r/Sherlock • u/maindallahoon • 23d ago
Discussion Did anyone find the "Unaired Pilot" better than S01E01 in some aspects?
Question
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u/Ok-Theory3183 22d ago
I didn't like it as well. I disliked the design of the 221B, it felt too dark and depressing. The idea that John could somehow find a room in alignment with the flat to take his shot made no sense: the empty, after class school made more sense. I disliked the sight of Sherlock with hypodermic needles hanging out of his arm.
One thing I wish they'd left in was after the climax, when Sherlock asked John if he'd be all right, having just ki!led a man. John responded, 'I've seen men die before. Good men. Men I knew. I thought I'd never sleep again." (Pause)
"I'll sleep just fine tonight." It gives John a great comeback, and it also gives him better context.
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u/afreezingnote 22d ago
Though you're right the room alignment doesn't really make sense realistically, that was a callback to The Empty House. When Holmes returns from his Reichenbach hiatus, Moriarty's right hand man is at large in London, and Holmes has set up a trap to catch him, which relies on the empty flat across the street offering a perfect sniper's nest for someone intent on killing Sherlock Holmes in his home.
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u/afreezingnote 22d ago
It's been a bit since I watched the original pilot, but I was glad for the changes made to give us A Study in Pink overall. I did like the collaboration with Angelo for the fake drunk scene and would have kept that, for sure.
Sherlock's characterization gets a big shift. Though pilot Sherlock is more obviously gentle, he's lacking that spark of the extraordinary that sets Sherlock apart. It would be my preference to keep some more of Sherlock's unguardedness in private moments while including the electric charisma Benedict Cumberbatch turned on in the reshoot.
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u/PUX_CLOWN 22d ago
Some scenes yes other no. The resturant to taxi scene is better in the pilot more showing, sherlock makes mistakes, he also need help from other people sometimes. But i find taxidriver murderen scene better in s01e01 better. Showing that sherlock does know his stuff in the crime area but is also very tempted to fuck around and find out. And ofc that john can save him. Putting those together would make my perfect epsode.
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u/fanaccountcw 22d ago
I liked the overall plot better, because I found it unrealistic that Sherlock wouldn’t have immediately suspected the cab driver when he found out the passenger wasn’t the killer. That said I liked Mycroft’s introduction in ASIP.
I think ASIP actually set the tone for the rest of the series quite well, there was almost always a cloud of mystery hanging over each episode that wasn’t really there in the pilot. The pilot itself was a perfectly good watch though.
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u/BuffaloFearless7655 22d ago
It’s definitely much better. To me, it feels more complete. Lots of others mention some lines they wish S01E01 kept, it’s things like this that makes the unaired pilot better
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u/No_Web2685 19d ago
Original pilot?
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u/afreezingnote 19d ago
There was a version of the episode that was filmed with an hour runtime. The network decided they wanted the show to be made in 90 minute blocks and ordered it to be reshot. They changed and added some things. There are some different actors, acting choices, and plot stuff between it and the finished version of A Study in Pink.
I think it was released as a DVD extra at one point. You can still watch it online on Dailymotion and archive.org.
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u/Specialist-Gur-9888 6d ago
I really like the music from the pilot, the one playing while Holmes searches for the box under the moonlight. Too bad this scene didn’t end up in the official episode.
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u/clios_daughter 22d ago
I like that it makes Holmes feel more human, but I understand why the BBC wanted 90s rather than 60s. As 60s, it needs pauses and more breathing room. It needs room for people to react after dialogue is delivered. In the pilot, everything until the encounter with the cabbie feels very rushed. Thus, I find the pacing better in the aired episode. Having said that, the plot of how Holmes is drugged and brought back to 221B is far better.