OK, so it's technically not based on just one book, but my husband and I recently watched Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows for the second time (we first saw it in December on our tenth anniversary). I may be biased, since I am a huuuuge Robert Downey Jr fan; but I have to say that I think this incarnation of the classic detective is the best ever. And this is a character that is quite possibly in danger of being done to death. It's been awhile since I've read the original stories, but I always appreciated the ability of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to stump his readers. No matter how closely I followed the plot, I could never guess the solution. Not every writer can accomplish that.
But back to the movie. I feel that this rendition captures Holmes as he was meant to be, supersmart, yet flawed and a little weird. I particularly enjoy the use of disguises, which was Holmes' trademark in the stories. Although this is my favorite version of Sherlock Holmes, it is not the only one I enjoy watching. I also like the series by BBC shown on Masterpiece Mystery, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Holmes and Martin Freeman as Watson. This is an update set in modern London, with Holmes and Watson making exstensive use of modern technology like texting and the Internet. It just finished its second season on PBS and hopefully it will be back for a third.
My favorite Sherlock Holmes story is either The Hound of the Baskervilles or The Adventure of the Speckled Band. What is your favorite? Comment on this post to let me know your answer.
Just read that the creators of Sherlock on BBC confirmed to Twitter that there will be a third season!
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