I feel the same way about his Doctor Who stories.

[richyl88.livejournal.com]

I'll start this off with I've never watched the BBC version so I can't really comment on it but I have watched other versions and I think Elementary is my favourite for that reason. Yes he can be a bit blunt and sometimes offend someone but it's never out of malice. I totally adore Sherlock and Joan's friendship,you can see they really do care about each other and though each has things that drive the other crazy they put up with it because they like having each other in their life. You can really see how they have changed since meeting. I'm sorry you were disspointed,it's always a shame when you have to drop a show you perviosuly enjoyed.

[birdienl.livejournal.com]

I also really like Joan and Sherlock's friendship in Elementary! I was afraid when I started watching it they would complicate/destroy things with romance and though I'm not 100% against a romance in the future, I really love where the two characters are now and how they keep challenging and changing each other.

[melodily.livejournal.com]

I watched season one of sherlock, and while it was enjoyable, did not want to continue watching it because I had by then been biased against Moffat through Doctor Who -- I hated the seasons under his helm. The problems you found with Sherlock are the same problems of the Eleventh as well. Moffat isn't strong on characterisation, I think; he is more inclined to treat companion characters as puppets to advance the plot. Ridiculous arcs with no logic or resolution just pushed me away further.

[birdienl.livejournal.com]

I agree with you, I see many similar things I dislike in Doctor Who and Sherlock.

[elysium-22.livejournal.com]

I must confess that I absolutely agree with you!

[birdienl.livejournal.com]

Hehe, glad to hear that!!