Sherlock & Daughter

David Thewliss is a fantastic Sherlock, Surly, moody, cerebral and is generally true to the character we all know and love but without some of his (as yet) more destructive traits and quirks. Blue Hunt promises to be a match for his intelect, albeit more positive personality, the role is hers to mould and this first outing suggests she is doing just that.

The first episode promises good things, it grabs your attention, the costumes and settings are more than appropriate for the time period and the initial plot promises a longer running story with the opportunity to have episodal stories.

While some opinions are very negative, i fail to see why. Simply put there is nothing not likeable about this drama.

I was expecting to be mildly amused but I ended up enjoying quite a bit. I used to to dislike Thewlis a while back but I've learned to appreciate some of the characters he's played though his Holmes here is a bit smug and annoying. Of course he's dealing with some loss and personal issues so he gets a pass for now. The daughter which could have been a waste of character is actually charming and interesting. I've seen untold movies and shows featuring Holmes as well as read dozens of novels and this is quite refreshing though somewhat reminiscent of Miss Scarlett and the Duke ( another good show ). This could have had dumb, unfunny jokes but while not overly dramatic it's mercifully not whimsical or campy ( two things I abhor ). Anyway give it a shot and you too might be surprisingly entertained.

Preposterous, hammily acted, the script often clunky as well, but suspend serious critical faculties and what you've got is a compelling entertainment.

David Thewlis of course steals the acting prize as Sherlock, well matched by Dougray Scott's Moriarty. Blu Hunt's wide eyed enthusiasm as his maybe daughter added plenty of fire to the tale and Ivana Milicevic wasn't given enough to do but had an authoritative presence which rooted the scenes at the US Ambassador's residence. Fiona Glascott was too stilted to carry off the Lady Bracknell accent as intended but that aside all the actors did their best to season the ham.

This series is taken from the Charles Veley books "Lucy James Mystery" series. Without credit of course. Anyone who has read all the books can't miss the almost total reproduction, with only trivial changes in names and plot changes. The plot line and circumstances that happen are all in the books, not in one book but from the series in total. There are two things missing in the show that the books excel at, the smartness in the writing, that's where the tv series missed the mark, it's also what makes the difference between a great show, and a just an ok show. Also missing in the show is that they really failed at showing the intellect of Sherlock Holmes, both in dialogue and in storyline, something the books excel at.

I'll admit my expectations for a CW production are somewhat reduced compared to HBO, but Sherlock & Daughter is definitely a decent show worth watching.

There are a lot of little things done properly that show care and attention to detail. The little animation showing when characters move about London is simple and effective.

The sets and scenes in London and environs are top notch, particularly when I compare them to Miss Scarlett. The set designers performed excellent work here.

Where there is a bit of a letdown is the reliance on coincidence to further the plot. Amelia is definitely too much of a Mary Sue but I've seen far worse. The acting, other than Thewlis, is average at best. The actors read their lines rather than saying them, but, again, for a CW production this is not unexpected.

All in all, I'm enjoying this and I'd recommend it. Must see television, perhaps not, but if you're a Sherlock Holmes fan, this is worth giving a shot.