Sherlock is a BBC crime drama series that adapts the Sherlock Holmes stories to a modern setting in London. It stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as Dr. Watson. The series uses advanced filmmaking techniques like split screens and text messages to depict Holmes' rapid deductive thinking. It has been praised for its faithful yet contemporary adaptation of the original stories and characters. Sherlock has been both a critical and commercial success, attracting a wide audience including younger viewers.

1. CRIME TV CASE STUDY II
SHERLOCK

2. • BBC but co–produced with WGBH Boston - two series of three x 90
minute episodes. Writers Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat have
pedigree working on Dr Who and League of Gentlemen – show mixes
horror and suspense with comedy – appeals to a wide audience.
Heavily trailed on TV and on the internet. Sherlock’s own
website, The Science of Deduction and Watson’s blog – update cases
and offer teasers for future episodes. Quirky cast, Martin Freeman
and Benedict Cumberbatch, appeal to audience – Freeman popular
from The Office.

3. • Amateur sleuth, maverick detective who does
things his way; one step ahead of the police.
The more normal Dr Watson is the audience’s
touchstone – a way of being able to relate to
the Homes character.

4. • Media language – ambitious visual effects such as split screen
to show Holmes’ thoughts and that he is aware of everything
around him; text messages appear on the screen and subtly
fade. Use of accelerated motion and extreme POV shots
followed by a reaction shot e.g. CU of Homes’ eyes to imply
he’s solving the problem. Episode 3, Series 1 – the hours left
to solve the case are superimposed on the screen, 24-like.
That episode featured five interlocking cases leading to a
confrontation between Holmes and his arch enemy, Dr
Moriarty, all moving at a rapid pace.

5. • Representation – Sherlock is refined, intelligent
and aloof – corrects the grammar of a murderer in
prison; gets bored easily – eccentric – fires gun at
walls of his flat. Character’s traits have been
updated – wears nicotine patches instead of
smoking a pipe; dresses stylishly (wears Dolce &
Gabbana shirts), dresses in grey black and has a
timeless look. Show is self-referential – Watson
makes comments about Holmes looking superior
with his high cheekbones and in the Hound of the
Baskervilles episode he is posed on
hilltops, deliberately artfully against the sky.
• Watson, by contrast, is ‘ordinary’ – dressed in
earthy colours; he is stable and long-suffering.
Moriarty is snappily dressed, rude, cunning, but –
likes Holmes and Watson – young, to appeal to a
younger generation.

6. • The show’s post-modern aspects can also be seen in the references
to the possibilities (always denied, of course) of Holmes and
Watson being gay because they live together. This is an issue
discussed in the literature about Holmes because, with one
exception, he is never attracted to women; it also satirised the fact
that films in which two men feature as close friends or companions
are scrutinised by critics and theorists for any aspects of a
homosexual subtext.

7. • The representation of London reflects the
contemporary setting – the bustle of the streets;
accelerated motion, the London Eye etc, but the
show’s historical roots are reflected in the sepia tones
of the opening credits.

8. • The police are always one step behind Holmes and he is
in frequent conflict with them, especially the female
officer as well as other branches of authority, including
the government secret service organisation headed by
his brother, Mycroft.
• Women tend to be portrayed as subservient or ignorant
or as comic foils (like Mrs Hudson); the one woman who
isn’t is Irene Adler, the ‘woman’ of the Conan Doyle
stories, the one person who he admires because she
thinks along the same lines as him; however, when she
appears in the show, although she is clearly a strong
character and uses her sexuality to her advantage, she is
depicted naked, as if to appeal to a traditional crime
show male audience.

9. • Audience – the show has been
a critical and commercial
hit, including among younger
viewers who, it is felt, have
been deserting TV. It has
been marketed at the same
audience as Dr Who and
repeat screenings on the
BB3, a channel designed to
bring new British talent to
younger British viewers, has
helped this. The show has
received massive publicity
from trailers, print media like
the radio Times, but also
many newspapers of all
types, websites, blogs and the
iPhone. Holmes is also part of
Britain’s cultural heritage and
more than that, a major part
of the worldwide crime-
writing heritage and appeals
to older audiences. Its appeal
hasn’t been hurt by the
success of the two Sherlock
Holmes movies directed by
Guy Ritchie.

10. • Critical reception was
overwhelmingly positive; it
has been nominated for
numreous industry awards
and the first series won the
2011 BAFTA Television
Award for Best Drama
Series. It was shown on
Masterpiece Theatre on PBS
in America and it was
nominated for an Emmy All
six episodes have been
released on DVD and Blu-ray
Disc in the UK, alongside tie-
in editions of some of Conan
Doyle's original books.
Soundtrack albums from
each series have also been
released.

11. The show's popularity resulted in enquiries for coats similar to Sherlock's, reported
retailer Debenhams. Garment manufacturer Belstaff put the wool trench coat worn
by Benedict Cumberbatch back into production before the series had ended. The
Independent reported, "designer Paul Costelloe moved to meet the
demand, offering tailored coats and scarves based on the series. Publishers and
retailers reported a 180% rise in sales of Sherlock Holmes books during the first
series' broadcast. Speedy's, the sandwich shop below the flat filmed as Holmes'
residence, reported a sharp rise in new customers who recognised it from the
show. BBC Online published several tie-in websites relating to the show's fictional
world. These were written by Joseph Lidster, who had also contributed to the
Doctor Who tie-in websites. In 2012, Sherlockology, an unofficial website
dedicated to the series, was named the Best Fan Site in Social Media at the Shorty
Awards.