This first episode is quite great, as it transports the characters convincingly into our time, in a seemingly effortless way. It would have been easy (and common) to portray Dr. Watson and Inspector Lestrade as ridiculous buffoons; instead, they're intelligent, normal beings, just as Doyle wrote them - we can even sympathise with poor, overwrought Lestrade (and his colleagues). I appreciate that. It's also interesting that the episode, in a way, deconstructs the "Holmes myth". Yes, Holmes is shown as man of almost superhuman intelligence and powers of observation, but at the same time - he doesn't actually solve the case. In fact, he has only *almost* solved it when the murderer shows up to present himself to Holmes. That's unusual and I think I like it, too, as a refreshing approach (but I do hope that Holmes will appear in his "real" case-solving capacity in other episodes; this is the only one I've seen so far).
Review of A Study in Pink
