THINKING AND WRITING: "SHERLOCK: THE ABOMINABLE BRIDE"

            The adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson have been impressively received since Sir Arthur Conan Doyle first created the thrilling tales in 1887. Many adaptations have been created since then and each is as electrifying as the next. However, BBC’s highly rated TV-series Sherlock—staring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman—has taken the archetypal mystery and detective narrative to entirely new heights through its modern depiction and brought about a fandom that rivals that of Dr. Who. In the most recent Christmas TV-special “Sherlock: The Abominable Bride,” Sherlock and Dr. Watson find themselves in 1890’s London solving a crime about a murderous bride-ghost. Although the episode takes place a hundred years prior to Benedict Cumberbatch’s modern Sherlock and is filled with costuming and set designing that is highly representative of London in the 1890’s, “Sherlock: The Abominable Bride” maintains its modernity through its social commentary on women’s rights, and through the brilliant interpretation of the classic, yet originally modern characters that brought around the Sherlock fandom in 2010.

            One of the most prominent textual characteristics of the Sherlock series is the set production and its modern references to the classic Sherlock mysteries. Creators Mark Gatiss and Stephen Moffat did not hold back when it came to minuscule, but brilliant detail. Whether it is the slipper filled with tobacco, a dagger driven into a pile of hand-written letters, or a stain-glass window with five orange pips as the design, these minor details have enticed audiences and kept them engaged in the brilliance of the writers and crew. While all of these little set articles are typical of Sherlock’s modern world, bringing these same articles to 221B in 1890’s London with a Victorian twist maintains that modernity that the creators strived for with this Christmas special. There comes an interesting cohesion between Victorian and modern as the two sets unite as one, creating a 221B fit for the 1890’s while maintaining those same characteristics that fans have grown to recognize and look for. While there is an obvious time lapse in setting, this episode preserves that modern world and goes to show that set-production and costuming cannot change or alter a timeless work of art.

            Furthermore, increasing the episode's modernity despite the time-hop, the creators chose to center the theme around a very prominent social issue during the 19^th century—women’s rights—but illustrate it according to our modern standards. The only character who truly shows signs of stereotypical 19^th century male superiority is Dr. Watson, who continually bosses around the landowner Mrs. Hudson, treats his wife Mary as an insubordinate, and refuses to do womanly duties such as speak to or order around the help. Martin Freeman’s portrayal of this type of character is meant to illicit an emotional restraint from the audience, which he does hilariously and wonderfully. The other characters, such as Sherlock himself, Mary, Molly, and Mycroft, are completely modern in their characterization and depiction. Mary, Dr. Watson’s wife, is hired by Mycroft to embark on a secret side mission to solve the crime before his brother Sherlock, while Molly cross-dresses as a man in order to perform as a highly intellectual and effective doctor; Sherlock admires the intelligence and capability of Lady Carmichael, and Mycroft is unapologetically on the side of the suffragettes, who turn out to be the schemers behind the ghost-bride that terrorize masochistic men. The entire episode makes a statement on the ridiculousness of Victorian era gender roles and illustrates the brainpower behind the women of the world, just as we view women today.

            This installment of the Sherlock series is nonetheless as brilliant as the rest, despite its change in scenery and setting. The success of Sherlock has been due to the incredible reception from a continually growing fandom, a fandom that inspires and motivates the creators to maintain the style and cleverness that is so characteristic of this modern depiction. Although it focuses on themes that have now become a tremendous archetype of the modern canon of literature and film and perhaps illustrates them in a modern light different to how it would have been portrayed during the late 1800’s, it maintains its modern feel despite the change in costuming and set design. Any screaming fan of Benedict Cumberbatch or Martin Freeman would not be dismayed by this change in scenery that is apparent in “Sherlock: The Abominable Bride,” neither would they be confused as to its placement in the Sherlock canon, for any story of the “high functioning sociopath” and his blogger roommate would be recognizable in any setting due to the brilliance and cohesion of the timeless world of Sherlock Holmes.