1.1 - A study in pink

John Watson is a veteran from Afghanistan. He came back to London with a wounded leg, but that's the normality of daily life he can hardly cope with, until he meets a "freak", Sherlock Holmes, with whom he soon shares a flat. Besides, his new friend gets him mixed up in an investigation about serial suicides.

What a good surprise !

A little explanation about my interest in the show is in order : I was never a fan of Sherlock Holmes. I looked at this adaptation, only because it was a BBC one, and with a "why not ?" prejudice. But at the end of the episode, I was astonished ! What a damn good job they did !

Scenario, dialogues, casting, direction and images, music... All was top quality. Could all shows be that level, I would waste more time looking at the TV. Fortunately, usual TV schedules don't divert me from doing more interesting things.

 My favorite moments

This introductory episode sets the pass mark very high :

• A new approach of the so classical "chasing after the bad guy" : runners against a taxi cab, and guess who win ?
• Every Sherlock & John moment ! (see dialogues) First meeting, talk in the cab, Sherlock summoning John for the most stupid task...
• The meeting between John and Sherlock's "arch enemy" is also a masterpiece.
• And in the end, John saves Sherlock's life, the beginning of a long collaboration and friendship.

What do we learn ?

• Molly Hooper is in love with Sherlock (but he doesn't care);
• Sherlock once helped Mrs Hudson: he made sure her husband would receive a death sentence;
• Lestrade ask for Sherlock's help, but his inspectors despise and distrust the "freak";
• Sherlock can be nice and polite, and he is at first meeting with Watson, but it doesn't last ! Soon enough, John will face the genius's ego.
• Watson's admiration for Sherlock's capacities is rare... "Freak", "psychopath" and "piss off" are usual reactions Sherlock gets from normal people;
• Sherlock was once addicted to tobacco (and other grass); John is addicted to action and adrenalin.

Characters

Of course, all the main ones : Sherlock Holmes, John Watson, Mycroft Holmes, Greg Lestrade, Mrs Hudson, Molly Hooper (Wiggins turns up only in season 3, episode 3).

+ (see casting) in order of appearance : Dr Ella, Mike Stanford, Sergeant Sally Donovan, Anderson, Anthea, and Jeff (the taxi driver).   


About adaptation : The job of the killer, the poisoned pill, the word "Rache"... There are several references to Doyle's first Sherlock novel: "a study in scarlet". But the creators of the show gave us an original story in this first episode.