Episode 1.1, "A Study In Pink"

[Undead Medic]

A Discussion thread for episode 1 "A Study In Pink."

Please rate the episode using the poll and discuss below.
 

John Watson – Doctor, soldier, war hero. Fresh from military service in Afghanistan, a chance encounter brings him into the world of Sherlock Holmes – loner, detective, genius. The two men couldn't be more different, but Sherlock's inspired leaps of intellect coupled with John's pragmatism soon forge an unbreakable alliance.
A woman in pink lies dead in a derelict house. The fourth in a series of impossible suicides DI Lestrade is the best Scotland Yard has got. But even he knows he can't compare to the young man who can tell a software designer by his tie, an airline pilot by his thumb.

[Guest Data Holmes]

My favourite ep so far!

[Banshee]

As a series opener, it was amazing. I was skeptical at first, wondering how much Victorian London one can take out of Sherlock before it stops being, well, Sherlock. The answer is, if one is Steven Moffat, all of it, and then some. The way we are introduced to Sherlock's world, to the way his mind works, is really clever, both in the writing and in the filming of it. The way Mycroft is introduced in the shadows, and we are all supposed to think he's Moriarty until the end of that episode is brilliant.

 

And what can I say, the dynamics between Sherlock and Watson are great. I laughed out loud more than I expected to, I loved the scene in the little restaurant ("I'm not his date!"), and the way Sherlock proves to Watson that the limp is psychosomatic, no matter what he as a doctor might think. I love Mrs. Hudson ("Not your housekeeper, dear!"), and I really love the way the stories are based on the originals, but entirely different.

 

By the end of it, I was hooked. What more could I ask for?

[Erika]

A Study in Pink did everything a pilot should do, and yet most TV pilots rarely accomplish it. I was drawn into the show within minutes. I think I knew I was a fan of it when Sherlock and John had their very first meeting.

 

When I started watching Sherlock, I had almost no prior knowledge to Sherlock Holmes. I once had a teacher who was completely obsessed with the books and talked non-stop about them, and I had seen The Great Mouse Detective back in the day. But that's about it. But despite that, I knew there was something obviously very special about the relationship between Sherlock and John when John was completely willing to move in with Sherlock moments after meeting him.

 

The 90 minute format really works well for this show. There is so much more quality packed into the 3 episodes then you could ever get with 6, or 13 or 24. Everything is so deliberate and planned out, not filler. You could tell that the writers new that there audience was smart, nothing is dumbed down. I was trying to remember something I didn't like about this episode, but there isn't anything. It's all good!

 

And I love it even more now that I have read the original novels. They just become that much more brilliant when you can see how the writers thought through upgrading those words into modern times.

[Banshee]

Absolutely agree about the 90 minutes. Heck, I didn't even notice that the episodes are 90 minutes the first time I watched them! There's so much going on you don't have time to even glance at the clock

 

I think you are right, the writers expect a smart audience. I can't remember who it was, but there was a famous(ish) writer that said a while back that "if the readers can't follow my books, then maybe they shouldn't be reading what I write", or words to that effect. I think by not catering to the lowest common denominator across all possible audiences, the show drags in people who are disenchanted with predictable, formulaic TV shows. And goodness knows there's a lot of us out there, given what's been airing recently... *bites tongue to avoid mentioning that disaster*

[subtle science]

I watched this because of the Moffat/Gatiss brand name on it, plus my love of the Doyle stories--not overstating to say that my favorite literary character has always been Sherlock Holmes. This BBC series had me hooked within 10 minutes, easily shooting to the top of best adaptation of the stories, in my estimation.

Perhaps it was a bit too obvious that the villain was the cabbie--however, bonus points for the twist that he was a 'sponsored' serial killer. For the rest--brilliant. What a cast! The interpretations of the characters, the performances, the direction. Yeah--I'm gushing.

There's a lot that could fall under the heading of "I love..." about this episode, but I think the #1 might be the nuance in Cumberbatch's performance--there's an edge of defensiveness to his Holmes: he expects rejection from Watson (That's not what people usually say." "What do people usually say?" "Piss off."_); then there's the thawing as he realizes he's found a genuine counterpart....The invitation to dinner at the very end is the perfect touch.

[Undead Medic]

For me the chemistry between Cumberbatch and Freeman is obvious and intriguing from their very first scene together. although I was already hooked before we even met Sherlock. Marvellous casting and very tight scripting, this episode is a showcase of good TV writing from beginning to end.

[subtle science]

In the endless list of "What I Loved....," the casting and the development of Watson's character in this adaptation was one of the immediate attractions. I loathe the depictions of Watson as some dull witted, elderly buffoon--in other words, almost every other version of the character except Jude Law's (his is good, but a bit supercilious for my taste--I wish they'd cast Law as Holmes).....Anyway. Moffat respects the character and brings it right back to how Watson appears in the stories: an Everyman, but one with intelligence, plus a heavy dose of curiosity, morality, and compassion.

Plus--young. For that alone, I could kiss Moffat and Gatiss--they went right to the stories and show Holmes and Watson as they are in "A Study in Scarlet": two young men. Not a pair of retirees.

[believeinsherlock]

I love this episode so much, mainly for the interaction and initial meeting between Sherlock and John. So many good moments:

• John's amazement at Sherlock's deductions
• When Sherlock asks John to go with him for the first time
• The "drug's bust" scene
• Meeting between John and Mycroft
• Chase scene
• John shooting the cabbie & subsequent "shock blanket" scene when Sherlock realises it was him. They walk off together laughing and joking, new best mates for life and then Mycroft's final line that ends it all - yes yes yes EPIC!!

[Sherlocked]

A Study in Pink is actually my favourite of all 6 episodes.

 

The dynamic between Freeman and Cumberbatch is just mind blowing. They have instant chemistry, and are probably my favourite Holmes and Watson ever (Except from the Great Mouse Detective, but shush!).

 

My initial fears of 'updating' Sherlock homes were uncalled for. Everything about it was brilliant! The text on screen, the cabbies, using phones and laptops! GOD I LOVE IT! I also really loved that they kept Sherlock's addictions in the story, and the nicotine patches seriously made me lol.

 

And of course, the first meeting between Holmes and Watson was fabulous.

 

Moffat and Gatiss are Gods, I really don't think that there is any other explanation.

[believeinsherlock]

Definitely Gods.

[m0r1arty]

I loved the episode and it set up the foundations for what has been an amazing and well received revival of Sherlock Holmes in the 21st Century (100 years before that awful cartoon).

 

I did have to mark it down though purely for the obvious clue which was pushed throughout the show and Sherlock overlooked.

 

I know it's setting the audience up to be prepared for Sherlock's observational and intellectual guile however the cab thing was far too obvious and let the story down a little.

 

Still, I'd not change a peep of it as it serves its purpose well and my 8/10 hopefully shows my respects to that end.

 

-m0r

[M011y H00per]

I loved this introductory episode. All the main characters are introduced as are the dynamics between them. Indeed theynare not just introduced but certainly with some of them we find out quite a lot about what makes them tick. It was a bit of a shame that the cabbie clues were so obvious, however this is a direct nod to the original ACD canon story A Study in Scarlet. The settings and camerawork were stunning, I particularly liked the way they have created the flat in 221B and the warehouse scene between Mycroft and John was very atmospheric. There were also some excellent comic relief points within the episode that worked beautifully, especially parts of the drugs bust and John's face when he realises Mycroft and Sherlock are brothers is a picture. )

[The Woman]

I love this episode because of the Introduction. I can't say that the inquest was amazing or Sherlock's deduction was conspicuous (in other episodes it was like that).

 

But I think that the first episode SHOULD be like that, we need to see all characters and need to understand whereof this story.

[Undead Medic]

It did everything a great introduction episode should, it drew us in, and left us wanting to see some more... (Oh, God YES!)

[Carol the Dabbler]

... the cab thing was far too obvious and let the story down a little.

 

That is one aspect that I like much better in the pilot -- Sherlock gives his "Who do we trust?" speech, then immediately answers his own question (in true Sherlock fashion!). In Episode One, he reels off the same seemingly-rhetorical multi-part question, but then claims to have no idea what the answer is. How anti-climactic! I don't think they ported that scene over to the new version at all gracefully.

 

My biggest annoyance is that -- even after noting the suspicious behavior of the cab -- Sherlock fails to consider that the killer might be the cabbie rather than his passenger. That comes uncomfortably close to "the butler did it."

 

Off the top of my head, there are a few other areas where I don't like the 90-minute version as well as the pilot:

 

I miss John's "I'll shut up now" in the restaurant scene.

I find the cab chase a bit gratuitous (though having Sherlock and John chasing the cab on foot, relying on intellect rather than horsepower, is clever).

Then there are some things that I like better in the 90-minute episode, such as:

 

The decor at 221B is much homier. (I found the red color scheme of the pilot too garishly Victorian.)

I greatly prefer Sherlock's clear-headed (rather than drugged) confrontation with the cabbie.

Even though the introduction of Mycroft has nothing to do with the plot, it's enjoyable, especially John's final brief conversation with Mycroft (which does at least foreshadow the future uneasy alliance between them).

I prefer the scene where Sherlock more-or-less tricks John into admitting that he was the one who shot the cabbie. The analogous scene in the pilot seemed a bit stilted and speechy.

[Kosaka]

I had read a few of the books before watching Sherlock, so when I watched Study In Pink I loved how they kept mostly to the original plot, yet made it completely their own. And while not many people would've been able to pull off making Sherlock Holmes in modern day, Steven Moffat did it brilliantly. It had a blance of humor, drama, action, and suspense that is just perfect, especially for a seires start and I couldn't stop watching after 10 minutes in.

[Undead Medic]

And while not many people would've been able to pull off making Sherlock Holmes in modern day, Steven Moffat did it brilliantly.

I have to admit I was dubious of the idea of Sherlock Holmes in modern day London. But the more I think about it the more it fits, When Conan Doyle wrote Holmes originally he was a contemporary hero, what Moffat, Gatiss and company have managed to pull off brilliantly is to return him to the current day, thus we feel about him as those original Victorian readers felt when they first read him all those years ago.

 

It had a blance of humor, drama, action, and suspense that is just perfect, especially for a seires start and I couldn't stop watching after 10 minutes in.

 

This is how I felt right from the off, they nailed that balance sublimely in this episode.

[CSIBakerStreet]

Ahh, how we met. Although, that isn't quite how we met, is it John? We met because I posted a topic and all of a sudden you started talking like you were my John. So I just figured, all right you can be my John. Unless this is how we met and I forgot. But I never forget anything. If I kept searching for a "John", it would probably get worse and not better. I suppose you'll do. Dinner?

[John Watson]

Dinner?

 

Are you actually going to remember to bring your wallet this time, or am I going to end up paying again?

[CSIBakerStreet]

Are you actually going to remember to bring your wallet this time, or am I going to end up paying again?

 

Umm...You know, that jacket of yours is rather...nice. Newer?

[Carol the Dabbler]

When the local PBS station re-ran "Study" last week, I noticed that one of the cuts is Sherlock's "Who passes unnoticed / Who do we trust / Who hunts in a crowd" rhetoric -- which I think is a definite improvement. The question is merely a carryover from the pilot, wherein he already knows the answer. Here, the 90-minute format requires him to remain in the dark for a while, but it seems kind of anomalous for him to pose the question in such specific detail yet be unable to answer it. It's humorous that he has no idea who Moriarty is at the end, but that's surely enough token ignorance for one episode.

 

The only other cuts I happened to notice were the brief bit about Mycroft's henchwoman's name, and Moriarty's per-killing trust fund for the cabbie's kids. Obviously there were others, totalling about 8 minutes.

 

Instead of running the original closing credits, PBS supplies their own (with the Masterpiece theme music), and highlights an occasional seemingly-random letter in bright red. This episode's red letters spell RACHEL (or possibly just RACHE -- it went by too fast for me to be sure).

Edited October 7, 2012 by Carol the Dabbler

[itslikelectiveamnesia]

ill be honest, at first i was a little meh about it i think because sherocks character bugged me a little at first. im so used to the Sherlock Holmes movie version with RDJ that i guess i was expecting a not so jumpy Sherlock or something. idk. but i still think the remarks and funny little comments were done well enough to keep interested in it. now that im more used to this version of Sherlock's character, i may go back and watch it again to see what think this time around. but martin freeman does a wonderful job of being Watson

[Carol the Dabbler]

... at first i was a little meh about it i think because sherocks character bugged me a little at first. im so used to the Sherlock Holmes movie version with RDJ that i guess i was expecting a not so jumpy Sherlock or something. idk. but i still think the remarks and funny little comments were done well enough to keep interested in it. now that im more used to this version of Sherlock's character, i may go back and watch it again

At first, Sherlock struck me as nothing more than a spoiled brat. Then second season in "Hounds of Baskerville," John remarked to Greg Lestrade that Sherlock might have Asperger's Syndrome, and the character started to make sense to me. Some fans say they don't think it's really Asperger's, it's just how he was brought up. But whatever, it just honestly never occurs to him to take other people's feelings into account -- he was never programmed for that. So now the character is starting to grow on me. As you say, he's interesting.

 

 

... martin freeman does a wonderful job of being Watson

 

No argument there! John is definitely my favorite character.

[itslikelectiveamnesia]

At first, Sherlock struck me as nothing more than a spoiled brat. Then second season in "Hounds of Baskerville," John remarked to Greg Lestrade that Sherlock might have Asperger's Syndrome, and the character started to make sense to me. Some fans say they don't think it's really Asperger's, it's just how he was brought up. But whatever, it just honestly never occurs to him to take other people's feelings into account -- he was never programmed for that. So now the character is starting to grow on me. As you say, he's interesting.

ya im liking his character now that im used to it and understand how hes like. i think at first thers just not the depth to his character. like u get the basics of yes he super smart and knows everyting basically but it isnt till later that u get the other sides of him.

 

 

 

 

No argument there! John is definitely my favorite character.

 

ya im stuck between watson and sherlock as my favorite character right now XP