For my first entry on My Favorite Things, I want desperately to talk about my newest and biggest obsession: BBC's Sherlock.

I was not oblivious to the existence of this show - the rock under which I live does have internet, and the internet does have a lot of things to say about this series, most of it along the lines of:

You get my point. Even Benedict Cumberbatch knows how hardcore the internet is when it comes to him and Sherlock.

 

So anyway, I knew of this show, I had an inkling that it would be absolutely awesome, and yet, I decided to put it off. Don't ask me why.

But then my boyfriend and I decided to rent Star Trek: Into Darkness, which we were desperate to see because we hadn't had the chance to watch it on the big screen. And I came across a face I'd seen all over the internet for the last two or three years.

And he was breathtaking. I was in complete and utter awe of this actor's performance. His rendition of Khan was mesmerizing. Basically, I came for the Zachary Quinto and stayed for the Benedict Cumberbatch. And left with it, along with a steadfast decision to finally get around to watching Sherlock because I knew that everything this man did was going to be amazing.

So, I did. And from the minute the show started, I knew I had found my new favorite show. Sorry Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead, but Sherlock is here to stay.

 It didn't take more than a minute for the first episode to completely entrance me. From the minute it started, I was like:

Of course, as soon as a certain someone made an appearance, my heart went:

Because, you see, I knew Benedict Cumberbatch was a handsome man, but in Sherlock:

Which is really sound advice, Sherlock, thanks, but then you go ahead and do this:

And, most importantly, this:

And just how the hell do you expect me to not crumble down into a sniveling and hyperventilating pile of pure fangirling?! There's a reason he was voted 2013's Sexiest Man Alive, you know?!

 So, basically, I've become the thing I mocked at the beginning of this journey. Lesson learned.

Okay, jokes (and embarassing fangirling) aside this show is simply amazing.

The acting is flawless. Martin Freeman (Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit) plays a Watson that's conflicted, outspoken, endearing, and a genuinely loyal friend to Sherlock, not to mention that he is the perfect moral compass to Sherlock and plays the part amazingly. I am not a fan of Guy Ritchie's adaptations of Sherlock Holmes, mainly because he has no self-restraint whatsoever and exhausts every special effect and comic relief at his disposal, but also because the relationship between Downey's Sherlock and Law's Watson doesn't really capture what made the pair famous, the connection that transcends the page and the screen. In the movie, the selling point is Sherlock's shenanigans. In BBC's adaptation, Sherlock's shenanigans are awesome and thoroughly entertaining, but the core of the show, its very beating heart, is the beauty of the chemistry between Freeman's Watson and Cumberbatch's Sherlock.

There's a reason why his portrayal of Sherlock has garnered Cumberbatch so much attention around the world. He went from a really talented guy doing small productions and very secondary roles in movies, to a center stage, household name with around 5 movies coming out this year alone. And why is that? Well, in all seriousness, because his portrayal of the brilliant but misanthropic detective is nothing short of breathtaking. He captures the complexity of Sherlock's mind beautifully, and translates that into a thoroughly ambiguous, seductively mysterious, often disagreeable, ultimately charming and absolutely entrancing persona that portrays Sherlock Holmes like I am sure he was meant to be portrayed.

There are other performances in there that deserve more than a paragraph of praise. Sherlock's older brother, Mycroft, played by Mark Gatiss, is incredible. Gattis also happens to be the genius behind the creation and writing of the show. The one episode in which Irene Adler makes an appearance gave more than enough room for Laura Pulver to completely steal the show. And, of course, the terrifying but absolutely mesmerizing Andrew Scott as Jim Moriarty. Every time each of these actors appear in the shot, they become the only thing you can see. Their chemistry with Sherlock also has a lot to do with that, especially Adler and Moriarty's. This show is simply full of incredibly talented actors that do more than deliver great performances, they are these iconic characters incarnate.

The writing in this show is brilliant, and more than once I've found myself in a conflicting state of raging jealousy and unrestrained admiration at the intelligence and complexity of every single script in this series. Each episode is so intricate, so brilliantly plotted, with nods to the original novels everywhere. Even standing at an hour and a half for each episode, not once have I ever felt like the episodes last more than a heartbeat. They are such a perfect balance of thrilling mystery and suspense, a few action scenes and incredibly amazing dialogue, it is hard to acknowledge time while being so immersed in the many things that are going on.  

I must admit there is a slight misrepresentation of women in the show, along with a few off remarks from the characters that go from referring to two bickering guys as "girls" to Sherlock claiming he "never begs mercy from women". The show has never given me any reason to call anything they do sexist, but I do wish there were more female characters other than the bitter and envious police detective, the sweet, motherly landlady and the plain girl with the hopeless crush. Adler was a great addition to the cast, even if it was for just one episode, but that was only in terms of how clever, confident and brave she was, not exactly because of her over-exploited sexuality and eventual helplessness.

Sadly, this show has only two seasons so far, comprised of only 3 episodes each. So far, the delivery of seasons has being every other year, and with the third season rumored to start airing on 2014, it seems the tradition lives on, much to the dismay of the anxious fans, of which I am now one. 

I cannot recommend this show enough. Brilliantly written and full of amazing performances, BBC's Sherlock is the adaptation that finally lives up to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's literary masterpieces. The show takes the elements that made the books legendary and translates them flawlessly into the modern world. Compelling characters, intricate and complex mysteries, and perhaps one of the best main characters ever written, come to life brilliantly in this show. So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and get Sherlocked.