Such was the ego-stroking the cast & creators received for their first series of SHERLOCK, they couldn't help but gain huge confidence as they try to top themselves in Series 2. Steven Moffat always did have roaring self-esteem, and so he and co-creator Mark Gattis shrugged and decided to take on the three most iconic touchstones in the Sherlock Holmes canon. Series 2 is a (mostly) brilliant reworking of, in Moffat's own words, "the Hound, the Woman, and the Professor."

It was a ba11sy move to reimagine Sherlock Holmes in 21st Century England. That it worked tremendously is due to smart writing and the amazing chemistry between the two leads, Cumberbatch and Freeman. The writers inserted clever touches such as the onscreen texts which reveal Holmes' instantaneous deductions and his ready application of contemporary tools (cell phones, the Internet, etc.) to aid his investigations. In this universe, Holmes attains his clients primarily thru Watson's popular online blog in which the good doctor recounts Holmes' cases. The writers and creators are so cocky nowadays that they don't hesitate to inject broader bits of comedy (an act of heresy were this show not as good). As such we witness fleeting play-on-word references to Holmes' more trivial cases such as "The Geek Interpreter" and "The Speckled Blonde." For whatever reason, I smile whenever the camera pans to Speedy's Sandwich Bar & Cafe, atop of which is where Holmes and Watson share lodgings, very much still 221B Baker Street. At heart, Sherlock Holmes is still very much the cold, calculating machine. But Series 2 aims to poke a hole in that stance.

"A Scandal in Belgravia" picks up where Series 1 left off, a cliffhanger involving Watson strapped onto an explosives vest and a stand-off between Holmes and weird international consulting criminal James Moriarty. This matter is resolved within moments (or, more likely, put on the shelf), with Moriarty casually sauntering off to torment Holmes on a later day. "A Scandal in Belgravia" is this series' compelling adaptation of "A Scandal in Bohemia," the story that introduced the world's most famous femme fatale in literature, the crafty and alluring Irene Adler. In this incarnation, Irene Adler is a dominatrix (someone refers to what she does as "recreational scolding"; heh). She blackmails her high end clientele with compromising images she stores in her mobile phone. One such victim happens to be closely linked to the royal crown, and so that Internet phenom, Sherlock Holmes, is dragged (clad only in bed sheets) into the affair. I will say that "A Scandal in Belgravia" is an utter pleasure to watch. For one thing, it delivers two amusing comments about Holmes' trousers.

This is the most fleshed-out (in more ways than one) that Irene Adler has ever been portrayed on screen. Lara Pulver is classy and mesmerizing as "The Woman," and she creates plenty of sparks with Cumberbatch. Irene Adler certainly gets under Holmes' skin. Holmes eventually takes possession of Irene's all-important cell phone but for most of the episode he's stumped by the access password. The solution, when it finally arrives, drew a big smile from my mug.

I wasn't as enamoured of "The Hounds of Baskerville," which I thought was the weakest episode, and yet still quite watchable. But, then again, I wasn't that fond of the original story, either, so I do claim some bias. Some of the original plot survives: that of a man in the atmospheric moors being stalked by an infernal hound. But then we eye the forbidding British army compound and the conspiracy theorists, and that's the modern spin in play. If "A Scandal in Belgravia" introduced Sherlock Holmes to a twisted kind of passion (it's questionable whether it's love he feels for Irene), "The Hounds of Baskerville" shoved terror directly in his face. It's a bit jarring to see the aloof detective quivering in fright.

The deadly mind games between Holmes and Moriarty escalate in the riveting third episode, "The Reichenbach Fall." The story opens with Moriarty allowing himself to be captured by the constabulary after three daring simultaneous break-ins. I won't say more except that it's all part of Moriarty's devious plan to get Sherlock Holmes, that this pushes Holmes to the very brink of defeat, that this may be the finest bit of acting I've seen from Martin Freeman (one of cinema's finest reactors), and that Andrew Scott ("Moriarty") redeems himself from his previous what-the-hell-was-that? appearances. Really, no universe should exist in which Moriarty throws a raspberry.

SHERLOCK - THE COMPLETE SERIES TWO comes with 2 discs and the following bonus features (or the Region 2 set does, anyway):

- lively audio commentary on "A Scandal in Belgravia" with co-creators/writers Steven Moffat & Mark Gatiss (who also is rather good as "Mycroft Holmes"), producer Sue Vertue, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Lara Pulver
- audio commentary on "Hounds of Baskerville" with Moffat, Gatiss, Vertue, and actor Russell Tovey ("Henry Knight")
- "Sherlock Uncovered" - featurette which offers an overview of the three episodes comprising Series 2 (00:19:06 minutes)

As I watched the first season of "Sherlock," my fondness for this show increased. From the opening moments in "A Study in Pink" to the Moriarty's stunning entrance in "The Great Game," I knew I was witnessing the rebirth of an icon. Yes, Mr. Downing Jr.'s portrayal in Hollywood's version is admirable and entertaining, but to find the true spirit of Sherlock Holmes one need look no further than this series. However, to say that it was ever more than "darn good television" would have been pushing it. Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman put on a fantastic show, and ever so often the writing and acting gave small glimmers of greatness, but I was never tempted to say that the show had achieved lasting greatness (though to successfully transpose Holmes into the modern age was a feat in and of itself).

However, with "The Reichenbach Fall," I'm pleased to say that Sherlock has left far behind casual crime drama (good drama though it was) and has now entered the realm of true, incredible art. From the writing to the acting, to the gripping, gut-wrenching final moments (I don't know who deserves more credit, Cumberbatch or Freeman for displaying some amazing acting chops), I am pleased to say that this episode delivered some of the finest television I've ever had the privilege of watching. To go any further into how incredible this single episode is would do a dis-service to you, if you have read this review so far. Stop reading and watch. Really.

15 minutes.
That's all I need to convince you to watch this series.
I guarantee it.
Start from the beginning, Season 1. Fifteen minutes. If you want to turn it off after that, be my guest.
The writing, the acting, the CINEMATOGRAPHY, the costumes, the portrayal, the twists, the turns, the wit, the suspense: all create a fresh, new, brilliant invention of Sherlock Holmes in the 21 century...it will capture you and never let you go.
So go...watch this. You will not be disappointed.