Obsession, Part 2

To be fair, this is not my obsession.  This is the obsession of our teenage daughter (whose two favorite phrases are “to be fair” and “awkward”).  I introduced her to the BBC show “Sherlock” starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as John Watson.  The show is excellently written and acted and a clever take on the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle stories.  The characters have been updated, and the stories all take place in modern London.  In the first two seasons, the episodes all have their origin in the original stories.  (We are also talking a grand total of 6 episodes, 3 per season.)

Because I like the show so much, I thought our daughter would as well.  Unfortunately, I underestimated her capacity for obsession.  Not only did she love the series, she is also obsessed with all things Benedict Cumberbatch.  As a result of her obsession, I have learned the following things:

1.    With only 6 (!) episodes to obsess over, there’s a lot of in-depth obsessing by the Sherlock/Benedict crowd.  More episodes would give them more to obsess over, but, failing that, the obsessed ones watch each frame of each episode carefully, looking for any clue as to subsequent plot developments.

2.    If the obsessed ones cannot find any clue to plot developments in the existing episodes, they will spend a colossal amount of time constructing an elaborate and complicated theory to explain a plot development that they desire to occur.

3.    The vast majority of those obsessed with Benedict are girls/women.

4.    There are a surprising number of fan pages on Facebook devoted to Sherlock and Benedict.

5.    Copious amounts of fan fiction have been written about Sherlock and John and further developments.  (Have I already mentioned that 6 episodes are insufficient to hold the obsession?)

6.    Memes about Sherlock and John and the other characters on the show have sprung up like mushrooms during the rainy season.

7.    Benedict Cumberbatch’s role as John Harrison in the latest Star Trek movie is somewhat outside the obsession.  However, his role as the voice of Smaug and the Necromancer in the Hobbit movies is fully embraced by the obsessed ones.  Go figure.

I am reminded of the William Shatner skit on “Saturday Night Live” when he is speaking at a Star Trek convention and, at one point, is so fed up that he snaps and tells them, “Get a life!”

Despite saying all of this, “Sherlock” really is an excellent show, and I highly recommend it.  And I am very much looking forward to Season 3 (and the 3 additional episodes) airing, whenever that may be.  (I have no doubt that someone in our household knows, but there is no point in encouraging the obsession!)

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