Earlier this week, the BBC and BBC America announced an addition to its sci-fi and fantasy line-up: a mini-series television adaptation of Susanna Clarke’s magical novel, “Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell.” The seven hour-long episides will air in 2014.From the New York Times:The BBC said its “Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell” mini-series would be presented in seven hourlong installments, adapted by Peter Harness (a screenwriter and playwright whose credits include “Wallander” and “Is Anybody There?”) and directed by Toby Haynes (“Doctor Who,” “Sherlock”). BBC America said it would show the mini-series during its Supernatural Saturday programming block, which includes science-fiction and fantasy-themed shows like “Doctor Who” and “Orphan Black.”Casting decisions have not yet been announced, so the role of magicians Gilbert Norrell and his student, Jonathan Strange, are still up for grabs. Salon reached out to some of our What To Read book critics for casting suggestions via email:Continue Reading… … Read More
Listen to James McAvoy and Benedict Cumberbatch perform Neil Gaiman’s “Neverwhere”
The entire 3.5 audio recording of Neil Gaiman’s television series and bestselling fantasy novel, “Neverwhere,” is streaming online now available online at the BBC’s site–but only for a limited time.Dirk Maggs adapted Gaiman’s novel for Radio 4; the six-part series stars notable fantasy movie actors, including James McAvoy (“X-Men”), Benedict Cumberbatch (“Sherlock”, “Star Trek Into Darkness”) and Christopher Lee (“Lord of the Rings”) who tell the story of Richard Mayhew and his “Alice in Wonderland”-like descent into the dark and myserious underworld of London, called London Below.According to the BBC, all epsidoes will be available “to catch up on demand until 29 March 2013.”Continue Reading… … Read More
‘Elementary’: Sherlock Must Work With FBI Profiler Who Once Predicted Dark End For Him (VIDEO)
CBS gave the coveted post-Super Bowl spot to their top-rated freshmen series. Thus, it’s anticipated that “Elementary” will get its biggest audience yet for an episode that saw a piece from Sherlock Holmes’ past follow him to New York City in the form of FBI profiler Kathryn Drummond.
One of the reasons he resented Drummond was because she was actually quite good at her job. Specifically, she wrote an article about him — without specifying who he was — and accurately predicted that he would fall into addiction. She also predicted a rather miserable and lonely end for him, which apparently haunted him to this day.
Watson thought Holmes put too much stock in Drummond’s words. “You got clean. You picked up your career right where you left off. And you even made a friend, something that Kathryn claimed, in her article, was virtually impossible,” she told him, adding, “Me,” as clarification on who the “friend” she was referencing is.
‘Doctor Who’ Special News: ‘Sherlock’ Scribe To Pen ‘An Adventure In Space And Time’
If you’ve ever wondered about the origin story of “Doctor Who,” wonder no longer.
BBC America announced Tuesday that it will co-produce “An Adventure in Space and Time,” a scripted special that will tell the story of how the sci-fi series, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, came to exist.
Mark Gatiss, who has written episodes of both “Sherlock” and “Doctor Who,” will write the special. “Harry Potter” actor David Bradley will portray the first Doctor, William Hartnell, and “Call the Midwife’s” Jessica Raine will play producer Verity Lambert.
The Power Of Concentration
Meditation and mindfulness: The words conjure images of yoga retreats and Buddhist monks. But perhaps they should evoke a very different picture: A man in a deerstalker, puffing away at a curved pipe, Mr. Sherlock Holmes himself. The world’s greatest fictional detective is someone who knows the value of concentration, of “throwing his brain out of action,” as Dr. Watson puts it. He is the quintessential unitasker in a multitasking world. More often than not, when a new case is presented, Holmes does nothing more than sit back in his leather chair, close his eyes and put together his long-fingered hands in an attitude that begs silence. He may be the most inactive active detective out there. His approach to thought captures the very thing that cognitive psychologists mean when they say mindfulness.Read More…
More on Mindfulness Research
“Star Trek Into Darkness” trailer released
Chris Pine and Zoe Saldana return to lead in the J.J. Abrams sequel, ”Star Trek Into Darkness,” in which Captain Kirk (Pine) will venture to a dangerous world in order to save his own. Paramount has just released the trailer, and so far it seems like a bizarre/exciting mix of “Inception” meets “Prometheus,” of course with a necessary dose of “Sherlock’s” Benedict Cumberbatch:The movie is set to release May 17. Continue Reading… … Read More
Scientists use $40M camera to search for ‘dark energy’
Dark energy: Can $40m camera help solve its mystery? (+video) Using a cosmic looking glass that would dazzle Sherlock Holmes, an international team of astronomers has taken the first major step in a five-year observing project to help crack a case you could call The Sign of Dark Energy. The team…
… Read More
