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

[J.P.]

That clip about Darren Brown doing Sherlock was AMAZING.  I just recently discovered who he was and that he was the guy in TRF who hypnotized John.

 

As I first watched the UAP it was online and the version looked like one of those amateur re-enactments of movies.  :D

 

On the DVD it is much clearer but still there is a big difference in the quality. The newer one with more expensive camera looks much sharper, more detailed, and the small tricks and visual additions give the show a distinct character that is kept through the whole series. The pilot looks cheap.

 

I am a huge behind-the-scenes geek and love to observe story development, so the UAP is like Christmas and Birthday all in one day to me. Deliciousssss...

 

I was more concentrated on the similarities in both versions so far. It was absolutely fascinating to watch them parallelly. I'm quite sure the scenes that were reshot, still used the "old" dialogue- and storyboards. Actually both movies can run for 10 or 15 seconds, which is quite long, having the same pacing and almost identical delivery of their lines. It's almost spooky...

 

What I didn't like in SIP was the position of Pink Lady's body - completely unnatural until your legs are tied together.

 

The showdown with the cabbie was better in ASIP as mentioned before, and it shows much clearer how easy S can be manipulated when you know his buttons.

 

What I liked better in UAP was the blanket scene. Sherlock starts deducing about the gunner: the man with military history, used to violence, nerves made of steel... and he looks at John standing on the other side of the street: this... Hobbit, looking lost and innocent, like he couldn't hurt a fly. In ASIP John is hidden in shadows. The meaning is the same in both versions, but the first one is actually funny, while the second - more a light-bulb-moment.

 

I will surely come back with more very soon. 

 

PS: Despite all that red in the apartment it was still more friendly to my eyes than the collection of "loud" wallpapers. The ugly sofa made it to the series though - it is in Kitty Riley's apartment in TRF.

[Caya]

PS: Despite all that red in the apartment it was still more friendly to my eyes than the collection of "loud" wallpapers. The ugly sofa made it to the series though - it is in Kitty Riley's apartment in TRF.

 

Okay, you win the (virtual) "eagle-eyed" forum trophy . Nah, make that owl-eyed :lol:.

 

[SherlockedCAMPer]

 

PS: Despite all that red in the apartment it was still more friendly to my eyes than the collection of "loud" wallpapers. The ugly sofa made it to the series though - it is in Kitty Riley's apartment in TRF.

 

Okay, you win the (virtual) "eagle-eyed" forum trophy . Nah, make that owl-eyed :lol:.

 

 

Sherlock may explain what goes through my head, but he definitely does not explain my observation skills (he correctly insults them).  I now need to watch the UAP & TRF to see that sofa.

[Arcadia]

 

 

PS: Despite all that red in the apartment it was still more friendly to my eyes than the collection of "loud" wallpapers. The ugly sofa made it to the series though - it is in Kitty Riley's apartment in TRF.

 

Okay, you win the (virtual) "eagle-eyed" forum trophy . Nah, make that owl-eyed :lol:.

 

Sherlock may explain what goes through my head, but he definitely does not explain my observation skills (he correctly insults them).  I now need to watch the UAP & TRF to see that sofa.

 

I hear you! I'm afraid I'm not even up there with the goldfish, myself! I'm one of the snails in the fish tank, maybe. I'm certainly slow enough! I never notice stuff like that. Good thing I'm not a detective.

[Carol the Dabbler]

The ugly sofa made it to the series though - it is in Kitty Riley's apartment in TRF.

And that's one more item in our list of things from the pilot that were not included in the 90-minute SIP, but were re-used later on!

 

Let's recap:

 

The "drugged Sherlock" scene, reused in "Scandal"

Mrs. Hudson yelling at Sherlock about bullet holes in the wall, reused in "Great Game"

221B sofa, reused in "Reichenbach"

 

... is that all?  We must have mentioned some additional things on other threads -- and then there's Anderson's beard!

 

[Arcadia]

Mrs. Hudson yelling at Sherlock about bullet holes in the wall, reused in "Great Game"

?????

[Carol the Dabbler]

In the pilot it's at the very end, after John has shot the cabbie, though she doesn't specifically mention the bullet:
 

MRS HUDSON: Sherlock! What have you done to my house?
SHERLOCK: Nothing wrong with your house, Mrs Hudson, which is more than can be said for the dead serial killer on the first floor.
MRS HUDSON: Dead what?!
SHERLOCK: Good news for London; bad news for your carpet.

  
OK, yes, we have indeed mentioned some other re-used pilot things on other threads:
 
First of course, there's Anderson's beard, reused in "Many Happy Returns" and Series 3
Then there's drunken Sherlock (fake in the pilot), reused (for real) in "Sign of Three"

The creepy villain threatening helpless drugged Sherlock, filmed for "Last Vow" (but cut)
The headless nun, reused in "Sign of Three"

[Arcadia]

Oh. That. She was just arriving from somewhere else so I didn't connect that with complaining about holes in her walls. Yes, I see. Hm. Okay, I'll allow it. :P

[Carol the Dabbler]

Not an exact match, admittedly.  But the same general idea, so it may have been an intentional repeat.  And I stress the word "may."  I suspect that the pilot's bullet holes were inspired by "The Empty House" whereas the "Great Game" bullet holes were more-or-less straight out of "The Musgrave Ritual."

 

[J.P.]

As promised - some more thoughts. 

 

The Pilot is like a speech started in a middle of a sentence. You actually don't know who the guy (John) is, and what he's doing in that room. ASIP's opening gives you very strong background for John and the following scene feels natural.

 

Definitely better in the Pilot was the scene when Lestrade decides to call Sherlock. He has this little dialogue with Anderson, who says "we can handle this". It gives a little background to the character, and you at least understand that his animosity comes not only from Sherlock revealing his love affair. I know why the whole scene was dropped for ASIP, but they still could include the lines by Lestrade and Anderson somewhere in the Pink Lady sequence.

 

Music. Would you agree that the music in Pilot was all synthesizers? It sounds cheap too. Handmade music in the series is soooo much better.

 

As for recycling - I noticed a bunch of items that had a comeback in the series. I suppose the makers had to empty their magazines and loot all flee markets in London to fill the living room, so it's no wonder. ;)

[sittything]

I'm not sure if I want to see the unaired pilot. I'm afraid it will mess with my current headcanon and view of the characters/show.

[Arcadia]

I don't think it's that different. The plot plays out a little differently, but Sherlock and John are the same. A little younger looking.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Right.  It's sort of like seeing two different productions of Macbeth -- with most of the same actors.

 

[SherlockedCAMPer]

I enjoyed it.  After watching all the episodes several times it was fun to see what they kept from the pilot in S1.1 and what got moved else where if it was re-used elsewhere (such as the needle thing in ASIB). And what was deleted as well as how the flat changed (and was much improved).

[Van Buren Supernova]

Finally get to watch the unaired Pilot.

Very very grateful that they remade it, because otherwise I'm not sure I would be here, addicted with this series.

My life would be normal, I would have a lot of time to do other things, but can't say I mind, at all.

 

It's a fine pilot, really, but quite ordinary imho and cliche, not the kind of appeal I got from SIP.

 

What I like better from the pilot:

- the pink lady position, always think her position is not belivable in SIP. The victim has 'some time' to die, but it's unlikely that they would use it to arrange their position neatly

- the disclosure that Sherlock doesn't care about eating. Noticed that he doesn't care about himself and barely eat or do anything 'normal'. Haven't read the books, so I'm glad to know it's validated.

- less unbearable Sally Donovan

- special mention, not like, but it made me laugh in a good way with the batman style rooftop scene. However tacky it is, I think it's a nice addition for the style they choose in the pilot.

It's then nicely converted into the series, with various 'Sherlock perching on top of the world' scenes, minus the tacky with added curls and awesomeness.

 

What I like better from SIP:

- the music. It makes a lot, lot, lots of difference to me, and all along the series up to now.

Excellent scores and timing, without that it would never fell this perfect.

- the flying words. Same with previous point, one of the best features. Reading from phone or computer make the scene feel jagged and old

- sherlock's style

Benedict can pull off any looks, but I much prefer Sherlock now. It's much more 'Sherlock' looking, he is neat but not too, his tight shirt is a good touch for his personality, eventhough he looks great in the pilot with black stripe shirt but it was not Sherlock. Also don't really think the boyband hair suits him. It distracts me, not in a good way. Never think curly 'almost woman' kind of hair would make a man look that good, but it does.

- changing 60 to 90 minutes is another great decision. I don't mind only getting 3 episodes per series, in fact it works so well with Sherlock I afraid I start to find other format tiresome. Then again, Sherlock ruins everything else for me.

- Mycroft

- Moriarty tie-in

- the cab chasing scenes, the much more excellent and memorable way to expose the psychosomatic limp

- drug busts, eyeball in microwave

- much much better deduction scenes

- opening scene of other victims

- opening credit

- much better Stamford, Molly scenes, setting and interactions

- Sherlock don't bother to wear clean suit. I need to see him in his coat as many times as possible, and it works better for his character not to bother

- much better chemistry between character. In the pilot, I don't feel the last scene as much as ASIP.

- seriously missing best quotes and moments in the pilot; Anderson's insults (not sorry I enjoy that), and the first quote that made me laugh out loud,"Oh what now? I'm in shock! Look, I've got a blanket.

[sfmpco]

I think I agree with pretty much everything you said.  I don't care much for the pilot vs. SIP, but there are indeed snippets and bits from the pilot that didn't quite make it to SIP  which help to round out who Sherlock is to start with.  I'm glad they got rid of the drugged scene because Sherlock sober is much better.  Also SIP has a more finished look to it.  Obviously more money poured into it.  Even his hairstyle is better.  He looks a little Justin Beiberish in the pilot, and it's not a good look on a grown man.  It wasn't even a good look on Justin.  Anyhow, there's really no comparison of the two.  SIP is far superior all around in production value.  

[Van Buren Supernova]

I think I agree with pretty much everything you said.  I don't care much for the pilot vs. SIP, but there are indeed snippets and bits from the pilot that didn't quite make it to SIP  which help to round out who Sherlock is to start with.  I'm glad they got rid of the drugged scene because Sherlock sober is much better.  Also SIP has a more finished look to it.  Obviously more money poured into it.  Even his hairstyle is better.  He looks a little Justin Beiberish in the pilot, and it's not a good look on a grown man.  It wasn't even a good look on Justin.  Anyhow, there's really no comparison of the two.  SIP is far superior all around in production value.  

 

Yes, I can't help associating it with Justin Bieber's hair no matter how hard I try not to.

 

Dear me, Sherlock and JB's style should never ever ever be connected.  :D 

[Arcadia]

One thing I really like about the pilot is Sherlock's apparent youth (I love the line in John's blog that "he looks about twelve.") There's something about the idea of them starting with Sherlock in his twenties that really appeals to me ... and also, so many of his little personality quirks make more sense on a much younger man. Oh well, I suppose Moftiss had to leave something for the next incarnation of Sherlock to work with. Someday somebody will do a jeans-clad, boyband-haired, barely adult Sherlock Holmes and everyone will think it's brilliant. :P

[Van Buren Supernova]

One thing I really like about the pilot is Sherlock's apparent youth (I love the line in John's blog that "he looks about twelve.") There's something about the idea of them starting with Sherlock in his twenties that really appeals to me ... and also, so many of his little personality quirks make more sense on a much younger man. Oh well, I suppose Moftiss had to leave something for the next incarnation of Sherlock to work with. Someday somebody will do a jeans-clad, boyband-haired, barely adult Sherlock Holmes and everyone will think it's brilliant. :P

 

But then it wouldn't be Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.. 

[sittything]

I'm going to just go ahead and channel my future, crotchety self and say... this cannot be topped, whippersnappers.

 

 

[Arcadia]

I can see it now, we'll on be on some forum complaining that the new version can never match up to the "classic" Moftiss version!

[HeroinOrHeroine]

Oh my goodness. I finally got around to watching this. It's like some bizarro Sherlock world. Sherlock in jeans?! So strange! And the music is terrible! My favourite scene was missing: "it's a drugs bust!". My favourite character was also missing: Mycroft.

 

I'm glad they changed it so much, as I don't think I would have fallen in love with it or watched more episodes. It was okay, but not as witty or engaging as I like.

[Experimental]

Oh but we love the jeans...  I liked it just because we got to see more of them <3 

[Arcadia]

Oh but we love the jeans...  I liked it just because we got to see more of them <3 

I know! You know you're obsessed when ... you watch the pilot whenever you watch the rest of the series, just so you can spend one extra hour with Sherlock and John! :p

[sfmpco]

 

Oh but we love the jeans...  I liked it just because we got to see more of them <3 

I know! You know you're obsessed when ... you watch the pilot whenever you watch the rest of the series, just so you can spend one extra hour with Sherlock and John! :P

 

 

Very true!