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Sherlock fiddles as Baskerville gets ready to burn in the UK
January 7, 2012Sherlock on the Fiddle
To only confirm what we all already knew, there’s a lot that goes in to creating a character you, ultimately, see on the screen, big or small. As if Benedict Cumberbatch didn’t have enough of a ginormous hurdle to overcome in portraying Sherlock Holmes while being up against all the skeptics. First there were those that will always believe the great Jeremy Brett was the ultimate Sherlock Holmes. Then there are the purists that said this was blasphemy to set the greatest detective of all-time in the 21st Century. Now, he had to learn the violin. Enter Sherlock’s violin coach, Eos Chater of Bond. Unfortunately, most violinists start when they are 5 years of ages. Benedict had a week to prepare for his performance in the final installment, “The Reichenbach Fall”.
Attesting to the fact that the role of Sherlock consumed Benedict, Eos said: “When I give a tip, Benedict consumes it entirely. Information is his quarry; no wonder he’s such a good Sherlock.He’s a real perfectionist. Not content to just look convincing, he wants to sound convincing too- and despite not playing any instruments he’s very musical. By the third lesson, I am becoming familiar with his “locked on to target” eyes, and when it’s best to stand back and leave him to work it out for himself. Benedict would handle the violin carefully and say: “How would you lift it to your chin?”, “How would you play around with the bow?”, “Which way would you put it down on a chair?”.
Eos’ complete account of her time spent coaching “Sherlock” is amazing. After reading, I’m so going to look at these scenes differently and, more closely, with great admiration as to what everyone involved went through to make this, already, the best television show that will come our way in 2012.
Sherlock bits and bobs as UK prepares for Hounds….
January 6, 2012New Sherlock Hounds…trailer
More Sherlock news not only to tease UK audiences as they barrel head long into Sundays 2nd installment of the new series with “Hounds of the Baskerville” but to, hopefully, continue to coax U.S. audiences down off the ceiling as they patiently await the American broadcast as part of PBS’ Masterpiece series beginning May 6, 2012. This just released trailer for this weeks episode should do both. BTW, Russell Tovey (Being Human, Him and Her) looks pretty convinced as to what he saw…
UK audience figures for Downton Abbey, Sherlock and Endeavor bode well for strong telly in 2012
January 5, 2012Only 5 days into the new year and telly is already looking up for both UK and US audiences. With the Christmas Day finale of Downton Abbey on ITV and the series 2 premiere of Sherlock the following week on the BBC New Years Day, the bar is set about as high as you can for calendar year 2012 on both sides of the pond.
As both initial and final audience figures will attest, viewers of both DA and Sherlock agree with the Christmas Day finale of Downton Abbey elevated to the most-watched Christmas Day program in the UK grabbing viewing figures in excess of 12 million after adding up both live and delayed viewing figures and BBC1’s premiere of the new Sherlock shattered last season’s record audiences with initial figures for the live broadcast totaling in excess of 9 million viewers (almost 2 million more than the premiere of series 1). It certainly will top the 10 million mark once you count those households that watch on a DVR delay.
Let’s not forget ITV’s Endeavor either, starring Shaun Evans, which follows a young Inspector Morse as he returns to Oxford University in 1965 to solve a case. Early live viewing figures for the well-received prequel topped 6.5 million and a 26.9% share of the audience for the one-off premiere on Monday. Should make the commissioning of a full series a no-brainer in the not-too-distant future for ITV.
The UK is only 4 days into 2012 and, already, looking at a great year of telly, be it BBC, ITV or Sky. From a PBS standpoint, it’s going to be a great year for Masterpiece viewers also as Downton Abbey series 2 premieres this coming Sunday, January 8, Sherlock series 2 premieres on May 6 and Endeavor will air in 2012 also. Time to get a DVR with a bigger hard drive….
