h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Obligatory question: Anyone want to know when the next series of Sherlock starts?

Yes I know it's not really a proper question, but I'd be annoyed if I missed it so I'm spreading the word. New Year's Day, BBC1, 8.10pm.

Deb

I can't wait. This year's miniseries was brilliant, and I see no reason that next year's won't be just as wonderful.

If you're referring to the Cumberbatch/Freeman Sherlock - not seen it.

How is it?

On a related note: I've read two of the four Holmes novels, and all of the Strand magazine stories. Rathbone was OK, and Brett was pretty good, but Robert Downey Jr. is excellent. The only negative I have to offer about his performance and the films in general is that he (unlike Rathbone) doesn't look like Paget's drawings. But you can't criticise a man for not having an aquline nose. In every other respect, as a fan of Holmes, I love it. I've not seen the sequel yet... tomorrow maybe. Can't bothered leaving the house in this infernal wind.

I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy the Cumberbatch/Freeman Holmes. Law/Downey Jr was good, but there were too many ludicrous moments (the fight with Kurrgan, the stupid Dan Brown plot, pretty much everything that happens in the final half-hour).

The BBC version is put into 'modern times', which works much better than you might think, and preserves a lot of the characterisation of the books.

B

I saw an episode of Sherlock. To me it didn´t feel like Holmes and Watson, it could easily have been someone else.

There are also problems with the characterization of Downey´s Holmes, but it fitted the overall style of the movie anyway.

I loved it. I found it intriguing, even if I did know who 'did it'.

Thanks for the advance warning deb, much appreciated

I saw the new Downey/Law Holmes yesterday, and I'm looking forward to the new Cumberbatch Holmes after catching the last series on DVD.

I missed the last series out of apathy but, having seen Cumberbatch in a few things since, I thought I'd give it a try tonight. Since it finished 20 mins ago I've bought the miniseries DVD from Amazon.

That was absolutely incredible. I'd missed the transformation of Martin Freeman from general comic into seriously decent actor - when did that happen? Cumberbatch is a real talent just hitting it big and I'm looking forward to watching him over the next few decades - for a start I hope the rumours of a Smiley's People film series with him in a major role comes true.

Everything was perfectly judged - wonderful performances from all, a watertight script and wonderfully shot.

After the last series, I thought Sherlock was the Doctor Who team keeping themselves busy. This is not a criticism, they did a great job with it.
Now I think it's the Doctor Who team keeping themselves interested, i.e. by changing things up a bit and trying something different.

I thought it was brilliant. I can't really add much more. Maybe on a second watch...

Oh, it was just as good as I had hoped. I loved it

yep, that was rather good. Twisty turney with all sorts of undercurrents and false leads. And the payoff scene could have been sooooo cliched but somehow wasn't. That' deserves a rewatch, in HD.

My concern is that Moffat and Gatiss might work out that it's better than Who...

My secondary concern is that those two names are really hard to write if you're not sure where the double-letters go.

B

Before the final pay-off, I rather suspected it. Anyway, really top stuff. It felt like an end-of-season climax, but that's very difficult in a three-episode series. Or maybe very easy.

Loved the first series and loved this first episode tonight.

Saw the movie before Christmas - bit of a romp, good fun, but more Indiana Jones than Sherlock Holmes.

Still not seen the series, but I saw the second movie last night.

Minor spoilers ahead:

Good points - it expanded upon and twisted in a couple of good ways good things about the previous film, including and especially Holmes's predictive hand-to-hand fighting style.

Bad points - for plotting reasons it brought to mind the film of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and that's not a good thing. Don't get me wrong, it's much, much better, but the very fact it made me think of that film is a point against it. Sorry.

There was a rumour that the voice and body of Moriarty in the first film was provided by Brad Pitt. Very glad they didn't pursue that - the Moriarty they have is every bit the sadistic chessmaster he needs to be.

Conclusion: not as good as the first one, but still good.

Will give the series a go some time in the next few weeks, on the strength of opinions in previous posts.

I take it that Hoo's alluding to the Downey/Law film as opposed to the Cumberbatch/Freeman series?

The words 'second movie' were a bit of a tip-off...

B

Really liked last night's episode, although I thought the start with the resolution of last series' cliff-hanger was a bit of a let down.

Most enjoyable. But you can't take your eyes off it, can you? I tried watching while I was eating my dinner and had to stop as I kept missing the written stuff on screen.

Looking forward to Hounds of Baskerville next week.

Deb