# Sherlock fans: check out The Bletchley Circle! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 6, 2014, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-fans-check-out-the-bletchley-circle/677986 "2014-01-06T00:02:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2014, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-fans-check-out-the-bletchley-circle/677986/1 "2014-01-06T00:02:42Z")
\ I found one [existing thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=689598) about this show, but I hate resurrecting zombies, so here’s a new thread. Not only is Sherlock now back in the US, those of us with Netflix can now watch this gem of a British television show. I recommend it to anyone who likes [ul] [li]the brainy thrill of Sherlock, [/li][li]love WWII (and post-WWII) period thrillers, [/li][li]love drama based on real-world amazing people[/li][li]anyone who likes strong female characters in which “strong” doesn’t equate to “like a guy.”[/li][/ul] It’s just three 45-minute episodes (about the length of a long movie these days) and really gripping. Here’s a [summary of the show.](http://www.pbs.org/program/bletchley-circle/) Here is [an article about the amazing people](http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/11/world/europe/lifting-the-veil-of-secrecy-codebreakers/) the show is based on. \ ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2014, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-fans-check-out-the-bletchley-circle/677986/2 "2014-01-06T08:46:13Z")
Just watched part one. I really liked it. ---
**Author:** ![toast\_pakora](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ec8ea/32.png) [@toast\_pakora](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toast_pakora)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2014, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-fans-check-out-the-bletchley-circle/677986/3 "2014-01-06T13:05:27Z")
I believe they are doing another series. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2014, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-fans-check-out-the-bletchley-circle/677986/4 "2014-01-06T13:28:02Z")
Sounds good, I’ll take a gander. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2014, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-fans-check-out-the-bletchley-circle/677986/5 "2014-01-06T13:36:55Z")
> [@toast\_pakora](#): > > I believe they are doing another series. I think the first episode of the new series airs tonight in England. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2014, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-fans-check-out-the-bletchley-circle/677986/6 "2014-01-06T13:54:43Z")
_The Bletchley Circle_ was good, but it really did not resemble _Sherlock_ very much. Apart from its feminism, it was a pretty standard period detective drama, of the sort that ITV churns out by the buttload. In pacing and feel it resembles _The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes_ more than _Sherlock_. ---
**Author:** ![Mrs.Cake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Mrs.Cake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs.Cake)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2014, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-fans-check-out-the-bletchley-circle/677986/7 "2014-01-06T16:07:07Z")
I saw it and enjoyed it very much. Look forward to seeing the next series. I wouldn’t say it would specificall appeal to _Sherlock_ fans, but people who enjoy a well-plotted detailed murder mystery, especially a period one. Bonus points for so many well-developed roles for women. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2014, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-fans-check-out-the-bletchley-circle/677986/8 "2014-01-06T16:47:24Z")
We watched it a couple of weeks ago and enjoyed it immensely. It may even fail the reverse Bechdel test, which is a very rare thing. There are several named male characters, but I’m not sure they ever talk to each other about anything except the female leads. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2014, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-fans-check-out-the-bletchley-circle/677986/9 "2014-01-06T16:53:25Z")
I just watched this last week. Very enjoyable. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2014, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-fans-check-out-the-bletchley-circle/677986/10 "2014-01-06T17:08:39Z")
One of the best series my wife and I have ever seen about a team of females working together. That’s such a small group that it may sound like faint praise, but it ain’t. This was a model for others. It did drag in a couple of places and the last second save ending was a complete letdown. Small points compared to the wonderful use of the old girls network. It’s also about as unSherlockish as it can be. Their technique is to use endless sifting of date to produce patterns. No glancing around a scene and seeing what others don’t. Rachael Stirling, who played Millie, is Diana Rigg’s daughter. At times the resemblance was uncanny. Can we get her to play Mrs. Peel before its too late?