At a young age, I became
fascinated with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes. I would stay up all
night engrossed in the stories of the detective who solved cases that
confounded me. The adventure of the mysteries brought an excitement that I had
never before experienced in novels. Sherlock Holmes has been brought to life in
many movie and TV shows, and although I have watched several of the depictions,
the one that has left an impression on me is the portrayal of the character in
the TV show Sherlock. I am drawn in
by the character’s emotional development. Although there is plenty of action
and adrenaline driven appeal, this portrayal stands out as one that also
explores his emotional path.
When we are first introduced to
Sherlock Holmes, he lives on his own in modern day London. He is a consulting
detective who helps the police with cases that prove to be too difficult for
them. In the first episode, we are also introduced to John Watson, an army
veteran who becomes Sherlock’s roommate and assistant on cases throughout the
series. Sherlock is a man of sharpened intellect. He uses his heightened
observational skills to find clues overlooked by the police. In the show, he is
able to track people down in obscure ways. For example, he is able to locate missing
children by the materials left behind from their kidnapper’s shoes. Sherlock’s
fight against the antagonists of the show is for one to outsmart the other to
always think one step ahead.
John Watson is important to the show
because he brings out an otherwise neglected side to Sherlock Holmes’
personality. Due to a trauma in Sherlock’s childhood, he struggles to
understand emotions and customs in a normal way which in turn disturbs his
ability to form meaningful connections with others. Despite Sherlock’s
observation skills, he has trouble interpreting people’s reactions on multiple
occasions. At Watson’s wedding, he delivers a touching speech but is then
worried he may have done something wrong when it moves the attendees to tears.
Sherlock Holmes describes himself
as a “high functioning sociopath”. His lack of emotions helps him make logical
decisions which are for the greater good, but also blur the lines of morality.
At one point he murders the antagonist in order to save the lives of those he
put at risk without feeling remorse. Although Sherlock’s decision is logical,
it is uncomfortable to dismiss his murder. Such an occurrence makes the viewer reconsider
their views on strict distinctions of good and evil.
As Sherlock and Watson’s friendship
progresses, Sherlock begins to regain his emotional capacity. Although he still
functions differently than a typical person, his connection with Watson is one
that would not be possible with the earlier Sherlock. Instead of as an acquaintance,
Sherlock begins to view Watson as family. In a quite recent episode, Sherlock and
Watson have been estranged. In order to reach Watson, Sherlock is forced to
drive himself almost to death. Sherlock is willing to sacrifice his life for
the chance to regain Watson’s friendship. Sherlock also confronts his emotions
towards other characters in the show. As his brother and friend’s lives are put
in danger, it unlocks emotions he had sheltered in the past, and he is forced
to accept that he cares for these individuals.
The action packed show is
entertaining, but Sherlock Holmes is compelling due to his emotional journey. At
the beginning of the show he is reluctant to show emotion and views it as a
sign of weakness, but as the show progresses, he realizes it is a necessity to
his humanity.
