Sherlock Holmes: Doctor Who in waiting?

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Blowfeld
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Sherlock Holmes: Doctor Who in waiting?

Post by Blowfeld »

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Benedict Cumberbatch will make a brilliant 12th Doctor Who, writes Dan Wainwright.
Were it not for the lack of TARDIS and attractive female companion I could easily have believed I had accidentally tripped my vortex manipulator and been watching the Time Lord’s adventures in 2012 while Sherlock was on.

It is believed that Matt Smith is going to hang up the tweed and realise bow ties are not cool at the end of the next series.

So there’s no harm in wondering who will take on the biggest job in prime time television when that happens.

Cumberbatch, at 34, is about the age David Tennant was when he caught the wandering eye of Russell T Davies and was cast in Casanova. That series essentially became his audition tape to become the Last of the Time Lords.

Now Steven Moffat, at the helm of Doctor Who, has rebooted Sherlock Holmes minus the deerstalker and opium addiction and could well be using it to test out his new leading man.

With Mark Gatiss involved as well, lending more than just one script or guest appearance this time, the links between 221B Baker Street and Gallifrey are clear to see.

Cumberbatch himself is rakish, looks well in a long coat and has the ability to switch from moody to arrogant to verbally incontinent with ease. In short, he’s already playing The Doctor – “Is it nice not being me? It must be so relaxing” – is dialogue that was probably left over from Doctor Who.

Not that this should take away anything from the best bit of Sunday night TV that I can remember in a long time. Sherlock stands up to scrutiny in its own right for a clever script with plenty of clues that no-one can get but that are obviously there when you know the answer.

The nicotine patches in place of opium and pipes were a brilliant touch and the camp malevolence of Gatiss left no doubt that this was intended to be a bit of fun and escapism – and there’s nothing wrong with that.

It’s just a shame it’s been scheduled for the height of summer when its viewing figures will be far short of what it truly deserves. If the remainder of the series keeps up the plot and acting to this standard then we’re in for a treat.

The game is afoot. Or, rather “on”, as these modern types say nowadays.
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"Those were the days when we still associated Bond with suave, old school actors such as Sean Connery and Roger Moore,"
"Daniel didn't have a hint of suave about him," - Patsy Palmer
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Blowfeld
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Sherlock star reveals he was offered Doctor Who role... but

Post by Blowfeld »

Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch has revealed he was offered the role of Doctor Who, but turned it down.

Cumberbatch admitted he was given the opportunity to replace David Tennant as the Time Lord when he left last year, but decided he didn't want to be part of such a huge franchise.

Matt Smith was eventually cast as David's replacement, and has become one of the most successful Doctors in the show's history.

Cumberbatch said: 'David and I talked about it but I thought it would have to be radically different. ‘And anyway, I didn’t really like the whole package - being on school lunch boxes.'

Although starring in the sci fi series did not appeal to Cumberbatch, his actress mother Wanda Ventham clearly liked the idea. She has appeared in Doctor Who several times since the 1960s, most recently as Faroon in Time Of The Rani in 1987.

Benedict, 34, was offered the role after coming to BBC bosses' attention through his friendship with Doctor Who writer Steven Moffat, who is also behind Cumberbatch's new show Sherlock.

Sherlock stars Cumberbatch as legendary sleuth Holmes, and Martin Freeman as his sidekick Watson.

And thanks to the huge success of the show's debut on Sunday night - gaining 7.5million viewers, more than BBC Two's Top Gear, which featured a race between Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz - bosses are now said to be considering making more than the three episodes of Sherlock originally planned.

A BBC source told The Sun: 'To say the top brass are made up by the Holmes ratings is an understatement.

'They really want to do more, so the question is not really if, but how and when we can do them.'

Talking about his role as Holmes shortly before the first episode aired, Cumberbatch said: 'There are some great chase scenes, the odd explosion, some Kung Fu sequences, and a fight with a Chinese war lord.

'I shoot a human giant who strangles people with his bare hands, chase a taxi cab through the streets of London, so it's definitely a rollercoaster ride.'

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"Those were the days when we still associated Bond with suave, old school actors such as Sean Connery and Roger Moore,"
"Daniel didn't have a hint of suave about him," - Patsy Palmer
User avatar
Blowfeld
Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence
Posts: 3195
Joined: Sun Feb 11, 2007 9:03 pm
Favorite Bond Movie: Goldfinger
For Your Eyes only
The Living Daylights
Location: the world

Re: Sherlock Holmes: Doctor Who in waiting?

Post by Blowfeld »

A SECOND series of hit BBC drama Sherlock is afoot - but fans will have to wait more than a YEAR to see it.

Bosses have been blown away by the popularity of the show, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as detective Sherlock Holmes.

It bagged a cool 7.5million viewers on Sunday night - but executives have only ordered three episodes of the drama.

BBC drama chief Ben Stephenson said he was keen to make more but is in a pickle - as the show's writer Steven Moffat is tied up making his other show, Doctor Who.

Mr Stephenson said: "We'd like to do more. But if we do, they won't air for at least a year.Drama takes at least a year to get made and Steven is also really busy with Doctor Who."

Meanwhile, Steven has revealed that Matt Smith's incarnation as the Doctor could be the LAST one.

We revealed how Matt was plotting a move to Hollywood, which could see him quit as the Timelord after the next series.

But Steven said: "There is no vacancy.

"Matt Smith is the Doctor and he has been an astonishing success and - who knows - maybe he will never regenerate again."

The show is already on its ELEVENTH Doctor - and according to the show's own rules, the Doctor cannot regenerate more than 13 times.
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"Those were the days when we still associated Bond with suave, old school actors such as Sean Connery and Roger Moore,"
"Daniel didn't have a hint of suave about him," - Patsy Palmer
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