BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / What if the producers only showed 'A Study In Pink' pilot?

**Posted by Sherlollipop** August 1, 2013 3:00 pm

I've just seen the pilot episode of 'A Study In Pink' (the one that's only an hour' and I started wondering... How do you think the whole programme would be if all the episodes were like the pilot instead of the final edit?
Personally I feel that it wouldn't have had such a huge reaction, and it wouldn't have had such a huge fandom as it does They isn't much chemistry between the characters in my opinion, and also I think that the camera work and the editing like the writing on the screen (eg. when Sherlock texts) makes such a huge difference - from being just another ordinary, maybe quite good show to this amazing show that it is now
What do you think?

**Posted by sj4iy** August 1, 2013 3:03 pm

It went from being a so-so detective story to feeling like we were watching Sherlock Holmes' movies. The pilot felt very unpolished next to the final version. I'm glad, though, that they were able to do the pilot like that, because I think it gave them a better feel for what worked and what didn't.

**Posted by kittykat** August 1, 2013 3:42 pm

I do like the pilot, though. Especially the smile they exchange when John calls Sherlock an idiot, and the "I'm his doctor" moment

**Posted by Titania** August 1, 2013 4:52 pm

I saw it ....it's still better than many finished shows but it lacks something aside the obvious Mycroft
I don't think it would have been the same impact

**Posted by kittykat** August 1, 2013 4:53 pm

It also missed the thing about Moriarty, how he was the one sponsoring the cab driver to kill all those people. That one mention of his name in STiP said so much...

**Posted by Sherlollipop** August 1, 2013 8:26 pm

Swanpride wrote:
I'm not so sure...the Pilot wasn't bad by any means. What it's mainly missing is Mycroft, and they might have added him in a later episode. I think the show would have been succesful in any case, but what gave it the final push from a "good show" to an "outstanding show which will be remembered" is the changes they made later on, the camera angels, the writing on the screen, Sherlock's deductions aso.

I completely agree with you... I think Mycroft was a big part of the episode, and I also agree with what the person before me said - about the cabbie screaming 'Moriarty!' when he died.
I think also in the final version of 'A Study', it works really well when Sherlock realises that the cabbie's killing all those people so his children can get some inheritance when he dies from his anuerism. From what I remember, they didn't include that in the pilot, and I think that the reasoning 'I've outlived 5 people' is a bit off without something else there to suppot it =/
Well at least that's what I think happened, I can't really remember =D

**Posted by Mary Me** August 2, 2013 5:10 pm

The pilot is so gaaaaaay. I only watched it twice. I just can't watch it without constantly thinking how GAY it is and I can only watch it through my fingers.

The other things have been mentioned. Scenes like the one with Mycroft which also goes to show that John is a real badass or the cabbie screaming 'Moriarty!' do so much to the episode.

**Posted by kittykat** August 2, 2013 5:12 pm

So the gay thing is a bad thing?

**Posted by Mary Me** August 2, 2013 5:19 pm

Don't get me wrong! After all I'm part of this fantastic-yet-crazy-gotta-get-my-JAM-purple-shirt-of-sex-faint-love-kiss-smileyface-I-don't-know-what-my-feelings-are-doing-please-let-them-kiss-and-marry-and-be-happy-forever-gorgeous-fandom. But you can overdo it. And I do feel uncomfortable watching it.

**Posted by Be** August 2, 2013 5:23 pm

I don't like the pilot despite the writing is very similar. The flat 221 b is too colourful and bright.
Everything it too nice. I don't know how to put it. Even Sherlock himself is too nice.
The cabbie scene in ASiP is just perfectly played by both actors. When Sherlock is drugged in the pilot the confrontation scene just doesn't have the right impact.
It is much better when both men face each other and combat intellectually without drugs being involved.

**Posted by kittykat** August 2, 2013 5:23 pm

I see what you mean...but it was still sweet when they smiled at each other

**Posted by Mary Me** August 2, 2013 5:37 pm

Yeah, that was sweet. I also like the scene where John explains that he's seen many men dying - most of them undeserving - and that he knows he did the right thing by shooting the cabbie. Goes to show that death is a serious issue, after all.

I do very much agree with you, Be. It's all like a gigantic nice fluffy and colourful ... well... I don't really find the right noun. The confronation scene bothers me. I swear, I thought that cabbie was actually going to rape him. It all seems very strange.

**Posted by kittykat** August 2, 2013 5:44 pm

Yeah, that was a bit weird, with the cabbie. But I think the highlight was Sherlock acting drunk!

How did he trip without actually falling?