Teaser: SHERLOCK - series 3

The BBC have been reshowing Sherlock over the summer, and they attached a teaser for series 3 at the conclusion of those repeats tonight. You can watch the video embedded above, which doesn't give anything away about storylines or how Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch) cheated death. The biggest reveal is that Watson (Martin Freeman) will be sporting a moustache for awhile. The third series of Sherlock currently has no air date, but it's rumoured to be scheduled for either late-2013 or around New Year.

Here are some of my favourite San Diego Comic-Con 2013 panels

The annual San Diego Comic Con is over for another year; so as the geek mecca goes quiet, I've compiled a run-down of my favourite panels from 2013:

Community, Dexter, Doctor Who, Game of Thrones, Hannibal, the Marvel Universe, and Sherlock.

Feel free to embed some of your own in the comments below. There's a chance I'll promote the best to include in this post.

Cumberbatch and Freeman signed to a fourth series of SHERLOCK

Benedict Cumberbatch recently attended the South Bank Show Awards, where he let slip he's signed to a fourth series of Sherlock, saying both he and co-star Martin Freeman have "... agreed to two more series but I'm probably going to get into trouble for saying that. All I know at the moment is I'm doing these three and another three."

When asked about the show's future beyond another six episodes, Cumberbatch said "it just depends on Martin and I's availability, how long we can keep it going. It depends on [co-creator] Steven [Moffat]'s ability. I'd love to keep it going. We only do three at a time, so I think the normal fear of over-stretching the mark and just doing too many [doesn't apply]. I'd like to see [Sherlock Holmes] getting older. We're starting quite young. It's rare to see Holmes and Watson at the beginning of their relationship; we usually join them in their mid-to-late 40s or 50s. I've got a way to go. I mean, I'm only 35."

Cumberbatch's words suggest he's open to returning as the modern-day Sherlock Holmes for a great many years to come, if he's keen to see the character into middle-age. Maybe fans should start thinking of Sherlock along the same lines as ITV's Poirot, where David Suchet has kept returning to the role of Hercule Poirot fairly regularly since 1989. Indeed, Suchet's almost filmed all of Agatha Christie's Poirot novels and short stories over this 23-year commitment.

The third series of Sherlock begins filming on 18 March, with a read-through of the first episode having taken place on 12 March. Those three episodes are likely to air in autumn/winter on the BBC, before we most likely face another agonizing wait for a fourth series.

[Sources: Radio Times, Digital Spy]

SHERLOCK series 3 delayed

The third trio of Sherlock episodes were due to start filming in January 2013, for a potential release in late-summer. This has now been pushed back to March 2013, accommodating Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman's hectic work schedules, meaning a late-autumn or Christmas release is more likely. That's practically a year away, so the gap between series 2 and 3 will be almost two years!

Let's hope the explanation for Sherlock Holmes cheating death is still something audiences care about, or feel was worth such a very long wait...

CBS' ELEMENTARY preview

written by Robert Doherty / directed by Michael Cuesta

Elementary's problem isn't that it's been inspired by the success of the BBC's own modern-day Sherlock Holmes, it's how US TV's choked with too many similar shows. Erase the words "Sherlock" and "Watson" from this CBS pilot and it doesn't make any difference, because Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's characters are merely a good marketing ploy for a country that's always been attracted to the "consulting detective" and police procedurals in general. By combining both with Elementary, CBS are most likely onto a long-running hit, that's my deduction.

I've already made it clear what my deep-rooted feelings about this project are; especially considering the "coincidence" it materialised soon after the creators of Sherlock refused to make CBS an Americanisation of their own show. I even reviewed Elementary's pilot script awhile ago, which appears unchanged. Consequently, the only new things to discuss are the performances, direction and production values. Jonny Lee Miller (Trainspotting) manages to avoid copying the two other Sherlock's around at the moment (he's less physical and camp compared to Robert Downey Jr; less menacing and inscrutable when measured against Benedict Cumberbatch). That's a relief, but it also makes Miller's version the third most interesting Sherlock on the block.

Video: SHERLOCK - The Network Joint Session Masterclass

MediaGuardian have put the entire Sherlock panel online from the Edinburgh International Television Festival, where creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss discuss the creation of the popular BBC series with TV critic Boyd Hilton. They're also joined by producer Sue Vertue and actor Andrew Scott (who plays Moriarty). I have nothing much to add, beyond the fact this is an enjoyable hour's watch for fans, and I'm so pleased The Guardian have put high-quality footage of this panel online.

Creators tease SHERLOCK series 3, which begins filming in January 2013

Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss attended the MediaGuardian's Edinburgh International Television Festival panel to discuss Sherlock. They were joined by actor Andrew Scott (Moriarty) and producer Sue Vertue, to answer various questions. The big news was the announcement that series 3 will film between January and April 2013, suggesting a late-summer/early-autumn premiere next year.

Primetime Emmy Awards 2012: Nominees

The nominations have been announced for the Primetime Emmy Awards 2012, and it makes for interesting reading. Below is a list of the major nominees, together with thoughts from my good self under each category. Obviously, I don't watch everything on US TV, so some of this is down to gut instinct and wishful thinking...

Outstanding Comedy Series

• The Big Bang Theory
• Curb Your Enthusiasm
• Girls
• Modern Family
• 30 Rock
• Veep

Thoughts: I'd like Girls to win because it's new and, to be frank, most US awards show are tedious because a good 90% of the nominees are cut-and-paste from last year.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

• Lena Dunham – Girls
• Melissa McCarthy – Mike & Molly
• Zooey Deschanel – New Girl
• Edie Falco – Nurse Jackie
• Amy Poehler – Parks & Recreation
• Tina Fey – 30 Rock
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus – Veep

Thoughts: Claiming Nurse Jackie's a comedy is one thing, but claiming Edie Falco's in any way funny on that show is another thing entirely. I can envisage Julia Louis-Dreyfus winning, because of residual Seinfeld love, despite the fact she was the fourth funniest person on Veep.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

• Jim Parsons – The Big Bang Theory
• Larry David – Curb Your Enthusiasm
• Don Cheadle – House of Lies
• Louis C.K – Louis
• Alec Baldwin – 30 Rock
• Jon Cryer – Two & A Half Men

Thoughts: Louis C.K should win, obviously, but Jim Parsons probably will because more people watch Big Bang Theory and it's easier to laugh at geek stereotypes.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

• Mayim Bialik – The Big Bang Theory
• Kathryn Joosten – Desperate Housewives
• Julie Bowen – Modern Family
• Sofia Vergara – Modern Family
• Merritt Weaver – Nurse Jackie
• Kristen Wiig – Saturday Night Live

Thoughts: I'm not best placed to say, but Merritt Weaver is the only thing that even makes me understand why Nurse Jackie gets nominated in comedy categories, so give it to her. She's fun.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

• Ed O'Neill – Modern Family
• Jesse Tyler Ferguson – Modern Family
• Ty Burrell – Modern Family
• Eric Stonestreet – Modern Family
• Max Greenfield – New Girl
• Bill Hader – Saturday Night Live

Thoughts: The Modern Family award will most likely go to... oh, throw a dart.

Outstanding Drama Series

• Boardwalk Empire
• Breaking Bad
• Downton Abbey
• Game Of Thrones
• Homeland
• Mad Men

Thoughts: Finally! Americans have woken up and realized Downton Abbey is a TV series, not a miniseries. This has huge repercussions, as you'll see later. Breaking Bad is the best show on TV, so one hopes this is a no-brainer. Interesting that none of these dramas are on mainstream networks.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

• Glenn Close – Damages
• Michelle Dockery – Downton Abbey
• Julianna Margulies – The Good Wife
• Kathy Bates – Harry's Law
• Claire Danes – Homeland
• Elisabeth Moss – Mad Men

Thoughts: Oh, Claire Danes, for sure. Michelle Dockery? America really needs to get over its UK period drama fetish. She's fine, but... God.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

• Steve Buscemi – Boardwalk Empire
• Bryan Cranston – Breaking Bad
• Michael C. Hall – Dexter
• Hugh Bonneville – Downton Abbey
• Damian Lewis – Homeland
• Jon Hamm – Mad Men

Thoughts: Bryan Cranston, duh. How is Michael C. Hall still getting nominated for Dexter? Hugh Bonneville? Oh, Lord. Jon Hamm's my #2.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

• Anna Gunn – Breaking Bad
• Maggie Smith – Downton Abbey
• Joanne Froggatt – Downton Abbey
• Archie Panjabi – The Good Wife
• Christine Baranski – The Good Wife
• Christina Hendricks – Mad Men

Thoughts: See, they've gone Downton crazy this year! I'm going to say Christine Baranski, because I've seen her play drama and comedy and she's terrific at both. Christina Hendricks is lovely, but I don't see why she gets nominated. Unless Emmy voters just want to see her on the red carpet.

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series

• Aaron Paul – Breaking Bad
• Giancarlo Esposito – Breaking Bad
• Brendan Coyle – Downton Abbey
• Jim Carter – Downton Abbey
• Peter Dinklage – Game Of Thrones
• Jared Harris – Mad Men

Thoughts: Ordinarily, Peter Dinklage would be my pick, but the Emmy's have come good and given Giancarlo Esposito a nomination. So he's my pick, because he was absolutely astonishingly good in Breaking Bad's fourth season.

Outstanding Guest Actor in Comedy

• Michael J. Fox - Curb Your Enthusiasm
• Greg Kinnear - Modern Family
• Bobby Cannavale - Nurse Jackie
• Jimmy Fallon - Saturday Night Live
• Will Arnett - 30 Rock
• Jon Hamm - 30 Rock

Thoughts: I can't judge this one, sorry...

Outstanding Guest Actress in Comedy

• Dot-Marie Jones - Glee
• Maya Rudolph - Saturday Night Live
• Melissa McCarthy - Saturday Night Live
• Elizabeth Banks - 30 Rock
• Margaret Cho - 30 Rock
• Kathy Bates - Two and a Half Men

Thoughts: Or this one.

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series

• Mark Margolis, Breaking Bad
• Dylan Baker, The Good Wife
• Michael J. Fox, The Good Wife
• Jeremy Davies, Justified
• Ben Feldman, Mad Men
• Jason Ritter, Parenthood

Thoughts: Excellent category. I'd love for Mark Margolis to win, considering his performance was 99% communicated with a glare because his character in Breaking Bad could't talk. But I'd be happy with anyone else, except for Jason Ritter in Parenthood (which I haven't seen).

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series

• Martha Plimpton, The Good Wife
• Loretta Devine, Grey's Anatomy
• Jean Smart, Harry's Law
• Julia Ormond, Mad Men
• Joan Cusack, Shameless
• Uma Thurman, Smash

Thoughts: I can only really comment on Martha Plimpton and Julia Ormond here, who were fine but nothing Emmy-worthy. Was Uma Thurman worth the nomination for Smash?

Outstanding Reality Show Host

• Tom Bergeron - Dancing With the Stars
• Cat Deeley - So You Think You Can Dance
• Phil Keoghan - The Amazing Race
• Ryan Seacrest - American Idol
• Betty White - Betty White's Off Their Rockers

Thoughts: This is a genuine category? Oh. Umm, Cat Deeley to win. I like her.

Outstanding Reality Series Competition

• The Amazing Race
• Dancing With the Stars
• Project Runway
• So You Think You Can Dance
• Top Chef
• The Voice

Thoughts: From what I hear, The Voice or Dancing With The Stars have this sewn up.

Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series

• The Colbert Report
• The Daily Show With Jon Stewart
• Jimmy Kimmel Live
• Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
• Real Time With Bill Maher
• Saturday Night Live

Thoughts: I don't watch any of these regularly, but tend to find The Colbert Report funniest.

Outstanding Miniseries or Movie

• American Horror Story
• Game Change
• Hatfields & McCoys
• Hemingway & Gellhorn
• Luther
• Sherlock: A Scandal In Belgravia

Thoughts: Oh, now the Emmy's think Sherlock isn't a TV series. Give it a few years and they'll learn – but, okay, the paucity of episodes means it's a hard one to categorize. I'd pick Sherlock here because it's more fun and creative, but wouldn't mind Luther winning.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie

• Connie Britton – American Horror Story
• Julianne Moore – Game Change
• Nicole Kidman - Hemingway & Gellhorn
• Ashley Judd – Missing
• Emma Thompson - The Song Of Lunch

Thoughts: I can't judge this one, but my gut says Julianne Moore.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie

• Woody Harrelson – Game Change
• Kevin Costner - Hatfields & McCoys
• Bill Paxton - Hatfields & McCoys
• Clive Owen - Hemingway & Gellhorn
• Idris Elba – Luther
• Benedict Cumberbatch - Sherlock: A Scandal In Belgravia

Thoughts: It has to be Cumberbatch, followed by Elba. Patriotism, see.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie

• Frances Conroy - American Horror Story
• Jessica Lange - American Horror Story
• Sarah Paulson – Game Change
• Mare Winningham - Hatfields & McCoys
• Judy Davis – Page Eight

Thoughts: Jessica Lange was the standout of American Horror Story, in a role that's practically revived her career. Disliked the show, by and large, but she was great.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie

• Denis O'Hare - American Horror Story
• Ed Harris - Game Change
• Tom Berenger - Hatfields & McCoys
• David Strathairn - Hemingway & Gellhorn
• Martin Freeman - Sherlock: A Scandal In Belgravia

Thoughts: Denis O'Hare? He's great, but his role on American Horror Story was negligible. I actually thought Watson's role in series 2 of Sherlock was noticeably weaker, but I haven't seen the others, so will have to go with Martin Freeman.

Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series

• Tim Van Patten - Boardwalk Empire
• Vince Gilligan - Breaking Bad
• Brian Percival - Downton Abbey
• Michael Cuesta - Homeland
• Phil Abraham - Mad Men

Thoughts: Hmmm, tricky. I think there's more involved with directing Boardwalk Empire, so Tim Van Patten gets my hypothetical vote.

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series

• Julian Fellowes - Downton Abbey
• Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon & Gideon Raff - Homeland
• Semi Chellas & Matthew Weiner - Mad Men
• Andre Jacquemetton & Maria Jacquemetton - Mad Men
• Erin Lev & Matthew Weiner - Mad Men

Thoughts: Julian Fellowes? Haha. He had terrible problems with Downton Abbey series 2. Just give it to one of the Mad Men posse.

Overall thoughts

A strong showing for British shows (Luther, Downton Abbey, Sherlock) and the actors involved in them (but not the writers?), plus some love shown for excellent dramas like Mad Men and Breaking Bad. It's just a tragedy Community doesn't feature anywhere—being not only the funniest show on TV, but one with the best comedy ensemble I've seen in years.

The Emmy 2012 winners will be announced on 23 September at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, with host Jimmy Kimmel. The complete list of nominees can be read here.

SHERLOCK series 3 filming 2013

Executive-producer Beryl Virtue has confirmed to the BBC's in-house magazine Ariel that Sherlock won't start filming its third series until "early 2013". Given the turnaround we've experienced with the previous two series, I predict this means Sherlock will be back in autumn 2013 (or perhaps late-summer, echoing series 1).

Sherlock unfortunately has a very long development process; mainly because co-creator Steven Moffat is so busy most of the year running Doctor Who, Martin Freeman has resumed shooting The Hobbit in New Zealand, and Benedict Cumberbatch's film career is about to skyrocket (he's currently playing the villain in JJ Abrams' Star Trek 2, for instance).

Thankfully, everyone involved is very keen to make more Sherlock, so this show isn't going away anytime soon. Fans will just have a probable 18-month wait for further adventures.

ELEMENTARY, dear Jonny

Jonny Lee Miller (Trainspotting, Eli Stone) has been cast as Sherlock Holmes in CBS' modern-day update entitled Elementary. A project that's causing raised eyebrows at the BBC, whose globally successful Sherlock has likely inspired this American take on the same idea.

Bizarrely, Jonny Lee Miller recently co-starred with Sherlock's Benedict Cumberbatch in Danny Boyle's theatre play Frankenstein (where they alternated playing Dr Frankenstein and the Monster every performance). I wonder what Cumberbatch thinks of his colleague playing the lead role in what's widely seen as a cynical cash-in on the BBC's success...

It'll also be interesting to see if the BBC take legal action against the producers of Elementary, should their show have too many similarities to Sherlock. It's a tricky legal issue, seeing as the idea of modernising Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's iconic sleuth isn't copyrightable, but apparently there's a case to answer if Elementary reproduces the distinctive ingredients of Sherlock—like its costume design, specific plots, and visual style.

If CBS like the pilot of Elementary (currently being written by Robert Doherty, to be directed by Dexter's Michael Cuesta), expect this New York-set version to debut as part of their 2012/13 season.

SHERLOCK, 2.3 – "The Reichenbach Fall"

"We're just alike, you and I. Except you're boring." – Moriarty to Sherlock

Considering Steve Thompson wrote the worst of series 1's episodes, "The Blind Banker", and one of the least remarkable Doctor Who's last year, "Curse Of The Black Spot", you could forgive most people from raising eyebrows at the fact he'd been entrusted with writing Sherlock's big finale. However, Thompson acquits himself very well with "The Reichenbach Fall", which was another of the show's elastically-plotted thrills. It helped that this was the first adventure to truly focus on arch-nemesis Jim Moriarty (Andrew Scott), and that the stakes were high for Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch) on a personal level, and it all came together brilliantly for a climactic rooftop confrontation and puzzling denouement.

Consulting criminal Moriarty simultaneously opens the Bank of England's vault and Pentonville Prison, while smashing his way into the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London to await his own capture by the alerted police. A quick and easy conviction is expected at the Old Bailey, especially as Moriarty offers no evidence in his defence, yet the jury make the bizarre decision to acquit him... allowing Moriarty to continue the next phase of his masterplan, to solve the "Final Problem" of having a nemesis like Sherlock as a thorn in his side. But it's not really as simple as that, because there's the mutual fascination and respect between the two men, very much opposite sides of the same coin. Moriarty comes across as a super-genius who's become psychotic out of sheer boredom. He's overjoyed that someone like Sherlock exists, yet suspicious that he's not his equal, and in some ways his mind games are just a test to see if Sherlock's worthy of his adversarial status.

The great thing about "The Reichenbach Fall" was realising how Moriarty's plan was going to work, as it became clear he's planting seeds of doubt in people's minds that Sherlock's a totally benevolent genius working for "the angels". After kidnapping boarding school children and feeding them mercury-tainted sweets at an abandoned warehouse, it became less about finding their abductor and more about preventing the police from acting on their suspicions that Sherlock (solving crimes on piffling evidence like a footprint) may actually be the culprit. Throw in the hilariously bizarre moment when Moriarty went to investigative reporter Kitty Riley (Katherine Parkinson) claiming to be children's TV actor Rich Brooke, forced by Sherlock to play the role of Moriarty in a sick fantasy, and the whole episode really started to take on a life of its own. While nothing here was completely plausible, the fact Sherlock exists in only a semi-realistic world really helps, and enables the writers to just have fun with sillier ideas.

As for Moriarty, he's been a divisive figure on the show since he made his entrance in "The Great Game" at the swimming pool, seeing as he's such a departure from most people's idea of that character. This episode definitely helped you see what creators Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat were after when they devised him (an impish Irish version of The Joker) and Scott gave an engaging performance, but I'm still not completely sure Moriarty should be like this. He's unnerving and obviously intelligent, and a scene where he shared tea with Sherlock while tapping binary digits with his fingers and biting the letters "I O U" into an apple, was absolutely fantastic, but I still find myself wishing he was less of a "character" and more of a "person". It's slightly too cartoonish for me still, although I know others think that works really well against the show's others characters who are played straight.

Similarly to series 1's finale, most people will be discussing the ending over anything else. A marvellous scene with Moriarty and Sherlock on the roof of a hotel (instead of a waterfall in the books), where Sherlock realized the only way to save Watson (Martin Freeman), Mrs Hudson (Una Stubbs) and Molly Hooper (Louise Brealey) is to commit suicide by leaping off the edge—which is the agreed signal to three snipers to lay down their weapons. What's going to puzzle people for many months, is how they've chosen to leave things. Moriarty's seemingly shot himself in the face, after realising he's the weakness in his own plan—but I suppose that's survivable depending on where the bullet went. Or perhaps series 3 will be a prequel to these adventures? More confusing was Sherlock's swan dive off the roof, smashing his skull on the pavement below, ending the show with Watson over his grave... before the last-second reveal of Sherlock watching from afar. How Sherlock cheated death is completely beyond me, and I'm not expecting an explanation that works perfectly when the show returns.

Overall, "The Reichenbach Fall" was a fine resolution of this improved second series. I loved how Sherlock's celebrity status was the summit of the social "fall" Moriarty set him on, and Freeman was given far more opportunities to bring humanity to what can otherwise be a mechanical plot-driven show. In fact, of the three episodes, this was easily the most emotional and human, with Cumberbatch's best performance in the role. Watson's scene at the grave was also genuinely moving, as he struggled to contain his emotions at the death of his most remarkable friend... who's left this world with everyone thinking he was a crazy fraud.

Taken as a whole, series 2 covered some compelling thematic areas (sex, fear, identity), and did a wonderful job updating three of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's stories. It's hard to choose between them, as I've rated them all the same, but I probably prefer "A Scandal In Belgravia" because Moffat's twisty writing is such a perfect fit for the show. But the final two episodes seemed to justify the 90-minutes a lot better, especially this finale, and it would be a crime if various people's careers obstructed a third series next year...

Asides

• It delights me how the deerstalker hat has become an icon of Sherlock Holmes in this update, with Sherlock himself hating that fact.
• That was The IT Crowd's Katherine Parkinson as the reporter, I'm sure you know.
• So how did Sherlock fake his own death? The best theory I've heard is that he threw a doppelganger off the roof, perhaps a corpse provided by Molly the doctor. But wouldn't DNA tests prove that wasn't Sherlock? Wouldn't someone like Watson have identified the body? How would Sherlock have found an exact double that would fool so many people?

written by Steve Thompson / directed by Toby Haynes / 15 January 2012 / BBC One

SHERLOCK, 2.2 - "The Hounds Of Baskerville"

"I don't have friends. I've just got one." – Sherlock to Watson

Sherlock Holmes is one of the most popular fictional characters on the planet, but I think it's safe to say the general public aren't as au fait with the plots to "A Study In Scarlet" or "A Scandal In Bohemia", which have been the basis of just two Sherlock episodes in this modern update. Sherlock as a character is better known than his adventures. However, "The Hound Of The Baskervilles" is arguably the one case most people know something about, or would single out as the iconic case for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's sleuth. It was actually the author's most popular tale, written years after he'd killed Holmes in 1893's "The Final Problem" (an inspiration for next week's finale), although chronologically it took place earlier. Regardless, this story's become a classic of its genre and, for most people, the one they have genuine familiarity with.

Co-creator Mark Gatiss adapts and updates the 1901 story, renaming it "The Hounds Of Baskerville", as the second episode of Sherlock, and it proves to be another rousing success in almost every respect. In the Venn diagram of Gatiss' interests, this story would sit somewhere in the middle, most notably because of its supernatural element and Hammer Horror affiliation (Christopher Lee played Sir Henry in the 1959 horror from that British studio, opposite Peter Cushing's Holmes). So it's no great surprise that Gatiss manages to craft an effective and enjoyable adventure here, cleverly updating the story to involve a secret chemical/biological army test centre in Dartmoor that may have created a genetic chimera known as "The Hound" (which has become a local legend, akin to the real-life Beast Of Bodmin).

It's less dense and complicated than last week's premiere, but that's to its credit. While Steven Moffat favours plot-flips and surprises round every corner, Gatiss is better at sustaining a chilling mood and telling a spooky story. The adventure begins with posh Henry Knight (Russell Tovey) asking for Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Watson's (Martin Freeman) help solving the mystery of his father's disappearance 20 years ago—the alleged result of an attack by a beast, or "Hound", with glowing red eyes, which has now returned and is haunting him on the moors. Initially incredulous of the tale, to put it mildly, Sherlock is nevertheless drawn to Devon to investigate this tall tale, and comes to realise there may be something to Henry's wild story—particularly after witnessing the fabled creature himself at the misty Jewer's Hollow, forcing the world's most rational mind to doubt the one thing that's never let him down: his own eyes.

"The Hounds Of Baskerville" was huge fun, and I particularly enjoyed seeing Sherlock and Watson taken out of their London stomping grounds to wander the bleak Devon countryside. It immediately gave the show a very different feel (Agatha Christie-meets-Brotherhood Of The Wolf) and you could tell Gatiss was having great fun making the duo rub shoulders with eccentric country folk: the barman who mistakes them as a gay couple, the enthusiast who owns a plaster footprint of the Hound, or the various members of the Baskerville research centre who are prime suspects for releasing an abomination into the wilderness beyond their barbed wire fences and minefield. It was also the ideal story to take Sherlock out of his comfort zone in other ways—by tackling a seemingly preposterous story, clashing against the otherworldly. It's often claimed, accurately, that Doctor Who is a Sherlock Holmes update in many ways, so it's interesting to note that the two characters have very different belief systems. The Doctor would have no problem accepting something crazy was happening here, even if there was a semi-rational explanation for things. In fact, "Tooth & Claw" is in some ways Who's version of the Baskerville story.

However, there were problems with this episode. While it was a wise decision to ensure this update didn't follow the original story too closely, regarding the fact Watson is essentially alone on the case for a long time, there were still moments when the story had to keep its double-act apart... and it wasn't always successful. But perhaps more problematic was how Henry Knight was used throughout the story, as he slipped into the background too much and was left to have a mental breakdown in a subplot that felt too tangential to the Sherlock/Watson investigation. Tovey was probably cast because he's brilliant at evoking audience sympathy, but Henry was just too much of a weeping wreck to be all that interesting. I'd have preferred him to play a more substantial role in things, but I understand why that would also presented problems in other ways.

I also found that the resolution to the mystery was perhaps too silly for this show. When it all boiled down to hazy childhood memories, a man in a red-eyed gas mask, a scary wolf T-shirt, a recognisable acronym, and the hallucinogenic gas from Batman Begins... well, it made enough sense to be largely satisfying, but it was also dafter than you expect from Sherlock. I think it's obvious why this story is a relatively rare instance of Sherlock tackling an X File. It can work, just about, but there's more pleasure to be gained from a compelling mystery that takes everyday things and gives them impossible twists that only Sherlock can unknot.

But despite its flaws, Mark Gatiss did probably the best job with pacing on the show since it began. These 90-minute episodes generally sag in the middle, but "The Hounds Of Baskerville" sustained itself like a genuine movie for once. It was still possible to lose 20-minutes from the story, if you gave it a good shake, but it didn't really hit the same "wall" after an hour—where you check your watch and wonder how they're going to keep the story going another 30-minutes. Maybe this is partly because Gatiss's adaptation was more of a direct update to the singular Conan Doyle story, instead of a mere starting point that's joined by elements from other plots, which has been true of the previous adventures.

Overall, "The Hounds Of Baskerville" wasn't as gripping as last week's premiere, but it held my attention better because it didn't feel so desperate to bamboozle the audience. In fact, there were quite a few moments when I was able to play "armchair detective" and managed to spot a few clues that proved relevant to Sherlock's deductions or methodology: like Dr Frankland using the Americanism of "cell number" instead of "mobile number", or the strangeness of him giving Watson sugar with his tea. Maybe this is because we, as an audience, are beginning to pay greater attention to the show's finer details, knowing how this show operates. I'm even starting to make mental notes about the seemingly trivial cases Sherlock dismisses early in episodes (like Bluebell the missing rabbit here) because they're more important than you realise...

Whatever gripes there were, this was highly enjoyable and stylish filmmaking with impressive performances and a real sense of mood, effective chills, and a few jumps along the way. The CGI "Hound" may not have been as convincing as we'd been led to believe it would be, and there were times when this adaptation didn't work perfectly, but overall I had a great time watching "The Hounds Of Baskerville" and it was nowhere close to being a disappointment for me.

Asides

• For British audiences, the cast here was full of recognisable TV faces: Clive Mantle (Robin Of Sherwood, Casualty), Amelia Bullmore (Alan Partridge, Big Train), Sasha Behar ("Mad Maya" in Coronation Street), and Russell Tovey from Being Human, of course. Tovey was on the receiving end of a wolf-like creature here, which may have been an added meta-joke!
• Don't play Cluedo with Sherlock! "The victim did it."
• Mycroft's stolen ID card is essentially this show's version of The Doctor's "psychic paper"? Incidentally, why did the army soldier let Sherlock through after swiping that card, considering it clearly displayed a photo of Mycroft. Simple visual identification should surely have stopped Sherlock getting a foot beyond the check-in gate!
• Great to see the embarrassing deerstalker has become a running joke on Sherlock!
• I wonder if Sherlock's offer to tell Watson next week's lottery numbers was a nod to Derren Brown, the illusionist who did a famous lottery prediction trick on TV fairly recently. Brown's definitely a Holmesian character himself.
• Dr Frankland's mention of the WHO convention obviously wasn't a Doctor Who reference, as it refers to the World Health Organisation, but perhaps it still works as one? Dr Frankland may have been a veiled reference to Dr Frankenstein, too?
• The "Mind Palace" moment with Sherlock, as he mentally moves through his memories using hand gestures like Tom Cruise in Minority Report, felt too hokey to me. The idea appears to have been lifted from Thomas Harris' book Hannibal, which even made an appearance on a bookshelf in one scene. I suppose it gave director Paul McGuigan some more visual flourishes to indulge, in a more overtly humorous way.

written by Mark Gatiss / directed by Paul McGuigan / 8 January 2012 / BBC One

Review: SHERLOCK, 2.1 – "A Scandal In Belgravia"

"Look at those cheekbones. I could cut myself slapping that face. Would you like me to try?" -- Irene Adler

It's been an agonising 18-months since the BBC's internationally successful Sherlock Holmes update ended on a tense cliffhanger, but that's given everyone more than enough time to catch the repeats, buy/rent the DVD, and tell their friends about a show that may have escaped their notice during the summer of 2010. Thankfully, the wait is now over, and we have another trio of feature-length episodes to enjoy—and each one this year's based on arguably Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's most popular stories.

Things begin on a worrying note, to be frank, with a resolution of series 1's climax that's a big anticlimax—with Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Dr Watson (Martin Freeman) saved from Moriarty's (Andrew Scott) laser-sighted snipers at a public bath by a sudden change of heart from Sherlock's arch-nemesis after a phone call. Writer Steven Moffat just about gets away with it, because the moment is played for laughs (the Napoleon of Crime has a BeeGees ringtone?) and it's revealed that this episode's literary update, Irene Adler (the excellent Lara Pulver), is ultimately behind the last-second reprieve. But it's nevertheless a little deflating after such a long wait, where we've been expecting a spectacularly clever escape. And despite having negligible screen time here, Moriarty's still an unfortunately discordant modernization—with his sing-song voice like a psychotic Irish version of Paul McCartney, later blowing a raspberry to the London sky. Say what you like about Guy Ritchie's parallel movie franchise, but he at least got Jared Harris aboard.

Thankfully, this marks an early moment of uncertainty, because "A Scandal In Belgravia" is otherwise another powerhouse 90-minutes from Moffat and director Paul McGuigan—who has an even bigger bag of visual tricks this year, including having Sherlock "mentally" walk around his recollection of a crime scene at a later date, as if he's travelled back in time and is witnessing the events in slow-motion. The show's signature subtitles are also back, allowing us see into Sherlock's array of quick observations, but in even more visually creative ways.

"Brainy's the new sexy."

Any attempt to describe the plot is almost a folly, as it bends and twists in all manner of directions, often intentionally confusing viewers who are left to hope Baker Street's finest will provide just enough deductions to have them follow the basics. If I'm honest, there are times when that doesn't happen as regularly as hoped (especially after the first hour's passed) and you find yourself scrambling to keep up with the script. How did we get from chase the mobile phone to a jumbo jet full of corpses? It's a show that demands a few repeat viewings until everything becomes as clear in your mind as it is in Sherlock's, but that's no bad thing. At least here, unlike in the equivalently knotty episodes of Moffat-penned Doctor Who, there's a feeling of internal logic at work that can't rely on the whims of silly imagination to solve impossible problems. In fact, watching Sherlock again made me wonder why Moffat can't reproduce this style of writing for younger audiences of Who, without taking things too far. My theory is that Moffat works better when there's constraints, and Sherlock takes place in an ordinary world with an extraordinary hero. When it comes to Doctor Who, where anything and everything is possible, Moffat is given too much rope as showrunner and hangs himself too often.

The big takeaway with "A Scandal In Belgravia" is the delicious dialogue, fizzing character moments, rousing set-pieces, ingenious deductions (okay the "riverside boomerang" one was silly), and a sense of breathless pace and bravado that's very infectious and makes other TV shows look doddery in comparison. Since we last saw him, Sherlock's become an internet sensation (amusingly evading the press while wearing the disguise of the character's iconic deerstalker), taking on clients who read Watson's blog on the great detective's exploits (the only part of this update that feels stupid to me). Naturally, Sherlock only agrees to tackle the most fiendish of mysteries, and one tantalising case lands in his lap courtesy of brother Myrcroft (Mark Gatiss) at Buckingham Palace: retrieve compromising material in the possession of a high-class "dominatrix" called Irene Adler (aka "The Woman"), who is also being chased by CIA agents, as it could lead to the embarrassment of the British government.

Irene Adler is unfortunately another example of Moffat's tendency to write women in sexually clichéd roles, after Who companion Amy Pond (the kissogram turned perfume model)—here transformed from Victorian opera singer to a high-class prostitute with a penchant for riding crops and whips. It would be more frustrating were it not for the fact Adler's still a very powerful woman and, similarly to Who's River Song, a character able to use sex to bamboozle and confuse the show's asexual lead. A standout moment when Adler first meets Sherlock, turning the tables by arriving completely nude—which turns her into a puzzling blank canvas for the sharp-eyed sleuth who primarily relies on shoes to figure people out. That whole scene is the episode's best, watching Sherlock and Adler try to work each other out, leading to a brilliant sequence involving a fire alarm, a safe, an American hitman, and an unspoken access code.

"You're a great boyfriend. Sherlock's a very lucky man."

Similarly to 2010's episodes, "A Scandal In Belgravia" starts to flag after the first hour, with a clear sense that 20-minutes could have been trimmed from the flabbier middle. I'm not sure why each story isn't being split into two halves, aired on consecutive nights, which would certainly help. At this breakneck pace, with Moffat's desire to play non-stop mind-games with the audience, it can becomes wearisome after awhile. Fortunately it all ended brilliantly, with a fist-pumping moment of triumph for Sherlock and a fun denouement that revealed the extent of Sherlock's fascination and "love" for The Woman who in many ways is his equal. The whole challenge of this episode was for Sherlock to crack a case that's entwined with aspects of the human condition he has little personal experience of: sex and love. Irene Adler used her femininity against "The Virgin" (as Moriarty apparently refers to him), and watching Sherlock do battle against a woman who clearly finds him a fascinating, psychologically erotic challenge, was huge fun.

The compliments of series 1 are again true, most notably in Cumberbatch's career-defining role as the "high-functioning sociopath". A man who's occasionally rather terrifying (repeatedly throwing a man out of a window because he dared to scare housekeeper Mrs Hudson (Una Stubbs)), and is otherwise a strange yet fascinating presence. The way he surveys the world like a super-intelligent Siamese cat can send a shiver of excitement down your spine. Ultimately, you feel in very safe hands watching Sherlock, even if you come away not totally understanding a good 30% of what just happened. Steven Moffat may have broken into the big-time with Doctor Who, but it's his second favourite childhood obsession that's getting the best material right now.

Asides

• John Watson's Blog is real (http://www.johnwatsonblog.co.uk/), as it Irene Adler's Twitter account (@thewhiphand), and Watson's friend Molly Hooper's website (http://www.mollyhooper.co.uk/)
• I loved the scene where Sherlock's whisked to Buckingham Palace, where he could quite possibly have been meeting The Queen, wearing only a bed sheet to cover his dignity.
• Great use of the impressive Battersea Power Station as a location, which has been used many times on Doctor Who. It's perhaps most famous for appearing on the cover of Pink Floyd's 1977 album "Animals".
• You should recognize Lara Pulver from the BBC's Robin Hood (where I once tipped her for great things), and in the wasted role of a fairy on True Blood.

written by Steven Moffat / directed by Paul McGuigan / 1 January 2012 / BBC One

Dan's Most Anticipated TV Shows of early-2012

Who cares about what was good or disappointing about television in 2011? That's all in the past now, so let's move on. 2012! A shiny new year, full of old favourites and exciting newcomers. Below I pick my 11 Most Anticipated TV Shows of the new year period (Jan/Feb), so be sure to keep an eye out for the following on your screens:

11. Mad Dogs

(Sky1, 19 Jan) I'm in two minds about this show's return. I really loved half of series 1's four episodes, but felt the story tailed off sharply and didn't end well. Even worse, I didn't expect and still don't understand why Mad Dogs is coming back, because the story didn't seem to demand it. So I'm intrigued to see what they have planned in this second year, and if some lessons will have been learned from before. If nothing else, the great cast (John Simm, Philip Glenister, Marc Warren, Max Beesley) should be worth watching as the four childhood friends having a terrible time in paradise.

10. Smash

(NBC, 6 Feb) As Glee gets more ridiculous and repetitive, drowning in its own self-righteous silliness and celebrity cameos, will this brand new musical drama steal some of its thunder? I doubt it, because Smash is a very different beast, but maybe there are some disillusioned Glee fans who are craving something more substantial and dramatic. This song-and-dance drama, about the making of a Broadway show based on Marilyn Monroe's life, should be worth a few hours of your precious time.

9. Eternal Law

(ITV1, 5 Jan) A brand new fantasy drama from the writers behind Life On Mars and Ashes To Ashes, which is reason enough to be excited. (Unfortunately they also did renowned flop Bonekickers, so there are no guarantees.) Eternal Law concerns two heavenly angels, Zak and Tom, who are working as lawyers in modern-day York and use their abilities to influence the community around them in a positive way. Will this be a mawkish Highway To Heaven-style courtroom drama? I have no idea, but it should be worth finding out.

8. Luck

(HBO, 29 Jan) A drama written by David Milch (Deadwood), with a pilot directed by Michael Mann (Heat), starring Dustin Hoffman in his first TV role. Those facts alone guarantee many people will be tuning into this horse racing drama, but it remains to be seen if this equine underworld and its granite-faced characters will charm viewers into going the distance. But can you really refuse anything that co-stars Nick Nolte, Ian Hart, Dennis Farina and Michael Gambon?

7. Justified

(FX, 17 Jan) The third season of Justified will hopefully build on the brilliant second, now the writers have found a great balance between telling standalone stories while keeping an eye on an larger story arc. Great performances from Timothy Olyphant and Walton Goggins, who are joined this year by the beautiful Carla Gugino as a U.S Marshall Assistant Director (an actress who's no stranger to the work of author Elmore Leonard, having starred in Karen Sisco).

6. Being Human

(BBC Three, TBA) This will be a difficult series of the supernatural drama, given the departure of Aidan Turner (as tortured vampire Mitchell) and the knowledge that Russell Tovey's werewolf George is also leaving. Creator Toby Whithouse has his work cutout introducing a more urbane vampire to the group dynamic (played by Irishman Damien Moloney), and it remains to be seen if fans will accept the coming changes. Might it be best to end the show and let fans embrace the fluffier US remake? Maybe, but I'm very interested to see if Being Human can keep its audience as 66% of the original cast leave for pastures new.

5. Touch

(Fox, 25 Jan) It's Kiefer Sutherland's return to TV after 24, in a brand new sci-fi mystery series from the creator of Heroes. The setup is very simple: Sutherland plays the father of an autistic/mute boy who is able to predict various disasters, which he then has to prevent. It doesn't sound very original, but you can't deny the potential for some exciting case-of-the-week stories as father and son save the day together. The test here will be finding ways to stop the formula becoming too irritating. At least it's only been given a half-season order, so it stands a better chance of not outstaying its welcome.

4. The River

(ABC, 7 Feb) Horror is the big thing on television right now, following the success of True Blood and American Horror Story (we'll forget the unjust failure of the brilliant Harper's Island). What makes The River so anticipated is its unique-for-television format: a documentary-style affair similar to The Blair Witch Project, about the search for a famous explorer who goes missing in the Amazon. Six months later, the man's family go on a search to uncover what happened to him, joined by a documentary filmmaker, and discover supernatural goings-on. From the director of Paranormal Activity and a writer of Millennium, The River has the potential to be something really gripping.

3. Alcatraz

(Fox , 16 Jan) The latest project from JJ Abrams' Bad Robot production company, Alcatraz could go either way. The concept sounds great for a movie (prisoners from "The Rock" all go missing one night in the past, only to reappear in the modern-day), but can a TV series sustain that idea and keep audiences interested? It's hard to see how the writers will keep this rolling for years (can't they just interrogate their first recaptured fugitive for answers?), but I'm willing to give anything with Abrams' name attached the benefit of the doubt. Even if he's not actually very hands-on with these shows, day to day.

2. Spartacus: Vengeance

(Starz, 27 Jan) The first true sequel to Spartacus: Blood & Sand, after last year's brilliant prequel, Vengeance sees the show painting on a much bigger canvas. The budget is bigger, meaning the show can take the gladiators beyond the confines of the Capua arena and their training camp, out into the wider world. The big uncertainty is if Liam McIntyre will prove to be a fitting replacement for the late Andy Whitfield in the title role, but I see no reason to be concerned from the trailers. He looks very similar (which helps) and appears to have the same kind of charisma. Expect more ultra-violence, sex, politics, tragedy, nudity, double-crosses, gore, swearing, death and mutilation. I can't think of many shows that are so relentlessly fun and entertaining.

1. Sherlock

(BBC One, 1 Jan) The long-awaited return of the BBC's Sherlock Holmes update, with Benedict Cumberbatch back as the world's greatest sleuth and Martin Freeman as amiable colleague Dr Watson. It's been 18-months since series 1's cliffhanger, and what's exciting about series 2 is that co-creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss have chosen to adapt Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's most famous stories: the one with Irene Adler ("A Scandal In Bohemia"), the one with a beast prowling the moors ("The Hound Of The Baskervilles"), and the one where Sherlock confronts his arch-nemesis Moriarty ("The Final Problem"). With three of the best stories to hand, if Sherlock maintains its sense of visual style, wit and inventiveness, I think we already have a very early contender for Best TV Show of 2012...

SHERLOCK returns New Year's Day

The BBC have announced that their award-winning Sherlock is returning to BBC1 on New Year's Day at 8.10pm with the 90-minute adventure "A Scandal In Belgravia" (which introduces Lara Pulver's character Irene Adler), described by the BBC thus:

Compromising photographs and a case of blackmail threaten the very heart of the British establishment, but for Sherlock and John the game is on in more ways than one as they find themselves battling international terrorism, rogue CIA agents, and a secret conspiracy involving the British government. But this case will cast a darker shadow over their lives than they could ever imagine, as the great detective begins a long duel of wits with an antagonist as cold and ruthless and brilliant as himself: to Sherlock Holmes, Irene Adler will always be THE woman.

"A Scandal In Belgravia" (written by Steven Moffat) will be followed by two more feature-length instalments (Mark Gatiss' "The Hounds Of Baskerville" and Steve Thompson's "The Reichenbach Fall") over the next two Sundays. Paul McGuigan (Gangster No1, Push) returns to direct the first two adventures, with Doctor Who's Toby Haynes directing the finale.

Steven Moffat, co-creator/writer:

"Last time nobody knew about us and there was some scepticism about 'modernising' Sherlock Holmes. And now look at Benedict and Martin, they are so famous in those roles! So far the series has sold in over 180 countries worldwide, so it's a very big change. Well this year, knowing we were a huge hit, I suppose we felt let's do the three big things, The Woman, the Hound and the Fall.

Instead of making people wait years and years, we thought--to hell with deferred pleasure, let's just do it now, more, sooner, faster! That also means we see three different sides to Sherlock. We have Sherlock and love, Sherlock and fear and Sherlock and death. He definitely goes through the mill in this new series.

[Co-creator Mark Gatiss and I] are the biggest Sherlock Holmes geeks in the world. This has become such an enormous international hit, it's sort of preposterous, it's like our vanity project, it's our hobby. And yet everybody has joined in!

We think of them as films because they are ninety minutes long and once we knew we weren't doing hour long episodes they needed to be on that sort of scale. They have to have the size and weight of a movie.

I think the first series was more about John Watson being redeemed from being a massively traumatised war veteran into a bit of a hero. This year it's more about the forging of the mighty Sherlock Holmes.

We've almost forgotten how good the characters of these stories are. They're not just an old artifact that has become, by accident, venerated. They are in my opinion, without a doubt, the biggest hit in fiction, since their launch over a 100 years ago in the Strand Magazine, it's now a hit movie series and a hit television series right now and its down to the characters who are perfect, they are brilliant.

Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays Sherlock Holmes:

"With series two we wanted to move the characters on, but at the same time you want to tick some of the boxes that made the first series so popular. Now John and Sherlock are established as a team, there are still a few 'I can't believe he's doing that' moments, but on the whole they form a united front. The characters are evolving, and they're facing some of their biggest challenges yet. I think if anything has changed, he [Sherlock] is gaining humanity.

I think the audience can expect three incredibly different films. The first episode is going to be about the heart, whatever that may be for Sherlock. The second episode is about horror and suspense and the third is going to be a bit of an emotional rollercoaster and a thriller, so expect love, horror and thrills!"

Martin Freeman, who plays John Watson:

"John [Watson] is not about to start doing deductions, but you kind of need John there, what he brings to 'the game' isn't the same as Sherlock, but it's kind of useful doing, as Mycroft says with disdain, 'the legwork'. John can do different legwork to Sherlock, but he'll do it all the same. It's pretty much more of that really, I mean there's only so much you can develop John's role in the deduction because then it's not Sherlock anymore. it has to be primarily about him, and that's the only way to do it, with John as backup.

All that I require, as an actor, and as an audience, is that it's good backup, that it's interesting and it's three-dimensional, because otherwise I can't see the point of being here, and I certainly wouldn't be doing it if it wasn't interesting.

I remember the first time I went on set, there was this beautiful slightly shambling, slightly chaotic, but classically designed room, that you can believe is a Victorian room. There are a lot of houses in London that look a bit eccentric, they're a mish-mash of designs and periods, and it's completely believable."

SHERLOCK returns on New Year's Day, BBC1 (HD).

Lara Pulver joins SHERLOCK as Irene Adler

Lara Pulver has joined the cast of Sherlock for series 2, which is currently filming. She will be playing Irene Adler, the famous "love-interest" of Sherlock Holmes, for the episode "A Scandal In Belgravia".

This is great news. I've been a fan of Pulver since her wonderful Disney villain-esque turn in Robin Hood a few years ago, and hated watching her get wasted in True Blood as Sookie's fairy godmother. Adler will undoubtedly be a much juicier role for her, full of sparkling dialogue. I hope she has good chemistry with Benedict Cumberbatch's sleuth, too. Incidentally, Pulver's also joined Spooks for its tenth series, so her star's clearly on the rise.

I guess this kills the internet rumour that Jekyll's Michelle Ryan was being lined up by co-creator Steven Moffat as Irene Adler! What do you make of Pulver's casting? A great choice, or are you concerned?

SHERLOCK series 2 returns in early-2012 on BBC1 with three new 90-minute episodes: "A Scandal In Belgravia", "The Hounds Of Baskerville" and "The Reichenbach Fall".

Mark Gatiss on 'Sherlock' series 2

Speaking at the Kapow convention over the weekend, writer/actor Mark Gatiss (League Of Gentlemen) divulged details about the second series of Sherlock. The new three-part run will adapt Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "A Scandal In Bohemia", "The Hound Of The Baskervilles" and "The Final Problem".

Gatiss, writer/co-creator:

Having had a successful first run, we knew that the natural order would be to do the three most famous things, so we're doing a version of [those three stories.] They just fall like that, and then it's a question of how to get out of that cliffhanger! Now that the scripts are well underway, [it's] about trying to find certain things between the three of them, where we can find a little bit of an arc. You don't want to just go back to the beginning. You've got to move on somewhere.

Gatiss will write the "Baskervilles" update, co-creator Steven Moffat will write the premiere "Bohemia", and Steve Thompson is writing "Final Problem", meaning no change to the series 1 lineup. Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman will both return, as Freeman's commitment to The Hobbit has been factored into the scheduling. Sherlock isn't expected to return until later this year on BBC1.

What do you make of this news? Is it a wise decision to just remake the existing Sherlock Holmes stories, or were you hoping for more original plots?

What did you make of 'Sherlock', America?

The BBC's three-part update of Sherlock Holmes concluded last night on PBS in the States, so I was wondering what any Americans reading thought of it. The US reviews I've read seemed to be in agreement with the UK critics (fantastic beginning, weak middle, great ending), but do you concur? I always find it interesting to hear the thoughts of foreign viewers of British TV, as they often appreciate things us natives take for granted, or find things to hate that we've grown to accept.

So, did you watch Sherlock every Sunday? Did you enjoy it? Or did it disappoint you? And do you have any thoughts on the pro's and con's of modern British drama, of which Sherlock's a prime example?

Did Martin Freeman turn down 'The Hobbit' for 'Sherlock'?

The strangest showbiz news comes courtesy of The Sun today, meaning it's probably not true, but a fun talking point. The tabloid claims that Martin Freeman was offered the lead role of Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson's Lord Of The Rings prequels based on The Hobbit, but turned it down to focus on Sherlock for the BBC. Can it be true?

A "source" old The Sun "it was one of the most difficult decisions of his career. MGM, who are making the film, only got a formal offer over in the last couple of weeks. It was too late for Martin because he had already signed up for another series of Sherlock. It was agonizing but he had no other choice. All the actors had to read four pages of script to camera which is being shown to Peter Jackson. He is looking for a hidden gem now Martin has ruled himself out of the job."

Do we really believe this? Would Martin Freeman turn down a seven-figure sum to play the lead in a multi-million dollar guaranteed blockbuster, that would potentially catapult him to the Hollywood A-list, just to play sidekick to Benedict Cumberbatch in another trio of Sherlock episodes? I can't see it myself. Surely it would be possible for Freeman to do both, with a little compassion from the BBC and MGM? But if this is true, I feel very sorry for Freeman if he was forced to refuse The Hobbit because of a BBC contract.

Sherlock's three-part return

Jay Hunt, Controller of BBC1, has spoken at the Edinburgh International Television Festival, where she confirmed the return of Sherlock for another run of three 90-minute episodes in 2011.

"When you bring a title back, you run the risk of being accused of being bereft of ideas. This embodies the development process at its very best -- we piloted it, saw it, thought it wasn't quite right -- the storytelling's not right, the duration's not right and we need to look at the casting -- so we changed it. It's bold, ambitious and strikes a fundamentally different note on Sunday night. Steven wanted to write them as 90 minute episodes, but that's the same next year. It's coming back as three 90-minute episodes."

This despite widespread feeling that shorter episodes and a longer run would be more appealing to viewers. From Hunt's quote, I assume the original unaired pilot was a more traditional hour but didn't work. If so, that's fine. I just hope the scripts don't feel as saggy in the middle next time. But it's a pity there won't be more than three episodes. I guess audiences will have to adjusting their expectations, and start treating Sherlock like ITV's occasional Poirot adventures.

Creators Steven Moffat & Mark Gatiss:

"We've been overwhelmed by the warmth of response to our new Sherlock Holmes and John Watson and can't wait to take them on three new adventures next year. There'll be baffling new puzzles, old friends and new enemies -– whether on two, or four legs. And we might well be seeing the cold master of logic and reason unexpectedly falling. But in love? Or over a precipice? Who can tell?"