2 Aug '10

“Disappointed after Steven Moffat’s spectacular opener: it had less intellectual fizz, fewer interesting actors, and the middle half-hour sagged.”
Andrew Billen, The Times

“Last week’s opener was good; this one, written by Steve Thompson is better. Crucually it’s scarier…the plot is more satisfying…It’s pacy, exciting and it looks brilliant.”
Sam Wollaston, The Guardian

“Messrs Cumberbatch and Freeman do seem to give the whole thing a more human dimension…you need a modern take on the personalities involved and there’s no better way of doing that than showing us two ill-matched flatmates bickering over the shopping and being accused by other people of being gay.”
Matt Baylis, Daily Express

“The idea of modernising it, bringing him up to date, was clever, and Benedict Cumberbatch is a darkly interesting Sherlock. Martin Freeman, as Watson, was indecipherable as a piece of casting…This Holmes has possibilities, but the next thing he needs to uncover is more sophisticated writing.”
AA Gill, The Sunday Times

“I am glad to report that, given the treadmill of its production, Saturday’s episode was better than an irregular watcher might expect.”
Andrew Billen, The Times

“Lacks one key ingredient…it’s Dave Lamb’s sarky narration…Dave Lamb is CDWM, the end.”
Sam Wollaston, The Guardian