Return of the Forever-Clever BBC

The game is on. 

I’ve been wanting to re-watch Sherlock for several weeks now, and I’m finally getting down to business TONIGHT. Little Thor and Little Sif will be my companions and we shall have a marvelous time.

Personally–and please, no flying tomatoes!–I think I like Foyle’s War better than Sherlock. The historical element of Foyle’s War appeals to me, of course–and also, Detective Chief Superintendent Foyle is simply a far more noble and likable character than everyone’s favorite high-functioning sociopath.

Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoy watching Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman’s John Watson. The dialogue is beyond clever, the mysteries are fun and quirky, and the acting is flawless. As far as I’m concerned, it’s still one of the finest shows the BBC has to offer these days.

My favorite episodes are The Blind Banker (even though I’m probably the only one who loves that one), The Reichenbach Fall (so brilliant), and The Sign of Three (sweet and hilarious–and I figured out the mystery before Sherlock did, which I considered a great accomplishment). And just think: we get a Christmas Special this year and SEASON 4 in January!

Look, ten months doesn’t seem like a long time when you’re waiting 12 months for Batman v Superman and 2 1/2 years for Thor: Ragnarok. There are worse things.

Another British TV series I want to re-watch is Cranford, followed by its sequel series aptly titled Return to Cranford. (My mom and sisters have expressed a desire to re-watch these too, though, so I may not watch it by myself.) In many ways Cranford (based on some of Elizabeth Gaskell’s books, as I understand it) is like a Victorian Jane Austen. The story centers around a bustling little countryside community, complete with gossipy old matrons, beautiful young ladies, and more than one dashing gentleman “in want of a wife.”

A re-watch of the Cranford shows may also give me some great ideas for The Erika Project. I need some comic relief in the story, and since it’ll probably come in the form of a good-natured busybody, Miss Pole and Mrs. Forrester may be just what I need for inspiration. And since I’ve also cast Tom Hiddleston as a whole new character (yes I did), I have a good excuse to take notes on the wonderful Mr. William Buxton.

I also need to finish the first season of Call the Midwife. My parents gave me the first season for my birthday last year but for some reason I never finished it.

 

No, wait…no, I know why I didn’t finish it. Because I also got the first season of Sherlock, and as soon as I finished that I went out and bought the next two seasons. That’s why. And I just never got back to CtM. Well. I shall remedy that.

And last but not least, I need to catch up on Foyle’s War. Our family has been obsessed with this show; again, in my opinion, it’s the best British mystery series I’ve seen. But I didn’t get a chance to watch the second-to-last season! And I really need to watch it so I know what everyone here is still chattering about. All this talk of Russian spies and German POWs and corrupt politicians…it sounds amazing.

British Television Marathon, here I come!