Sherlock Series 1

Sherlock Holmes is without a doubt one of the most recognisable fictional characters of all time in the literary world. The character is one of the most well-defined and intrinsic characters to have ever graced the written pages of books and has now found its way onto the television screen through the scripts of the well known Steven Moffat, with the assistance of Mark Gatiss. Of course, recreating an iconic character such as Sherlock Holmes is no walk in the park and Moffat has done it justice in his own right with his modern adaptation of this great classic.

Each season is made up of three episodes, each with a runtime of approximately 88 to 90 minutes. The first episode, titled A Study In Pink, is the tale of multiple deaths, all of which appear to be suicides. Sherlock is under the impression that the suicides are in fact a series of murders and sets off on his hunt for a serial killer. The second episode is titled The Blind Banker and begins with a break in at a corporate office. A case of vandalism and later murder arouses Sherlock’s interest as he takes on the case to try and decipher codes that will solve the mystery. The third episode is titled The Great Game and is a revelation of Sherlock’s archenemy as he is left clues by a psychopathic bomber who has rigged up helpless people with explosives and uses them as a mouthpiece to send Sherlock chasing after and solving puzzles to ultimately lead to a final showdown and cliffhanger.

Sherlock is introduced to Dr. John Watson in the beginning of the first episode when he is in need of a roommate and Watson is looking for a home to move into. The script then revolves around the cases that Sherlock takes on as ‘the only consulting detective in the world’ as he helps Scotland Yard in and around their abode at 221 B Baker’s Street.

Sherlock Holmes is represented as a modern image of his classic being. He is an eccentric character, which is a trademark from other characters crafted by Steven Moffat. He is never at ease with living a mundane life which drives him to find new and interesting puzzles for him to solve. He is constantly on the lookout for excitement to keep his mind occupied and ignores any cases he believes he would be able to solve easily. He is a modern adaptation who uses the assistance of cell phones and the internet to crack down his cases and has a network of underground informants which includes graffiti artists and homeless people to keep him updated. Dr. John Watson on the other hand is a rudimentary character which goes along with everything Sherlock says and hangs on his every word.

Sherlock is portrayed as a character who is very confident and self assured with everything he does. He has a keen sense of observation and deduction which helps him solve cases and arrive at conclusions at a faster rate than most other people. However, he is portrayed as a character that is fallible and does not necessarily know about everything. His dependence on technology and informers is a nice modern touch to a classic character. He is brought to life by actor Benedict Cumberbatch whose only flaw may be during dialogue delivery when Sherlock cracks a case and rants about his findings. At times like this, it becomes difficult to follow what Sherlock is saying, but then again, that is a classic Sherlock Holmes trait; minus the gloating that comes with this modern adaptation.

A great viewing experience that brings a classic character to life in the modern world with relevance, the television series is no let down. In fact, as mystery television shows go, it may be one of the best available. It must go down as a classic.

Game of Thrones Season 1

When it comes to television shows, there are very few series which can be claimed as being completely remarkable. Game of Thrones, a television series which is based on George R. R. Martin’s novel series, A Song of Ice and Fire, is a medieval fantasy-based tv show. It falls into the categories of complicated, diverse, imaginative, and truly remarkable. It is definitely a well written piece of fantasy fiction which has been produced excellently for an on screen adaptation in the form of a television series.

The first season of Game of Thrones is a faithful adaptation of the first book in the novel series, A Game of Thrones, which also lends its title for the entire television series. The plot picks up with the death of the Hand of the King, the second in command who takes care of the day-to-day operations in the kingdom in the absence of the king. King Robert Baratheon visits his old friend Lord Eddard ‘Ned’ Stark to ask him to take up the vacant post of Hand of the King. The king travels along with his wife Queen Cersei Lannister and children, the eldest of who is Prince Joffrey Baratheon. Also travelling with the king is Ser Jaime Lannister, brother of Queen Cersei and brother-in-law of the king. Thus, the opening of the series introduces the three most important families in the story, the Starks, the Baratheons and the Lannisters. The plot continues with Ned Stark accepting the position of second-in-command to the king while his son suffers an accident which cripples him for life. Ned Stark leaves his family home in the north and moves to the capital city called King’s Landing where he will take care of the matters of the state. During this time, he discovers that the previous Hand of the King was murdered while he was uncovering the truth about the king’s family. Ned Stark picks up where the last Hand left off and the story follows.

The series has an unlimited supply of characters, both starring and recurring, which makes it hard to follow. But nevertheless, this series is one of the most interesting fantasy tv shows to grace the screen in the recent past. The protagonist of the series is the family of Stark which comprises the patriarch Lord Eddard Stark, his wife Lady Catelyn Stark and their five children Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran and Rickon. Ned Stark also has another son, Jon Snow, who was born out of wedlock and lives with the family in their castle.

The entire series is constructed in a fictional land of Westeros, with a parallel story running on an adjacent land called Essos. The characters can be divided based on their family line and the areas they are from, thus the most important family is the Starks who are the ruling family in the North, the Baratheons are the current monarchy and the Lannisters are related to them by way of marriage. The other important families in the story are the Targaryens, the previous monarchy who were overthrown by the death of the king and his children banished to the far off lands of Essos. Viserys Targaryen and his sister Daenerys roam the wastelands trying to find a way back. Finally, Daenerys is married off to Khal Drogo, leader of a nomadic tribe called Dothraki, in exchange for an army which will help Viserys take back the throne in Westeros. As the story unfolds, more households and families come into the fray to add depth to the plot.

The production value of the series shows with the excellent costumes, sets and props. The parlance in the series matches that of medieval monarchal times. In terms of letdowns in this series there are near to none, barring the long parade of characters which is less of a hindrance and more of a positive tick in the plot.

The series touches upon a long list of topics like loyalty, honour, pride, religion, hierarchy, crime, sexuality, morality, incest, and more. It is a truly well rounded plot which is crafted to perfection and executed splendidly. At the same time, the themes in the series may not be for everyone and will not suit the fainthearted and the weak-willed.

Game of Thrones serves as a paragon for fantasy tv shows and is a must watch as it can be enjoyed by all. It has the ability to convert a fantasy cynic into a fan.