always1895:

I hope to see some of you on Saturday May 12th for the Adventuresses of Sherlock Holmes spring luncheon. ASH events (either the monthly Wednesday events or the occasional weekend formal event) are always an excellent mix of eating, drinking, merriment, canonical toasts, songs and general Sherlockian shenanigans. If you are interested in The Master Detective but have yet to check out a local scion, I strongly suggest visiting the Sherlockian Calendar for events in your area. And don’t be scared that you will “immediately be subjected to a rigorous examination on the Canon” - even if you’re just becoming familiar with the Canon and reading the stories for the first time. More than likely you will be met with an enthusiastic response and begin to make friends and acquaintances that will only enrich your encounter with Sherlock Holmes and the canon.

The Priory Scholars of NYC - a scion that I’m helping to resurrect - just launched a website PrioryScholarsNYC.com as well as a Facebook page and Twitter account. Our ‘first’ - though the scion has existed since 1954 - major event is June 30th 2012 in NYC; further details can be found here and here. At the summer brunch (in a garden!) the story under discussion is “A Case of Identity”. Class is in session! 

On the Box throws some fuel into the BBC Sherlock versus CBS Elementary fandom death-match (well, more like a spritzer): “The pilot for CBS’s Elementary has just finished shooting and when asked about possible similarities, [Jonny Lee] Miller had this to say from himself. “Yeah, obviously you look at it and say, “Wait a second … “But I feel there’s enough differences there. I thought I could do something with it; otherwise, there’d be no point.”” But seriously, would he actually admit to “Yeah, the CBS Sherlock is super lame…” Again, we’ll just have to wait and see (because you know “something something without Data something”).

[And seriously, the Frankenstein BC and JLM press photos never ever get old.]

Newsday speaking of “Data! Data! Data!” has some hard facts for us regarding how well Sherlock did on PBS: “3.2 million viewers for the second season launch Sunday”. Wow!! (That’s almost as many hits Always1895.net gets a day! Heh, a Sherlockian blogger can dream…) But seriously, WOW. Remember, we’re talking about PBS here. By way of comparison, Downton Abbey - that show with British accents which doesn’t feature a private consulting detective - grabbed 4.2 million viewers for it’s season opener. TV By the Numbers put the season two opener in context: “A Scandal in Belgravia,” the first episode of Season 2 Sherlock, “more than doubled the average PBS primetime rating.” And since I’m guessing most of you are now thinking ‘but how many billions of people twittered about Sherlock on Sunday’? I’m tickled to report (ie. cute & paste) that “on May 6, nearly 15,000 fans checked in on the GetGlue entertainment social network, creating a social media reach of more than seven million people and earning the #3 trending spot on the site. Among the thousands of Sherlock tweets during broadcast, nearly 5,000 contained the official #SherlockPBS hashtag, according to social media monitoring service Meltwater Buzz.” But remember, it’s not who wins or loses, but about how they ‘play The Game!’ (Bam!) Expect even more “booming” next Sunday May 13 2012 for “The Hounds of Baskerville.” 

[Welcome to America Mr Private Consulting Detective and Ms The Woman!]

Television Without Pity, for those Sherlockians still unsure about whether they want to watch the BBC incarnation of Sherlock, offers ‘Five Reasons You Should Be Watching Sherlock’: 1) It’s A Real Reimagining, Not Just Repetition, 2) Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman Are Holmes and Watson, 3) It’s Much Better Than Those Terrible Movies, 4) The Next Two Episodes Are (Based On) Classics and 5) It’s Just So Well-Written. Speaking of TVWOP, I’ve always wondered what a classic TVWOP-style review would be like of the Granada Sherlock Holmes series. For those unfamiliar, Television Without Pity, as the name might suggest, supplies it’s readers with (usually) no holds barred, super snarky, total immersion yet unflinchingly meta TV reviews. The reviews were (usually) so funny and well-written yet unpretentiously  You could read through an entire season (of The O.C. for example - Aww, The O.C. + TVWOP = good times) of a TV show and be almost as entertained as if you had actually watched it. 

[Curious to see if BBC Sherlock will get the TVWOP treatment this year.]

I Hear of Sherlock ran a special podcast on the PBS Sherlock event: “…Burt [Wolder] made his way to New York City on May 2, 2012 for the sneak preview of the new season and question and answer time with some of the cast and crew of Sherlock, including Rebecca Eaton, Steven Moffat, Sue Vertue and of course, Benedict Cumberbatch.” Make sure you can pick a time when you can give your undivided attention to listening to this episode, it is awesome and hilarious.

Baker Street Babes released Episode 26: Lara Pulver & Irene Adler”: Lara Pulver chats with Curly, Lyndsay, Maria, and Jenn about her turn as The Woman. We geek out about McQueen and  sexual identity, and reveal the secret to beating Benedict Cumberbatch at word games.” The Babes’ blog also announced “Sherlock co-creator and star Mark Gatiss chats with fans about season 2 of the hit series, writing “The Hounds of Baskerville”, and the dubious distinction of being a part of Sherlock’s family tree, portraying brother Mycroft in the series. Join the live, online chat on Monday, May 14, 2012, at 1pm Eastern time, or return after the chat to read the complete transcript.” I love that more and more podcasts and ‘live chats’ have transcripts now. Finally if you’re a fan of he Babes - and we know you are - check out their new Baker Street Babes Bookstore and support all current and future Babes projects with a purchase of one of the fine Sherlock-themed titles.

[“Goodnight Mr Sherlock Holmes.”]

Dan Andriacco asks the intriguing (and loaded) question: Is what Sherlock Holmes does science or art? His ultimate answer is the very correct one, but it’s interesting to explore and discuss the implications of Holmes qua artist and Holmes qua scientist. Also, “science in the blood is liable to take the strangest turns” sounds a little odd. Also, look for Mr Andriacco’s new novel Holmes Sweet Holmes (MX) about “the murder of a director who dares to risk the anger of Sherlock Holmes fans.” Love it! For an early review and synopsis, check out PR Web.

[Buy me!]

Quick Sherlock Links:

Sherlock Holmes Slot Machine may cause the need to lock one’s cheque book up in a drawer! Very strange. Sadly, hitting ‘Three Garridebs” does not win the jackpot fortune of Alexander Hamilton Garrideb. Though “five Blue Diamonds hits the game’s progressive jackpot,” which is basically a carbuncle. For a press release, a video preview and more info click here. (Thanks to Chris Gotch for the tip!).

[Check out more incredible screenshots here.]

Historical Sherlock is turning into one of my favorite blogs and this week’s post does not disappoint: what are the connections between “The Sussex Vampire”, Eleanor of Castile (1241 - 1290) (the wife of Edward I (Longshanks) of England) and the etymology of “Charing Cross”? Find out in ‘Sherlock Holmes, Blood, and Royalty’.

Tweet Grid is a great way to follow the live tweeting that’s happened and will happen during the U.S. broadcast of Sherlock on PBS. Official live tweeters include Leslie S. Klinger, Scott Monty, Baker Street Babes and Lyndsay Faye. Make sure to check out #SherlockPBS during this Sunday’s chat session.

Kieren McMullen carries on his ‘The Many Watsons’ project - he’s up to the 47th Watson if you can believe it! - this time featuring 1930s actor Reginald Owen playing Watson (opposite Clive Brook playing the Great Detective) in an adaptation where we find “Holmes about to get married and move to a chicken ranch.” Click here for a trailer of Sherlock Holmes (1932).

Alistair Duncan maps out his busy next few months: the Save Undershaw Judicial review is fast approaching, the Sherlock Holmes Society of London has a major meeting coming up with Mr Duncan running for office (hope he has both his lighthouse and trained cormorant i working order!) and then he’ll be giving a few talks on Sherlockian matters. 

Better Holmes & Gardens grapples with the best way to deal with discussion about a Holmes story that literally ‘does nothing’ for someone: doesn’t inspire love or hate but a bland, languid ‘meh’. Her example is “The Resident Patient”: “relatively speaking, Sherlock Holmes doesn’t really do very much in RESI to inspire any kind of traditional response.” Find out how BH&G finds value in such a story.

Bartitsu Club of NYC is hosting their May Training Session this Sunday (May 13 2012). Beginners are welcome and what better time to learn the art of self-defense against nefarious Professors? 

Waterstones Oxford Street discusses his philosophy of Bookshelf Order, e.g. “…author and genre are the only acceptable methods and, to be honest, I’m suspicious of anyone who disagrees…People who arrange their books by colour are clearly insane and there really should be some sort of helpline for them.” (Thanks to @ShelfAwareness for tip!)  

Journal of Victorian Culture Online posted ‘I Believe in Sherlock Holmes: Sherlockian Fandom Then & Now’ - an analysis of #BelieveInSherlock, fandoms and the Baker Street Journal’s place hovering between fandom culture and ‘serious’ academic inquiry, ultimately attempting to answer the question “How do we reconcile the relationship between fandom and the academy?” How indeed.

Vasily Livanov - the Russian Sherlock Holmes - recently appeared as Holmes in a Riston Tea commercial (in Russian) and it’s on YouTube. (Thanks to Tea Guy Speaks for tip!)

Re: Sherlock Holmes in ‘The Sherlock Holmes pastiche booms 1970-2012’ considers the upsurge in interest in all things Sherlockian after the release (book and film) of Nicholas Meyer’s The Seven Percent Solution and how the recent surge in Sherlock Holmes compares. An awesome and well-researched article (there’s even charts and graphs!); I look forward to Mr Boström future findings.

[The pastiche that started the late 1970s Sherlock boom.]