Sherlock Holmes is one of the most famous fictional detectives in the
world. The first
Sherlock Holmes
story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle appeared in 1887 and the brilliant
consultant detective became so popular that Doyle became so fed up with
the demand for Sherlock Holmes stories impinging upon his work as a
physician that he killed Holmes off in 1893. For almost a decade Doyle
resisted public pressure, but he eventually brought Holmes back.
Holmes remained popular, even after he died. In fact, he is so well
known and popular, that people haven't always been able to tell fact
from fiction: up to today, letters still arrive at 221B Baker Street
adressed to Sherlock Holmes requesting his services. So maybe it can't
really be called a comeback as such, since Holmes has never been far
from public attention, but the new series
Sherlock, starring
Benedict Cumberbatch as Holmes and Martin Freeman as his friend and
biographer Dr Watson, is definitely an adaptation that is nothing short
of brilliant.
Cumberbatch is a cold yet extremely charismatic
Holmes, while Martin Freeman's doctor is a lot brighter and more capable
than the usual Watson, more effectively demonstrating that Holmes's
kind of detecting brilliance is just hard to keep up with. And for the
first time since a great many adaptation, this series shows how it is
possible that they become real friends. Sherlock's apparently omniscient
but far less practical brother Mycroft, played by Mark Gatiss, is also
excellently portrayed. Intimidatingly smart, but just too repulsed by
the "leg-work". And Moriarty is genuinely Sherlock's evil counterpart.
Oh, and he is thoroughly evil.
Do you think you have the
detection skills of Sherlock Holmes, or do you merely "see without
observing" like Inspector Lestrade? Test your eye for minute details and
detection work with some online
detection games.
Can you collect all the items and find all the clues before the time
runs out? Give it your best shot, detective!
