Episode 1.1, "A Study In Pink"

[sherlockandjohn]

 

There is something magical about this episode, something very poetic about the way John and Sherlock walk away together at the end. I feel like quoting Casablanca: "This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship." The perfect end of the episode, and the perfect beginning of the series.

 

That may be the one scene that most solidified it for me.  Not so much the walking away part (which is fantastic), but the moments leading up to it.  When Sherlock starts to explain who the killer could have been, then realizes he's describing John and quickly recants.  I love the depth of that interaction. There is a trust there that is perfect.  A seriousness that will carry the show. That was the moment I was hooked.

 

 

Indeed! So much is revealed about each character, too, in just a few, short moments. And Mycroft's line (in my signature below) is spot on!

[Carol the Dabbler]

I think what did it for me was "We'll start with the riding crop" -- but yeah, if not earlier, then certainly that moment when Sherlock spots John just quietly standing there, and realizes ....  (Still kinda gives me shivers.)

 

[Ruthyone]

I bought the 'Sherlock' DVD today with the 3 episodes on and extras and watched 'A Study In Pink' and 'The Blind Banker' - still got the buzz I first got

 

when seeing the series on BBC1 for the first time.

 

The way Benedict and Martin react to each other is brilliant and the programme is still very fresh and modern.

 

[Pawse]

Full marks - I was drawn in straightaway!

[sherlockandjohn]

I love how Sherlock is introduced in the episode, not initially in person, but through the texts in the Scotland Yard press room. Just the fact that he's not introduced immediately, but that we're actually first introduced to John, Lestrade, and Sally is a clever move, and gives us a background for Sherlock's life, while keeping him still a mystery to us.

[Arcadia]

Question for everyone ... I belong to a book club, and I'm going try to get some of them hooked on Sherlock by reading one of the ACD books, then watching the corresponding episode.

 

I thought Study in Scarlet/Pink would be the way to go, but the book's kind of ... odd, with it's little detour into Mormon history. I'm not sure they'll react well to it.

 

So my other thought was the Great Game, because I think the cliffhanger might hook them in. Since there's no exact match, I'd just have them read "The Adventures" and point out which stories they should pay particular attention to.

 

I haven't read it myself yet, tho, so I don't know if it's an improvement over Study. So I thought I'd throw this out there and see if someone with more knowledge might have a suggestion.

 

I've also considered showing them the pilot, although I don't think it captures the flavor of the actual show as well. But it does have the virtue of being shorter...

[T.o.b.y]

Hmmm.... The Great Game is very loosely based on "The Five Orange Pips", if that helps. A Study in Pink is of course the best episode to get people introduced to the series. But the Utah section of the novel is weird.

 

How about you do The Hounds of Baskerville? That novel is pretty good and the episode can stand quite well in its own.

[Arcadia]

I thought of that too, except I'm under the impression it's not as good an episode as the others.... hm. Now I have an excuse to go back and watch it again so I can decide ... :-) Thanks!!!

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

Do you have a printer? They do have the full stories on the web, would it be of help if you could run off "A Study In Scarlet" leaving out the side trip to Utah?

[Arcadia]

Ooooh, now there's a thought. As I recall, you don't actually need to read the Utah section to understand the story ... hm. That's a good one, thanks!!!!!!

[Carol the Dabbler]

"Hound of the Baskervilles" seems to be just about everyone's favorite Holmes novel, and the "Hounds" episode isn't bad at all IF you happen to notice the early clue that even Sherlock misses (read the next few posts as well as that one).  And it's fun picking out the references to the original story.  You could show the Jeremy Brett movie (I think it's about 90 minutes), which is a pretty literal adaptation, and then "Hounds" which is, of course, much more loosely adapted.

 

But I agree, if you want to use Study, just omit the middle section of the novel -- maybe substitute a synopsis of it (which Conan Doyle should have had a character sum up for us).

 

As far as other adaptations, none seem to hold very close to the story.  "Blind Banker" is clearly inspired by Sign of Four, but not at all the same story.  Parts of "The Great Game" are (as you say) based on stories -- the Bruce-Partington subplot is from "The Naval Treaty" and of course "Bruce-Partington" -- but I'm pretty sure that some other parts are strictly made up, and I don't think there's a great correspondence to "Adventures" (though I'm not at home, so don't have my reference materials).  "Scandal" is very loosely adapted.  "Reichenbach" runs pretty parallel to "The Final Problem" in the last few scenes, but not in the early parts.  And forget Series 3 -- there are tons of canon references, but they've used a kind of shotgun approach to adding them.

 

[Arcadia]

Not enough time to show two 90 minute movies!  But I'm gonna watch Hounds again (awww, poor me :-) and try to figure out which episode I think is most likely to "hook" them.

[sherlockandjohn]

I have a question. At the end of Mycroft's first meeting with John, he says, "Time to choose a side, Dr. Watson." Choose a side, how? If Mycroft is on Sherlock's side, why should John choose between them? Or is Mycroft really thinking of choosing whether to go with the general consensus regarding Sherlock, that the man is a psychopath, or to take Sherlock's side? That line always intrigued me. The whole scene does, actually; it's very mysterious, and a little bit scary, even though John claims that Mycroft doesn't "seem very frightening." Though, I suspect he has changed his mind by the time Mycroft pulls out his notebook and says, "Trust issues."

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

 

"Time to choose a side, Dr. Watson." Choose a side, how? If Mycroft is on Sherlock's side, why should John choose between them? Or is Mycroft really thinking of choosing whether to go with the general consensus regarding Sherlock, that the man is a psychopath, or to take Sherlock's side?

 

  Good question...because at the end of the episode Mycroft pretty much lays the same option before Sherlock, saying like: We're more alike then you realize or maybe more then you care to admit?..... and don't you think we should be working on the same side?  Or something along those lines. So in Mycroft's mind....he and Sherlock are working cross purposes and the same seems to be on Sherlock's mind as well.

[Carol the Dabbler]

So if Sherlock is on the side of the angels, where does that leave Mycroft? 

 

 

[Caya]

Maybe that's another one of his moonlighting jobs, directing the Heavenly Host or something .

[Arcadia]

I have a question. At the end of Mycroft's first meeting with John, he says, "Time to choose a side, Dr. Watson." Choose a side, how? If Mycroft is on Sherlock's side, why should John choose between them? Or is Mycroft really thinking of choosing whether to go with the general consensus regarding Sherlock, that the man is a psychopath, or to take Sherlock's side? That line always intrigued me. The whole scene does, actually; it's very mysterious, and a little bit scary, even though John claims that Mycroft doesn't "seem very frightening." Though, I suspect he has changed his mind by the time Mycroft pulls out his notebook and says, "Trust issues."

I've wondered if that whole scene was Mycroft's way of "testing" John to see whether he was a "suitable" companion for Sherlock. And yeah, I'm mystified about the "choose a side" line too.

[Carol the Dabbler]

I think the scene where John meets Mycroft was also Moftiss's way of testing us -- to see if we'd assume he was Moriarty.  (Is there anyone here who did not?)

 

Just the first in a long line of Moffat "gotcha's."

 

[sherlockandjohn]

Naturally, it was a scene for our enjoyment - Mycroft comes off as very mysterious, and we don't know who he is, or whose side he's on. That's why, when I first watched the episode, it seemed like he was telling John to choose a side between himself and Sherlock, and yet, I wasn't sure. Now, it only makes sense if, as Arcadia says, it was Mycroft testing John to see if he would stick by his brother. And I like that idea. Hadn't considered it before now.

 

I didn't wonder if it was Moriarty... because I didn't know the first thing about Sherlock, or Mycroft, or Moriarty at that time

[sherlockandjohn]

On a side note, I am reading 'A Study in Scarlet' now, and I've realised that a bonus to reading it is that my enjoyment of the episode is renewed; like I'm watching it with a fresh pair of eyes. Pretty cool!

[Janine M. Adler]

I've read all of Doyle's works when I was 15 (Of course in my language), then I re-read them in English. I was very reluctant to see any kind of film adaptation of my favorite detective, but I changed my mind when I saw Sherlock for the first time. I really did enjoyed the canon references they used in ASIP. Specially the cabbie, and Rache...In the book there was indeed a tire print of a carriage, and the rider took the evidence from the victim (I guess it was a ring, I can't recall clearly because I read the story 10 years ago), and Rache was written on the wall.  Lastrate interpreted as Rachel, but Holmes said it was Rache. I liked the tease they gave us. That's is one reason I like the show. I also like the book code reference they used in TBB *Although it's my least favorite episode), from The Valley of fear. I like to see more canon stories on the show in future. But I wonder what stories they will use next. Because most of the famous stories are already used.

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

They have given nods to several stories like "The Adventure of Black Peter" at the beginning of "The Hounds of the Baskervilles". We have "A Sign of Four" running through several of these episodes. "The Blind Banker"....."The Sign of Three". They also used "Sign of Four" dialog throughout "A Study in Pink".....so I think there are plenty of good stories that haven't even been tapped into yet.

[sherlockandjohn]

 

 

"Time to choose a side, Dr. Watson." Choose a side, how? If Mycroft is on Sherlock's side, why should John choose between them? Or is Mycroft really thinking of choosing whether to go with the general consensus regarding Sherlock, that the man is a psychopath, or to take Sherlock's side?

 

  Good question...because at the end of the episode Mycroft pretty much lays the same option before Sherlock, saying like: We're more alike then you realize or maybe more then you care to admit?..... and don't you think we should be working on the same side?  Or something along those lines. So in Mycroft's mind....he and Sherlock are working cross purposes and the same seems to be on Sherlock's mind as well.

 

 

A piece of fanfiction, I think it was, actually lead me to consider Mycroft's words again about John choosing a side. I think Mycroft is sort of testing John, seeing if he'll prove to trust Sherlock and stick with him. The whole scene just might be about that, seeing as he's practically prodding John to acknowledge his need of another "battlefield." Plus, I'm sure Mycroft knows just how unappealing he himself comes off here, so when he says, "time to choose a side," he's again prodding John (through reverse psychology) to choose Sherlock.

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

 

Plus, I'm sure Mycroft knows just how unappealing he himself comes off here, so when he says, "time to choose a side," he's again prodding John (through reverse psychology) to choose Sherlock.

 

  I too feel that Mycroft often uses reverse psychology to get Sherlock to do something Sherlock really wouldn't do otherwise. So, yes, it would make sense for Mycroft to test John on Sherlock's behalf. And that probably says a lot about Mycroft's world view as well. Always testing people. Gauge their reactions and actions especially in regards to Sherlock.

[sherlockandjohn]

Yes, I suppose that does say a lot about Mycroft. Combined with his attitude towards sentimentality, I'd say he is a suspicious sort, not prone at all to thinking the best of people. Probably including himself!