Blog Post 2

     

      It's quite interesting how this modern day Sherlock pays homage to the late 18th century character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. When the audience is first introduced to Sherlock, the camera angel is facing upward, so that it looks like he’s looking down at the audience. In contrast, when the audience is introduced to Watson, the camera angle is looking down on him. These specific angles are able to demonstrate to the audience the kind of personality Sherlock has. He believes he’s better than his counterparts, so he’s always looking down on them. A major signifier presented in this modern Sherlock is his overcoat. Most detectives are known for wearing their overcoats and smoking a pipe. When the audience first witnesses Sherlock's incredible deductive skills, he is seen putting on his overcoat. It's as if this symbolizes him putting on his detective persona. As for the pipe, this modern Sherlock is seen wearing a nicotine patch. The intertextuality of the nicotine patch pays homage to the smoking habits of the 18th century Sherlock.  During the first episode, the audience is also introduced to Sherlock's house. In contrast to Watson's house, Sherlock's is a mess. It's as if a tornado ran through his house, and the audience is left looking at the aftermath. But while it looks like a mess, for Sherlock, everything has its place. This same principle applies to Sherlock’s mind. He always seems to have a lot going on in his mind, but Sherlock is able to sift through all the information quickly, allowing him to make connections and come to conclusions much faster than his counterparts. The mess in Sherlock’s house works as a metaphor and visual representation of what the inside of his mind probably looks like.

            In conclusion, the creators of this modern day Sherlock have carefully crafted a character that well represents the one created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. From his addictions to his house, the audience can easily recognize the 18^th century Sherlock in a modern world.