221B Baker Street, S1ep2; mild spoilers

[neadods]

Russian 221B Baker Street only took two episodes to fall into the same cliche that grinds my teeth about Every. Single. Other. Modern. Adaptation. But I will forgive it because Russian Watson just became a bigger badass than Jude Law or Martin Freeman. Combined!

Obligatory disclaimer: Absolutely loaded with the racism of an empire at war in the Middle East. Don't make a drinking game out of hearing "white man's burden"; you'll get smashed. I am glad to say that it gets addressed in a period-appropriate manner. (And, for those counting canon nods, without the use of a yellow mask.)

Episode 2, subtitled in Engl-ish: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqCtuJGpuco

Comments

[xwingace]

I've been meaning to watch this ever since your first post about Russian Holmes. Just got around to starting now. And I have a little trouble getting around Holmes' (or at least the actor playing him)'s resemblance to John Simm... it's distracting.

I'll get over it :-)

XWA

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Oh, God, I hadn't seen that before and now I'm never going to unsee it!

He takes a little getting used to - he's the youngest and most hyperactive of the Holmses in my opinion, but I'm growing to like him.

Watson, on the other hand, is now my favorite Watson, hands down.

[starcat-jewel.livejournal.com]

Kind of sickening how contemporary whatshisname's speech sounds; it could have been ripped from any of several hundred right-wing blogs (or the comments on any SYG news story) nearly verbatim. I was very glad to hear Watson's rebuttal. And it's really difficult to do canon-period Holmes without the racism -- the era was steeped in it.

I like this Holmes a lot. He's got the same manic energy as Cumberbatch, but is less abrasive and contemptuous toward people who aren't him.

Never seeing Mycroft's face was a nice touch.

Is there any information available on these actors?

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I'm sure there's information - but I don't know if there's information *in English* anywhere.

I liked that we never saw Mycroft's face - made him a ton creepier. And this Mycroft is cree-py! His relationship with Sherlock practically makes Mark Gatiss' depiction look like a big cuddly teddy bear.

I also find this Holmes interesting. Unlike canonical Holmes and the modern adaptations, he obviously hasn't shut down all emotion in favor of deduction. He's a bundle of emotion, he's travelled, and he very obviously tried to have a standard emotional relationship with Irene - which she equally obviously ruined not by outwitting him but by breaking his heart with betrayal.

[starcat-jewel.livejournal.com]

Baker Street Babes review: http://bakerstreetbabes.com/review-new-russian-holmes-01x01-02-baker-street-221b/

Girl Meets Sherlock review: http://girlmeetssherlock.wordpress.com/2014/01/14/russian-sherlock-review-baker-street-221b/

Both of these at least give the names of the actors. Sadly, one of them also refers to the actor playing Watson as "the late".

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the links. I went digging - I'm sure you've seen the other post - and yes, the guy playing Watson died under what looks like very suspicious circumstances.