Episode 1.0, The Unaired Pilot (60-min. "Study in Pink")

[Carol the Dabbler]

Sherlock on the roof?  Yeah, "gothic" is a good word for it.

 

I've never liked that scene, partly because it has a super-hero-ish feel to it, which I don't think is appropriate for Sherlock Holmes, and partly because the way John looks up at Sherlock, it feels almost like he's idolizing him -- not quite the right word, but again, I thought it had the wrong feel to it for a Sherlock Holmes adaptation.

 

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

And here I kind of always thought of Sherlock Holmes as the original super hero growing up....but you're right Carol.....they did give Sherlock that feel....especially when he jumps out of the skip after finding the pink suitcase and his coats flairs and there is a whooshing sound.

[Carol the Dabbler]

I see how one might think of Holmes as a super-hero, on account of his uncanny ability to see the truth.  But he can't bend steel in his bare hands or fly, and he doesn't wear tights.  That rooftop glimpse made Sherlock look (to me) like some sort of idealized hero, overly romanticized.  And I don't think Holmes needs that sort of treatment.

 

[T.o.b.y]

I see how one might think of Holmes as a super-hero, on account of his uncanny ability to see the truth.  But he can't bend steel in his bare hands ...

 

Ummm...:

 

From "The Speckled Band":

" I am a dangerous man to fall foul of! See here.” He stepped swiftly forward, seized the poker, and bent it into a curve with his huge brown hands.

“See that you keep yourself out of my grip,”

he snarled, and hurling the twisted poker into the fireplace he strode out of the room.

“He seems a very amiable person,” said Holmes, laughing. “I am not quite so bulky, but if he had remained I might have shown him that my grip was not much more feeble than his own.” As he spoke he picked up the steel poker and, with a sudden effort, straightened it out again.

“Fancy his having the insolence to confound me with the official detective force!"

 

Nonetheless, I don't think Sherlock should be treated like a super hero, either, and while I must admit I have a soft spot for gothic atmosphere, I am quite glad they made it a bit more subtle in the finished version. That scene from the pilot just makes me giggle. 

 

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

I agree....although...in a way it was very atmospheric and I did kind of like it, the whole thing could have slipped on the side of being campy and that would have been a real shame.

 

  I wasn't thinking so much of the "Superman" type of super hero but the crime fighting ones.....more in the Batman camp.....not the Superman one.

[Carol the Dabbler]

... and Sherlock does come about *that close* to wearing a cape!

 

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

He does in deed.  He may not see himself as a hero.....but there is enough of us that do.

[Sacker]

...overly romanticized. And I don't think Holmes needs that sort of treatment.

I agree, with both points in that sentence and Overly Romanticized is an excellent way to put it. It doesn't fit with the character and shouldn't be made to.

[Arcadia]

Hm. Moffat said much the same thing ("don't romanticize Sherlock") and that statement has irked me ever since. I think this version of Sherlock is HIGHLY romanticized and idealized. It's just a juvenile male fantasy, not a female one. He's ill-mannered, and gets away with it; he's smug, and gets away with it; he's irresistable to, yet disdainful of, women, and gets away with it  --  because he's also usually right. All boy's fantasies, and many men's too. Throw in the hair ruffle and The Coat and the athleticism, and I don't see how you could get much more romanticized! And it works, at least for me, because it's so preposterous that it's funny. And because it's balanced with glimpses of his humanity. Which makes him even more, not less, idealized, imho.

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

I think that a lot of what you said Arcadia comes through in the canon as well. He can chase criminals and act as judge and jury. What citizen of the dark and dirty streets probably didn't dream about that....even as many people do now...and even act out on it.

 

 He said in "The Three Gables" that "I am not the law, but I do represent justice" or something along those lines.

 

  I think even very early on Sherlock Holmes was idealized and maybe even romanticized. That aspect goes all the way back to William Gillette, at least. As it has been mentioned before, Sherlock Holmes was desirable because he seemed to be so unattainable. Why else would hundreds of people take to the streets in protest when Doyle decided to kill Holmes off?  People wore mourning bands and black crepe. Men and women.

[T.o.b.y]

Hm. Moffat said much the same thing ("don't romanticize Sherlock") and that statement has irked me ever since. I think this version of Sherlock is HIGHLY romanticized and idealized. It's just a juvenile male fantasy, not a female one. He's ill-mannered, and gets away with it; he's smug, and gets away with it; he's irresistable to, yet disdainful of, women, and gets away with it  --  because he's also usually right. All boy's fantasies, and many men's too.

Well, it works for me, and I'm not male... Works all too well, in fact. And not just because I find Sherlock attractive, but because I sit here in front of my screen and wish I had the nerve and the brains and the genuine disregard for other people's opinion to behave like that. At least sometimes.

[Arcadia]

 

Hm. Moffat said much the same thing ("don't romanticize Sherlock") and that statement has irked me ever since. I think this version of Sherlock is HIGHLY romanticized and idealized. It's just a juvenile male fantasy, not a female one. He's ill-mannered, and gets away with it; he's smug, and gets away with it; he's irresistable to, yet disdainful of, women, and gets away with it  --  because he's also usually right. All boy's fantasies, and many men's too.

Well, it works for me, and I'm not male... Works all too well, in fact. And not just because I find Sherlock attractive, but because I sit here in front of my screen and wish I had the nerve and the brains and the genuine disregard for other people's opinion to behave like that. At least sometimes.

 

LOL. Well, I was a bit inartful in my comment, I should have said "traditionally male" fantasies or something like that. But still, you make my point; he's very idealized!

[Carol the Dabbler]

Hm. Moffat said much the same thing ("don't romanticize Sherlock") and that statement has irked me ever since. I think this version of Sherlock is HIGHLY romanticized and idealized. It's just a juvenile male fantasy, not a female one. He's ill-mannered, and gets away with it; he's smug, and gets away with it; he's irresistable to, yet disdainful of, women, and gets away with it  -- 

 

So -- you're saying he's Steven Moffat's alter ego? 

[Arcadia]

I was wondering if anyone else would notice that .... Altho I wouldn't call him irresistable....

[jesskayding]

I am so glad they got more expensive equipment. The opening credits are so much better. I'm glad they got rid of that scene of Sherlock standing on a rooftop being decorated by a full moon.

 

My favorite was Sherlock's wardrobe change. Caused BC to play the part less casually.. & it was like he became more smug and arrogant. Love the changes they made.

[Joanhs]

I just saw it, he was smiling a lot more, very cute, I like both ways, and both episodes. 

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

I like the" Unaired Pilot" as well Joanhs. It's got some great scenes and dialogue. It's just fun to watch.

[jesskayding]

Sherlock on the roof? Yeah, "gothic" is a good word for it.

 

I've never liked that scene, partly because it has a super-hero-ish feel to it, which I don't think is appropriate for Sherlock Holmes, and partly because the way John looks up at Sherlock, it feels almost like he's idolizing him -- not quite the right word, but again, I thought it had the wrong feel to it for a Sherlock Holmes adaptation.

I laughed so hard @ that scene, because it was super corny. I, I, I....

 

So glad they cut that from the aired version. How would anyone be able to take this series seriously with scenes like that. tear

[Carol the Dabbler]

Apparently they did film it again for the episode, but decided against actually using it.  There's one point where John is leaving the crime scene, and he looks off to the side.  In the commentary, they say that was going to be him looking at Sherlock on the roof, but they inserted a shot of a phone booth instead, so he's supposed to be looking at that (because the phone starts ringing).

 

I agree with you, glad they cut it.

 

[jesskayding]

Thank goodness.

[MrsMiggins]

Just finished watching it. Very glad it was redone but I also enjoyed a younger cheekier sherlock.

 

But very happy he ended up playing him slightly different, this seemed like more of a pre-sherlock early days episode as if he was fresh out of education with too much enthusiasm.

The cab green screen shots were cringey and argh I even had to turn away for the full-moon rooftop shot lol

[Carol the Dabbler]

I must agree with you regarding the moonlit rooftop scene!

 

But you've lost me with the "cab green screen shots" -- which scenes are you talking about?  (I don't recall ever noticing that any cab shots appeared to be green screen, presumably because I was too enthralled by the story.)

 

[MrsMiggins]

Just when they are travelling and doing the phone scenes in the beginning, the way they film it seemed very low budget.

[Carol the Dabbler]

The pilot actually did have a lower budget than the 90-minute "Pink."  The BBC was so impressed by the pilot that they decided to expand the format and increase the budget.  In the DVD commentary for the 90-minute episode, Sue Vertue mentioned that they'd been able to get a much nicer camera.

 

[stick]

This pilot shows that programs need a healthy development time to really lock down what it is trying to be.