Sherlock Holmes v. Sherlock

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is ok so long as you are expecting a comic book adventure along the lines of Captain America or Iron Man (natch) and not a detective-mystery ala Sherlock Holmes. A smart character requires smart writers and in this movie the producers saved the money for special effects.

In contrast, the British TV series Sherlock is a must see. Sherlock reboots Holmes into our world. Yet despite advancing in time some 130 years when Sherlock first meets Watson he says, exactly as in the original, "You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive." A shiver ran down my spine.

Sherlock is fast-paced but clever. It's written by two Doctor Who vets who invest Holmes with wit, originality and intellect, rather than the quasi-magical powers found in the aforementioned movie. The chemistry between Holmes and Watson is  clear – one understands in this version what is lacking in many others, these two need each other.

The first season has only 3, 90 minute, episodes but a second season just ran in Britain and I expect it will soon be available in the U.S.