Today marks the anniversary of the first episode of Mork and Mindy, one of my all time favorite tv shows.
How it started
It was inspired by Garry Marshall’s (creator and executive producer for Happy Days) son who saw Star Wars and wanted to know about an alien being put on Happy Days. And Jerry Paris (who directed many episodes of Happy Days) remembered an episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show (which he sometimes co-starred as Rob Petrie’s neighbor, Jerry Helper), “It May Look Like A Walnut” where Rob thinks a walnut eating alien has invaded Earth and taken over.
Out of that came the idea of Mork from the planet Ork. There was a casting call and one of those to respond was Williams, who entered the room using a helium type voice and sat on his head. Here is Marshall telling how he was introduced to Williams:
Marshall gave him the role right away because “he was the only alien who auditioned”.
In the Happy Days episode “My Favorite Orkan”, Richie sees a UFO, but none of his friends believe it. Here is part one (Mork shows up at 4:25):
Part 2:
The creation of Mork and Mindy
The episode was a hit, so when coming up with a new show idea, he remembered Mork, and an actress named Pam Dawber.
Set in (what was then) present day, Mork from the planet Ork is sent to Earth by Orson, his superior, as an observer of Earth customs and also so he would not be a bad influence on Ork. A sense of humor, as well as all other emotions, are banned on Ork “for the good of the race”. And Mork meets Mindy, who had just had a rough experience with her boyfriend who drove off in her jeep.
An unexpected hit
Very few people gave the show much of a chance before the first episode aired, but afterwards, it was a ratings smash, with an average of 60 million people watching, nominated for 2 Emmys and winning Golden Globes and People Choice Awards. And it was ranked #3 for the 1978-79 season, sometimes weekly beating the show that gave it’s start, Happy Days. (Many years later Williams won Nickelodeon TV Land’s “Most ‘Out of This World’ Character” for both 2005 and 2006.)
The show would run into problems with censors. Robin would slip in things, sometimes in another language. The studio would have a censor who spoke 4 languages to the set to prevent him from causing trouble. And the network messing with what made it a hit to begin with.
For many fans of my generation, the show plays a big part of our childhood. And a week ago I finished re-watching the whole series (a few of us on tumblr were all doing the same thing, ending the series at the same time), and it was a wonderful stroll down memory lane. Oh, did I say stroll down memory lane? I mean a skipping-break-into-a-frantic-run-so-fast-I-get-dizzy down a 5 lane interstate highway (look out for that car!!).
While the show makes me feel like a kid again, I also am able to appreciate the characters more. Robin is still awe-inspiring, but Mindy is equally amazing. From the get-go she stands up for herself when her boyfriend tries to attack her, then later dealing with her loving but over protective father, and being patient and understanding with Mork though she isn’t afraid of setting him straight. And later standing up to Mork’s boss, Orson.
It was great to see both Robin and Pam together earlier this year on The Crazy Ones:
My 7-year-old watching an episode of Mork & Mindy. Here, it’s Dr. Morkenstein (anyone got a tissue for the ending?!?)
It’s also great to see younger generations watching and becoming fans. One of the youngest is my 7 year old daughter who loves watching it with me.
Thanks to Robin (wherever you are!) and Pam (you’re awesome!) for making many people’s childhoods funnier.
Mindy consoles Mork who is stressed out about his uncontrollable emotions.
I am currently going through all of the Mork and Mindy episodes chronologically, currently in season 3. I had previously jumped around with my memory overloading on hilarious scenes that I haven’t seen in 3 decades.
So far my top favorite is “Mork’s Mixed Emotions”. It is a great episode to see how many different types of characters (in this case, emotions) Robin Williams goes in and out of and back in again at the speed of light.
It’s Mindy’s birthday and she is planning a special night out, just her and Mork. Meanwhile Mork had a nightmare and has trouble dealing with confusing emotions from it (Orkans are banned from having emotions) and, afraid of what they will do to him, he locks them up. Unsuccessfully.
It really is hard for me to watch this without laughing, and I have seen it several times in the last couple weeks. Really liked him using a Peter Lorre imitation for the voice of Fear. Very clever. Though there is a bit of a dark second in the restaurant scene… if you blink you’ll miss it but I got a little lump in my throat when I saw it.
Also I must no forget the amazing Pam Dawber who plays Mindy. Her actions and reactions to what Mork does andd says are always a treat. The reaction to the disco guy in the record store always makes me giggle.
There are plenty of other great episodes to see that are hilarious. Pretty much all of season 1 is top stuff. I might just write a review of each episode for the whole series. At some point. There’s a total of 91 episodes (or 95 depending on how you count) so that would take some time to accomplish. But you never know ;).
Currently I am writing a review for the most recent episode of Elementary, Paint It Black (yeah, I accidentally hit Publish earlier when I was still putting it together. But thanks to the people on Tumblr who liked and reblogged it anyway :). Wow!) . [Edit – It’s done! Read the review here!)
Until then, here is a possibly theory of what inspired the intro to the show. Below is one of the best scenes from Disney’s “Sherlock Holmes set in the mouse world” The Great Mouse Detective . The scene opens after Ratigan (the mouse “Never call me a rat!” Moriarty of the story) has captured both Basil and Dawson and has them tied down with various types of weapons aimed at them to all go off when the record player reaches the end of Ratigan singing “Good Bye!”. Basil’s depressed, and Dawson’s ticked that Basil has given up hope….
http://youtu.be/oOQNQTrq3tc
And below is Elementary’s intro:
Just something fun to think about! And I highly recommend GMD. If you have Netflix streaming, it’s currently on there. Loads of fun!
You mess with Watson, you face Sherlock Holmes’ wrath.
“By the Lord, it is as well for you. If you had killed Watson, you would not have got out of this room alive.” – Sherlock Holmes, from 3GAR
There are things about this show that have slowly improved over time. This episode, for me, is a high point. Such a high point that it’s my favorite episode of not only this season, but for the whole series (so far. Still 2 to go.)
There’s the type of episode that is intense, with a great ending, but after you find out who did what, you have little or no interest to rewatch it. And that’s how most (not all) of Elementary episodes are for me. This is not that kind of episode. So far I have watched this episode 3 times (original airing, later on CBS’s site, and again right after with commentary by Lucy Liu and director of photography Ron Fortunato). Not counting replaying bits and pieces.
And, dare I say it, I enjoy this episode *as much* as BBC Sherlock? Series 3 at the least? Okay, preparing to facing backlash but it’s has taken this long for the show to grow to that point.
It starts, picking up right where it left us hanging at the end of The Man with the Twisted Lip with Watson getting kidnapped. I had only watched the first few minutes of that episode and caught only the last minute and I somehow assumed that Mycroft was directly responsible for Joan’s kidnapping.
The warehouse scene where Joan is being kept and the kidnapper talking to her. Then cutting to Sherlock’s rage, flipping over furniture and grabbing Mycroft by the collar demanding to know why he put Joan in such a dangerous position.
The much talked about camera shot through the staircase railing showing the metaphoring separation of Mycroft and Sherlock. Awesome and powerful.
The ending was wonderful with it being revealed that, no, Mycroft wasn’t a restaurant owner, with mediocre skills at observation who was a coward and willing to make shady deals without being aware of possible consequences like we had been led to believe all this season. He was actually involved in some way with British secret intelligence, possibly higher in government (we don’t know for sure right now). But it was such relief for me to see that, because I wasn’t keen on him staying in that earlier presnce that far away from the canon.
Clues to Mycroft’s true nature
Mycroft telling Sherlock that he sees how important Watson is to him:
Mycroft: “You’re not sure you can do what needs to be done without her. This is more than just a case. Without her to keep you focused, to keep you settled…”
Sherlock: “Is that what you think she is? Hmm? A simple counterbalance?”
Mycroft: “I think she’s the person you love most in this world.”
Meeting with the bank under the false pretense of investing some of their father’s fortune, and Sherlock threatens them with exposing them, and demonstrates just a few strong deductions, Mycroft takes a couple steps towards them and quietly says
As you can see, my brother’s a deductive genius. His prowess is not to be underestimated. He can be the instrument of your salvation, or your demise.
I love how Mycroft follows Sherlock into the different rooms, and stands behind him, hands in his pockets, but his eyes casually yet carefully looking around, partly looking for clues, as well as looking out for his little brother (at least, I hope Mycroft turns out to be a good guy like in the canon).
Meeting the NSA, Agent McNally gets up:
McNally: “Mycroft, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I get a night off, I swear I”m gonna finally try out Diogenes.”
Mycroft: “How do you know I have a restaurant?”
McNally:”Everyone knows about Diogenes. Amazing food. Interesting clientele”
Going to interview Legolas5 (seriously? Sherlock didn’t recognize the name? Pronouncing it Lego-Lass Five?), Sherlock asks a question and then Mycroft comes out with excellent probing questions. Sherlock gives him a befuddled look.
Mycroft: “What? Joan asks questions when you’re out and about. I’ve seen it.”
Sherlock: “Yes, but she is a trained detective. You’re a buffoon.”
Then turns and repeats one of Mycroft’s questions.
Going (breaking and entering) into Norman’s house, Sherlock challenges Mycroft to really look around him. Mycroft walks through the hall way without showing much effort for looking, but then points behind him
“This cushion has been disturbed. There’s scratches on the floor. Dry blood? There may have been some kind of scuffle.
Yoder pleading with Mycroft to stop his younger brother from torturing him was interesting, and Mycroft telling him he better answer the question. After the end reveal makes me wonder if he (Yoder) knew who Mycroft really was.
Random musings (or My favorite scenes)
Other than the scnes that clued in to who Mycroft really was, there were a number of other great scenes. Every scene that Miller and Ifans are together are just simply wonderful, such as this one right after meeting the NSA:
Sherlock smashes and stomps on his phone into the pavement.
Sherlock: “My phone doesn’t seem to be working, may I borrow yours?
Mycroft, dumbfounded, hands him his phone. Sherlock then smashes Mycroft’s phone and stomps on that as well.
Mycroft: “Was that really necessary?”
Sherlock:”That was the NSA. Hands.”
Mycroft holds out his arms and Sherlock takes his watch. Sherlock: “Exquisite time piece; shame it has to go.”
He stomps the watch into the ground.
Mycroft:”They didn’t touch my watch.”
Sherlock:”Better safe than sorry.”
This is the only time in this episode Mycroft is surprised about something Sherlock does.
Sherlock displaying the same finesse of waking Mycroft up as he has Joan… minus breakfast.
Mycroft’s collar was down in the scenes with just Sherlock, but when they were out and investigating, it was up.
Mycroft stunning Sherlock was a “what? WHAT?!?” moment. My daughter yelled out “Traitor! Mycroft, you are a traitor!” at the tv, over and over.
Again, marvelous episode. Lucy Liu did a fantastic job at directing (Can she be cloned so she can direct and act? Please?) And Robert Hewitt Wolfe should just write the rest of the episodes. Yup.
So looking forward to the next 2 episodes!
“You are right in thinking that he is under the British government. You would also be right in a sense if you said that occasionally he IS the British government.” – Sherlock to Watson about Mycroft, BRUC
This one is so good, it deserves it’s own post. I found it shortly after watching series 2 of BBC’s awesome “Sherlock” and, wow! What emotion it brought out! Read My Mind almost brought me to tears, Fix You got me really choked up, but this one got me crying.
Sherlock’s line about not having any friends and then later saying that he only has one is from the “Hounds of the Baskerville” episode. It’s partially taken from Doyle’s “The Five Orange Pips” story (from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes collection). In the beginning of the story, Watson visits Holmes at 221b (having moved out when he got married). They hear ringing the doorbell. Watson speaks:
“Why,” said I, glancing up at my companion, “that was surely the bell. Who could come to-night? Some friend of yours, perhaps?”
[Like with notes for The Blind Banker, the following are rough notes for The Great Game. I’ll fix ’em up and make ’em look pretty in a few days. Why put them up when they are pretty already? Obvious (sorry, slipped into sounding like Sherlock, haha). PBS has both of their versions of The Blind Banker and The Great Game online, but only until Feb 29 (A Study in Pink is up until Mar 1). If I waited until they were pretty, the videos would probably down :(. So I decided to put them up…. Hmmm… Maybe that only makes sense to me?]
I did find myself having to note when and where cuts were done. It seems like there were multiple cuts wintin single scenes that wasn’t in earlier episodes. I will recheck Pink and Banker again.
Rough notes follow — Warning: Misspellings nad grammar errors are bound to be found…
Oh, and spoilers!
Mycroft introduces the case
Mycroft Holmes is at 221B and introduces a case for his brother and John to solve. While explaining what happened to Andrew West:
John: Jumped in front of a train?
Mycroft: Seems the logical assumption
John: But?
(cut)
Mycroft: But?
John: Well, you wouldn’t be here if it was just an accident
Sherlock laughs while wiping his violin bow
(cut ends)
Mycroft: The MoD is working on a new missile defence system, the Bruce-Partington Program, it’s called. The plans were for it were on a memory stick.
(cut again)
John: (chuckles while looking at the papers that Mycroft had handed him) That wasn’t very clever.
Sherlock smiles, while still wiping his violin bow.
Mycroft: It’s not the only copy.
John: Oh.
Mycroft: But it is secret. And missing.
John: Top secret?
Mycroft: Very. (cut ends) We think West must have taken the memory stick. We can’t possibly risk it falling into the wrong hands.
On the way to Scotland Yard
After Lestrade calls Sherlock, both he and John leave 221B in a cab and head towards the Yard.
Examining the shoes at Bart’s
After the first communication with the bomber (via the hostage) at 221C, there is a cut to Sherlock examining the sneakers at Bart’s. A couple shots were cut out.
Later in that same scene, with John…
Sherlock: The only mystery is this – why’s my brother so determined to bore me when somebosy else is being so delightfully interesting?
(cut)
John: Try and remember there’s a woman who might die.
Sherlock: What for? There’s hospitals full of people dying, Doctor. Why don’t you go cry by their bedside and see what good it does them?
(cut ends)
Computer beeps, with message “SEARCH COMPLETED”
Back to Baker Street
After Sherlock talks about the case of Carl Powers and his missing shoes. Cut of Sherlock thinking while in the cab while shortly later being at 221B.
John meets with Mycroft
Mycroft gives John some more facts about about Adrew West and asks how Sherlock is doing with solving it.
Mycroft: How is he getting on?
John: He’s fine. (cut) And it is going…very well. He’s, um… (cut ends) He’s completely focused on it.
Abandoned car found
After Sherlock finishes talked with the bomber (via another hostage), there’s just a second cut of a pan over from the river to the lot where the abandoned car is.
A couple seconds later Sherlock and John arrive at the scene. Lestrade goes into explaining the situation:
Lestrade: Told his wife he was going away on a business trip and he never arrived.
(cut)
Donovan: You’re still hanging round him.
John: Yeah, well…
Donovan: Opposites attract, I s’pose.
John: We’re not…
Donovan You should get yourself a hobby. Stamps, maybe. Model trains. Safer.
This last line was said over Sherlock checking out the driver’s side of the car. Muted in PBS version.
Just finished talking with Mrs. Monkford.
Sherlock: That’s not a mistake a murderer would make.
John: I see… (cut) No, I don’t. What am I seeing?
Donovan (calling out to John) Fishing. Try fishing
John (turns around to see Donovan, then (cut ends) back to Sherlock): Where now?
Sherlock at the lab
A couple seconds cut of Sherlock testing the blood sample from the abandoned car.
Right after he drops the clear liquid onto the blood, the pink phone rings. Hserlock picks up the phone. Number is blocked. Sherlock ansrews it:
Sherlock: Hello.
Bomber (via the hostage): The clue’s in the name – Janus Cars.
Sherlock: Why would you be giving me a clue?
Bomber: Why does anyone do anything? Because I’m bored. We were made for each other, Sherlock.
Sherlock: Then talk to me in your own voice.
Bomber: Patience.
Phone hangs up. Sherlock lowers it, staring into the distance, then back to his experiment. (cut ends) He holds up the petri dish and smiles.
Importance: somewhat. Explains where Sherlock gets the “clue’s in the name” that he quotes in the next scene with Lestrade.
Good night, Vienna
Sherlock and John join Lestrade to inspect Connie Prince’s body at the morgue.
Sherlock: Something’s wrong with this picture.
Lestrade: Eh?
(cut)
Sherlock: Can’t be as simple as it seems, otherwise the bomber wouldn’t be directing us towards it. Something’s wrong.
John at the Princes’ place
Raul (to John): Can I get you anything, sir?
John: Uh, No, thanks.
Kenny Prince smiles to Raul, who then leaves.
Kenny: Raoul is my rock. I don’t think I could have managed.
John turns half around to where Raoul had left then looks back at the brother.
Kenny: We always see eye to eye… but my sister was very dear to me.
The cat meows while on John’s lap. John moves the cat to the side.
John: And to the uh, public, Mr Prince.
Kenny: Oh,l she was adored. I’ve seen her take girls who looked like the back end of Routemasters and turn them into princesses. Still, it’s a relief, in a way, to know that she’s beyond this veil of tears.
Cat climbs back onto John’s lap and purrs loudly.
John (while leading far back away from the cat): Absolutely.
Shoot to Sherlock, Mrs. Hudson, and Lestrade at 221B who are looking at Sherlock’s wall of clues..
Sherlock (talking on his own mobile phone): Great. Thank you. Thanks again.
He then turns and makes a couple steps away from Mrs. Hudson and Lestrade and continues to talk in the background while Mr.s Hudson and Lestrade look at the wall.
Mrs. Hudson: It’s a real shame. I liked her. She taught you how to do your colours.
Lestrade (turns to her): Colours?
Mrs. Hudson: You know, what goes best with what. I hsould never wear cerise, apparently. Drains me.
Sherlock turns back towards them, hanging up the phone, and joins them again.
Lestrade (to Sherlock) Who’s that?
Sherlock (staring at the wall): Home office.
Lestrade: Home office?
Sherlock: Well, Home Secretary, actually. Owes me a favour. (puts his phone back into his jacket)
(cut ends)
Mrs. Hudson: She was a pretty girl, but she messed about with herself.
Raul gets arrested
John: So, people come to him wanting their crimes fixed up, like booking a holiday?
Sherlock: Novel.
(cut)
John: Huh (looking at tv)
On the telly, John and Sherlock watch Raoul get put into a police car and photographers snapping away.
(cut ends)
Sherlock: Taking his time this time.
A minute later after John gets angry with Sherlock who appears to not care about people dying, and Sherlock replies with not being a hero.
Sherlock (after receiving a new pink phone message and John not wanting to help): Not much cop, this caring lark.
Sherlock types frantically on his own phone for clues about the River Thames clue. Gets to “Local News”.
John sits on the sofa, looking through the papers.
John (as he’s reading) Archway suicide…
Sherlock Ten-a-penny.
(cut ends)
Sherlock looks up info in Battersea.
(another cut)
John: Two kids stabbed in Stoke Newington.
Sherlock looks through “Thames Police Reports”
John: Ah, man found on the train line, Andrew West.
(cut ends)
Sherlock (not paying attention to John): Nothing! (calls Lestrade)
Dead man on the banks of the Thames
A second of the man laying on the banks. The sped-up arrival of a boat in the background both pulls up and (cut) then away from a dock/port.(cut ends).
Sherlock and John arrive on scene
Sherlock and John meet Lestrade and they discuss the situation. Then Lestrade asks him:
Lestrade: Any ideas?
Sherlock: Seven. So far.
Lestrade: Seven?
(cut)
Sherlock closely inspects the deadman’s shirt
(cut ends)
Sherlock then takes off a sock and inspects the foot.
On the search for information
Sherlock and John leave the deadman. In the cab, Sherlock questions why he hasn’t heard from the bomber. Then tells the driver to go to Waterloo Bridge.
John: Where now, the gallery?
Sherlock: In a bit.
John: The Hickman’s contemporary art, isn’t it? Why have they got hold of an old master?
Sherlock (while pulling out a small notebook and pen): Don’t know. Dangerous to jump to conclusions. Need data.
(cut ends)
He writes something in the notebook, tears it out, and folds it up.
Shot of the outside of the cab as it rolls down the street.
John visits Alex’s flat
John asks Alex’s flatmate about him.
John: Stargazer, was he?
Woman: God, yeah. Mad about it.It’s all he ever did in his spare time. (cut) He was a nice guy, Alex. I liked him. He was, uh… never much of a one for hoovering.
(cut ends)
John: What about art? Did he know anything about that?
Woman: It was just a job, you know?
John(nods head): Mmm. (Turns around looking at more of Alex’s things) Has anyone else been round asking about Alex?
Woman: No. We had a break-in, though.
John (turning around facing the woman): Mmm? When?
Woman: Last night. There was nothing taken. (cut ends) Oh, there was a message left for Alex on the land line.
John: Who was it from?
Woman: I can play it for you, if you like. I’ll get the phone.
John: Please
She leaves to get the phone, comes back with the phone and presses a button.
Female voice on the other end: Oh, should I speak now? Alex? Love, it’s Professor Cairns. Listen, you were right. You were bloody right. Give us a call when…
phone hangs up.
John: Professor Cairns?
Woman: No idea, sorry
(cut)
John: Can I try and ring back?
Woman: No good. I’ve had other calls since. Sympathy ones, you know.
(cut ends)
Woman turns and walks away. John phone rings. He pulls it out and reads a text from Mycroft.
Sherlock meets the museum’s curator
After Sherlock leaves, and curator stands for a few seconds longer staring at the painting, as the sound of the door that Sherlock exited creaks and then closes with a loud echo.
John meets with West’s fiance
John and the woman sit on a sofa inside her home.
Woman: He wouldn’t. He just wouldn’t
John: Stranger things have happened.
Woman: Westie wasn’t a traitor. It’s a horrible thing to say!
John: I’m sorry. But you must understand that’s…
Woman: That;s what they think, isn’t it, his bosses?
John: He was a young man, about to get married, he had debts.
Woman: Everyone’s got debts, and Westie wouldn’t want to clear them by selling out his country.
John: Can you, um…? Can you tell me exactly what happened that night?
Woman: We were having a night in. Just… watching a DVD. He normally falls asleep, you know, but he sat through this one. HE was quiet. Out of the blue he said he just had to go and see someone.
John: And you have no idea who?
John leaves followed by the woman. The woman’s brother walks up with his bicicle.
Brother: Hi, Liz. You ok, love?
Liz: Yeah.
Brother (giving a nod towards John): Who’s this?
John: John Watson, hi
Liz: This is my brother, Joe. John’s trying to find out what happened to Westie, Joe.
Joe: You with the police?
John: Sort of, yeah.
Joe: Tell them to get off their arses, will you? It’s blooody ridiculous.
John: I’ll do my best.
Joe turns back to Liz and puts a comforting hands on her shoulder. She nods, and he goes inside.
John (clears his throat) Well, uh, thanks very much for your help. Again, I’m very very sorry.
Liz (as John walks away): He didn’t steal those things Mr Watson. I knew Westie, he was a good man. He was my good man.
Importance: Very! It introduces Joe. Without this scene, the viewer is lost to know who he is later on when Sherlock and John confront him later on.
John in a cab
Night shot of John riding in a cab, cut.
Searching for the Golem
A couple shots of Sherlock and John with their flashlights inbetween shots of homeless people.
Back at Scotland Yard
After Sherlock solves the last case which frees the young boy, Sherlock, Lestrade and Mrs. Wenceslas are sitting in Lestrade’s office.
Sherlock (with his fingertips together, looking upward): You know, it’s interesting. Bohemian Stationary, as assassin named after a Prague legend, and you, Miss Wenceslas. This whole case has a distinctly Czech feeling about it. Is that where this leads? (cut ends) What are we looking at, Inspector?
Going to Joe’s home
From the train tracks to Joe’s (Liz’s brother), Sherlock and John talk about the stealing of the missile defense plans:
Sherlock: Missile defence plans haven’t left the country, otherwise Mycroft’s people would have heard about it. Despite what people think, we do still have a secret service.
John: Yeah, I know, I’ve met them.
Sherlock: Which means whoever stole the memory stick can’t sell it or doesn’t know what to do with it. My money’s on the latter.
They walk past a tall hedge and approaching stairs,
Sherlock: We’re here
John: Where?
They then turn right and go up the steps. (cut ends)
That’s it for the first season. PBS is airing Season 2 on May 6. I hope to put that trio up in time instead of after 1 1/2 years :).
If you have not seen this fantastic series (way to short), PBS is re-broadcasting season 1 (Season 2, which just ended to other day on the BBC, airs on PBS this May 6th). They played A Study in Pink” last Sunday, this Sunday (Jan 22) is The Blind Banker”, and the following Sunday (Jan 29) is “The Great Game”.
Whether or not you like Sherlock Holmes, crime/mystery genre, or British tv, but you like storytelling at it’s finest with a great cast and production, then check this show out.
IT will remain online on their site until Mar 1 (unless they extend it, like they did the first time).
I had written a review for the first season, I just haven’t posted it here yet. I have parts of a review in my head for the second season, but have not yet written it down.
Note: For some reason, they show a cut episode, about 5 minutes total less than the original airing. Nothing crucial, but it’s not like they had to make room for commercial time. (What’s the deal?) I had started making a list of the differences between the original BBC cut and the PBS re-edit.
Time to change gears to another one of my interests, though somewhat related: Doctor Who. I have loved Doctor Who for as long as Holmes and Watson (about 25 years now). And as with Holmes, I have enjoyed watching what fans did with the Doctor, both the original and newer series.
First off, if you haven’t already seen it, check out the Sherlock/Doctor Who crossover video, “A Study in Time” that I posted earlier. Totally brilliant!
Doctor Who – Tenth Doctor Tribute – Fireflies
There are a bunch of videos using Owl City’s Fireflies song to clips of the Doctor. This one and the nest one are my favorites. This one is a shortened version of the song, but still fun to watch. Stars the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) and his various companions.
Doctor Who – Fireflies
Most of the fanvids that used Fireflies used the Tenth and (since it aired) Eleventh Doctors. A few brave souls man one using almost all the Docs, such as this one:
CSI: Gallifrey (DW/CSI Miami Parody)
I don’t care for any of the CSI shows, but have seen enough to ROFL whenever I watch this video.
The Reenactments
It is fun to see how people re-enact scenes from a Holmes production. Below are live and animated re-enacted scenes both from the Granada series and BBC’s Sherlock. I include the original scene and same scene, redone:
The Dancing Men
Sherlock Holmes – The Dancing Men 1/6
Skip to 2:53 in the video to watch Watson’s astonishment as Holmes makes an “absurdly simple” deduction about him. Ends at 5:47. Or you can watch the whole episode if you wish (I recommend that! One of the best episodes of the series!)
Sherlock Holmes The Dancing Men (Jeremy Brett) Cartoon
An adorable cartoon version, using the audio from the above episode. Animation has a nice folkart quality to it. I posted in the comments section that it reminded me of the 1990s cartoon, Dr. Katz (without the shaking). And I always laugh at Watson’s confused face.
The Resident Patient
The Resident Patient part 6
You only need to skip to :19 to get to the scene. If you watch from the beginning, you’d be spoiled somewhat since this segment is near the end and Watson narrates what happened to the villains after the mystery had been solved. The scene in the sitting room is not in the original story, but incredibly charming and, as far as character goes, it’s very canonical. The song Holmes is playing on his violin is Beethoven’s Violin Concerto, 3rd movement.
The Resident Patient
Take one YouTuber (in this case, dalek42), have him play both Watson and Holmes well, and you have a great little tribute to the show! While the Watson angle is a bit dark, his timing is very good. I love how his Holmes rolls the “r” in “What’s wrong?”. And the smily face on the bedroom door! Just thinking of Holmes having a smily face on his door is hilarious…..
The Great Game
….Which brings me to Sherlock shooting a smiley face into his wall. This is from BBC’s Sherlock, the third episode “The Great Game”. The argument that Sherlock and John have here (in the show, they call each other by there first name rather than their last) is from the canon: Holmes not liking what Watson had published about their first case is from the second story, “Sign of Four”, and the solar system is from the very first story, “A Study in Scarlet”. Along with Holmes shooting into the wall, from The Musgrave Ritual, though in the story he shoots nota smiley face, but the letters V R, standing for Victoria Regina (another name for Queen Victoria).
Although I was not able to find the whole scene in one video, I found three short ones that has almost the whole thing (minus a second or two):
Sherlock “Bored” Scene Recreation
These guys usually do videos based on Doctor Who (both original stories and also hilarious impersonations), but after a number of requests, they redid the above scene (minus the head-in-the-fridge bit):
For those curious, below is the original solar system argument:
My surprise reached a climax, however, when I found incidentally that he was ignorant of the Copernican Theory and of the composition of the Solar System. That any civilized human being in this nineteenth century should not be aware that the earth travelled round the sun appeared to be to me such an extraordinary fact that I could hardly realize it.
“You appear to be astonished,” he said, smiling at my expression of surprise. “Now that I do know it I shall do my best to forget it.”
“To forget it!”
“You see,” he explained, “I consider that a man’s brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose. A fool takes in all the lumber of every sort that he comes across, so that the knowledge which might be useful to him gets crowded out, or at best is jumbled up with a lot of other things so that he has a difficulty in laying his hands upon it. Now the skilful workman is very careful indeed as to what he takes into his brain-attic. He will have nothing but the tools which may help him in doing his work, but of these he has a large assortment, and all in the most perfect order. It is a mistake to think that that little room has elastic walls and can distend to any extent. Depend upon it there comes a time when for every addition of knowledge you forget something that you knew before. It is of the highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out the useful ones.”
“But the Solar System!” I protested.
“What the deuce is it to me?” he interrupted impatiently; “you say that we go round the sun. If we went round the moon it would not make a pennyworth of difference to me or to my work.”
Since restarting this blog, there has been a new Sherlock Holmes series, called, simply. Sherlock (Original, right? LOL!). I will post my review of it here (I have it posted somewhere else at the moment). But I wanted to show some brilliant fanvids here.
A Study in Time
Oh My Gosh! This video just blew me away. It’s done like a BBC trailer for a show (even has the BBC One logo on the bottom), combining Sherlock and Doctor Who (BTW, both shows are written and (in the case of Sherlock) created by (Steven Moffat (head DW writer) and Mark Gatiss). Unfortunately, Moffat has said that he will never combine the two on one show though I think he should for charity like Big Nose Day or Children in Need. Anyway….
Short explanation of the Sherlock show. Holmes (played by Benedict Cumberbatch) and Watson (Martin Freeman) are brought up in present day instead of Victorian England. If you haven’t seen it, please do yourself a favor and watch it! Acting, writing, sets, etc., top notch! The song is Cracking the Code by PostHaste Music.
Sherlock Holmes: The Boys Are Back
I found out about this video from the Baker Street Blog (a great blog to find out news from the world of Holmes and Watson) a while back. This includes 5 different sets of Holmes-Watson teams: Rathbone-Bruce, Brett-Burke, Basil-Dawson (from Disney’s Great Mouse Detective movie), Downey-Law, and Cumberbatch-Freeman. Note that in different clips Holmes is playing the violin during the guitar solo…. nice touch!
Sherlock – ‘tick, Tick BOOM’
A short one. And loud music. Probably will attract attention if you play it with people around. Tick Tick Boom by The Hives.
Sherlock – Life in Technicolour
Life in Tecnicolour ii is one of the best songs by Coldplay, so put together with one of the beat teams of Holmes & Watson, it’s hard to not like it :). But it’s a short video :(, still brilliant though.
Today marks the anniversary of the first episode of Mork and Mindy, one of my all time favorite tv shows.
afterwards, it was a ratings smash, with an average of 60 million people watching, nominated for 2 Emmys and winning Golden Globes and People Choice Awards. And it was ranked #3 for the 1978-79 season, sometimes weekly beating the show that gave it’s start, Happy Days. (Many years later Williams won Nickelodeon TV Land’s “Most ‘Out of This World’ Character” for both 2005 and 2006.)
