![]() The plot is more convoluted, so much so that I stopped actively trying to figure out the details and just let the twists wash over me. (I admit, however, that I am especially partial to the headline I wrote for that review: “Ain’t Nothin’ but a Hound Fog.”) In “Final Adventure,” I didn’t feel the dramatic tension as much as I did in “Hound.” I’m not as keen on this installment in the famous-detective franchise as I was for 2017’s chipper “The Hound of the Baskervilles,” which also featured Moore in the leading role, along with a very scary dog lurking on the misty moor outside the English manor house in which the play was set. The steely countenance set off by the flagrantly expressive eyebrows.Īll this is put to good use in Good Company’s latest Holmes offering, “Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure,” currently playing at the 2nd Space Theatre. The roaring intellect mixed with a bit of geek-out obsessiveness. There’s something about the Good Company Players actor’s interpretation of the role that just seems right: The supreme confidence tempered by the slightest fumble of awkwardness. Teens might even be inspired to read some of the original mysteries.No, my Sherlock is Gordon Moore. But for families with teens - especially those who enjoy solving mysteries - this is an enjoyable and engaging series. Still, the concepts presented within the series are menacing enough to scare younger viewers. There's plenty of suspense and mystery to be found in Sherlock, but little actual on-screen violence. One fun update is the series' use of text words floated across the screen to illuminate Holmes's thought process. The writing is smart and there's plenty of witty repartee between the characters with laugh out loud moments in each episode. The series is well served by its 21st century setting: Holmes uses technology to solve his crimes, including GPS, text messages, and emails. ![]() Lead actor Benedict Cumberbatch does an excellent job portraying Holmes's eccentricities and intelligence, and Martin Freeman is even more convincing as the Afghan War veteran/doctor John Watson. Older teenagers will be fine, and in general will be much better placed to appreciate it anyway.Īrthur Conan Doyle's classic series has been retold countless times, so it's impressive that this latest version actually feels fresh. There are also very complex, very intense, and sometimes devastating, emotional relationships between major characters (and no, I don't mean they are sexual, but in some cases they may be a bit heavy for younger viewers). There is drug use, not always with any real consequences (although the heavier examples of this occur much later - not really an issue in the first couple of seasons). This is a show that has been very cleverly and deliberately written to reach deep into the human psyche, find the vulnerabilities hiding there, and oh-so-gently start to squeeze.įor the record, yes there is also a dominatrix with all the attendant issues that might raise (only a problem in one episode, and it's actually less of a drama than you might expect). That kind of fear is immediate and easily forgotten. This is not a show that relies on jump-scares or a beastie chasing around and trying to eat people. Some episodes in later seasons would be even more problematic. The very first episode is in fact one of the ones I found a bit disturbing, and the scene in question contained no violence at all - but it did contain a horrible creeping realisation of what was going on, and how this killer worked (I won't go into it I don't do spoilers). Parents should be aware that the psychological impact of many episodes of this show goes well beyond blood spatter and gunshot wounds. And actually, some episodes would be fine for a 13 or possibly even 12 year old.īut that's the problem: SOME episodes. As has been mentioned by others, there is very little on-screen violence here. Honestly I couldn't care less about any of that my daughter adores Agatha Christie books (and movies), and indeed The Hunger Games, and I consider those to be fine for her. Yes, it's about people who track down killers, and there's corpses, etc. And I'm going to love showing her a show that celebrates both intelligence and empathy, and continually reminds us that one is not enough without the other.īut I'm going to have to wait, because this show also has the potential to be extremely disturbing and frightening. She's going to love the mysteries, and the excitement, and the utterly delicious humour of it. She is going to love the beautifully realised characters, and the complex interplay between them. She is going to love its clever dialogue, intricate plotting, and slow-burn drama. I firmly believe it is one of the best television shows ever to grace our screens. Firstly, just to be clear: this show is AMAZING.
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