Done and Dusted: Sherlock, season 1

Created by Steven Moffatt and Mark Gatiss, Sherlock is a new BBC modern take on the Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Staring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, the 3 part series is set in modern London and takes the story ideas from the old books and puts a new sheen on them

This was announced back in 2008, with a broadcast to be late 2009, should the pilot be successful. However, the pilot cost a boatload, and the rumours were that this was a potential disaster. The BBC did not show the pilot, and instead re-shot this in a three part series, 90 minutes an episode.

The pilot is on the DVD, which I am working my way through, and is a different format to the show as now. Once I get to it I'm sure I'll be able to comment.

The three part series aired in July 2010 and I gratefully lapped this up, as a fan of the books, and someone looking for good TV.

From the start it takes the Sherlock story in new and exciting ways, with him doing mass texts during a police press conference, meeting a shell shock Watson and showing his analytical genius at every turn. It could be compared to CSI in the way it shows his thoughts and reviews of his analysis, but I found that Sherlock does this much quicker and seamlessly during the investigations.

The relationship that Sherlock and Watson have, and the two actors have, sparkles. Each plays so well off of the other. Even the bit parts in the show have a good deal of polish, so even when the two of them are scene stealing the other actors are not drowned out.

The shows length is probably the best thing, 90 minutes give ample time for the story to develop and twist and turn. Exploring dead ends, running after various criminals and having epic showdowns, especially the season end.

With season 2 already started, and excelling with new takes on the original stories, I will happily recommend this to anyone. The DVD is cheap, and the more people who grab it, the better chance of a third season. And this really does need to be picked up again and again as I really do not see much from the BBC that is worth the license fee.