Elementary

I am loving the new Sherlock series on BBC1 and I'm not the only one.

It's great for so many reasons - the script sparkles with wit and excitement, the actors stand out (Cucumber-patch and Freeman of course leading the way as the timeless Holmes and Watson), and the modern setting all equal a show that finally made Sunday evenings a night to look forward to.

I had my reservations about modernising the classic, like a lot of people, seeing as Sherlock Holmes by Guy Ritchie disappointed me little (despite it's being set in the 19th century, it had that Hollywood feel to it that Conan Doyle's originals did not). But the trailers hooked me and I was one of the 7 million (Moffat was deservedly chuffed) tuning in to watch the series' debut. It's honestly one of the best shows I've seen in a long time - not without a few flaws of course - but most importantly, I was desperate for the following Sunday to come round.

The Moriarty mystery is really fuelling me - surely we must have been introduced to him (or her...as I hope) by now? But I'm not anxious for it to be anyone we've met. Molly's far too pathetic and serves better as the comic foil. The same goes for Anderson. It couldn't be the faithful Mrs. Hudson or straight laced clueless Lestrade. Dimmock? Well, I questioned why Stephen Thompson brought him in (perhaps Rupert Graves was busy) unless it was to set him up as Moriarty but I really hope not.

Part of me really wants Sherlock's greatest nemesis to be a woman; we've already seen how he doesn't particularly value them - Mrs. Hudson is the housekeeper, Molly's just a bit of wet fart and he frequently exploits her attraction to him (albeit awkwardly) and while I think he sometimes acknowledges that they can be smart (the pink lady leaving her phone in the cab), I don't suppose for one second he would think that a woman could be behind Moriarty.

We know Sherlock Holmes underestimated Irene Adler in the books - they should perhaps incorporate elements of both characters. Hey, they made it modern - the world is their oyster.

I think one of the coolest (and probably the geekiest) things about the new show is the mock-site the beeb have set up; an actual "Science of Deduction" blog, written by "Sherlock". Here, the fans can read some of his old cases, have a go at some codes sent by "Anonymous" and read Molly Hooper's, John Watson's and a new character's blogs. I found some of the forum threads hilarious, and before I knew it I'd spent an hour immersed in the fictional website of a fictional character.

How's that for warped?

I'm only annoyed that there are only three but I hear the Moffat's being pressured to start writing, and even if we can't expect the new series to reach us before next year, that's something to smile about.

Social Blunders

I have never been that great at saying the appropriate things in awkward situations.
I'd go so far to say that if anything terrible should happen to anyone I knew, that I should not be allowed to speak. that someone should lock me in a room and clamp my moth shut. Like so many people, I just don't know what to say or do and so I babble and say the first thing that comes into my head. I just feel so awful, and being a pretty blunt person my inappropriate replies just sound like direct insults.

For example, a good friend of mine told me yesterday that his grandfather had died after a long battle with Alzheimer's. I felt really bad for him, but wasn't quite sure what to say and so I tried to console him with a "I'm really sorry" and a "That's terrible." But after a while I ran out of comforting things to say, and I suddenly made the connection that it was his mother's father who'd died. I asked him, knowing her mother had died some years previous, and my friend nodded...Yes it was her father who'd died.

What did I have to say in return?

"Oh. So, I guess your Mum's an orphan now, huh?"

Stunned silence ensued.

The ground never swallows you whole when you want it to.