Why Sherlock and Watson Still Belong on the Watchlist
Although it finished airing nearly ten years ago, Sherlock (produced on BBC) still brings me the same excitement as when I first watched it. The iconic pilot episode is intense, chaotic, and exceedingly gripping. Immediately, the audience is drawn in by Martin Freeman’s performance as John Watson, exploring his traumatic military past and subsequent therapy sessions. Watson is quippy, claiming that “nothing happens to [him],” in part because he has yet to meet Sherlock Holmes (played by THE Benedict Cumberbatch). Within just the first ten minutes of the pilot, several characters are introduced in quick succession with the issue of multiple “suicides” at hand for Detective Lestrade (Rupert Graves) while Sherlock Holmes’ wittily steps on the toes of those actually conducting the investigation. The first episode is a brilliant look into the soul of the show, introducing the characters’ witty personalities.
Sherlock’s characters make the show what it is. It would be incredibly difficult to stick through multiple seasons of a show if its characters were unlikeable, but Sherlock is just the opposite. After four rewatches, I can proudly say that Sherlock makes it remarkably easy to fall in love with each character. Sherlock Holmes is extremely clever, full of book smarts yet somehow lacking street smarts entirely. He is not afraid of wisecracking, particularly with the employees of New Scotland Yard. Sherlock’s sidekick, Watson, is consistently bewildered, tagging along cautiously through each situation; however, over the course of the show, he begins to love the thrill of each case almost as much as Sherlock does. The dynamics between each character shift with the plot as the audience learns more about Watson and Sherlock’s pasts and their respective enemies, but still never loses its sense of humor and levity between the duo.
Each episode manages to stay under two hours while introducing a new mystery for the audience. Much like a movie, there are ups and downs, twists and turns, and the ending of every episode is always difficult to predict. Over the course of each episode, you learn who to love and who to hate, but you will always walk away satisfied by the solved case. Through their sharp banter and endless brilliance, you are bound to fall in love with John Watson and Sherlock Holmes (maybe even four times over).
Izzy Cummings is a freshman from Tallahassee, Florida studying Environment and Sustainability (right now) in the College.
Comments