Benedict Cumberbatch News

[Arcadia]

 

 

Can I just say again how desperately I'd love to see BC in a good comedy?

You thought perhaps that "Sign of Three" was a bad comedy?

Oh, Carol, could you please explain what you find even remotely funny in that thing except poor Benedict having to do such a monologue for days on end during the filming? The Guardsman story and the Mayfly Man story are ok, but except for his interaction with little Archie, his response to Mycroft ("I am not a child any more") and his self confession at the very end to John and Mary about not needing him around now that they are having a real baby on the way, which all go to show that he has a peculiarly childish side to his character, what else is even remotely funny in this indifferent adaptation of The Sign of the Four? It is one of the times where I completely agree with the Radio Times voters. Sorry to displease you!

 

I can't speak for Carol, but I can tell you a few of the things I found funny about it!

 

-- Sherlock short-circuiting when John tells him he's his best friend.

-- The interaction between Sherlock and Mrs. Hudson when he's practicing the violin. ("Biscuits!")

-- Sherlock drunk.

-- The elephant in the room.

-- Most of the best man's speech, especially the snarky ad libs.

-- A high functioning sociopath with your phone number.

-- Mary's face when she tastes the wine.

-- Sherlock getting jealous over Sholto.

-- John's face when he says "Mate."

-- Molly stabbing Meat Dagger with her fork.

 

Oh, I could go on all night! I just love this episode. Carol, over to you.

[sfmpco]

Oh my goodness, there are soooooo many funny - dare I say hilarious - moments in that episode.  Sherlock just being so... Sherlock.  The Bloody Guardsman has lots of funny bits as does the Mayfly Man and the whole pub crawl.  Then the actual best man speech and all the flashback bits woven in.  Ben is so deadpan and manic all at the same time.  It is one of the funnier episodes.

[Carol the Dabbler]

The only really good comedies I've seen lately have all been animated films.

 

Speaking of which -- what little I've seen of Penguins of Madagascar is really funny.  I know Cumberbatch isn't physically in it, but at least his voice is.

 

Can I just say again how desperately I'd love to see BC in a good comedy?

You thought perhaps that "Sign of Three" was a bad comedy?

 

Oh, Carol, could you please explain what you find even remotely funny in that thing except poor Benedict having to do such a monologue for days on end during the filming? The Guardsman story and the Mayfly Man story are ok, but except for his interaction with little Archie, his response to Mycroft ("I am not a child any more") and his self confession at the very end to John and Mary about not needing him around now that they are having a real baby on the way, which all go to show that he has a peculiarly childish side to his character, what else is even remotely funny in this indifferent adaptation of The Sign of the Four? It is one of the times where I completely agree with the Radio Times voters. Sorry to displease you!

 

Hey, your opinion is your opinion!  But lemme see, the bits that make me laugh:

 

Greg rushing to Sherlock's aid (with helicopter backup!) -- only to find that all he needs help with is his best-man's speech

David, the would-be usher, being intimidated by Sherlock (the "high-functioning sociopath -- with your number!")

Sherlock bonding with Archie over eye-maggots

John asking Sherlock to be his best man

Sherlock verbally trashing love, weddings, and marriage

"The elephant in the room"

The whole table-napkins routine

Sherlock marching with the guards

The stag night bar scenes

The who-am-I game and Tessa's entry

Sherlock's attempt to "solve" the apartment used by the Mayfly Man

Sherlock trying to discover John's middle name

... and a bunch of brief little bits that I didn't bother listing

 

 By the way, I should point out that their adaptation of The Sign of the Four was actually "The Blind Banker."  (Honestly -- and this post recaps it pretty well.)  They used so much of the novel's plot in that episode that they had hardly anything left for this one.

[Arcadia]

 

The only really good comedies I've seen lately have all been animated films.

 

Speaking of which -- what little I've seen of Penguins of Madagascar is really funny.  I know Cumberbatch isn't physically in it, but at least his voice is.

 

I saw the whole thing, it was a scream. I keep saying I should go back and see it again, as I was laughing so much I missed half the jokes.

 

By the way, I should point out that their adaptation of The Sign of the Four was actually "The Blind Banker."  (Honestly -- and this post recaps it pretty well.)  They used so much of the novel's plot in that episode that they had hardly anything left for this one.

In fact, there was so little left they had to reduce the title to the Sign of Three.... aharharhar.....

[Carol the Dabbler]

... what little I've seen of Penguins of Madagascar is really funny.  I know Cumberbatch isn't physically in it, but at least his voice is.

I saw the whole thing, it was a scream. I keep saying I should go back and see it again, as I was laughing so much I missed half the jokes.

Soon as they come out with a DVD, I'll have to put it in our Amazon wish list. (Apparently there's been a TV series, and DVDs are already available for that, but I'm holding out for the movie.)

 

By the way, I should point out that their adaptation of The Sign of the Four was actually "The Blind Banker."  ...  They used so much of the novel's plot in that episode that they had hardly anything left for this one.

In fact, there was so little left they had to reduce the title to the Sign of Three.... aharharhar.....

Where is the *groan* button?  :P

 

[Arcadia]

Where is the *groan* button?  :P

Right next to the *banging my head against the wall* button.

[joanneta1]

Admittedly, each has has their individual perception of what makes a good comedy, so no argument there. For me it starts all the way back with Charlie Chaplin and Laurel and Hardy and weaves a web through Upstairs, Downstairs, Blackadder, Jeeves and Wooster, House MD. (which has a slight link to present-day Holmes in the main character's arrogant omniscience and frequent manic outbursts) and Leo McKern's Rumpole. I have watched the third series so many times already that I got the Special edition one as backup. The only reason I like TEH better than the other two is that it is not so bad.

a) Sherlock and Archie ARE funny

b ) Sherlock and Mycroft are funny

c) the two deductions are funny enough, (previous commander, complete dickhead)

d) carrying a pair of handcuffs at all times is funny (down, girl)

e) his verbal confusion when he makes his vow (all three of you, all two of you...)

Apart from that, having watched the whole thing twice, I now fast-forward the entire stag night except Tessa's interview and the very last bit with Lestrade coming to get them out of the cells.

Especially the beginning of his speech is lifted whole from the ending in The Sign of the Four and the beginning of The Blanched Soldier (If I burden myself with a companion...)

Still, it all comes back to personal taste, and there is no accounting for that ever since Roman times, de gustibus et de coloris non disputandum est.

So sorry to have responded so impulsively to your original comment Carol, we will simply agree to disagree on this particular episode.

[sfmpco]

Well, we all agree to disagree on various things here, but we never get into fistycuffs about it!  We just never tire of talking SHERLOCK, and sometimes the most remarkable, insightful things come out regarding the finer points of episodes!

[sfmpco]

Regarding the Penguins of Madagascar, I know there is a line in there of the wolf despairing of using Skype with his parents, and that apparently is a line that Ben threw in about Skyping with his own parents - or trying to!  LOL

[sfmpco]

Very brief interview with Ben about getting into the biz... post Golden Globes.

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tavis-smiley/my-conversation-with-bene_b_6511848.html

[sfmpco]

Sooo.... apparently there are some incredible HATE blogs about Ben dedicating a couple of awards to his unborn child and he saw those blogs.  Was supposedly mentioned in a Travis Smiley interview, but I can only find a clip of that and it's  not mentioned at all... so waiting for more information. 

 

There are some seriously demented people out there spewing hate on him, Sophie and their unborn.

 

[SherlockedCAMPer]

That's crazy. If I were in his shoes (either as the father/mother to be), my baby would probably get mentioned if it came across my mind right along side my spouse/other.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Apparently if you're a well-known person, it's your job to be perfect in every possible way -- and your public gets to define "perfect."  If you let them down in any way whatsoever, you can instantaneously go from 60 to zero in their eyes.

 

I actually know a few people who think like that (and no, I don't understand them).

 

[sfmpco]

Post GG CBS interview - http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/benedict-cumberbatch-on-imitation-game-fame-and-fans/

 

plus this little extra bit...

 

http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/two-things-benedict-cumberbatch-thinks-americans-need-to-learn/

[sfmpco]

Tavis Smiley full interview:

 

http://video.pbs.org/video/2365408410/

[sfmpco]

This isn't playing for me yet, but perhaps someone else will have luck:

 

http://tenplay.com.au/channel-ten/studio-10/extra/season-2015/28-jan--benedict-cumberbatch-opens-up

[Arcadia]

Nope, not working for me either, and my browser froze in terror of it for awhile.

 

I notice BC's got himself in a bit of trouble over an unfortunate phrase he dropped in the Tavis Smiley interview. Poor guy, he issued a truly abject apology, he must be mortified. Be nice if Smiley (who conducted one of the better interviews this season) spoke up on his behalf.

[besleybean]

Er, Smiley and lots of other people have just done that and there was a poll today that said Benedict shouldn't even have had to apologise

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

Really. Using the word colour is hardly a racist bomb. While it has gone out of fashion in some areas it is still used the world over.

[Arcadia]

Ah, but to apologize was really classy on his part. As was Smiley standing up for him. Good, I can sleep now. :D

[sittything]

I think what he meant to say was people of color or something along those lines, rather than actually colored.  His apology was fantastic, though, as was the point he was attempting to make.

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

Our BC is nothing if not classy. If people were offended by what he said it's because they chose to be. At least one tweeter said she had never liked him and him using the word colour "sealed the deal" she was just looking for an excuse.  He was right in his facts and that's all that counts.

[sfmpco]

Well, if it's not one thing keeping BC in the news, it's another.  This was much ado about nothing, and quite frankly, I'm a little tired of people getting on their high offended horses about every little thing.  

[sfmpco]

Well, it was really much ado about nothing, and it's getting tiresome in general for people to be getting on their uppity high offended horses about every little politically correct thing.  It's quite frankly annoying.

[sfmpco]

here's that interview but it's not new... was done the day after the GG in America, and it's just the Australian news picking up on it....