Sherlock Holmes- A Study in Scarlet compared with A Study in Pink

So as I previously explained I recently found a copy of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes' stories vol. 1 compilation. At the same time I discovered that the new BBC show "Sherlock" is on Netflix. The original story is called, "A Study in Scarlet" and the title of the BBC episode is called, "A Study in Pink". I was very happy about this, but was left with a difficult choice. Should I wait and read the stories first or should I watch the show? Would it ruin the surprises in the book? Well, at least for the first story it didn't. I think the show was done very well. It follows key parts of the story, but twists happenings and facts so the stories are unique and with different turns. Though each episode of the show is around ninety minutes, Study in Pink leaves out a very large part of the original Study in Scarlet storyline.

"A Study in Scarlet" is a great novel and as I came to find out is written in parts. This first story of the compilation seemed rather short and the case is wrapped up fairly quickly and easily by Holmes. I finished what I thought was the end of the story and felt rather disappointed. I should have known better. The next story began in America and includes the story of the Mormons and happenings on their way to Utah. There is no word of Holmes or Watson anywhere. For several chapters I began to think the editor had just slipped another of Doyle's stories in. I didn't read the lengthy introduction (I usually don't, especially when I am excited to read the actual work) so I didn't know. It was a very compelling story in it's own right and by the end low and behold it ends up back in England and serves as an intricate back story to how and why the culprit came to cross Holmes and Watson. So in the overall novel, Holmes and Watson's characters don't turn out to be the meat of the story, but are used to propel the story forward and ultimately to it's end. This also seems to serve as a means of expressing Doyle's opinions on Mormonism.

"A Study in Pink" doesn't include any of the American back story, but creates a modern twist off of facts in original story. It basically takes the story a different way. I would hope Doyle might appreciate their creative take. In this way the story becomes similar in some ways to the popular modern forensic science drama/ police drama, but is way less predictive and all around more entertaining. I highly recommend both "A Study in Scarlet" and "A Study in Pink" to fans of Sherlock Holmes and people who aren't fans yet, I believe one of these might get you hooked; Doyle's Sherlock Holmes' stories are as addictive as the morphine and cocaine Holmes shoots into his arms and are way more affordable.