Overlaid onto the scene as a sort of heads-up-display, these graphics let the viewer follow Sherlock’s investigation and learn how his mind works. In Sherlock viewers are able to watch the eponymous detective conduct web searches via the same unobtrusive, minimal graphics used to represent his text messages. Sherlock Holmes searching for clues on his mobile phone In “The Red-Headed League” Holmes tells Watson, “It is a hobby of mine to have an exact knowledge of London.” As we see in Sherlock, an intimate knowledge of streets and houses is as useful in the era of Google maps as it is the time of gas lamps. Though the specific mode of representation is updated for today’s audience, this characterization keeps true to the original Arthur Conan Doyle stories. The implication is clear: Sherlock’s encyclopedic knowledge of London is as thorough as that of any computer – and easier to access.
The entire chase is visualized using contemporary digital map iconography. He quickly accesses this mental map while pursuing a taxi through the city’s labyrinthian streets and rooftops. Sherlock, however, has no use for such features for he has memorized the streets of London. Many of today’s mobile phones are equipped with GPS devices and digital maps. Sherlock Holmes and John Watson chase a taxi through London But of course the phone does much more than send texts. One could understand the appeal of the text message to Holmes, as it is purely objective mode of communication a means to reach a single person or a group of people without having to confront ignorance or recognize any social mores. In fact, in the premiere episode of the BBC series, ” A Study in Pink,” Sherlock’s first onscreen “appearance” is in the form of a visualized text message that interrupts a Scotland Yard press conference. Of course, he still has his personal lab and conducts his own experiments in his 221B Baker Street flat, but in this contemporary portrayal, the mobile phone has replaced the iconic magnifying glass as the tool most closely associated with Holmes. Nor is it likely that Sherlock, an independent sort with a collection of social quirks and personal idiosyncrasies (to put it kindly), would have the desire to work within such an organization. While the high-tech investigators of “CSI” and similar shows have a bevy of machines available at their disposal, Sherlock Holmes has no need for such resources. Perhaps not as elegant as a well-crafted magnifying glass, but nonetheless suited for solving mysteries in modern London.
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But what tools would such a man use today? According to Steven Moffat, creator of “Sherlock”, the incredibly successful BBC series that re-imagines Sherlock Holmes in present-day London, the most important tool used by the world’s only consulting detective is his mobile phone. In Victorian England, he was indeed the most modern of modern men. Holmes was at the cutting edge of science with his surprising and sometimes disconcerting use of these devices.
In our previous post on the tools that assist Sherlock Holmes in making his astounding deductions, we looked at the optical technologies of the 19th century. Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes searching for clues on his mobile phone
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