BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 » Appreciation for minor characters

tobeornot221b · February 26, 2012 11:42 am

Everyone quite rightly praises the main characters' acting performances.
But the actors of the minor characters are equally well chosen! Sometimes it’s only a few second’s performance that leaves a mark.

One of my favourite characters has to be Westie’s fiancée.
She always gets me in the scene with John. The manner in which she expresses her deep mourning for Westie’s death moves my heart. I find her utterly believable.

Any minor character that has made an impression on you?

Davina · February 26, 2012 6:59 pm

I think John's counsellor is also played very well.

Sherlock Holmes · February 27, 2012 2:11 pm

John's girlfriends!

Ceto · February 27, 2012 2:26 pm

And Soo Lin Yao in the blind banker

Sherlock Holmes · February 27, 2012 4:16 pm

And the guy that chats up Soo Lin Yao!

Davina · February 27, 2012 8:04 pm

Andrew Havill who plays the royal equerry in Scandal in Belgravia is really good. Totally believable. Love the comment to Mycroft when Mycroft apologises for his little brother's behaviour 'full time occupation, I imagine!'

Davina · February 27, 2012 8:05 pm

Sherlock Holmes · February 28, 2012 1:54 pm

Sebastian in Blind Banker. I like the bit where he makes fun of Sherlock's techniques.

Last edited by Sherlock Holmes (February 28, 2012 1:55 pm)

ProudSherlockian121 · February 28, 2012 9:23 pm

Soo Lin Yao. probably my favourite minor character so far.

Sherlock Holmes · February 29, 2012 9:24 pm

What about Dimmock from Blind Banker?

kazza474 · March 2, 2012 11:08 am

I don't think I was all that impressed by any particular minor character actually.
One I really didn't think did a very good job at all was Katherine Parkinson who played Kitty Riley.
Yes Kitty was not a 'nice' person and was basically stupid but the actress did not do anything 'good' in her portrayal. I just found her whole time on screen 'wimpy'. The lines delivered at her flat were sick. "not a West End part but I bet it paid well" stuck in my throat. She missed the whole meaning to it for me.

ugh, I cannot even describe what I think, it was just boringly bad.

Sherlock Holmes · March 2, 2012 11:25 am

Lol, you have good critical faculties! I'm terrible at things like that...everyone always says I'd make an awful film reviewer because I can never criticise anything. I kind of know what you mean but it's never stuck out to me before - maybe it will now you've mentioned it!

I'd love to have a minor part in Sherlock! Did professional acting as a kid till I was about 18, packed in when I went to Uni.

Davina · March 2, 2012 12:31 pm

I agree with your analysis of the actor portraying Kitty. I found her somewhat unconvincing in Sherlock. She is in a new BBC comedy costume drama, that sounds more complicated than it is, called 'The Bleak Old House of Stuff' which is a parody of Dickens. I must say that the part she plays in this is also a bit weak. I'm not sure if it is the material she is working with but I suspect not.

It even occurred to me that maybe she is a 'plant' in Sherlock because she wasn't believable in the role of journalist. When she says to Sherlock that he 'repels' her, I find it unconvincing. She always appears to be acting. Not what an actor is aiming for really!

kazza474 · March 2, 2012 12:34 pm

The part of Kitty was always going to be an insipid twit and playing insipid people is not easy. But really she may as well have been reading her lines, they were so 'static' to me. Obviously Moftiss loved it so who am I to say? I just wasn't convinced.

Davina · March 2, 2012 12:36 pm

Me neither!

kazza474 · March 2, 2012 12:53 pm

Sherlock Holmes wrote:
Lol, you have good critical faculties! I'm terrible at things like that...everyone always says I'd make an awful film reviewer because I can never criticise anything. I kind of know what you mean but it's never stuck out to me before - maybe it will now you've mentioned it!

I'd love to have a minor part in Sherlock! Did professional acting as a kid till I was about 18, packed in when I went to Uni.

I'm always accused of being very analytical and very fanatical once I get my interest spiked in something.
I think it comes from several things, For 20 years I was in a job where it was my duty to 'criticise' or pull apart every action and decide 'what was that for/did it work' stuff like that. So I am now a natural critic of everything really.
The other thing is my location, oddly enough!
Here in Australia, through bad promotion from the TV network, Sherlock isn't a massive hit. It's popularity is more within the ranks of the late 20's & upwards. There's no teenage/early 20's fanbase really & that is where popularity gets its biggest push media wise. So there's a bunch of married couples & older people discussing this show; a very mature audience. So to get info on teh show (and to watch it asap) we have to study the internet and see what's happening. Doing that, you read a LOT of b;logs, ideas, reviews. And then we have whopping great discussions when we get together, deep stuff exploring the souls of every character etc. So we quickly weed out the 'hysteria' stuff, the incessant fanfic stuff and look for the facts only.
It's very much like that for Dr Who fans here but they have the luxury of a few decades to have built up their cult following numbers! (And as I have said before, I have no interest in Dr Who)

So when we see all this 'believe in Sherlock' stuff being plastered around countries miles from here, we get a little sad that something like that will never be the rage down here.

kazza474 · March 2, 2012 1:05 pm

I forgot to add, ever be afraid of saying what you think about something. No-one can be right or wrong, as opinions are not owned by everyone else, only you. And you can always change your opinion, because you own it.

Hey. I posted that I didn't like Russell Tovey, never knew of him before so I have only his HOUND act to go by. I don't think there was 'enough' of his character to make any "Wow he's great" conclusion.

sherlockskitty · May 31, 2012 10:22 pm

kazza474 wrote:
I forgot to add, ever be afraid of saying what you think about something. No-one can be right or wrong, as opinions are not owned by everyone else, only you. And you can always change your opinion, because you own it.

Hey. I posted that I didn't like Russell Tovey, never knew of him before so I have only his HOUND act to go by. I don't think there was 'enough' of his character to make any "Wow he's great" conclusion.

Kazza--Russell Tovey played midshipman Alonso Frame in a Doctor who xmas special called "Voyage of the Damned" 2007 with David Tennant's 10th dr. He was AMZING in that one.

Wholocked · June 1, 2012 12:35 am

He was also a main character in the first two seasons of the UK Being Human

kazza474 · June 1, 2012 1:06 am

Well I am not into Dr Who or Vampires & things so can't see me getting excited by his acting anytime soon, lol.