I think Benedict Cumberbatch is my favorite actor now and it’s because of this show.

My first introduction to Cumberbatch was via Star Trek: Into Darkness where he played the villain, Khan. I remember seeing him for the first time in the trailer and thinking, “Wow, he looks cool.” My father took my sister and me to see it and while I pretty much don’t remember anything about the movie or Cumberbatch in the film his impact in the trailer, alone, struck me.

The second movie I saw that featured Cumberbatch was The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug where he voiced Smaug who, by the way, I feel is the greatest onscreen dragon of all time.

His voice rumbled through my very soul as I watched the film for the first time at an IMAX midnight showing with my family. He was, in short, amazing! He brought such a grandiosity, a sense of menace and real threat to Bilbo and the dwarves that he was one of the reasons why I still happen to enjoy The Desolation of Smaug whenever I get far enough to see the dragon.

Then, of course, it was his role as Doctor Strange that made me like him even more. He was so unbelievably cool and likable as the Sorcerer Supreme, and surprisingly funny as well. I loved Doctor Strange and his involvement in the Avengers movies officially made him my favorite Marvel superhero.

I thought Doctor Strange had wormed his way into my heart and become my favorite superhero because of his cool powers and that awesome cape. I, however, have discovered, that it is in fact Benedict Cumberbatch who made the character so cool.

Benedict Cumberbatch infuses the title role of Sherlock with a pompous, unorthodox rigidity that made the show so freaking fun to watch. Yes, the show was well-written and absolutely riveting, or as the English say, bloody brilliant, but it is, ultimately, Cumberbatch’s portrayal of Sherlock Holmes that drove me to binge-watch the last three seasons of the show in three days.

But I do not take away from the brilliance of this show’s elaborate plots and plot devices to increase character development through creators Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat’s hands. They have outdone themselves by creating a show that pushes the mystery genre to the brink of madness with thirteen riveting episodes stuffed with clues, drama, humor, and downright likability.

Holmes and Watson, of course, lie at the center of this piece and they are undoubtedly one of the greatest fictional duos (naturally) that I have ever seen. I had previously been introduced to the characters of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson while watching Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows on HBO. Of course, the duo in those two Sherlock Holmes movies are portrayed by Robert Downey Jr. (Holmes) and Jude Law (Watson.)

At first, I found myself enjoying Law’s portrayal of Watson more than Martin Freeman, as Freeman seemed too much like Bilbo to me, yet as the seasons passed we get to see Watson’s character grow and evolve until, by the final episode, you get a real sense of who he is and Freeman helped bring the character to life in impeccable fashion.

While Sherlock is behaving erratically and downright obnoxious Watson is always there to be that slab of ice to cool things down. Their relationship was another aspect of the story that was so much fun to watch and really a great character study to how friendships in fiction should evolve over time.

I’ve honestly got so much to say about this show. I’ve been talking about it nonstop for three days straight. When I say something in a conversation it’s most likely going to be a Sherlock reference. When I sit back with my own thoughts I’m thinking about Sherlock and how much fun I had watching this show. And even now, as I write this post, I’m thinking about the show, the characters, and the several posts I could write elaborating in detail my love for this series.

In summary, it’s one of the best television shows that I’ve ever seen. My two previous favorite shows were Avatar: The Last Airbender and Star Wars: Rebels and I am very glad to add Sherlock to the list. It is a masterpiece, a true testament to the beauty of the mystery genre, and now I find myself on another mission: showing the series to my sister. Hopefully, we can watch the first episode today. 🤞

All in all, I had an utter blast. This show made me laugh, it made me gasp, it made me jump, and yeah, it even made me cry. And that’s what storytelling is all about.

I thank you for reading and I hope you have a fantastic day.