A Study in Pink (24 Oct. 2010)

Dr. John Watson returns to London and is in need of a place to stay. A friend introduces him to Sherlock Holmes, a consulting detective. The two find themselves teaming up to solve a series of murders that are made to look like suicides.

Director:

Paul McGuigan

Writers:

Steven Moffat, Mark Gatiss (creator),

Stars:

Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Rupert Graves

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Benedict Cumberbatch	...	Sherlock Holmes
Martin Freeman	...	Dr. John Watson
Rupert Graves	...	DI Lestrade
Una Stubbs	...	Mrs. Hudson
Louise Brealey	...	Molly Hooper
Vinette Robinson	...	Sgt Sally Donovan
Tanya Moodie	...	Ella
Siobhan Hewlett	...	Helen (as Siobhán Hewlett)
William Scott-Masson	...	Sir Jeffrey Patterson
Victoria Wicks	...	Margaret Patterson
Sean Joseph Young	...	Gary (as Sean Young)
James Duncan	...	Jimmy
Ruth Everett	...	Political Aide
Syrus Lowe	...	Political Aide
Katy Maw	...	Beth Davenport

Storyline

Wounded in Afghanistan while in the Army, Dr. John Watson returns to contemporary London and though a mutual acquaintance becomes the flatmate at Mrs. Hudson's house at 221B Baker Street with brilliant if eccentric private investigator Sherlock Holmes. There have been three identical apparent suicides, and Inspector Lestrade asks for Sherlock's intervention over the fourth, the suspicious death of Jennifer Wilson. As she lay dying she wrote 'Rachel' in the dust and Sherlock deduces that this was not only the name of her stillborn daughter of many years earlier but the password to her mobile phone. Jennifer sent a text to her killer to give a clue as to their identity. This leads Sherlock to a meeting in a deserted college with a terminally ill serial killer, slaying people for kicks, to show superiority over the rest of society and determined to make Sherlock the next victim.

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Plot Keywords:

suicide | taxi driver | pink suitcase | serial killer | pill

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Certificate:

TV-14

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 October 2010 (USA)

Filming Locations:

187 North Gower Street, Somers Town, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hartswood Films, BBC Wales, Masterpiece Theatre

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sherlock kissing Mrs. Hudson on the cheek wasn't scripted. Benedict Cumberbatch had known Una Stubbs since he was very young, and it was his reaction on being able to work with someone who was like a mother to him.

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Goofs

When Holmes and Watson walk out of the house after seeing it for the first time, a police car is visible over Sherlock's right shoulder, but when Watson walks past the police car vanishes.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Ella: How's your blog going?
Dr John Watson: Yeah good - very good.
Ella: You haven't written a word, have you?
Dr John Watson: You just wrote, "still has trust issues".
Ella: And you read my writing upside down. You see what I mean? John, you're a soldier. It's going to take you a while to adjust to civilian life. And writing a blog about everything that happened to you will honestly help you.
Dr John Watson: Nothing happens to me.

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Connections

References Apollo 13 (1995)

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Soundtracks

"Opening Titles "
(uncredited)
Written by David Arnold & Michael Price

User Reviews

This Brilliant, Tantalizing First Step Leaves Both US Features in its Dust

A sharp, witty modernization of the Holmes mythos, the first in this ongoing series of feature-length chapters almost perfectly strikes the difficult balance between respect for the source material and fresh, original elaborations. Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman are equally prickly, sardonic and brilliant as Holmes and Watson, respectively, both to the common folks they're tripping over at every turn and to each other while they hash out the boundaries of their burgeoning friendship. Smart, fresh editing techniques give the audience an abundance of visual hints to Sherlock's methods at a crime scene, and also give the transitions between each scene a sleek, artsy edge that helps to convince this is more than a made-for-TV movie. Though it does occasionally leave Holmes himself in the dark just a bit too long in hopes that viewers at home will figure things out first, that's a very minor gripe and one I'm not entirely sure is actually a negative in this era of the deus ex machina. A bold, rewarding first step that sets the ball into motion for any number of future developments.