Sherlock’s Mark Gatiss: I am not making a show to get reactions on the internet
Creator of the Sherlock series, Mark Gatiss, talks about the latest twist in the show and more.
Many were left in an emotional flux after the first episode of the popular Sherlock series, season 4. British actor Mark Gatiss who has created and plays the role of Mycroft Holmes in the popular series starring Benedict Cumberbatch, which airs on AXN, spoke to us on the phone from London, about Mary Watson’s death, the show and its popularity, and more.
After Mary was shot in the first episode of the fourth season, many took to social media and were unhappy about it. Do you bother much about what people have to say on social media about the show?
I am not really bothered much about what social media has got to say about the plot twists, or the fact that they like a particular twist or not. The thing is we cant over analyse things, because if we start doing that, then we would never be able to finish the episode or the show. Personally, all I can say is that I am not making a show to get reactions on the internet.
But, what prompted you to show her death in the first episode itself?
We had to do justice to the 120 year-old story, for starters. Secondly, you know a person like Mary, who was an assassin before she met John, you can’t expect someone like her to live a normal life. There had to be something that provides closure to her character. So we decided to kill her because her death will have huge consequences on the show, as you will see.
Apart from setting up Sherlock in the modern times, your portrayal of Professor Moriarty is also very different from the books. Whose idea was it and what made you do a different treatment to such a popular villainous character?
In a way Professor Moriarty from the books was a bit like old Bond Villlains. That persona wouldn’t have somehow gone with the modern adaptation. So we had to do it differently. The only two things that I have kept as they were from the books about Moriarty is the fact that he (Andrew Scott) is an Irish, and second is the way Moriarty moves his head while talking. Rest I left everything else on Andrew, and everything you see of Moriarty is him and not me. Right from the charm, the glint in the eyes- all of it is Andrews work.
Almost every adaptation of Sherlock Holmes has been appreciated and became quite popular. How difficult was it for you to make sure that the show stands up in its own way and doesn’t get up getting compared with other versions of the show?
At the time of making the show, the idea was to do something different . The idea for us, was to use these those popular stories, which were written a century ago, in a modern context and see how would have the fit, if someone had written them in the current context. It was a joyous thing we did and its been a great feeling since that fans have accepted the idea of a modern day Sherlock.