# What's Benedict Cumberbatch's Best Performance? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 5, 2017, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-benedict-cumberbatchs-best-performance/803632 "2017-12-05T14:33:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-benedict-cumberbatchs-best-performance/803632/1 "2017-12-05T14:33:11Z")
I got around to watching Dr. Strange last night (mainly because he’ll be in Infinity War) and it was okay. Not great but not a waste of time. I wasn’t really impressed with Cumberbatch though and his attempts at humor felt flat although that could have just been the script. Only other place I’ve seen Cumberbatch was the first season of Sherlock which my wife insisted I watch. I felt that Martin Freeman was more interesting, both the character of Watson and Freeman’s performance. However, I know that Cumberbatch is a Big Thing and he’s trained in theater and all that so perhaps I just haven’t seen him in the right stuff – likely enough since I don’t watch a lot of stuff. And I haven’t exactly followed his career. So, if I wanted to make the case that an ailing Cumberbatch deserved a kidney from the SAG Spare Organs Vault, what would I use as evidence? Mainly all I know is that he’s a famous actor, I guess some women find him dreamy and the tired “B[whatever] C[whatever]” name joke thing. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-benedict-cumberbatchs-best-performance/803632/2 "2017-12-05T14:57:17Z")
He was very effective as Martin Crieff in _Cabin Pressure_, although that may not impress the SAG folks. He seems to play cocky, arrogant types quite often, but Martin is very shy and unsure of himself. If it weren’t for Cumberbatch’s name in the credits, I’d have never known it was him. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-benedict-cumberbatchs-best-performance/803632/3 "2017-12-05T15:05:10Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > He was very effective as Martin Crieff in _Cabin Pressure_, although that may not impress the SAG folks. He seems to play cocky, arrogant types quite often, but Martin is very shy and unsure of himself. If it weren’t for Cumberbatch’s name in the credits, I’d have never known it was him. I was going to say the same thing. He does do cocky and arrogant well, though - his turn as Richard III in _The Hollow Crown_ was excellent. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-benedict-cumberbatchs-best-performance/803632/4 "2017-12-05T15:12:52Z")
His National Theater Live performance as _Hamlet_ was outstanding. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-benedict-cumberbatchs-best-performance/803632/5 "2017-12-05T15:57:04Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > his turn as Richard III in _The Hollow Crown_ was excellent. Knights and swords and Dame Judi Dench. I can give that a try. BBC Radio programs might be trickier. I see his National Theater Live performance will be in select theaters in the Chicago area in March although I’d probably try watching The _Hollow Crown_ in the comfort of my home before taking that plunge. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-benedict-cumberbatchs-best-performance/803632/6 "2017-12-05T16:28:03Z")
Figure the default starting point would be the one he got an Oscar nomination for? Which was, admittedly, right in his Sherlock wheelhouse – The Genius Who Doesn’t Really Understand How Normal People Interact, But Who Can Do A Passable Job Of It When He Makes An Effort To Emulate Social Skills, Especially When He _Is_ A Step Ahead Of You On The Subject Being Discussed, Which Isn’t Always But Is Often – only with plenty of scenes where he struggles to keep his emotions from getting the better of him. So . . . THE IMITATION GAME, maybe? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-benedict-cumberbatchs-best-performance/803632/7 "2017-12-05T16:33:35Z")
It must not be in any of the things I’ve watched him in, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-benedict-cumberbatchs-best-performance/803632/8 "2017-12-05T16:43:15Z")
For me, Sherlock, but yes, Martin Freeman was great. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-benedict-cumberbatchs-best-performance/803632/9 "2017-12-05T16:47:07Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > He was very effective as Martin Crieff in _Cabin Pressure_ True, but of the four main cast members, I think he stands out the least. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-benedict-cumberbatchs-best-performance/803632/10 "2017-12-05T17:11:29Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > True, but of the four main cast members, I think he stands out the least. Agreed, but it kinda works that way; plays the least stand-out character, and wouldn’t want the biggest name in the cast to overshadow the others. I wonder if it was deliberate on his part, or a consequence of his film acting makes him a bit more restrained than the others. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-benedict-cumberbatchs-best-performance/803632/11 "2017-12-05T17:20:52Z")
Khan. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-benedict-cumberbatchs-best-performance/803632/12 "2017-12-05T17:25:37Z")
The third episode of the first season of Sherlock, which I know you watched, is his best individual performance. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-benedict-cumberbatchs-best-performance/803632/13 "2017-12-05T17:45:57Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Khan. I thought that was spelled: “KHHHHHHHAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNN!!!” ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-benedict-cumberbatchs-best-performance/803632/14 "2017-12-05T18:11:05Z")
He was quite decent in the recent adaptation of _Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy_, which I watched again recently. But he does get somewhat overshadowed by the rest of what was a superbly cast ensemble. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-benedict-cumberbatchs-best-performance/803632/15 "2017-12-05T18:22:04Z")
He was absolutely outstanding in “The Imitation Game,” though the movie is otherwise quite overrated, in my opinion. He delivered the goods in that one and it’s not another cocky, self-assured prick. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-benedict-cumberbatchs-best-performance/803632/16 "2017-12-05T18:43:25Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > The third episode of the first season of Sherlock, which I know you watched, is his best individual performance. Awesome. My work here is done. Thanks for coming everyone, we’re locking up now 😉 I’ll have a go at The Imitation Game as well then. Trying to keep an open positive mind here instead of “Cumberbatch Sucks, Prove Me Wrong!” I didn’t think he sucked anyway and assume that effect-laden superhero movies probably aren’t the best test or example of one’s acting chops. ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-benedict-cumberbatchs-best-performance/803632/17 "2017-12-05T18:47:23Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > He was quite decent in the recent adaptation of _Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy_, which I watched again recently. But he does get somewhat overshadowed by the rest of what was a superbly cast ensemble. To be fair that’s pretty high praise when cast alongside acting gods like Gary Oldman and Tom Hardy. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-benedict-cumberbatchs-best-performance/803632/18 "2017-12-05T20:39:34Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > I got around to watching Dr. Strange last night (mainly because he’ll be in Infinity War) and it was okay. Not great but not a waste of time. I wasn’t really impressed with Cumberbatch though and his attempts at humor felt flat although that could have just been the script. I think that was definitely intentional. There was a scene where he makes a joke to Wong and gets no response. He mutters “People used to think I was funny.” Wong replies “Did they work for you?” The implication being that people only laughed to suck up to him, and he was too arrogant to realize he really wasn’t all that funny. And with that out of the way… yes definitely “The Imitation Game”. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2017, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-benedict-cumberbatchs-best-performance/803632/19 "2017-12-06T00:13:36Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > I was going to say the same thing. He does do cocky and arrogant well, though - his turn as Richard III in _The Hollow Crown_ was excellent. Just what I came in to post. He was great in both _Henry VI, Part III_ and _Richard III_. That scene in the _Henry VI_ movie where he comes to kill the former king at the end is bone-chilling. I also loved _The Imitation Game_. His Alan Turing certainly makes Sheldon Cooper look silly. I’m not liking him in anything where he has to play an American. His American accent is atrocious. ---
**Author:** ![pythonzzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9e8a1a/32.png) [@pythonzzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pythonzzz)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2017, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-benedict-cumberbatchs-best-performance/803632/20 "2017-12-06T02:39:04Z")
There are many lesser known projects he’s acted in that are worth a look… _Fortysomething_ was a short miniseries that also starred Hugh Laurie and Anna Chancellor. _Atonement_ has him playing (surprise) a totally, posh ass. _Third Star_ playing a terminally ill young man on a road trip _To the Ends of the Earth_ an historical novel adaption - also starring Charles Dance, JJ Fields, Sam Neil [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-benedict-cumberbatchs-best-performance/803632.md?page=2)