Sherlock,a television series centered around a cunning, forthright detective named Sherlock Holmes and his cautious, subdued, partner, John Watson, brings the viewer through a series of endeavors shrouded in mystery and driven by the dynamic between Watson and Holmes. The series relies on paradigmatic and syntagmatic methods in order to present a thrilling and entertaining artifact of that exemplifies the Mystery genre.
A recurrent theme in the show is the way in which characters’ external and internal characteristics constantly conflict with each other, thus creating the paradigmatic qualities that define the show. For instance while, Holmes has a rather unkempt and disheveled physical demeanor, Watson has a very tidy and clean-cut appearance. This lifestyle also projects onto their environments, for Holmes’s massively disorganized home evokes an instant response of disapproval from Watson. Furthermore, while Holmes severely lacks any regard for others or even the consequences of his actions, Watson is exceedingly self-conscious, polite, and wary. This distinct contrast between the show’s leading characters serves to represent the human condition, in which individuals are constantly torn between the extremes of one’s own consciousness. By embodying this attribute in two opposing characters working in harmony, Sherlock evokes an empathetic response that keeps viewers engaged in the interactions between the dynamic duo, who ultimately balance each other out.
From the ironic prelude of Watson stating “Nothing ever happens to me” to the exclusion of minute details that later emerge, Sherlock epitomizes the Mystery genre with its syntagmatic form. Throughout the show, varying music and camera techniques are used in order to increase tension when needed, allude to future events, or conceal certain aspects from the viewer. For instance, when scenes of victims are being shown, close-up angles that focus on emotion are employed in order to stress the intimacy of the situation, as well as its detrimental value. In addition, the environment and props of each scene reflected the tone of the situation. For example, when investigating the crime scene of the woman, the rooms was dimly lit, with peeling wallpaper and a dirty-covered floor. The stylized method of using both props and cinematographic techniques reflect the same concept of functions that other artifacts under the same genre operates under, thus tapping into one’s schema of previous entertainment understanding and setting the scene for the entire show as a series of stories that gradually unfold in a dark and ambiguous manner.
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