Sherlock Q&A with Steven Moffat

© BBC 2012

Co-creator and writer of BBC One’s hit show Sherlock, Steven Moffat, talks to hmv about the pressure of modernising a classic character, inspiration and the relationship between Sherlock and Watson.

hmv: There’s been huge excitement and anticipation for the second series of Sherlock, it’s gathered a mass audience world-wide since the first series aired in August 2010 – did you ever expect it to be such a hit?

Steven Moffat:  

You never expect a show to be a hit, unless you’re an idiot. Or Really talented And damn it we’re neither. (No, hang on…) This one seemed like a Private obsession, for the two of us, so every body else joining in, was a shock.

Honestly, we though it was good, and sort of prestigious, and would maybe pull in 4 million and lot of polite applause. Turning Sherlock and John into rock stars was surprising. 

hmv: Did you feel more pressure writing the second series compared to the first? The avid fan-base with great expectations must have added extra stress… 

Steven Moffat: Oh, a fan-base is a comfort, not a stress. I once did the second series of a Hugely Unpopular show, because it was too late to cancel it. THAT was stress. Creeping back on to television, knowing the guns are already cocked and aimed … Having a hit makes you happy and confident!

hmv: When the first series was announced, there was some initial scepticism over ‘modernising’ such a classic character. How did you set about writing Holmes into the present day? Do you think the fact that you’re both great fans of the books helped ensure that you kept true to the character?

Steven Moffat: The resistance to the modernising idea is more reported than real. Mark did A speech to the Sherlock Holmes society, outlining our plans at a very early stage, and they instantly loved it. The BBC said yes, before we could even do our pitch. The first show got a 9 million audience. Where was the resistance, we never saw it. For what ever reason, this was exactly the right idea at the right time. 

hmv: Did you always have particular actors in mind when it came to casting the show or was it a usual casting process?

Steven Moffat: Initially, no. We talked in the vaguest terms‐younger actors, in their thirties (reflecting the books)and a sexy, rather than study, Sherlock. Sue and I saw Benedict in Atonement, and liked him. We mentioned him to Mark, who knew him and thought it was a great idea. We approached him and he became the only actor who ever read for Sherlock. And was just so good, there was no point in looking elsewhere But this show is a double‐act, and both halves have equal weight, so Watson became a tough choice. We saw lot of actors (including Matt Smith, in his last few days before Doctor Who!) but when we put Benedict and Martin together, it was instant magic. The show was in the room, right in front of us. I think, looking back, we were a hit from that moment.

hmv: How do you feel the characters and relationship of Sherlock and Watson have evolved from the first series to the second?

Steven Moffat: The same friendship, later. John’s started to think of Sherlock’s deductions As an affliction rather than an entertainment, and to real is just how much care and tending the great man needs. Sherlock, by the tiniest degrees is becoming a bit more human-‐there are more and more people who he cares about, and they are starting to define him. John, most of all.

hmv: We’ve seen Sherlock tackle love and fear in the first two episodes of this series, what can we expect him to face in the final episode?

Steven Moffat: Death The final problem for us all.

hmv: Do you have a clear plan as to where you’d like the story of Sherlock to head? Can we expect a series 3?

Steven Moffat: Wait and see.

hmv: We see that Sherlock has a taste for classical music in the series, often composing music on his violin. Are there any artists from today’s charts that you think Sherlock might take a liking to?

Steven Moffat: Himself, probably. The thought of listening to someone else’s work is Probably physically abhorrent to him.

hmv: Have either of you drawn any inspiration from particular music or films during the creative process of writing Sherlock? Is there any artist or director in general that has inspired you in the past?

Steven Moffat: In all honesty, it’s Doyle all the way. When we get lost as we often do

We say “Back to Doyle!” I’ll miss him on other shows.

hmv: As well as the online ‘code-breaking’ activities last year, you’re both avid twitter users and Sherlock seems to be trending every Sunday during and after the show. How do you think the use of online & social platforms such as twitter has enhanced the audiences viewing experience? Do you find it a good or bad thing to be able to keep up with audience’s reactions and feedback in real-time? 

Steven Moffat: Forgive a grumpy old man, but I think people should stop tweeting during the

Show and PAY ATENTION. It’s always those ones who say they’re having trouble following it.

Yeah, you could try WATCHING it, y’know! 

The final episode of Sherlock Series 2 is showing this Sunday at 9pm on BBC ONE. Pre-order Series 2 on DVD & Blu-ray at hmv.com