I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere

"The Receiving Station, As Well As the Transmitter" [3GAB]

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4045/4182492780_8a3ec3da57.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4045/4182492780_8a3ec3da57.jpg" width="222" /></a></div>
One of the advantages to audio adaptations of the canon (as well as newer creations of stories) is that there can be a greater emphasis on creating atmosphere through sound. Previously, we had highlighted a worthy adaptation of stories from the canon - now, we will highlight two companies who have put out Holmes-related audio that are not only intriguing, but also have appeal for the budget-conscious.<br />
<br />
As part of their lower-cost audios, Big Finish has a one hour adaptation of <b><a href="http://www.bigfinish.com/releases/v/the-speckled-band-719" target="_blank">The Adventure of the Speckled Band</a></b>. Much like their previous audio adaptation of <b><a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/2012/03/clear-statement-of-his-career-fina.html" target="_blank">The Final Problem/The Empty House</a></b>, the strength of this adaptation lies in a nearly straightforward telling of the Conan Doyle story. Much like its canon-based companion, <b>The Speckled Band</b> is a top-notch production that (at least, from my vantage point) will encourage a willingness to sample the rest of Big Finish's Holmesian efforts, including the non-canon original stories (whose titles and premises offer all sorts of delight). Big Finish releases a wide range of audio dramas, and their Sherlock Holmes series continues to provide high quality and entertainment, providing an excellent contemporary example of well-executed audio drama.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a>For those with a penchant for "classic" audio drama, <a href="http://www.radioarchives.com/" target="_blank">Radio Archives</a> has put out <a href="http://www.radioarchives.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=RA701" target="_blank">two</a> <a href="http://www.radioarchives.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=RA702" target="_blank">volumes</a> of <b>The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes</b>, whose 1945 - 46 season featured Tom Conway as the sleuth, with Nigel Bruce reprising his role as Doctor Watson. By this time, the show had changed networks and sponsors (and indeed, there is something slightly disconcerting about hearing a commercial for hair products in the middle of an episode), but make no mistake - these radio dramas are strong in their own right, with some being relatively loose adaptations of the canon. Even to more modern ears, there is more than a hint of Victorian atmosphere in these stories....and these collections are easily affordable as digital downloads.<br />
<br />
With autumn upon us, there is ample opportunity to sit and enjoy Holmesian adventure. Both Big Finish and Radio Archives have provided ample opportunity to sit back and engage in an entertainment art form that may not be as prevalent....but which still provides ample opportunities for pleasure. Both are highly recommended.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Photo credit: Phil Cornell</i></span><br />
<br />
<i>Editor's note: Gordon regularly covers the intersection of Sherlock Holmes and the entertainment industry. You can also find him at <a href="http://www.blogthispal.com/">Blog THIS, Pal!</a> and <a href="http://www.comicrelated.com/">Comic Related</a>.  </i><br />
<br />
<br /></div>

"The Receiving Station, As Well As the Transmitter" [3GAB]

One of the advantages to audio adaptations of the canon (as well as newer creations of stories) is that there can be a greater emphasis o...

+ Read more »

by Scott Monty

"Blue in Shade" [BLUE]

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">The latest parody in the world of Sherlock Holmes involves none other than the cute and fuzzy Blue from the popular children's show <i>Blue's Clues</i>.<br /><br />The Sherlock in this case seems to be a Benedict Cumberbatch impersontor, but we'd argue that he bears more of a striking resemblance to <a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/EmoPhillips">Emo Phillips</a>. Either way, this is a bit of fun that we hope you'll enjoy.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.collegehumor.com/video/6822676/sherlock-blues-clues">Sherlock Blues Clues</a><br /><center><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="282" src="http://www.collegehumor.com/e/6822676" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="500"></iframe><div style="padding: 5px 0; text-align: center; width: 600px;"></div></center><br />Have you seen any Sherlock Holmes parodies that are fun and interesting? Please share them with us.<br /><br />--<br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>

"Blue in Shade" [BLUE]

The latest parody in the world of Sherlock Holmes involves none other than the cute and fuzzy Blue from the popular children's show Blue...

+ Read more »

by Scott Monty

"Interesting, Though Elementary" [HOUN]

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiup8xMg6alKeHjpYohCdha__oncrTLWCobE9OH-MFcY5R8HNbidCEXR4Gi1jQmGX2cRPE-nhqozR4_XeHi9kAWT4Qaq-0nYIa_UKUS3A_AjY5TJpWPNGG-6ISGis-kLDICYA8FW3rO9GR_/s1600/Elementary_CBS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiup8xMg6alKeHjpYohCdha__oncrTLWCobE9OH-MFcY5R8HNbidCEXR4Gi1jQmGX2cRPE-nhqozR4_XeHi9kAWT4Qaq-0nYIa_UKUS3A_AjY5TJpWPNGG-6ISGis-kLDICYA8FW3rO9GR_/s1600/Elementary_CBS.jpg" /></a></div>As you're no doubt aware, the CBS show <b><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2191671/"><i>Elementary</i></a></b> airs at 10 p.m. on Thursdays beginning on September 27 (the day this post went live). We've <b><a href="http://www.bakerstreetblog.com/search/label/CBS%20Elementary">covered the show previously</a></b>, from breaking news to an analysis to what it might be. And of course, the program has generated its share of controversy as well as assumptions about the quality of the representation of Sherlock Holmes.<br /><br />But today, we're honored to be joined by Rob Doherty, the executive producer and writer of <i>Elementary</i>. Rob has a solid CV when it comes to television writing and production. His credits include <i>Star Trek: Voyager</i>, <i>Point Pleasant</i>, <i>Medium</i> and <i>Ringer</i>, to name a few. We had an opportunity to sit down with him and briefly put some questions to him that we thought you might have on your mind as well.<br /><br />If there are additional questions that you think we should have asked, let us know! We may have an opportunity to host Rob on an episode of <b><a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/">the podcast</a></b> at some point in the future.<br /><br /><a name="more"></a><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWUJeT_eOBXNrnSWaVncvppNVgApKwHo_7wBr-xMItxrheoBUClz2fBBQ9CslrYn0_8w7Ca9qJNwDRKFe_QCgH0Z7KKiZHlLOxF0DsnVtjZC-Ta9gNDhyphenhyphenrkXV41hV9UQaSP-PDv5kDzEqu/s1600/Elementary+Poster+Holmes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWUJeT_eOBXNrnSWaVncvppNVgApKwHo_7wBr-xMItxrheoBUClz2fBBQ9CslrYn0_8w7Ca9qJNwDRKFe_QCgH0Z7KKiZHlLOxF0DsnVtjZC-Ta9gNDhyphenhyphenrkXV41hV9UQaSP-PDv5kDzEqu/s320/Elementary+Poster+Holmes.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click to enlarge</td></tr></tbody></table><b><i>Q1: When did you first get the idea to bring Sherlock Holmes to an American audience via a weekly program? Was it a collaborative effort?</i></b><br />Very much a collaborative effort.  The notion of Sherlock in contemporary New York came from my fellow executive producer Carl Beverly.  I ran with it.  Decided to embrace Sherlock's history with narcotics to tell the story of a Holmes who had bottomed out and was now in a state of repair.  Always loved the idea of Sherlock needing to fix himself and (eventually) finding a proper "rock" in Watson.<br /><br /><b><i>Q2: Why Holmes? Why now?</i></b><br />He's one of the greatest and most intricate characters ever devised.  THE prototypical detective.  Who wouldn't want to write him?  Why now?  We felt we had a story to tell.  We wanted to share our love for the original works with others.  (And -- very selfishly -- write one of the greatest and most intricate characters ever devised.)<br /><br /><b><i>Q3: Do you see any parallels to other shows that have used Sherlock Holmes as an inspiration (House, Monk, etc.)?</i></b><br />I see parallels everywhere -- in films, shows, books, comics, what-have-you.  Sherlock was the tree; most every other fictional detective (over the last century or so) is a branch.  In my very humble opinion, of course.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpoKWGTAitrK0ZD_B2dc8KOGooIHJcKuCFWpFwaKSM0wqtghu1RLtJz7LBI_D8RWfHL_oGaETnLJTDT55YPUMe9GEvlq4uWrApWGZ1oTH1GuthHYZccwppKByGcIJaprNoUrIE2OlhvAeZ/s1600/Elementary+Poster+Watson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpoKWGTAitrK0ZD_B2dc8KOGooIHJcKuCFWpFwaKSM0wqtghu1RLtJz7LBI_D8RWfHL_oGaETnLJTDT55YPUMe9GEvlq4uWrApWGZ1oTH1GuthHYZccwppKByGcIJaprNoUrIE2OlhvAeZ/s320/Elementary+Poster+Watson.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><b><i>Q4: What was the rationale for making Watson a female character? Is there any danger of a romance with Holmes?</i></b><br />No rationale per se.  I came across a psychological assessment of the original Holmes that spoke to his "aversion" to women and labeled him a "gynophobe."  My first thought was: Watson -- his rock -- should be a woman.  What would make a gynophobic Holmes more insane?  It started as a joke... but I kept coming back to it.  Kept asking myself, "What would it really change?  Should it really change anything?"  The answers (God willing) will present themselves in time.  Re: the danger of romantic entanglements... No.  Not happening.  <br /><br /><b><i>Q5: How much material from the original stories did you use as an inspiration for this series?</i></b><br />We lean more heavily on the mythology than we do the cases.  The cases were brilliant, but -- at least for now -- we want to try to come up with our own.   <br /><br /><b><i>Q6: Many pundits have remarked at the close timing to and modern setting as the BBC's "Sherlock." How do you hope American audiences receive and think about your series with respect to the competition?</i></b><br />I think it's only natural for the pundits to... um... pundit.  And yet... as a wise man once said... it's a capital mistake to theorize before one has data.  Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts.  Or words to that effect.  We hope that any and all who might have reservations about our little project will give us a chance. <br /><br />Truth is, Holmes is everywhere these days, and so it's only natural to compare one interpretation with another.  I've felt from the start that if you're not ready for comparisons, you shouldn't wade too deeply into the Sherlockian pool.  It comes with the territory.    <br /><br />Far as our "competition" goes... that would be ABC's <i>Scandal</i> and NBC's <i>Rock Center</i>. At least in the States.  I know there are many (many!) who would like some sort of <i>Elementary</i> / <i>Sherlock</i> throwdown... but it just isn't going to happen. <i>Sherlock</i> is an utterly brilliant show.  Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss are utterly brilliant writers.  Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman are... well, you get the drift.  Both shows are delivery systems for Holmes and Watson.  'Nuff said, end of story.  I'd like to think that the true fan -- American or otherwise -- can enjoy us both.  <br /><br /><b><i>Q7: Any words for the die hard Sherlockians out there?</i></b><br />We hope to do right by you. <br /><br /><br /><i>When you make purchases from the links we share, it provides us with a stream of revenue to help keep this site running. Thank you for your generosity.</i><br />--</div>

"Interesting, Though Elementary" [HOUN]

As you're no doubt aware, the CBS show Elementary airs at 10 p.m. on Thursdays beginning on September 27 (the day this post went live)....

+ Read more »

by Scott Monty

Episode 45: Sherlock Holmes and Politics

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<h4 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
"Knowledge of Politics. - Feeble." [STUD]</h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjurJtK6k7ybpnD01mafu9kCevHoqeaTiEE-pKPxC0ZqNvXqnbCzYwj5zk3TiUoqb97JPJaxAjdc5fdYX0euoEtiMGh68nZY1PQRupYDEbAqxSbBHD5ue6F7i2kMv2uDCgMHjmzb6J2o1_R/s1600/Obamicon_RathboneIHOSE.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjurJtK6k7ybpnD01mafu9kCevHoqeaTiEE-pKPxC0ZqNvXqnbCzYwj5zk3TiUoqb97JPJaxAjdc5fdYX0euoEtiMGh68nZY1PQRupYDEbAqxSbBHD5ue6F7i2kMv2uDCgMHjmzb6J2o1_R/s640/Obamicon_RathboneIHOSE.png" width="432" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
The political season is upon us. At least in America, that is.<br />
<br />
In case you've been hiding under a rock for the last 18 months, the presidential election is closing in, with Barack Obama vs. Mitt Romney. This site certainly does not stand for any type of political dogma; indeed, Sherlock Holmes is for every political persuasion.<br />
<br />
So why would we want to touch the third rail of polite conversation and delve into politics on our podcast about Sherlock Holmes? As it turns out, there are a number of political figures in the Canon and politics, both domestic and international, play a role in the plots of a few of the stories.<br />
<br />
We take a look at the influence of politics inside the Sherlock Holmes stories as well as what was happening externally at the time. In addition, we even look at one member of the Baker Street Irregulars who had something of a government post and his Sherlockian scholarship - amazingly enough, written at a very crucial juncture of our country's history.<br />
<br />
Try as we might, we were unable to find a Gas-Lamp from the archives of <i>The Baker Street Journal</i> that were political in nature. However, we were able to find some letters from that government servant mentioned above, which make for a very special reading.<br />
<br /><br /><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #0e0e0e; font-family: Merriweather; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 21px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://traffic.libsyn.com/ihearofsherlock/ihearofsherlock45.mp3" style="color: #013fd3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Download</a> [Save As] | File size: 26.9 MB, 57:12</h3>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" data-dashlane-classification="other" data-dashlane-frameid="2847" data-dashlane-rid="d89e5b01ac93cb53" height="192" mozallowfullscreen="true" msallowfullscreen="true" oallowfullscreen="true" scrolling="no" src="https://play.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/2067501/height/192/theme/modern/size/large/thumbnail/yes/custom-color/414851/time-start/00:00:00/playlist-height/200/direction/backward/download/yes/font-color/FFFFFF" style="border: none;" title="Embed Player" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="100%"></iframe>
  
<h3 style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Links:</b></h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://collections.libraries.indiana.edu/lilly/exhibitions/exhibits/show/history-of-bsi/a-few-famous-sherlockians-bsi">Franklin Delano Roosevelt's five letters to the Baker Street Irregulars</a> (Lilly Library)</li>
<li><i><a href="https://amzn.to/4e2Hdhm" target="_blank">Sherlock Holmes for the 21st Century: Essays on New Adaptations</a></i> by Lynnette Porter</li>
<li><i><a href="https://amzn.to/3Xlwmb7" target="_blank">Sherlock and Transmedia Fandom: Essays on the BBC Series</a></i></li>
<li>I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere Facebook page: <a href="http://facebook.com/ihearofsherlock">http://facebook.com/ihearofsherlock</a> </li></ul>
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;">Your thoughts on the show? Leave a comment below, send us an email, call us at (774) 221-READ (7323) or drop by our <a href="http://facebook.com/ihearofsherlock">Facebook page</a>.</div>
<br />
<br />
Be sure to check out our sponsors: <b><a href="http://www.wessexpress.com/">Wessex Press</a></b> and <b><a href="http://bakerstreetjournal.com/"><i>The Baker Street Journal</i></a></b><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font: inherit; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
</div>
</div>