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company in this era. This well known television series was aired for 90 minutes per episode and
each season contains approximately three episodes. Up until 2017, this television series has reach
up to four completed series. Steven Moffat and Mark Gratiss creatively adapt this show based on
the 80s famous writer, Sir Arthur Conan Doyles work and successfully caught the attention of
the audience all over the world with Benedict Cumberbatch as the Sherlock Holmes and Martin
Freeman as Dr John Watson, the famous duo. Considering that the television series is an
adaptation from the original stories, of course there are many elements that changed and adapted
to suit this generation and its entertainment needs. For this purpose, we will be looking at the
changes as well as elements that are kept same as the original in the first episode of the television
Looking at the first two minutes of the television series, we were immediately exposed to
a character that has a traumatic experience of being shot while in action in a war. We didnt
exactly know his name until theres a scene of this person sitting in front of his laptop, trying to
think of an idea to write a blog, a personal blog for Dr John Watson. He seems so stress and
gruesome of the latest incident that happened to him and appear to us that he didnt know how to
handle this situation, even after talking with his therapist, he still didnt know how to let
everything go. Meanwhile in the book, Sir Arthur first introduced us to the narrator of this story,
a doctor who got shot while in action in Afghanistan, later removed from the mission and
brought back to London, surviving on his army pension. Later on page three then we know his
full name of John Watson, which is for me a great introduction from Sir Arthur, to brought the
readers curiosity level, questioning and wanting to know who they are reading about. We can see
that just like the author, the television series started the show with something that brings
curiosity to the audience, with a shooting action going on, to bring suspiciousness to those who
Fast forward to the next important scene in the television series is three mysterious
suicide case happened with all victims eating the same pill to their death followed by a
newspaper press of Detective Lestrade explaining the situation of recent suicide. We were first
introduced to Detective Lestrade in this scene and apparently looking not confident at all
answering the questions. Now this is a bit different from the original text where Sir Arthur
continues Watsons narration with him accidently meeting his university colleague, Mike
Stamford in a bar. He invited Stamford for a lunch and they went there by a hansom. This
particular scene changed a bit in the TV series where instead of a bar, Stamford accidently
bumped into Watson in a park. Later on, they continue talking in the park while drinking coffee.
In my opinion, these changes are made to suit Watsons feeling in the series. In the
original text, Watson was seen more cheerful than in the TV series, where he looks so
traumatized. Therefore, his meeting with Stamford are seen gloomier as the weather at that time.
I also believe that the additional scene of press conference is to level up the audiences curiosity
towards the mysterious sudden suicidal acts. The usage of smart phones in this scene also
series and original text, Watson did tells Stamford that he might be needing
to find a flat mate due to Londons living cost with his army pension and
Stamford reaction was you are the second man today that has used that
experiment. Here we were also introduced to Molly Hooper, a new added character to the TV
series. We can see that Molly had an eye to Sherlock; by the way she looks at him and changes
her appearance a bit (wearing a lipstick). In the original text, Stamford was the one who saw
Sherlock beating crop for experiments: Yes, to verify how far bruises may be produced after
death. I saw him at it with my own when he was chit-chatting with Watson during their lunch.
Later on, Stamford brings Watson to a chemistry laboratory in the hospital to meet
Sherlock. In the book it says: There was only one student in the room, who was bending over a
distant table absorbed in his work. At the sound of our steps he glanced round and sprang to his
feet with a cry of pleasure. Ive found it! Ive found it, but in the series, theres only Sherlock
Holmes in the laboratory which explains his first characteristic which likes to be alone while
doing his work. Here, the audiences were also introduced to Sherlocks cold and arrogant
manners which are completely different from the original text. The original text describe Holmes
as a friendly genius: He seized me by the coat sleeve in his eagerness, and drew me over to the
when they both first enter the room. Watson did say something to
kill the silence but Holmes just get over it and ask Stamford to
borrow his phone. Since he left it in his coat, Watson offered his. As soon as Sherlock Holmes
has it, he asks Watson Afghanistan or Iraq? Watson seems unpleasantly surprised, unlike in the
original text, where he feels astonished when Sherlock tells him that he was from Afghanistan.
Stamford was quiet and smirking the moment because he knew who SH is while Watson looks
These are two significant different characteristic of Sherlock Holmes, one who is very
friendly and warm, and the other one is cold and serious, when introduced to new person: in this
case, Dr John Watson. In the original, when introduced to Watson, Sherlock cheerfully asked him
to see what he was working on: Come over here now! He seized me by the coatsleeve in his
eagerness, and drew me over to the table at which he had been working but in the adaptation,
Sherlock never asks Watson to come over and look at his toys. Theres a sense of tension build
because not only he didnt answer Watsons questions, he continue throwing questions and hints
of being potential flat mate. Plus, there are not much changes of the way the laboratory was
described. In an instant the contents assumed a dull mahogany colour, and a brownish dust was
precipitated to the bottom of the glass jar, because in the TV series, there is a brownish solution
In the TV series, Sherlock was in rush so he left Watson, hanging on all the information
given by Sherlock, with all the deductions he made of his background as well as the flat hes
been eyeing on. Meanwhile, in the original text, Stamford said We came here on business,
stating that Watson actually looking for a flat mate and Sherlock looks excited about it:
Sherlock Holmes seemed delighted at the idea of sharing his rooms with me. This particular
excitement didnt shown in the TV series for who we knew Sherlock Holmes is very cold man
from the two minutes scene of himself, Watson and Stamford in the laboratory. Before he left to
the morgue, since Watson was a bit mad and frustrated that he the fact
they didnt know about each other and be looking out of flat and
Watson left speechless but Sherlock did tells him his name and the
At home, Watson googled Sherlock on the internet to find out who he really is before he decided
The Science of Deduction. We can see here that his tension in the
adaptation, as compared to the original text where Watson moved in first, and later by the week,
stumbled upon an article about him in a magazine. Both original and the adaptation have a scene
where first Watson was a bit skeptic of Sherlock deduction theories but later when he explained,
Watson was able to understand more. Either way, he was proud of his theories that he created.
The difference is place where Sherlock explains his deductions on Watsons background. In the
original, Sherlock explained it right after Watson arguing the theories, however in the adaptation,
Sherlock later explained to Watson in a cab on their route to the crime scene.
The sequences of scenes are a bit jumbled up in the adaptation, solemnly to suit the plot
and characters better. However, some scenes are kept similar but some are added or cut from the
original. All of these actions have meaning and contribute to the intention of the script writer as
well as the director of the TV adaption.
Holmes, stating that the recent suicidal case left a note, which then excites him the most because
he loves solving puzzles. Note that this is actually Watsons first time seeing Sherlock
excitement, or let call it: smiling over something. He was excited from his room, as soon as
Lestrade left, proving how he kept his emotions from what he calls outsiders, and downstairs
meeting Mrs. Hudson before he left to the crime scene. This is a bit different from the original
where Sherlock at first reluctant to go to the crime scene: Im not sure about whether I shall go.
I am the most incurably lazy devil that ever stood in shoe leather
that is, when the fit is on me, for I can be spry enough at times.
suicidal cases on the fourth victim, the original only has one
strange case, so with Sherlocks excitement for rare things, probably a simple case didnt excite
him, thus the adaptation was made with few linked suicidal cases.
Moving on, we can see in the movie that before Sherlock left the flat, he said that he
might be needing food to the landlady, Mrs. Hudson, and she clearly emphasized that she is just
the landlady, and not the housekeeper. Now, about Mrs. Hudson, in the original, there is no
background or even character of the landlady being named. This is because women in that era
didnt have any voice over or to the men. They are told to obey, stay quiet, and do the chores as if
they get paid for it. As time changes, in the adaptation, the character landlady was given a name,
background, and actually plays a vital role in the series. Mrs. Hudson is one of Sherlock most
trusted person in the adaptation and him being solitude as he is, the circle of trusted person in his
life is very precious and limited. Plus, she appear to be very certain in the adaptation, of her role
as only a landlady, but nice as she offers Watson a cup of tea, showing her good manner. Next
scene was Sherlock coming back to the flat and offering Watson to come with him to the crime
scene. This scene is quite similar to the original but there is a twist done to the adaptation. In the
adaptation, Sherlock invites Watson because he realizes that he actually misses the thrills Watson
had when he was in Afghanistan, while in the original, Sherlock invited Watson
if you have nothing better to do. Then they went by hansom which changed
original where it takes weeks to get to this particular scene. Sherlock then
Watson finds it extraordinary. Sherlock, being solitude himself in the adaptation, or in the
original, seems pleased to the compliment. Soon after, they arrived at the crime scene, I notice a
difference in the appearance of the house in Lauriston Gardens, where in the original the house
was described as: a small garden sprinkled over with a scattered eruption of sickly plants
separated each of these houses from the street, and was traversed by a narrow pathway,
character, Sergeant Sally Donovan. I believe that the addition of a non-white woman, working as
a sergeant in the adaptation is a great addition. It tells everyone that nowadays, everyone matters,
not only all woman had a voice, they also capable of working in an important industries with a
high position. However, Sergeant Donovan whom the first one met Sherlock outside of crime
scene, didnt seems pleased to have him there. This is very different from the original where
Sherlock Holmes are always invited and welcomed to help at crime scenes. It is indeed kind of
you to come, he said, I have had everything left untouched. In the adaptation, Sergeant
Donovan wasnt the only one that didnt pleased to see Sherlock at the crime scene, but also a
new character, Anderson, the forensics in charged at that night. He didnt seems to have a good
relationship with Sherlock either, which mentioned before in the adaptation. With new characters
in the crime scene added, the writer of modern adaptation decided to combine the role of
Detective Tobias Gregson and Detective Lestrade into just one character, which is Detective
Inspector Gregson Lestrade. He then takes both Sherlock and Watson to the exact crime scene
where a woman in pink clothing was found dead. This is a vital change happen from the original
where originally it was a man found dead, in such an unexplainable, horrified facial expression.
As Lestrade asked Sherlock to take a look at the victim, he was annoyed at the presence of
Lestrade and appears to be rude by telling Lestrade to shut up, whereas he didnt even talk.
Again, this is very different from the original where Sherlock respects Lestrade and Gregsons
opinion very much. In the adaptation, Lestrades character was nothing than a desperate detective
trying to solve a puzzle. Moving on, the adaptation still kept Sherlock ways of finding the clues;
using magnifying class and by looking around the room. He immediately figure out that the
scratched letters on the word of rache that means revenge even though Anderson trying to imply
that rache might actually means a revenge happened. Unlike the original, the writing was done in
adaptation still captured the pain of the writer, writing using blood
Other difference spotted was the role of Watson in the crime scene,
victims body, even though he already knew the condition was. He did that to prove to Lestrade
and the rest of the forensic that his colleague really is a capable doctor, immediately gain the
trust from them. It was indeed for me a good action of Sherlock, despite his cockiness. However,
he stills staying himself and be rude by telling other peoples didnt work their brain very much.
His kindness is very rare and very well cherish by the audience plus for me it added a little bit of
jokes to the movie, a genius joke, perhaps. He then completed the analysis by deducting the
victims background, secrets and plans. The deduction was really a well thought of the writer for
Next, one of the vital changes happened in the adaptation was the
changes in the clue from the victims. In the original, the victims ring
was an important clue, while the adaptation goes with a pink suitcase.
Plus, in the original, the vital clue, the ring was present at the crime scene, unlike the adaptation
where the suitcase wasnt there at all. The switch is important, for me at least, because of the
scene where Sherlock finds out that all of these was actually a serial killer action. In the original,
Sherlock finds the witness of the tragedy, but with the switch and the absence of the suitcase, the
writer manage to cut the scene short but still very well thought of. With the cut scene from the
original, the writer of the adaption manage to add more conflict of Sherlock lifes where he deals
with a lot of curiosity from other people, due to his way of thinking as well as hatred built on his
rudeness. Therefore, it explains a lot why Sergeant Donovan didnt seems to like him that much,
even when they set up a drug bust in his flat later on, everyone that has issue with Sherlock
volunteered. The writer of this famous adaptation also added one more very important character
in this TV series, which is Sherlocks brother, Mycroft to expand the plot of this story,
Fast forward to the adaption, after Watson was introduced to Mycroft, back to find out
that Sherlock had found the suitcase, then chasing the wrong people in a cab, to be back again in
the flat where they set up a drug bust, finally Sherlock finds the relationship between Rachel and
the victim. He later knows that the victim actually wrote Rachel to direct them to the killer.
Using the technology, he then manages to locate the smart phone, which is kept by the taxi
driver. He then secretly went away to have a talk with the cab driver, because he was very
curious on how he made all these victims eat the poison. The plot and the storytelling of the
adaptation definitely changes, due to the need of continuity of the series. Few characters added
and cut to meet the plot. Unfortunately, for me as one of a favourite audience for the TV series, I
watched the series before I read the book, therefore, I found out that the adaptation was better
than the original. However, I do find that the writing and plot development that Sir Arthur did
was truly remarkable, therefore, I am glad that Moffat and Gratiss did an amazing job in adapting
the original book into something that fits this era and its entertainment needs.