A sharp, witty modernization of the Holmes mythos, the first in this ongoing series of feature-length chapters almost perfectly strikes the difficult balance between respect for the source material and fresh, original elaborations. Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman are equally prickly, sardonic and brilliant as Holmes and Watson, respectively, both to the common folks they're tripping over at every turn and to each other while they hash out the boundaries of their burgeoning friendship. Smart, fresh editing techniques give the audience an abundance of visual hints to Sherlock's methods at a crime scene, and also give the transitions between each scene a sleek, artsy edge that helps to convince this is more than a made-for-TV movie. Though it does occasionally leave Holmes himself in the dark just a bit too long in hopes that viewers at home will figure things out first, that's a very minor gripe and one I'm not entirely sure is actually a negative in this era of the deus ex machina. A bold, rewarding first step that sets the ball into motion for any number of future developments.