Sherlock

Once again this proves that the BBC Licence Fee is one of the finest ideas this country as ever had.

Moffat's sharp dialogue and subtle character development sit excellently alongside Gattis natural flair for the uncanny and his talent for mystery stories; so evident in his novels as well as his League of Gentlemen work.

The modernisation works artfully, showing that the challenges Holmes faced were not merely a question of his better scientific method keeping him ahead of the police. Watson benefit even more from the modern setting, the circular nature of history making his recent experiences in Afghanistan even more relevant than they can seem in the novels.

The cinematography and editing was excellent (a feature that was much improved in the recent series of Doctor Who), the display of text messages stylish and deceptively simple.

All in all this was a triumph for the BBC, and showed the benefit of their nurturing of talents such as Moffat and Gattis over the past decade.

I think it is always a bit uncertain and tricky when a 19th century series or film is modernised and most of the time it doesn't work, especially if it is well known and liked but I was very very impressed. Benedict does a brilliant job portraying the famous sleuth and made a 19th century character and modern day London merge beautifully. Martin Freeman was also great as Dr Watson. Rupert Graves made a brilliant Lestrade. It was sharp, quick and kept you on your toes and you just couldn't wait to see what happened next, this was of course completed by brilliant acting from the actors. I'm so pleased it got favourable reviews from the critics, roll on the next episode!!!!

..with delight. A brilliantly written, well acted programme. Well done to all concerned. The story had me hooked from the start.All the elements of Holmes are present and correct. So far most of the original characters have appeared, with hints of more yet to appear. It is suspenseful and sometimes genuinely funny. I have read all the original stories, and after the late, great Jeremy Brett, despaired of ever seeing another top notch Holmes film. This is it, Brought up to date into the 21st century, but done with affection and respect to the original. Nice to see the writers have continued the theme of an intelligent (slightly bemused) Watson. CAN WE HAVE A FULL SERIES PLEASE. If not this is one I will return to again and again.

To my surprise they absolutely nailed it. Cumberbatch is a fantastic choice for Sherlock Holmes-he is physically right (he fits the traditional reading of the character) and he is a damn good actor. Martin Freeman, about whom I wasn't sure at first, is an excellent foil for Holmes without being the dumb sidekick that Dr Watson has often been. I thought that this series would not work, particularly after Robert Downey's interesting take on Conan Doyle's characterisation. I have been proved so wrong-it moved along at a good pace and held the attention brilliantly. My wife started by saying she didn't like it but by the end of the episode she was as enthralled as I. We are both looking forward to the rest of the series, if it is as entertaining as the first story. I was disappointed to read some reviews here that did not love it. Methinks they are too jaded to enjoy anything.

Out of everything I've watched in my life, Sherlock is the one I keep wanting to come back to more than anything else. It's the rare kind of TV show that can make you laugh, make you feel deeply, and keep you on the edge of your seat-all at once. I genuinely don't think I've ever seen a series this good.

It's smart, funny, and endlessly addictive-you just can't get enough of it. Sure, the last season might slow down a bit, but even then, it still stands far above most shows made in recent years.

So... here's hoping it comes back one day. Please... LOL.