![]() ![]() Simply put, portrayals are ranked in their ability to present a Holmes who makes sense as a derivation of the original character while exploring, interrogating, and expanding the character’s qualities in a thoughtful and meaningful way. What are the criteria we’re using to rank these portrayals? Fidelity to the source text? Creativeness of the interpretations? Resemblance to Sidney Paget’s illustrations? Quality of acting? Kind of. Hardly, if you’ll pardon the phrase, elementary. In fact, this was the hardest list I have ever had to put together. Please know that ranking them was very, very hard to do, and while I took lot of pleasure in researching and writing this piece, I took no pleasure in making any of the decisions. There are so many excellent and varied takes on Sherlock Holmes. Now, you might think that you know the best Sherlock Holmes, but as the man himself has said, “It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data.” I have just watched one hundred different portrayals of Sherlock Holmes. ![]() ![]() Not Sherlock Holmes adaptations, but the representations within them of Sherlock Holmes himself. Though Elementary doesn't have quite the same profile as something like Sherlock, it's undoubtedly one of the best modern adaptations of the original mysteries, and is worth a watch for those who want something familiar, but with a fresh coat of paint.We’re ranking Sherlock Holmes performances. When all the cards are on the table the viewer is left with the sense that they too could have put the clues together with enough care and attention, which was a hallmark of the original stories, and the sign of a well crafted mystery. ![]() The conclusions reached by Sherlock and Watson don't feel like super-genius predictions, but rather clever observations strung along point by point. It can be hard to stay interested in a mystery when it feels so far over the audience's head, but the show does a fantastic job of treating its viewers fairly, giving them enough info to make their own deductions. Where Elementary shines is in the actual investigations and how they keep the audience invested. Most episodes are their own self-contained mystery, where Sherlock and Watson need to work together to crack the case. While Elementary still has a couple of overarching plot points, mainly in the form of Sherlock's recovery from drug addiction, the show sticks much closer to the serialized nature of the original stories. Set in New York with Johnny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu as Holmes and Watson, Elementary seems rather divergent from the source material, and yet it captures the spirit of the original stories better than most. On top of the that the show is just incredibly solid all around, well-acted, well-shot, and well worth giving a shot for anyone who likes Sherlock, Cumberbatch, or BBC dramas. Important facts and details are highlighted with slick visuals and subtle audio cues that make for a very stylish production, carrying the audience through the mystery with pizzazz. Given Holmes' importance to British culture the BBC took the opportunity to go all out with the production values, doing some impressive audio and visual effect work to make the audience feel as though they are seeing things the way Sherlock does. Featuring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman as Holmes and Watson, the show aims to modernize a lot of the classic stories, while also focusing heavily on the rivalry between Holmes and Moriarty as the primary struggle of the show. Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman as Sherlock Holmes and John WatsonĪs far as modern re-imaginings go, Sherlock is a pretty straightforward one, taking most of the important details of Holmes' character and transplanting them into a modern day setting. ![]()
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