Sherlock: Unaired Pilot vs. A Study in Pink

[flywoman]

My RL beta gave me the first season of Sherlock BBC for Christmas, and I just watched the unaired pilot - the one hour version of A Study In Pink. It looked more raw, certainly - less flashy, lower budget, and it felt a bit compressed.

BUT it lacked all of the elements that annoyed me about the final version. I didn't guess that the serial killer was a cabbie long before Sherlock seemed to. I didn't guess immediately that the man who'd "kidnapped" John to try to persuade him to spy on Sherlock was Mycroft. And the murderer was a true serial killer who wanted to show off to the object of his fascination - not just a poor fellow trying to put food on his family [sic], being paid by Moriarty to kill random people and attract Sherlock's attention for no good reason (although that didn't lessen my urge to holler, "Never get involved in a land war in Asia!"). Having Donovan ask whom to call in instead of Mycroft's presumably highly competent assistant so that we could end on Sherlock and Watson's names as they walked off together also felt much less contrived.

ALSO, it had FakeDrunk!Sherlock and ReallyDrugged!Sherlock, both of whom I absolutely adored, and it had all of my favorite character interactions intact, perhaps even more enjoyable in this bare-bones version. John and Sherlock in the restaurant felt a bit too cutesy to me in the aired episode; here, in the intimate candlelight, Sherlock explaining that he was married to his work, yet flattered by John's interest, was completely charming and believable.

Thoughts, Sherlock fans? (But PLEASE don't spoil me for the next two episodes!)

Comments

[justjuly4.livejournal.com]

"I didn't guess that the serial killer was a cabbie long before Sherlock seemed to."
The same goes for me.

"ALSO, it had FakeDrunk!Sherlock and ReallyDrugged!Sherlock, both of whom I absolutely adored"
Oh, yessss! I'm hunting for drunk or drugged Sherlock fanfics since then!!! That was hot I dare say.

And I fell totally in love with Lestrade (or Rupert Graves, still can't be sure).

[minetruly.livejournal.com]

Ooh, can you link me to the fanfics you hunted down? :D

[flywoman.livejournal.com]

Rupert Graves has certainly aged gracefully. I didn't think he was attractive when he was young, but now? PHWOAR.

[deelaundry.livejournal.com]

I haven't finished the unaired pilot, but I have to say Anderson looked more competent with facial hair. ??? I have no idea why.

[flywoman.livejournal.com]

Hmm... weak chin, perhaps?

[petitecuriosity.livejournal.com]

I did like the more raw, unaired pilot.

I didn't guess it was the cabbie either when I saw the unaired pilot. But, as I watched the unaired pilot, then immediately watched the first episode,I feel as if I cannot fairly compare them.

And I did find it interesting that the serial killer wanted to show off, to mean something, to be someone instead of just a normal, quiet, cabbie, in the unaired pilot. I didn't recall that that wasn't the case in the aired pilot.

ALSO, it had FakeDrunk!Sherlock and ReallyDrugged!Sherlock, both of whom I absolutely adored,

Sherlock explaining that he was married to his work, yet flattered by John's interest, was completely charming and believable.

Agreed and agreed. :)

In the end, I don't think I noticed the differences between the two versions of the episodes so much as the similarities, but I do understand a preference.