Dialogue Done Right: Sherlock

Overall, the BBC show Sherlock is just really great! This is my favorite Sherlock Holmes adaptation by far. I love the actors, the modern setting, and reimagining of the famous detective who lives at 221B Baker Street. One of the things that just puts the icing on the cake for this show is the banter. I love good banter. I love when characters throw witty remarks out there and bonus points when it is delivered so well, even the other characters are surprised. (I love a good “wait, what?”) If I’m giggling and kicking my feet because the characters have said something clever and funny (or incredibly romantic), them I’m pretty much a super fan at that point. Congratulations author, here is my soul, please be gentle with it.

This adaptation does it all SO well. The writers have gotten the dialogue, in my humble opinion, perfect. They have found a beautiful balance. It’s not only witty, but matches the character, often portrays emotional depth to the response, and also fits with the actors’ version of the character. I just can't even imagine Robert Downey Jr Sherlock deliver Cumberbatch’s Sherlock’s lines. And vice versa. Not because one actor is better than the other, but because RDJ Sherlock and Cumberbatch Sherlock are so different. 

The banter is not just good between Sherlock and Watson, even though that is where the majority of the best stuff is, but between the other characters as well. Lestrad, Moriarty, Mycroft, and, of course, Mary. (Mary is right up there with Sherlock and Watson. You need to be paying attention when the three of them are together cause it’s gold and it’s fast.) The dialogue adapts each time to match the emotion and relationship between the characters.

I personally aspire to have my banter be this good. I want my characters to match and counter each other with the same amount of wit and emotional depth. Translation from being spoken to written changes how this is accomplished, but it is still something I live for. The writers of Sherlock are top notch!