One of the pitfalls of being on this side of the pond is not being able to readily access the gems of British television such as “Doctor Who” and “Sherlock” – something about these shows makes for great television. The anglophiles are certainly to blame for this, but there’s more than that responsible, though it’s hard to say what. (Forbidden fruit? Greener grass on the other side?)

 

Fortunately, “Doctor Who” has gained a broader viewership in America, so waiting for episodes to air in the States while avoiding spoilers floating on the Internet isn’t nearly as big of an issue anymore. The same cannot be said for the BBC’s modern-day rendition of the Arthur Conan Doyle series, “Sherlock,” which has an air delay of a few months.

 

Written and produced by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, who also are the masterminds behind “Doctor Who,” the show makes up for what it lacks in quantity in its quality. The first season of the show aired in three 90-minute episodes in 2010. Leave it to the Sherlockians to take screen-caps of virtually every second of the first season, hyper-analyze every minute detail and squeal over every meaningful look shared between Sherlock Holmes and his blogger, John Watson. (There is a remarkable amount of speculation regarding the allusion that Holmes and Watson are in a romantic relationship.)

 

Benedict Cumberbatch (yes, that’s his real name) and Martin Freeman star as Holmes and Watson, respectively. Both men are remarkable actors; the fans will wax poetic about Cumberbatch’s cheekbones and deep “jaguar with a cello” voice, and they’ll invariably try to persuade you that Martin Freeman is, in fact, made of kittens. (Not everything that comes from this fandom is necessarily coherent or normal.)

 

The show itself, while absolutely brilliant, wouldn’t be nearly as enjoyable if the fan base wasn’t as active and passionate as it is. A show that has, in total, only six episodes, 18 cumulative hours of footage and airs about every year and a half, has managed to capture an audience that wholesomely appreciates what the writers and production crew have put together. The fans’ dedication to the show, despite an 18-month hiatus, cliffhangers and a production team that delights in trolling the fans, is resoundingly evident in how many fan-fictions there are for the show, the brilliant fan art and the constant dissection of scenes.

 

During the hiatus between the first and second seasons (the latter of which has already aired in the UK but will debut in the US in May), the fandom went insane. I’m a recent newcomer, but during the months between first seeing the show and the second season premiere, I’ve been sucked into the “Sherlock” fandom. I’ve been exposed to some of the battiest fans I’ve ever encountered. And let me tell you: it’s been amazing.

 

“Sherlock” is one of those things that won’t find its complete value simply in the source. It is truly the perception of the show that makes it great, which is why we love “Sherlock.”