No sh!t -- SHERLOCK!!!

Massive cause for celebration with the discovery of the completely stupendous British television series Sherlock, that dares to reimagine Holmes and Watson in 21st century contemporary incarnations. Created by Doctor Who scribes Steven Moffat and Mark Gattis, Sherlock is just fantastic on every level. It seems an idea doomed to failure, but works brilliantly well, a modern world filled with mobile phones and tweets in no way diminishing Holmes' abilities and eccentricities. This Holmes maintains a blog on deductive reasoning and consults for detective Lestrade -- and he needs a roommate! All the glorious tropes are there, 221B, Mrs. Hudson... Moriarty...but rendered in such a fresh way as to seem more true to the original Conan Doyle than any version in ages.

While there was a lot to like about Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes, this series (3 90+ minute movie/episodes per season) is premiering on PBS currently and beats other recent versions by a mile, thanks largely to the stupendous casting. Benedict Cumberbatch as Holmes is a revelation. And most excitingly, Watson provides most of us our first look at Martin Freeman, recently cast (as last, officially!) as Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson's The Hobbit. This Watson is back from a traumatic tour in Afghanistan, and Freeman seems a perfect choice to embody Baggins the elder.

So on so many levels, this Sherlock is a true eye-opener and cause for great celebration among Conan Doyle fans everywhere. This first season is already available on Amazon but do enjoy them as they air over the remaining two weeks on PBS, Sunday nights. This is an inventive labor of love at the highest level -- you miss it at your peril, Watson!