susanreads | Sherlock: the first series (Reply)

The Great Game is a massive improvement. The "Gay." sequence is annoying and [insert spoiler here] doesn't really make up for it, but otherwise ... let's have a pro and con list for the 3 eps.

The Good

The Cumberbatch and Freeman show.
The observation and deduction fx.
Holmes played as a sociopath. "There are no heroes, and if there were, I wouldn't be one."
They know about subtext and have fun with it.
Nicotine patches.
Much of episode 1 and most of episode 3.
A few moments in episode 2, notably when Watson demonstrates to Holmes that he knows how to use a camera phone. Ah, they are in this century after all!

The Bad

Disability fail; and it looked so good in the original trailer! It would have been better if they'd missed out Watson's limp altogether imo. Psychosomatic doesn't mean what they seem to think it means.
The women don't interact with each other and mostly serve the standard functions of women in TV-land. Speaking of which ...
Sherlock tormenting the pathologist. He's not oblivious, he's just not interested. So why be a jerk?
The number of cues about the taxi Holmes misses in episode 1. Brilliance not very evident there.
By no means least, the horrendous orientalism throughout episode 2: is this set in 2010 or 1910?

and the debatable

Is there a rule that Watson has to chide Holmes for being a sociopath exactly once per episode?
I don't think jokes about people mistaking them for a couple is a 2010 level of playing with subtext. Also, who has a houseboy?
Melodrama! Car chases! Not-in-a-car chases! Fights! Explosions! Mayhem! I could do without the lady-in-peril part, I reckon.
Are we doing cliffhangers now? In a British series with only 3 episodes?

Would I watch more?

You bet I would! I might make tut-tut noises or threaten to throw something at the screen while watching, but I'll definitely watch. Just ixnay on the racism, and give the women more to do, yeah?