Looking ahead to a New Years Day Sherlock, how about a Sherlock #TBT?


With much of Sherlock-Nation still reeling from last weeks news that the forthcoming Sherlock special, “The Abominable Bride”, will be transmitted on New Years Day in both the U.S. and the UK, how many remember the un-aired Sherlock pilot episode that was never broadcast?

Sherlock in A Study in Pink

While the pilot followed the same plot line as the first episode, “A Study in Pink”, there are a number of notable differences. Collectively, we have the BBC to thank for the fact that the pilot was only 60 minutes in length versus the ultimate broadcast quality 90-minute version.

Other differences between the pilot and the broadcast version of “A Study in Pink” include the fact that Mycroft did not appear in the pilot, the very familiar Speedy’s Cafe was called Mrs. Hudson’s Snax ‘n’ Sarnies, the 180 degree difference between the un-aired pilot and broadcast episode when it came to the initial meeting between Sherlock and the Cabbie, played brilliantly by Phil Davis, and, perhaps the most glaring difference of them all, the overall characterization of Benedict Cumberbatch’s portrayal of Sherlock Holmes is quite a bit meeker and mild in the pilot while Martin Freeman’s John Watson is much, much angrier when compared to the broadcast version.

Click here for a more comprehensive rundown of the differences between the pilot and the broadcast version. For the most part, the plot line is exactly the same with a few subtle differences and the addition of more detailed scenes given the sudden gift of 30 extra minutes to flush out the story. The one thing immediately noticeable in both versions is how much younger everyone looks!

Sherlock: The Unaired Pilot

That’s enough Sherlock #TBT for one day, let’s get ready for Sherlock “The Abominable Bride” headed to Planet Earth on New Years Day in both the UK and the U.S.!


In: Mystery