Sherlock: The Series that Cures Societies Troubles
There’s is arguably nothing worse in life than boredom. If given a chance to alleviate the mundanity of our everyday lives we would all gladly take it. Well, luckily there is or has been a remedy for boredom. Some people (the fans) have argued that the cure for our insufferable and bland lives has been on screen since 2010. And it’s name is Sherlock. The tv show brought to us by the BBC has become a cult phenomenon since it hit our screens in the early 2010s. But why? What’s so great about a tv show starring two British guys? Well the answer is simple, complexity. The substance in Sherlock whose synopsis is about a “consulting detective” named Sherlock Holmes who solves crimes along with his …show more content…
According to Seger, “S/he must overcome a series of obstacles that transform him or her in the process, and then face the final challenge that draws on the inner and outer resources” (391). Essentially, what Seger is summarizing for us is the fact that the hero must suffer and only then when he finds the strength within in himself can he succeed and become a true hero. Only when he transforms does the hero complete the “heroes myth.” And so how does John Watson fit into that mold? Well, he like all the characters in Sherlock does in fact transform. His transformation takes place throughout all three seasons of Sherlock. He first starts off as a recently returned Afghan medical doctor in the British Army struggling from PTSD. He’s leading a boring life and looking for a place to rent that’s cheap. If we look at the first step of schema that Seger set for us in her version of the “Hero’s Myth” then John Watson is right on track: “In most hero stories, the hero is introduced in ordinary surroundings, in a mundane world, doing mundane things” (388). Is John Watson leading a simple life? Yes. Is he aware there is more to life than just going to and from work? No. But, of course all of that changes when he meets Sherlock …show more content…
However, that is simply not true. In an article written by Josie Ensor, entitled “How America fell in love with British TV” talks about the amazing popularity of the series in the US. The number of people watching in America is astronomical. In fact, Deadline, a site that keeps tabs on entertainment, stated that, “The quintessentially British detective show Sherlock, meanwhile, reaches up to four million viewers an episode” (Ensor, par. 10). The fact that four million viewers in the US watch Sherlock only proves how popular the show is. And it also shows that there must be a reason why Sherlock is so popular. And the answer is simple, it’s all the elements the series presents. In a book titled, Sherlock and Transmedia Fandom: Essays on the BBC Series, written by Mary Ingram Walters, which explains the popularity of the series. In her article, Walters says that, “Because fans of Sherlock Holmes have long shaped the history of adaptations, many of the volume 's contributors look closely at the relationship between fans and different incarnations of the detective” (Walters, par.3). So, why is this incarnation so popular? The answer: the Hero Myth, Healing Myth, and the Outlaw Hero. This series has used the great myths and wonderful outlaw trope all of which helped elevate the shows popularity. It’s thanks to the myths that the fans are able to connect and relate to Sherlock. So, although
There’s is arguably nothing worse in life than boredom. If given a chance to alleviate the mundanity of our everyday lives we would all gladly take it. Well, luckily there is or has been a remedy for boredom. Some people (the fans) have argued that the cure for our insufferable and bland lives has been on screen since 2010. And it’s name is Sherlock. The tv show brought to us by the BBC has become a cult phenomenon since it hit our screens in the early 2010s. But why? What’s so great about a tv show starring two British guys? Well the answer is simple, complexity. The substance in Sherlock whose synopsis is about a “consulting detective” named Sherlock Holmes who solves crimes along with his …show more content…
According to Seger, “S/he must overcome a series of obstacles that transform him or her in the process, and then face the final challenge that draws on the inner and outer resources” (391). Essentially, what Seger is summarizing for us is the fact that the hero must suffer and only then when he finds the strength within in himself can he succeed and become a true hero. Only when he transforms does the hero complete the “heroes myth.” And so how does John Watson fit into that mold? Well, he like all the characters in Sherlock does in fact transform. His transformation takes place throughout all three seasons of Sherlock. He first starts off as a recently returned Afghan medical doctor in the British Army struggling from PTSD. He’s leading a boring life and looking for a place to rent that’s cheap. If we look at the first step of schema that Seger set for us in her version of the “Hero’s Myth” then John Watson is right on track: “In most hero stories, the hero is introduced in ordinary surroundings, in a mundane world, doing mundane things” (388). Is John Watson leading a simple life? Yes. Is he aware there is more to life than just going to and from work? No. But, of course all of that changes when he meets Sherlock …show more content…
However, that is simply not true. In an article written by Josie Ensor, entitled “How America fell in love with British TV” talks about the amazing popularity of the series in the US. The number of people watching in America is astronomical. In fact, Deadline, a site that keeps tabs on entertainment, stated that, “The quintessentially British detective show Sherlock, meanwhile, reaches up to four million viewers an episode” (Ensor, par. 10). The fact that four million viewers in the US watch Sherlock only proves how popular the show is. And it also shows that there must be a reason why Sherlock is so popular. And the answer is simple, it’s all the elements the series presents. In a book titled, Sherlock and Transmedia Fandom: Essays on the BBC Series, written by Mary Ingram Walters, which explains the popularity of the series. In her article, Walters says that, “Because fans of Sherlock Holmes have long shaped the history of adaptations, many of the volume 's contributors look closely at the relationship between fans and different incarnations of the detective” (Walters, par.3). So, why is this incarnation so popular? The answer: the Hero Myth, Healing Myth, and the Outlaw Hero. This series has used the great myths and wonderful outlaw trope all of which helped elevate the shows popularity. It’s thanks to the myths that the fans are able to connect and relate to Sherlock. So, although