Unbeknownst to Sherlockology, the ‘unofficial’ organizer of the worldwide Sherlock support group, the first meeting of the season has called to order. For those wishing to join, we will be virtually meeting periodically between now and 2012.

Amidst rain, riots and rumors, cast and crew plodded along this past week as they continued the filming of “A Scandal in Belgravia” on location in London. Reporting from their corner table at Speedy’s Sandwich Shop, just a few feet from the entrance to 221B Baker Street, a few teasers from Sherlockology to get you through our first meeting of the Sherlock support group. FYI, you can access the entire behind-the-scenes account of the day at the end of this post.

“…It is continually fascinating to us however to be at the filming and see how seamlessly Benedict morphs into Sherlock, Martin into John, Mark into Mycroft etc. It’s not simply a case of them putting on their costumes and looking like their characters, as to watch them in between shots they are still very clearly themselves no matter how they look. But the moment they are performing a scene, Sherlock, John or Mycroft is there and there is not trace of Benedict, Martin or Mark at all. That is what, and probably always will be, the most thrilling part of watching Sherlock being filmed. Not the possibility of gaining spoilers or meeting the cast, it’s the experience of seeing fictitious characters in ‘real life’ right there and then in front of you.

And, concerning the nearby riots…

“…There was indeed a problem during the end of the days filming on Monday evening. As we’ve said before, we are often the first to arrive and last to leave, so at 10:30pm we were still there as were all the crew, security, and a few remaining fans. The last cast members left were Benedict and Rupert who thankfully had literally been picked up by their car, when we heard a report of thirty youths coming down the street. We understand from the others who were still there, that the crew were very conscious of the fans and made sure they were safe and we ourselves were whisked away in the extras mini bus and taken back to base until everything had died down.”

The entire brilliant report from the Sherlock front lines, courtesy of Sherlockology, can be found at the Sherlockology tumblr page. This is a great read which will get us all through until the next meeting of the Sherlock support group. See you soon.