BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 » What was your introduction to Sherlock Holmes?

SherlocklivesinOH · January 26, 2014 4:41 am

How did you first "discover" Sherlock Holmes and through what adaptation? Did you read canon first? See the series from the 1980s, starring Jeremy Brett? Was there, perhaps, one short story from canon in one of your literature textbooks in school?

Did the interpretation of Holmes you first saw color your feelings about the BBC series? It did for me.

Whisky · January 26, 2014 4:30 pm

I cannot remember how I first got to know Sherlock Holmes. As children, we used to play detective Holmes. We knew about the name, the hat, the magnifying glasses, a coat with checked pattern, and we were always searching clues to solve crimes. I remember it being a theme of a birthday party when we were maybe 8 or 9 years old. I liked detective stories, and the name and character of Sherlock Holmes kept appearing in those stories. I didn't know he was from London until much later, and I had no idea Watson existed, and I didn't know anything about Arthur Conan Doyle or the existence of the original stories. Holmes was just a common character for me like e.g. Mary Poppins, but one that felt more historical than fictional.

SherlocklivesinOH wrote:
It did for me.

In which ways?

kittykat · January 26, 2014 5:42 pm

I've always been aware of the character and what he does, but I didn't think it would interest me so I never bothered. And I knew there was a modern adaptation out there.

I saw Martin in The Hobbit and thought he was really great, so I decided to give Sherlock a go. I bought the Series 1 and 2 boxset and never looked back

I've got the Brett and Rathbone boxsets, as well as the RDJ movies. Love all of it ^^

Willow · January 26, 2014 6:18 pm

I read the original stories as a child; I was a voracious reader and finding books for me was an uphill task I went on to Father Brown, and discovered Nero Wolfe and his sidekick Archie; of all the variations on the Sherlock theme I like Rex Stout's the best, though I give an honourable mention to the little Belgian detective.

After reading the books I saw films, tv shows and so on; this is a natural progression for me. I watch very little tv so I only really engaged with it after there had been favourable reviews, but it does seem to me to be something of a groundbreaker. I haven't seen Elementary or the Robert Downey thing so I have no informed opinion on them

Zatoichi · February 23, 2014 7:25 pm

I read the original stories as a kid, too - I remember it was one huge brown volume containing the complete canon. It was really heavy, but I carried it with me all the time, being totally fascinated by the cases and the character of Holmes. Sadly I don´t recall much, but plan to re-read it soon! Just one story in which Holmes pretends to die from poison sticks with me, I was so enthralled that I read it countless times.

It coloured my feelings towards BBC Sherlock in the way I did not want to see it first - for me the setting in Victorian times was always a big part of the appeal, so I thought I wouldn´t like a modern adaptation. Also I was very busy when the first two series aired and I did not want my imagination to be spoiled. I finally gave it a try this January as I read so many enthusiastic reviews - the rest is history, here I am. For me BBC Sherlock is a completely new and independent thing, though I appreciate the closeness to canon.

I´m still not interested in any other adaptions or films.. maybe that changes within the next two years!

Last edited by Zatoichi (February 23, 2014 7:27 pm)

This Is The Phantom Lady · February 23, 2014 8:10 pm

For some reason I've always wanted to read the original work; I just never really got through to it.

My first introduction though; as sad as I suppose it sounds was the episode of Disney's Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers inspired of The Hound of the Baskerville. If I remember correctly they used the original work to find clues to figure out the mystery... Cute story really!

My first actual introduction was BBC Sherlock. I hadn't bothered watching it from the start but one bored Sunday night I watched The Empty Hearse. (The rest is history really)

I am going to read the original stories soon. It's on my list!

Last edited by This Is The Phantom Lady (February 23, 2014 8:11 pm)

Davina · February 23, 2014 10:57 pm

My introduction was the Jeremy Brett series.

ConsultingSociopath · February 24, 2014 10:26 am

Davina wrote:
My introduction was the Jeremy Brett series.

Same . Was introduced to the series as a child, started reading Conan Doyle's stories and have liked Sherlock Holmes ever since.

Tinks · February 24, 2014 10:38 am

My Grandmother encouraged me to love reading from a very early age, and Sherlock Holmes was a favourite series of stories of hers, so as soon I was old enough to understand them I began to read them, as well as watching the various screen adaptations.

nakahara · February 26, 2014 3:48 pm

I was also introduced to Sherlock Holmes through Jeremy Brett series. I even clearly recall it was the episode „The Solitary Cyclist“ which I saw as the very first one of Sherlock Holmes adventures. The episode would not be scary by today′s standards but at the time (when I was a small child) I was genuinely terrified by the premise of the story – young blonde female solitary cyclist being stalked by mysterious bearded hobo in dark glasses as they were riding through lonesome, totaly depopulated part of an english countryside. The mysterious atmosphere of the „Adventures of SH“ and Jeremy Brett′s portrayal roused my interest in the character of Sherlock Holmes quite strongly.

I then remember watching some of the most intense Sherlock Holmes adaptations:

Murder by Decree (1979, starring Christopher Plummer as SH) - this movie had probably the scaries and sickest story of all Holmes adaptations. It featured Jack the Ripper as the oponent of Holmes and the scenes of Jack brutally slaying the prostitutes in some dark alleys of the victorian London (Quebec actually) were just hellish. I was not able to sleep for two days after watching that one.

Masks of Death (1984, Peter Cushing in the role of Holmes) – similarly scary plot featuring gasing of some unlucky homeless Londoners who were then pulled out of Thames with gruesome grimaces distorting their faces. All as a part of sinister international conspiracy, of course.

Hound of Baskerville (1983, Ian Richardson as SH) – most HoB adaptations are not that good. This one was fabulous with the genuine atmosphere of horror and mystery. And the presence of Martin Doyle, Glynis Barber and Brian Blessed really helped.

As a teenager I started to love ACD canon and read many of original stories. But not all of them, apparently, because I remember being incredibly enraged after watching „The Final Problem“ with Jeremy Brett again. I was like: „Why the hell did they push poor Sherlock into the Reichenbach Falls? Were they out of their minds?“

And I started to research the character of SH quite seriously, gradually becoming a SH addict.

Jeremy Brett was for a long time my final image of Holmes, he was so brilliant in the role. I was therefore initially dismissive of this new BBC series.

But I really loved Martin Freeman in some of his previous projects and I also recalled Benedict Cumberbatch being praised as a talented new actor after „Hawking“. So I watched some clips of „Sherlock“ and immediately noticed the wittiest, most charming dialog and many perfect canon references. After that I started to watch the series earnestly and I was completely sold!

Deilenn · February 27, 2014 8:28 pm

As a little girl I knew there's someone like Sherlock Holmes, but I knew only his name and didn't do anything to find out more about him.

Then, a few years later I read "Luis Barnavelt" by John Bellairs, a book series for children, and in one of them two characters were pretending they're Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. This might have been the first time I found out that Sherlock was a detective and had a helper/assistant in solving cases :]

But my real introduction to SH was BBC Sherlock which I started watching in December 2011

Dr. Sam Holmes · June 13, 2014 1:57 pm

My mother was an avid reader of the books, or atleast she used to be. The name 'Sherlock Holmes' has popped up many times in my childhood. I don't remember the beginning though. What I do know is that the first Sherlock Holmes 'visual' I saw was the First RDJ one. It was interesting but I moved on from te subject of mystery and instead read about Fantasy. When my family began to watch Sherlock, I merely gave it a fleeting glance, deeming it uninteresting. Never have I been more so wrong in my life. I was bored one day, and put on the first Sherlock episode. It intrigued me greatly. So I watched them all, and when I got to Reichenbach, I could honestly say that I had become a Sherlockian! I went on a spree and began to read someone the books (I never got past A Study in Scarlet, I kind of lost the book). Now Sherlock Holmes holds a place in my heart, along with a few other fandoms that I really like.

Liberty · July 4, 2014 6:45 pm

I grew up watching the Basil Rathbone films. I loved them! And had a bit of crush on Basil Rathbone.

maryagrawatson · July 4, 2014 6:54 pm

Sherlock was my first real introduction that got me interested in the character. Until I started watching the show, the only thing about the stories that vaguely piqued my interest was that Geraint Wyn Davies played Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in the wonderful series 'Murdoch Mysteries.'

I've now read most of the ACD stories and appreciate Moftiss' version even more!

Mary

A lovely light · July 11, 2014 5:57 pm

For me were the books. As a kid and young adult i read some of them, not too much, not too keen on the stories as i thought that Watson is completly a boring person to deal with (i think i should read them now, perhaps i would have another opinion - but i don't love captain Hastings either, it bothered me that we get only a part of the truth through their eyes and not directly all the smart deductions). I saw also a couple of films, in short they impressed me so much that i have absoltly no idea which versions with whom i have saw. Generally , from all "classical"crimis, Holmes was not one i loved or looking for new films . I loved more Father Brown and Edgar Wallace books. And naturally Miss Marple.

Strange that it took me a modern Sherlock to be hooked.

Liberty · July 13, 2014 9:30 pm

I loved Miss Marple, A Lovely Light! And Agatha Christie in general!

Harobed · July 18, 2014 10:29 am

Ha, yes...for me it was Basil Rathbone who I absolutely believed WAS Sherlock Holmes!
From a young age, I was glued to Saturday afternoon showings of a series of adventures in which he starred.
It's kinda hard now when I see Sir Basil, all of my affections for him resurface & I am hard-put to deny him the throne that Benedict now occupies. Agony!
Ah, but then I am goose-bumped & breathlessly immersed in an episode with B.C. and all thoughts & allegiance to Basil vanish! Ha!

MartaSt · July 19, 2014 8:12 pm

My introduction to Sherlock Holmes were "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" which I've read in primary school (it was my obligatory book in school). Then, when I was still in primary school, I've won in some contest "The Hound of the Baskervilles" and I totally loved it. I've read this about 20 times. After primary school I read nothing at all about Sherlock. Then, few months ago, I accidentally watched one of the BBC Sherlock episode. I utterly fell in love with it and after watching all series I've read all Doyle's books about Sherlock Holmes.