Irene Adler (Laura Pulver) confronts Holmes nude (most of Holmes' deductions about people come from observations about their clothing).

Gayle Hunnicutt as Irene Adler with a disguised Sherlock Holmes (Jeremy Brett) in 1984.

The latest episode of SHERLOCK to air in the US was A SCANDAL IN BELGRAVIA. I have a small complaint about it.

As written by Conan Doyle, Irene Adler in A Scandal In Bohemia was the only person to ever outwit Sherlock Holmes. As rewritten by Stephen Moffat (Dr. Who, Coupling), Ms. Adler not only fails to outwit Sherlock, but is actually rescued by Mr. Holmes. In Moffat’s vision, Adler is more like Vash in STTNG, an adventurer who survives both by her wits and the assistance of the men she can charm or trick into helping her.

Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman as Holmes and Watson in SHERLOCK

I am surprised by this. SHERLOCK has been, up until this episode, an excellent updating of Holmes and Watson. Benedict Cumberbatch (what an extremely British name) is the best Holmes since Jeremy Brett. There are interesting touches in even this episode, as when a deerstalker cap becomes Holmes’ trademark accidentally as he attempts to hide from the paparazzi.

Irene Adler is a very important character in the Holmes universe. She was the only woman for Holmes, because she had demonstrated that she was his intellectual equal. One fictional biography went so far as to suggest that, after Holmes faked his death at Reichenbach Falls, he and Adler had a son who grew up to become the detective Nero Wolfe. She should not be reduced to an opportune infatuation, nor should she be portrayed as being less than self-sufficient.

NOTE: It’s a good thing that Ellen Fox retweeted a PBS notice that this episode was scheduled to air. Otherwise I would certainly have missed it.