# Sherlock Holmes poll **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 10, 2015, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-holmes-poll/709451 "2015-01-10T01:05:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-holmes-poll/709451/1 "2015-01-10T01:05:35Z")
Pretty simple poll. There have been three recent popular portrayals of Sherlock Holmes. Which one do you like best? Please base your answer on just the performances as Holmes rather than other factors like the settings, the stories, other characters, or your general opinion about the actors. You’re allowed only one choice and there’s no voting for “other” or “more than one” or “it’s complicated”. Sometimes life is about making hard choices. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-holmes-poll/709451/2 "2015-01-10T01:39:58Z")
What? No Basil Rathbone? No Jeremy Brett? I can’t even take you serious now! I’m out! ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-holmes-poll/709451/3 "2015-01-10T01:43:39Z")
You must be pretty old if you count either of those portrayals as “recent”… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-holmes-poll/709451/4 "2015-01-10T01:45:25Z")
I just… I can’t… I can’t… Where’s Jeremy Brett?!?!?! ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-holmes-poll/709451/5 "2015-01-10T01:49:12Z")
NOT RECENT! Besides, what would be the point? Brett would just win again and the whole exercise would be futile. At least with some restrictions the results might be interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-holmes-poll/709451/6 "2015-01-10T01:50:35Z")
Good god guys, it’s \*recent \*portrayals. Anyhoo. While I loved the Downey movies and they are actually what got me into Sherlock (I have never been a mystery fan before now) they are more of an adventure movie. I love Law as Watson but anybody who knows me knows I am well and truly Sherlocked - Cumberbatch is my man. I haven’t seen the American one and have no intention to at all. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-holmes-poll/709451/7 "2015-01-10T02:12:10Z")
I considered including [Ben Syder](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaHvM9KVpcw) because technically he did recently play Sherlock Holmes. But I figured anyone who would voted for Syder deserves to be disenfranchised. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-holmes-poll/709451/8 "2015-01-10T02:14:37Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I haven’t seen the American one and have no intention to at all. You should reconsider. _Elementary_’s actually a pretty good show. And it’s not like you have to pick one or the other (except here in this thread). ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-holmes-poll/709451/9 "2015-01-10T02:16:00Z")
Johnny Lee Miller ? I don’t rate him at all. His Holmes seems much too interested in the approval of others, starting with Watson. Which leaves Cumberbatch and Downey… and as much as I love Robert Downey Jr., his Sherlock Holmes is basically Robert Downey Jr. being his charming, dysfunctional motormouthed self, innit ? If it were up to me though, I’d throw in Hugh Laurie’s \*House \*in there - which was basically Sherlock Holmes With An MRI, and the best of the four for showing how fundamentally broken but human and humane the character really is. Cumberbatch’s is too far on the quirky sociopath side, I think. Which is super entertaining, don’t get me wrong… but it’s not Doyle’s Holmes IMO. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-holmes-poll/709451/10 "2015-01-10T02:34:41Z")
Johnny Lee Miller is House, not Holmes, with the typical Housian epiphany from some minor comment from a bystander. Definitely out of the running. Cumberbatch is the most Holmesean, so he gets my vote. ---
**Author:** ![jimbuff314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c57346/32.png) [@jimbuff314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimbuff314)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-holmes-poll/709451/11 "2015-01-10T02:43:43Z")
Benedict was in _August, Osage County_, filmed not far from here, so he gets _my_ vote. And he’s damned good as Holmes. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-holmes-poll/709451/12 "2015-01-10T05:35:35Z")
Of the three, I’ve only seen seen Benedict Cumberbatch and I don’t particularly like him as Holmes. I think he’s a good actor and I like him in other things, but not as Sherlock Holmes. I watched the first two seasons because I like Martin Freeman. I’m a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes in general and have read all the stories and novels. I just couldn’t warm up to Cumbertach’s portrayal of Holmes. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-holmes-poll/709451/13 "2015-01-10T06:16:48Z")
I saw all three. Elementary is indeed a really good, really entertaining Holmes’ version, with a much more vulnerable Sherlock and a stronger role for a female Holmes’. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-holmes-poll/709451/14 "2015-01-10T06:19:16Z")
But the London version plays much more intelligently with the canon. “He made me wear the hat!”. “Not your housekeeper, dear”. “Study in Pink”. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-holmes-poll/709451/15 "2015-01-10T06:23:39Z")
> [@Maastricht](#): > > I saw all three. I saw all three as well. And then I gave up, realizing that House is the only portrayal of Sherlock Homes I’ve ever liked. Since I understand that these three other takes are more true to the detective in the books, and I must just dislike the character, they’re all doing a pretty good job bringing whatever it is that irritates me about Homes to life. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-holmes-poll/709451/16 "2015-01-10T07:02:50Z")
Sorry to disrespect your poll, but I must, as a long time Holmes fan. Haven’t seen the Cumberbatch version, but the other two really, really suck if they are intended to channel the real Holmes. RDJ, as much as I love him in most roles, was far too flamboyant and physical to be Holmes. And JLM is far too fussy and metrosexual. Dr. House was closer to the spirit of Holmes than either of them ever were. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-holmes-poll/709451/17 "2015-01-10T12:43:22Z")
Doyle’s Holmes was pretty physical, not just a brain (that would be Mycroft’s “lazy” hat). Bartitsu and heavy canes, remember ? In _The Speckled Band_, he effortlessly unbent a cast-iron firepoker a client had previously bent in half to make a point. No mean feat. He also did amateur bare-knuckle boxing, and managed to poke a harpoon all the way through a pig (although that took some trying). I’ll grant you the flamboyant though :). ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-holmes-poll/709451/18 "2015-01-10T14:19:27Z")
I love all 3 versions, but I voted for Jonny Lee Miller, because I prefer his Holmes as fundamentally more interesting of a character to watch. Of the 3 , he’s the one that seems most … detective-ish and least … magic-ish. IYKWIM. Also, I prefer his repressed anger over Cumberbatch’s Vulcan cool and RDJ’s mania. I couldn’t give less of a shit which is closer to the books, either. And **Tim R. Mortiss** , I think you have no idea what metrosexual means - Miller’s Holmes is the _least_ groomed and primpy of the three, by far. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-holmes-poll/709451/19 "2015-01-10T14:37:52Z")
If I can’t vote for Jeremy Brett, I can’t vote. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2015, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-holmes-poll/709451/20 "2015-01-10T15:22:58Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > If I can’t vote for Jeremy Brett, I can’t vote. > > Regards, > Shodan Put me down for that choice, too. No Brett, no Holmes. Sorry. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sherlock-holmes-poll/709451.md?page=2)