“Ah! I expected it. Look here!”

Elementary, my dear Joan

The scene is set in New York, not Baker Street. Dr. Joan Watson, played by Lucy Liu, has been hired by Sherlock Holmes’ British tycoon father to act as his son’s 24-hour sober-living companion. Watson has some baggage herself, she’s a disgraced former surgeon. In less than a blink of an eye, they are soon working on a murder case together.

The Pilot episode of Elementary, the latest twist on Holmes and Watson, is set for take-off in the UK one week from today, on Sky Living, Tuesday 23 October 2012 at 9pm. Jonny Lee Miller plays Sherlock Holmes.

Sherlock loves Sherlock!

Whatever some critics may opine (reviews from the US have been largely positive, by the way), Benedict Cumberbatch has given  Elementary the thumbs-up. The Sherlock star says it is “absolutely fantastic”.

To find out what the guest panel on BBC Radio4’s Saturday Review (13 October 2012) thought about Elementary, click here. The programme included a six minute discussion on the new drama. You will find it near the end, approximately 37 minutes into the broadcast. 

Woo Hoo! It’s Sherlock for the Simpsons but not quite yet

It seems Benedict Cumberbatch is everywhere these days. We now hear he’s going to appear in a forthcoming episode of The Simpsons (season 24) as a “snake-like character” and the British Prime Minister. Benedict has recently told Digital Spy that he’d like to return to the show as Sherlock. Well, no surprise there – we all know Sherlock used to hang around Barts in his younger days.

However does he manage it? Even with his tightly packed schedule, Benedict has still managed to squeeze in a reading for the upcoming Friendly Fires album.

Cluedo does Sherlock

Just in time for the up-coming season, the best-selling board game Cluedo is about to bring out a Sherlock edition, tied –in with the BBC series. Make your first move here!

Another curious incident?

Might this possibly remind you of one of Mr. Holmes’ most memorable cases? Curiously enough, it’s also the very same case which the crew will be investigating on Sunday 28 October 2012.

221Bees

We always enjoy a story with plenty of buzz!

Festival 50!

The Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queens is marking its half-century this year. Nothing specifically Sherlockian but on the crime scene we observe there’s an evening (2 November at the Whitla Hall) with author Ian Rankin, in conversation with actor John Gordon Sinclair.

The event  marks  the return of Inspector John Rebus, with the publication of Rankin’s new novel, Standing in Another Man’s Grave on 8 November.

For the full Festival programme, which runs from 19 October to 4 November 2012, click here.

Some of the Festival events are run in conjunction with Belfast’s own crime bookstore, No Alibis, which you can follow-up on at the No Alibis website.