A Study in Pink

Season 1, Episode 1, Aired

Episode Summary

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Sherlock Holmes is introduced to ex-army doctor John Watson who he moves in with and then convinces to help him solve murder mysteries. Their first case together is one that looks, to police, like a case of linked suicides.
  • "Everything but eliminatory".

    9.0
    "Superb"
    I read Arthur Conan Doyle's "A Study in Scarlet" about a year ago before I watched the Guy Ritchie film, which really didn't matter a whole lot because the film didn't have much to do with the book at all.

    Steven Moffet's stab at it is a whole other story, following the majority of the plot points earlier on while adding a few needed scenes here and there and completely throwing out the ending, it kept my interest locked and had my on my toes the whole time. This loose adaption does away with the father/daughter/mormon plot in the second half of the book and replaces it with a plain old serial killer.
    I have a mixed opinion about this, while the second half of the book was a bit tedious, it did validated the motives of the killer's actions and gave it some emotional weight. But with this being a modern day version, the mormons of the book don't fit into this day and age, plus Phil Davis does a great job as the killer and it gives insight to Holmes true mental state, he's a thrill seeker conjugate out of boredom and intentionally puts him self in harm's way for a rush.
    So i can overlook that.

    My one other issue, and this is more of an editorial nit pick. The scene where the cabbie turns up at baker street, Sherlock takes forever to realise the cabbie is the killer, when the audience figures it out long before, and his thought process takes too long in my book. Minor issue, mind you.

    The casting is spot on, Benedict Cumberbatch makes for a obnoxious, yet fascinating Sherlock and Martin Freeman's Watson really is our sanity.
    He plays the perfect capable, yet reluctant hero.

    The minor twist with Moriarty was great.moreless
  • I was very skeptical, but the episode blew me away! Love how they've managed to update the context and characters to today's London, without losing their essence. The mystery itself is one of the best I've seen in a long time. Bravo!moreless

    10
    "Perfect"
    First, it was a bit hard to adjust to new Sherlock (I believe Watson was cast well, it's hard to find someone who's a mix of an army guy and an intellectual physician). At first, Cumberbatch seems to do a good imitation of Brett, especially with his voice, but grows into the role, as I've grown into believing he actually IS Holmes. I do believe he's miles ahead of Robert Downey: Sherlock Holmes should be a sociopathic genius, live in his own head, posses heaps of eccentricity and have huge ego: all is present. Cumberbatch's unusual facial features and expressions help as well, as does his entire attitude.

    The police are by far the weakest, playing their clueless role in an ok fashion. The serial killer is performing brilliantly, on the other hand.

    I usually know where a movie is heading to halfway (I have the decency to shut up about it to people watching with me), but I have to say that more than one thing surprised me here. Of course, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's brilliant writing is the basis of this episode, but the mystery remains unpredictable, taking twists and turns when you least expect them.

    Usually, when movies or series try to set up characters in re-makes, they tend to overblow events that make the characters who they are and make them all happen way too fast. Not so here. Even Watson's immediate loss of the limp doesn't feel forced, as it has been framed well within the situation.

    Sherlock's desire to know how the serial killer did it (and resulting actions), never feels forced or unwarranted, probably because everyone watching is also dying to know, which masterfully keeps the tension up.

    All in all, I've never been this impressed by a Sherlock Holmes story since I've seen The Sign of Four when I was a little boy. Hope they follow with a second season!moreless
  • Perfect drama

    10
    "Perfect"
    As many others I was wary of watching a modern day re-imagining of my favourite fictional detective. So much so that Ive waited till now (Dec 2010) to watch the first episode. I should not have worried at all.

    What a great show and a perfect first episode. Though the crime is rather simpilistic and the plot rather straight-forward to follow, I suspect that the production team didn't want to scare off any potential viewers with an over-convoluted plot. Yet both serve as the perfect foil to introduce these monumental characters in this new setting. Undoubtably what the episode does extremely well is the characterisation. Particularly for Sherlock. Cumberbatch just oozes so many classic mannerisims. For me this was what made the show such a joy to watch. I especially loved the way in which the supporting police cast all view our famous consulting detective as a freak. Wonderful too are the weaknesses of our hero, his infactuation with his cases, where he almost doesnt seem them as crimes, but a challenge to be overcome.

    While all the other main characters are aptly portrayed, Dr. Watson more than any other, I suspect to that for this first episode the writers wanted to give the centre stage to Sherlock. Though admittedly, putting Dr. Watsons motivations, abilities and emotions in the more contemporary setting of being a returning soldier from an ongoing conflict is a very good idea and one that appealled to me at least. Just as well portrayed was the hapless Lestrade, kept very much in the same vein of previous incarnations.

    There is even a surprise in having Sherlocks brother - Mycroft, present as a seemingly major character who will return throughout future episodes, which will be a draw for those of us who want to see something different, but doesnt detract from the original stories too much.

    Returning to the plot, though it was somewhat simplistic in its content, the final scenes where Sherlock meets, is tempted and cajouled by the villan of the piece. How he is seemingly put on the back foot, but a supposedly less intellectual cabbie (taxi driver) was first class. So to was the revelation of the murderer, of how he did it. If not incredibly mind-blowing, it was still very clever and provided such an excellent twist that you couldn't help being sucked in.

    Infact, as others have mentioned the show is so good that you won't notice the time ticking away. You will be glued to the screen as I was. You will watch the show and not even realise you've been sitting down for an hour and a half. Now what TV shows can make a claim to do that?!moreless
  • I was looking for new shows to watch. I was skeptical on how they would modernize the character and boy was I not disappointed ! The plot evolved well, the mystery was great and the characters were well played ! bravo !moreless

    10
    "Perfect"
    I was wondering how they would modernize the character and plot of the whole Sherlock Holmes theme and they did not disappoint ! It's like a real Sherlock Holmes could really exist ! It was great how they made the words float while Sherlock was checking the bodies, how they used the flashback to be able to fill the loops but the best I guess would be how the characters were played. Hehe . . . Consultant Detective ! Nice work !

    I was initially surprised that the show ran more than hour since I was used to the usual lengths of the other series but I didn't really notice until the show was finished. The show kept me hooked all the way !moreless
  • A new, modern day Sherlock Holmes is introduced to television going audiences and it's a smash hit. Forget three movies, I want a full 22 episode season!

    10
    "Perfect"
    I have to admit this was a ballsy move by the BBC. Not only to create a classic character of literature in mordern times, but to also make it less than a year after Guy Ritchie's attempt last year with Robert Downey Jr's Gloden Globe winning showing as Holmes. Still 'A Study In Pink' was a brilliant made for TV movie that I think will wow all fans of the classic works of Sir Conan Arthur Doyle and have then wanting more. The actors are brilliant, the story is superb and the story isn't rushed thanks to a 90 min running time. I was very iffy about this new version of the classic sleuth, but now I am eager to see the next film!moreless
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  • TRIVIA (1)

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    • The newspaper article seen four minutes into the episode about the dead student has multiple repeating paragraphs: the first paragraph from the first column matches the second paragraph in the third; also, the last five lines of the second column are repeated in the beginning of the third column.

  • QUOTES (51)

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    • Molly: Listen, I was wondering. Maybe later, when you're finished... Sherlock: Are you wearing lipstick? You weren't wearing lipstick before. Molly: I, uh... I refreshed it a bit. Sherlock: Sorry, you were saying? Molly: I was wondering if you'd like to have coffee? Sherlock: Black, two sugars, please. I'll be upstairs. Molly: Okay.

    • Sherlock: Ah, Molly. Coffee, thank you. What happened to the lipstick? Molly: It wasn't working for me. Sherlock: Really? I thought it was a big improvement. Your mouth's too... small, now. Molly: Okay.

    • Watson: Is that it? Sherlock: Is that what? Watson: We've only just met, and we're going to go look at a flat. Sherlock: Problem? Watson: We don't know a thing about each other. I don't know where we're meeting, I don't even know your name. Sherlock: I know you're an army doctor and you've been invalided home from Iraq or Afghanistan. I know you've got a brother who's worried about you, but you won't go to him for help because you don't approve of him-possibly because he's an alcoholic, more likely because he recently walked out on his wife. And I know that your therapist thinks your limp's psychosomatic, quite correctly I'm afraid. That's enough to be going on with, don't you think? (he exits and pops back in) The name's Sherlock Holmes and the address is 221B Baker Street. Afternoon. (leaves) Stamford: Yeah. He's always like that.

    • Watson: Well this is a prime spot. Must be expensive. Sherlock: Mrs. Hudson the landlady is giving me a special deal. She owes me a favor. A few years back her husband got himself sentenced to death in Florida. I was able to help her. Watson: So you stopped her husband from being executed? Sherlock: Oh, no. I ensured it.

    • Watson: That's a skull. Sherlock: Friend of mine. Well, I say friend.

    • Sherlock: Brilliant! Yes! Ah, four serial suicides and now a note. Oh, it's Christmas.

    • Sherlock: You're a doctor. Actually, an army doctor. Watson: Yes. Sherlock: Any good? Watson: Very good. Sherlock: Seen a lot of injuries then, violent deaths. Watson: Well, yes. Sherlock: Bit of trouble too, I bet. Watson: Of course, yes. Enough for a lifetime. Far too much. Sherlock: Want to see some more? Watson: Oh God, yes!

    • Sherlock: Possible suicides. Four of them. There's no point sitting at home when there's finally something fun going on. Mrs. Hudson: Look at you, all happy. It's not decent. Sherlock: Who cares about decent? The game, Mrs. Hudson, is on!

    • Watson: That was amazing. Sherlock: You think so? Watson: Of course it was. Extraordinary. It was quite extraordinary. Sherlock: That is not what people normally say. Watson: What do people normally say? Sherlock: "Piss off."

    • Sherlock: Is your wife away for long? Anderson: Oh don't pretend you worked that out. Somebody told you that. Sherlock: Your deodorant told me that. Anderson: My deodorant. Sherlock: It's for men. Anderson: Well of course it's for men. I'm wearing it. Sherlock: So's Sergeant Donovan. Oof. I think it just vaporized.

    • Sherlock: Shut up. Lestrade: I didn't say anything. Sherlock: You were thinking. It's annoying.

    • Watson: What am I doing here? Sherlock: Helping me make a point. Watson: I'm supposed to be helping you pay the rent. Sherlock: Well, this is more fun. Watson: Fun? There's a woman lying dead. Sherlock: Perfectly sound analysis, but I was hoping you'd go deeper.

    • Sherlock: Dear God, what is it like in your tiny little brains? It must be so boring.

    • Sherlock: We've got ourselves a serial killer. Love those-there's always something to look forward to. Lestrade: Why are you saying that? Sherlock: Her case. C'mon! Where is her case, did she eat it? Someone else was here and they took her case.

    • Mycroft: You don't seem very afraid. Watson: You don't seem very frightening. Mycroft: Yes. The bravery of the soldier. Bravery is by far the kindest word for stupidity, don't you think?

    • Mycroft: I am the closest thing to a friend that Sherlock Holmes is capable of having. Watson: And what's that? Mycroft: An enemy. Watson: An enemy? Mycroft: In his mind, certainly. If you were to ask him, he'd probably say his archenemy. He does love to be dramatic. Watson: Well, thank God you're above all that.

    • Mycroft: What is your connection to Sherlock Holmes? Watson: I don't have one. I barely know him. I met him... yesterday. Mycroft: Hmm, and since yesterday you've moved in with him and now you're solving crimes together. Are we to expect a happy announcement by the end of the week? Watson: Who are you? Mycroft: An interested party.

    • Mycroft: Do you plan to continue your association with Sherlock Holmes? Watson: I could be wrong, but I think that's none of your business. Mycroft: It could be. Watson: It really couldn't.

    • Mycroft: I imagine people have already warned you to stay away from him, but I can see from your left hand that's not going to happen. Watson: My what? Mycroft: Show me. Watson: Don't... Mycroft: Remarkable. Watson: What is? Mycroft: Most people blunder around the city, and all they see are streets and shops and cars. When you walk with Sherlock Holmes, you see the battlefield. You've seen it already, haven't you? Watson: What's wrong with my hand? Mycroft: You have an intermittent tremor in your left hand. Your therapist thinks it's post-traumatic stress disorder. She thinks you're haunted by memories of your military service. Watson: Who the hell are you? How do you know that? Mycroft: Fire her. She's got it the wrong way around. You're under stress right now and your hand is perfectly steady. You're not haunted by the war, Dr. Watson. You miss it. Welcome back. Time to choose a side, Dr. Watson.

    • Watson: Listen, your boss. Any chance you could not tell him this is where I went? Anthea: Sure. Watson: You've told him already, haven't you? Anthea: Yeah. Watson: Hey, um, do you ever get any free time? Anthea: Oh, yeah. Lots. Bye. Watson: Okay.

    • Watson: What are you doing? Sherlock: Nicotine patch. Helps me think. Impossible to sustain a smoking habit in London these days. Bad news for brainwork. Watson: Good news for breathing. Sherlock: Ah, breathing. Breathing's boring. Watson: Is that three patches? Sherlock: It's a three-patch problem.

    • Watson: I just met a friend of yours. Sherlock: A friend? Watson: An enemy. Sherlock: Oh. Which one? Watson: Your archenemy, according to him. Do people have archenemies? Sherlock: Did he offer you money to spy on me? Watson: Yes. Sherlock: Did you take it? Watson: No. Sherlock: Pity, we could have split the fee. Think it through next time.

    • Watson: Have you talked to the police? Sherlock: Four people are dead. There isn't time to talk to the police. Watson: So why are you talking to me? Sherlock: Mrs. Hudson took my skull. Watson: So I'm basically filling in for your skull. Sherlock: Relax, you're doing fine.

    • Sherlock: I love the brilliant ones-they're always so desperate to get caught. Watson: Why? Sherlock: Appreciation. Applause. At long last, the spotlight. That's the frailty of genius, John. It needs an audience

    • Watson: People don't have arch-enemies. Sherlock: I'm sorry? Watson: In real life. There are no arch-enemies in real life. It doesn't happen. Sherlock: Doesn't it? Sounds a bit dull. Watson: So who did I meet? Sherlock: What do real people have, then, in their real lives? Watson: Friends. People they know, people they like, people they don't like. Girlfriends, boyfriends. Sherlock: Like I was saying, dull. Watson: You don't have a girlfriend? Sherlock: Girlfriend, no. Not really my area. Watson: Oh, right. Do you have a boyfriend? Which is fine, by the way. Sherlock: I know it's fine. Watson: So you've got a boyfriend? Sherlock: No. Watson: Right, okay. You're unattached. Like me. Fine. Good. Sherlock: John, I think you should know that I consider myself married to my work. And while I'm flattered by your interest... Watson: No. Sherlock: I'm really not looking for any... Watson: No. I'm not asking. No. I'm just saying, it's all fine. Sherlock: Good. Thank you.

    • Sherlock: Don't stare. Watson: Um. You're staring. Sherlock: We can't both stare.

    • Watson: That was ridiculous. That was the most ridiculous thing I've ever done. Sherlock: And you invaded Afghanistan.

    • Sgt. Sally Donovan: Are these human eyes? Sherlock: Put them back! Sgt. Sally Donovan: They were in the microwave. Sherlock: It's an experiment.

    • Sherlock: This is childish. Lestrade: Well, I'm dealing with a child.

    • Anderson: According to someone, the murderer has the case and we'll find it in the hands of our favourite psychopath. Sherlock: I'm not a psychopath, Anderson. I'm a high-functioning sociopath. Do your research.

    • Sherlock: Oh, look at you lot. You're all so vacant. Is it nice not being me? It must be so relaxing.

    • Sherlock: Anderson, don't talk out loud. You lower the IQ of the whole street.

    • Cabbie: Taxi for Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock: I didn't order a taxi. Cabbie: Doesn't mean you don't need one.

    • Cabbie: Oh yeah. I'll tell you what else. If you call the coppers now, I won't run. I'll sit quiet and they'll take me down, I promise. Sherlock: Why? Cabbie: 'Cause you're not going to do that. Sherlock: Am I not? Cabbie: I didn't kill those four people, Mr. Holmes. I spoke to them, and they killed themselves. If you get the coppers now, I promise you one thing: I will never tell you what I said. Sherlock: No one else will die, though, and I believe they call that a result. Cabbie: But you won't ever understand how those people died. What kind of result do you care about?

    • Sherlock: If I wanted to understand, what would I do? Cabbie: Let me take you for a ride. Sherlock: So you can kill me too. Cabbie: I don't want to kill you, Mr. Holmes. I'm gonna talk to you, and then you're going to kill yourself.

    • Cabbie: Sherlock Holmes. I was warned about you. I've been on your website too. Brilliant stuff. Loved it. Sherlock: Who warned you about me? Cabbie: Someone out there who's noticed. Sherlock: Who? Who would notice me? Cabbie: You're too modest, Mr. Holmes. Sherlock: I'm really not.

    • Watson: So why do you put up with him? Lestrade: Because I'm desperate, that's why. Because Sherlock Holmes is a great man, and I think one day-if we're very, very lucky-he might even be a good one.

    • Cabbie: One thing about being a cabbie. You always know a nice quiet spot for a murder. I'm surprised more of us don't branch out.

    • Cabbie: You ready yet, Mr. Holmes? Ready to play? Sherlock: Play what? It's a 50-50 chance. Cabbie: You're not playing the numbers, you're playing me. Did I just give you the good pill or the bad pill? Is it a bluff? Or a double-bluff? Or a triple-bluff? Sherlock: It's still just chance. Cabbie: Four people, in a row? It's not chance. Sherlock: Luck. Cabbie: It's genius. I know how people think. I know how people think I think. I can see it all, like a map inside my head. everyone's so stupid, even you. Or maybe God just loves me. Sherlock: Either way, you're wasted as a cabbie.

    • Sherlock: So. you risked your life four times just to kill strangers. Why? Cabbie: Time to play. Sherlock: Oh I am playing. This is my turn.

    • Sherlock: And because you're dying, you murdered four people. Cabbie: I outlived four people. That's the most fun you can have with an aneurysm.

    • Cabbie: When I die, they won't get much, my kids. Not a lot of money in driving cabs. Sherlock: Or serial killing. Cabbie: You'd be surprised. Sherlock: Surprise me. Cabbie: I have a sponsor. Sherlock: You have a what? Cabbie: For every life I take, money goes to my kids. The more I kill, the better off they'll be. You see? It's nicer than you think. Sherlock: Who'd sponsor a serial killer? Cabbie: Who'd be a fan of Sherlock Holmes?

    • (to Sherlock) Cabbie: I bet you get bored, don't ya? I know you do. Man like you. So clever. But what's the point of being clever if you can't prove it. Still the addict. But this... this is what you're really addicted to. You do anything-anything at all to stop being bored. You're not bored now, are ya?

    • Sherlock: Why have I got this blanket? They keep putting this blanket on me. Lestrade: Yeah. It's for shock. Sherlock: I'm not in shock. Lestrade: Yeah, but some of the guys want to take photographs.

    • Sherlock: Not now! I'm in shock. Look--I've got a blanket.

    • Sherlock: Are you all right? Watson: Yes, of course I'm all right. Sherlock: You have just killed a man. Watson: Yes, I know. It's true. But he wasn't a very nice man. Sherlock: No. No, he wasn't, really, was he? Watson: And frankly a bloody awful cabbie.

    • Watson: You were going to take that damn pill, weren't you? Sherlock: Of course I wasn't. Biding my time. Knew you'd turn up. Watson: No you didn't. That's how you get your kicks, isn't it? You risk your life to prove you're clever. Sherlock: Why would I do that? Watson: Because you're an idiot.

    • Mycroft: He's always been so resentful. You can imagine the Christmas dinners. Watson: Yeah… no! God, no!

    • Mycroft: For goodness sake! I occupy a minor position in the British Government. Sherlock: He is the British Government when he's not too busy being the British Secret Services or the CIA on a freelance basis. Good evening, Mycroft. Try not to start a war before I get home, you know what it does for the traffic.

    • Watson: What are you so happy about? Sherlock: Moriarty. Watson: What's Moriarty? Sherlock: I have absolutely no idea.

    • Watson: So. Dim sum. Sherlock: Mm. I can always predict the fortune cookies. Watson: No, you can't. Sherlock: Almost can. You did get shot, though. Watson: Sorry? Sherlock: In Afghanistan. There was an actual wound. Watson: Oh. Yeah, shoulder. Sherlock: Shoulder. I thought so. Watson: No you didn't. Sherlock: The left one. Watson: Lucky guess. Sherlock: I never guess. Watson: Yes, you do.

  • NOTES (4)

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    • This episode was loosely adapted from A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle, first published as A Tangled Skein in Beeton's Christmas Annual (1887).

    • Mark Gatiss is uncredited as Mycroft Holmes.

    • Injoke: The student who dies at the beginning is named James Phillimore, a reference to a character mentioned in passing in the Sherlock Holmes story "The Problem of Thor Bridge," "who, stepping back into his own house to get his umbrella, was never more seen in this world", just as the student disappears while fetching his umbrella.

    • International Airdates: The Netherlands: October 20, 2010 on KRO U.S.: October 24, 2010 on PBS (Masterpiece Theatre) Czech Republic: October 11, 2011 on AXN

  • ALLUSIONS (3)

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    • Shoulder Wound: At the end, Watson references being shot in the shoulder, despite being seen in the episode to have a limp. This is a clever reference to a continuity error in Doyle's writings, in which Watson was originally described as having shoulder wound, but later was described as having a leg wound.

    • Title: A Study in Pink This is a play on the the first Sherlock Holmes story written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle called "A Study in Scarlet".

    • Jeff: You don't want to phone a friend. This is a popular saying from the show "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire." It is an option to get extra help with the questions along with "Ask the Audience" and "50/50".

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