The first episode of the new Sherlock Holmes series on television introduces us to the the main character Sherlock Holmes, an English detective renowned for solving mysterious crimes whenever London's police department seem too baffled to find any solutions for themselves. The other significant character who is shown in the opening scene is Dr. John Watson, a war veteran who suffers from what appears to be a recurring nightmare about his experiences on the battlefield. We know this because the camera zooms in on his face as he awakens from the dream, signifying that we should pay close attention, and we see him gasping as if he is having a panic attack. He is next shown sitting in a chair in what could be described as a counseling session with a therapist who tells him that his injury is psychosomatic.
A syntagmatic analysis of the episode helps us to determine how the story unfolds since the first scene shows Dr. Watson alone in a very sparse but orderly room which could signify that Watson is a man with simple tastes and a need for order in his life. Next we then see his introduction to Holmes, and we see Holmes analysis of Watson using signifiers such as a cell phone that is inscribed with specific information as well as his tanned complexion. Other signifiers that are utilized by the show's producers include spelling out the words whenever Holmes explains how he has come to a conclusion about someone or something that others cannot understand. Subequent scenes show three different people traveling at different ties of the day who later find themselves being coerced into taking pills that will lead to their death, Immediately there is an air of mystery since there are close up shots of each victim with pill in hand, yet we can't determine the reason why these individuals are taking these pills ,so we know that this is a mystery that needs to be solved so this is where Holmes will play a significant part. We know that the mystery takes place in London because of the iconic Big Ben clock tower that is seen in the distance during scene changes.
In the paradigmatic analysis of this episode there are the opposites of good versus evil that is seen in the apparent hostility towards Holmes, the hero of the tale, by the female detective who is annoyed by his air of superiority as well as his knack for solving crimes . There is also the villian of the story who turns out to be a cab driver who challenges Holmes to use his superior intellect to determine which pill would be the correct one to take in order to avoid death.
The music that is being played as Holmes slowly puts the pill to his mouth helps to heighten the sense of suspense , while the close up shot of his face is another signifier that is used to help us focus on exactly what would happen next. Because of this focus there is a sense of shock that is felt when Watson fires through the window of the other building immediately killing the cabdriver.
Throughout the episode there are twists and turns that keeps the viewer in suspense such as the chase through the streets of London by Watson and Holmes , yet its the use of symbols such as the cell phone that represents modern technology, as well as flashing street signs that we get the message that this is the Sherlock Holmes of the modern era. Holmes use of a nicotine patch shows the use of intertertextuality since this show references the original series in which the detective often smoked a pipe. The cultural codes that are highlighted are mainly in the use of the language , with words such as "cabbie and Cuppa" which are only used in certain parts of London , but through the use of signifiers such as rain and fog and black cabs we are able to quickly determine that this series is based entirely in London.
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