Benedict Cumberbatch got a job: he’ll play a military contractor in ‘Blood Mountain’

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Benedict Cumberbatch was in LA for the better part of a week. I guess he came for the SAGs, and to do some press for Sherlock Season 3, and he ended up taking some meetings about some upcoming roles. And guess what? He got another job. Because seriously, this man LOVES to work. His friends describe it as some kind of compulsion – he hates to be without a job. So what is his next big role? Well… it’s a war drama/thriller, I guess. And Benedict will be playing a military contractor!

Benedict Cumberbatch has been attached to star in the thriller “Blood Mountain,” which Altitude Film Sales will be shopping to international buyers at the European Film Market in Berlin. UTA Independent Film Group is repping North American rights.

Sergei Bodrov (“Mongol,” “Seventh Son”) will direct, and Lawrence Bender (“Pulp Fiction,” “Inglourious Basterds,” “Kill Bill”), Nicola Horlick and James Gibb are producing. Jonathan W. Stokes penned the original script, with revisions by John Romano.

The film follows a private military contractor whose special forces team is ambushed and killed during a covert raid, forcing him to personally escort one of the world’s most wanted terrorists over hostile terrain in order to bring him to justice. With a bounty at stake and insurgents and rival mercenaries hunting them, the two find themselves facing not only their enemies, but each other in their fight for survival.

Principal photography is slated to begin in April in Morocco. Shaun Redick is exec producing alongside Rachel Green of Derby Street Films and Brooklyn Weaver of Energy Entertainment.

[From Variety]

They’re filming it in Morocco? *sob* I mean, it’s an interesting part for him, but that means that there will be no new Cumberphotos in April and May, because the paparazzi will not go to Morocco for Benedict. The paps would go to Morocco for Angelina or Brad Pitt, of course, but not Benedict. So, here’s the big question: will Benedict’s character be English? Or is the character an American and Ben will have to try his hand at a Yankee accent? Perish the thought. I’m just going to tell the producers right now: just make the character a Brit. It will be easier on everyone.

As for the idea of posh Benedict playing someone like a military contractor… I don’t have a big problem with it. Benedict proved – with Star Trek Into Darkness – that he can bulk up and play “harder” characters.

Also: there are new photos of Benedict! Go here to see them. Apparently, he’s still in LA, and he went to see Wolf of Wall Street with a dude friend.

PS… I have a lot of feels about Sherlock Season 3, Episode 2, but I’ll save them for another time. Suffice to say… I don’t know why the British Sherlockloonies were complaining about this season. At all. I’m enjoying the maturing and changing Sherlock character.

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Photos courtesy of WENN.

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136 Responses to “Benedict Cumberbatch got a job: he’ll play a military contractor in ‘Blood Mountain’”

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  1. Kiddo says:

    I tried to watch Sherlock, the other day. I really did. I couldn’t make it past about 5 minutes. I guess it’s me? It was the episode with the wedding. At least I tried, right Kaiser?

    • Lolo-ology says:

      Ugh that’s like saying, “I tried reading your comment, starting in the middle of a sentence. Couldn’t make it past a few words.” ;P

    • V4Real says:

      Hey here’s a good which Sherlock would you rather. The two Sherlocks met for the first time at the Producers Guild Awards. Cumby did say he wanted to meet RDJ, he got his wish.

      http://perezhilton.com/2014-01-21-robert-downey-jr-benedict-cumberbatch-photo-sherlock-pga-awards#sthash.royuuHIJ.dpbs

    • WayPastMyBedtime says:

      You should begin by watching the first season… Honestly, as a fan I have to say I didn’t really like the third season as much as the other two. Furthermore, I think it’s probably a bit difficult to watch when you don’t know what happpened prior… But the first and second season are really good! 😀 Really funny and clever.

    • AG-UK says:

      I have watched all of it and I was sort of disappointed and 2nd episode drove me nuts. My son said rubbish and he is 13. The second season still the best.

      • Shannon1972 says:

        Agreed. I really enjoyed the 2nd episode and didn’t understand the fuss…..until the end, when Sherlock got, ummm, sappy. My 14 yr old son and I (as HUGE Sherlock fans) caught it immediately, and at that moment we completely understood why fans didn’t like this episode.
        Hope they right themselves in the next episode, because his sociopathic tendencies are a big part of what makes him such an interesting character.

      • LadySlippers says:

        He’s not a sociopath tho! Lol (see my comments down thread)

        He IS an emotionally constipated genius with a God complex. I’ve met far too many… Lol

      • Lisa says:

        I wouldn’t worry much about Sherlock going too soft. I’ve seen the third episode of this season, and, without giving anything away, his sappiness is not what it appears.

    • frisbeejada says:

      Well I’m a Brit who loves it…

    • TheOriginalKitten says:

      Kiddo-I’ve tried TWICE now and couldn’t get into it.

    • MavenTheFirst says:

      Waiting for that post! Meanwhile, I thought it was mawkish.

  2. GeeMoney says:

    Congrats to him… hope he has fun filming in Morocco.

    Man, I love this guy.

  3. windy says:

    Finally! An article on Benny! Wow, i agree that he really loves to work!

  4. Mia4S says:

    Thank you on your point on Sherlock! The complaining just got weird. It was fresh, touching, and insanely entertaining!

    The movie sounds interesting but that means Lost City of Z is not ready to film yet? Rats.

    • LadySlippers says:

      I’m not complaining. Season 3 just didn’t work for me. To each their own though and I have no issues with people that loved this season.

      • GeeMoney says:

        You aren’t alone, LadySlippers. I found season 3 to be funny, but it wasn’t my favorite. Not case heavy enough for me. But I did love the cameos and seeing Cumby’s parents on screen with him. Those were the highlights of an otherwise “ok” season.

      • LadySlippers says:

        GeeMoney,
        I hate that anytime you aren’t squealing with joy there’s something wrong or hateful about you. I had many legitimate concerns (and Sixer described many of them down thread) but I don’t see that as ‘complaining’ either. Painting everything as ‘either/or’ is not accurate or fair.

      • GeeMoney says:

        I really don’t know how to respond to that out-of-nowhere comment other than by saying “WTF”?

      • LadySlippers says:

        Sorry if I wasn’t clear. It was based on the first comment I replied to which was based off Kaiser’s comments.

        This season was very divisive and I felt that if you didn’t totally love it there was something wrong with you. In general, people seem to want to attack you if your opinion doesn’t fall in line with their opinion. It’s the black & white thinking I was referring to — things are either good or bad with nothing in between.

        Make more sense now?

      • GeeMoney says:

        No, it doesn’t make sense, because your comment comes off as attacking me when all I was stating is that I agree with you, this season of Sherlock wasn’t all that great, that’s all.

        Normally all of your comments towards me seem pretty nice, but this one was out of left field, and you painted me as like, a bipolar freak who has happy comments and hateful comments. I took that to be mean spirited, unnecessary and uncalled for.

      • LadySlippers says:

        Ohhhh GeeMoney, I wasn’t referring to you at all!!! I am SO SO SO SORRY if that’s how you took it. Gosh, I feel super bad as that’s not what I intended at all. I was commenting about the nasty nature of all the commenters (in general) and in never even remotely considered that it might appear as if I am attacking you. Again, super sorry.

        I feel really bad now.

        🙁

        ETA: Sorry, I just reread my comments and I get where you might think that. My ‘you’ was meant to be in general and not directed at you personally.

        Again, my sincere apologies. I was so not attacking you. I really wasn’t.

      • GeeMoney says:

        It’s cool. Glad we cleared that up, b/c I was genuinely upset! I was about to say, I thought that you were my grrl and all, since we are usually in agreeance on stuff. You had me thinking I tried to stab you when you weren’t looking or something (using my dark humor here). Ha ha ha.

        Anyhoo, don’t feel bad. Here’s hoping that Season 4 of Sherlock is more awesome than Season 3.

      • LadySlippers says:

        Oh thank god! I’ve seriously been super nervous and upset myself as I don’t attack people. And you always have very thought provoking things to say even if we don’t agree.

        Again I am so sorry and I will try and watch my use of ‘you’ because I don’t want others to think I’m attacking them either. It’s so not my style. And if a ‘you’ seems out of place — please please question it — k?

        And yes, I hope season 4 is better too.

      • Sixer says:

        Lady Slippers – I had to read your comment twice because I mistook you. Sympathies – it’s horrid when one comes across completely wrong. Sixer tip (hopefully more useful than a Pippa tip) – when in doubt say one not you. Then nobody will think you mean them in particular.

      • LadySlippers says:

        I see that now Sixer.

        *hangs head in shame*

    • GeeMoney says:

      Cool beans. I’ll try and read a little more carefully into what’s been posted in the future, as well. Perhaps I jumped to conclusions a bit. I blame my Virgoan nature. And my parents. Hell, I should just blame Earth while I’m at it. LOL.

      It’s settled. We can be friends again. 🙂

      • LadySlippers says:

        I’m a Virgo too. Lol. You an Aug or Sept Virgo?

        My kids make fun of me when I say ‘Cool Beans’…

        Again, so glad we got this sorted.

        So was there anything you liked about season 3? A lot of people have suggested re-watching the season but I’m not sure I want to yet. I’ll happily rewatch seasons 1 & 2… Just not ready or willing to endure season 3 again.

      • GeeMoney says:

        My birthday is September 1… all kinds of anal retentiveness, endless striving for perfection and all around crazy going on here with me being born on this day. When’s yours?

        My sister says “Cool beans” all of the time, lol. She got me started on that. Sometimes I feel old for saying it, but it has just stuck with me.

        I thought that season 3 was funny, and I really cracked up when Moriarty and Sherlock almost kissed on the rooftop. I had to press pause on my laptop to recover from laughing so hard. And I liked the parents. And I really liked Amanda Abbington. And I liked it when Sherlock and John got drunk together.

        I’ve been rewatching season 3 on PBS here in the US, and I am really just watching for the funny parts. It seems as if they didn’t connect all of the dots with crimes like they did in season 1 and 2, and it seemed like Sherlock missed things that he normally wouldn’t have. It just didn’t seem like him. Not too fond of him growing as a person either. Sociopaths really don’t “grow” emotionally, they just learn to fake it, I think, kind of like Dexter (TV show). Thoughts?

      • LadySlippers says:

        I’m a Sept 7 baby and share my birthday with Elizabeth I of England! I love that. I’m only particular with certain things and others I could care less about.

        I did like the funny scenes BUT I wished they had ramped up the funny because it really felt out of place with it being so funny so often and in your face. Someone else mentioned it but it seemed like they were auditioning BC and/or MF for a movie comedy (see people? See what Benedict and Martin can do???).

        I loved loved loved Amanda Abbington. She couldn’t have been better. The writing for her (and the entire season) could have been better! But she was adorable.

        I liked how spunky Molly has become but I missed some of the other characters from the previous seasons. I actually missed the verbal sparring with Anderson….

        I actually don’t mind character growth but how they handled Sherlock’s was very clumsy. Sherlock (and contrary to most opinions) isn’t actually a sociopath. Sociopaths/psychopaths are incapable of real human connections and Sherlock disproved that by jumping to his ‘death’ to prevent his friends getting shot. Sherlock actually has shown his attachment to people long before his plunge but he really does have VERY deep attachments to people. I think Sherlock is really an emotionally constipated genius with a God complex. He *chooses* to be cold and distant to most of the world because he thinks it helps him solve puzzles better. Even Moffat has stated in an interview that Sherlock really isn’t a sociopath but they keep calling him that because… I don’t remember. But I do remember not liking the fact that people really are taking the show’s ‘word’ for it and I think, like the gay jokes, it’s meant to be tongue-in-cheek but people think it’s factual.

        The mistakes by Sherlock (and boy were there a lot) could be explained by the fact he’s been away and is rusty. Or some other equally reasonable excuse but they don’t go there. Nor do they explain why Mycroft is suddenly in his head all the time (this is canon based) and so on. A line here or there would have helped these story issues but they keep on the self indulgent route. There are quite a few issues (the lack of connecting the dots as you mentioned) that could have been resolved with better writing.

        I haven’t seen Dexter — is it good? What’s it about?

      • GeeMoney says:

        I share a birthday with Dr. Phil, Gloria Estefan and of all people, Rachel Zoe. Love her fashion… wish she’d eat more though.

        Dexter is a show about a serial killer who works for the Miami Metro PD as a blood spatter analyst. He kills according to a “code”, in which he investigates people who have gotten away with heinous crimes that slip through the cracks and then murders and dismembers them later on. He’s an A-typical psychopath with some “morals” instilled in him by his dad. Seasons 1-4 of the show are awesome, and then it’s all downhill from there on out until Season 8.

        I compare him to Sherlock because they both pretend (on some level) to have feelings for people, but really they are cold and emotionally distant due to being psychopaths/sociopaths. Dexter “loves” his sister and cares about his co-workers, but deep down inside, he kind of doesn’t. I kind of see Sherlock this way. Perhaps Sherlock is more aware of the fact that he cares and tries his best to hide it instead of embrace it for the sake of his work and sanity whereas Dexter really doesn’t feel that way, but pretends to and in some shape or form “grows” into having feelings over the course of the show.

        I guess I don’t see how two people who are basically crazy and devoid of emotion can “grow” over time… faking it, yes, but deep down, realistically, they will never feel that way. I know it’s a TV show and it’s not real, but I can’t help but add that type of logic into all of it.

        This season really did pander to the fandom, which I really didn’t care for. Doing that for the first 30 minutes of ep 1 was fine, but carrying it through 2 episodes was too much. And I also don’t understand how people can really read into the show and go crazy with thinking that John and Sherlock are secretly lovers. They need to get over that already.

        If Moffat says that he’s not a sociopath, then why keep playing it up? Doesn’t make sense to me. And also… I thought ep 2 turned into the Cumberbatch show (I didn’t care for that extended wedding speech too much), but then again, Benedict is just too wonderful, and he’s a fabulous actor (and I secretly love him… shhh). So I can’t complain too much.

        And the writing was off. I agree there. Perhaps Moffat and Gatiss had too many other things going on? Too many distractions? Hmmm.

      • Virgilia Coriolanus says:

        @GeeMoney
        I just finished watch the first 2 seasons on Netflix–haven’t seen the third. But I don’t really see Sherlock like that–not the way they portray him in the show. How did you come to your conclusion??? Like, I don’t think there’s anything from the show to support that.

        I saw Sherlock as that boy who was the weirdo at school that no one talked to, except to make fun of him–which in turn, as he got older, made him a lot more defensive against a lot of people, especially his family i.e. Mycroft–because Mycroft, I think, knows him. Knows if he’s hiding something, when other people won’t.

        And then he meets John, and has this friend who thinks he’s brilliant, but still isn’t sure if he’s his friend. I loved Molly—I think he saw someone he could (and did) manipulate, but in the end–she’s the only one who truly pays attention and sees him–she knows him better than Mycroft i.e. ‘You Look Sad’ scene.

        I don’t know–I relate a lot to Sherlock. I’m not very good with showing my feelings to people, not even my family. I don’t like to really talk about issues with people–I have pretty low self esteem–I don’t open up really. Not about the things that matter. I don’t know–I try sometimes (like w/telling my mom I want to adopt), but there are a lot of other things that I wish I could talk about freely, to my mom, but I get really embarrassed. Like when I first started getting my period, I was so embarrassed about it, I didn’t want to tell her that I was running out of pads. Or I never shaved my legs until I was 16, because I was too embarrassed to ask my mom for a razor–weird, right?

        But I’m getting that the writing in Sherlock season 3 was OFF. I hope I won’t be mad when I finally get to see it.

      • GeeMoney says:

        @Virgilia Coriolanus

        I guess the beauty of shows like this is that people can read into the characters any way they want to and come to conclusions on what they think about how they behave through their own experiences. That’s what I thought when reading your post. You relate to Sherlock on how you grew up, which is totally fine. I guess I relate him on what I know and think about sociopaths.

        Sidebar – I can see a little bit of myself in Sherlock, though. I can be cold hearted and blunt when I feel like it. Not the best personality characteristics in the world, but I deal with them.

        I was a Psych major in college, so I’m really into how people think and why they do what they do. Also, I read a lot about mental disorders and follow a lot of crime stories. I guess I’m kind of hung up on the term “sociopath” and relate its definition to how it reads in psychology/sociology articles. I think LadySlippers was right in the fact that Sherlock really isn’t one, but the fact that they keep pushing that on us keeps me slightly frustrated with how he behaves on the show. He’s really back and forth on his sociopathy at this point in time. It’s a little confusing… perhaps he’s supposed to be written this way? I don’t know.

        Perhaps one can learn empathy and kindness over time, but doesn’t that usually require loads of therapy and/or medication? Sherlock has had none of this. Sometimes I even wonder why John is friends with him… Sherlock treats him like crap most of the time and calls him an idiot (amongst other things). Yet they are best friends. I don’t get that.

        I like Molly and all, and it seems like Sherlock cares for her, but he just manipulates her and feeds into her fondness for him for his own purposes. Not a real relationship there, if you ask me. She’s just so timid and insanely devoted to him that she lets him treat her almost any way he wants to. She needs to move on, if you ask me.

        Season 3 wasn’t bad at all… it was just ok. It’s different from the first two seasons. Loads of laughs. You may like it a lot.

        PS – I was scared to shave my legs. I know I was in high school (about 15 or 16) when I did it though, and I only did it because my younger sister started doing it first. And! I was afraid to talk to my mom about it too. You aren’t alone, lol!

      • LadySlippers says:

        @ VG:
        It’s a common (VERY common in fact) misconception that Sherlock is a sociopath — even BC says it which doesn’t help matters.

        I think it stems from a tendency to use pop psychology to explain things. I say ‘pop’ psychology because most of the diagnoses people use show a lack of understanding of what a true diagnosis looks like. So people that see some traits of a particular disorder and assume that must be it. For example, OCD, codependency, and ASD (autism spectrum disorder) are just a few that get thrown around and are often misused.
        Not that you need a psychology degree to use the terms but the terms are quite frequently not used as they were intended.

        Does Sherlock have some sociopathic tendencies? Sure but not anymore than the rest of the population. We ALL have some not-so-great traits but that doesn’t make us anything than normal. People are complex and weird but it makes it easier for people to understand a person who is odd if they can slap a label on something.

        @GeeMoney:
        Does Dexter have morals or rules? There is a difference as a sociopath doesn’t really have morals but could be rule oriented.

        It does bug me that Moffat et al. don’t make it very clear that Sherlock uses the term as a self-defense mechanism and that’s it. But yeah, I can quite comfortably say that Sherlock is not a sociopath (in an article that came out prior to season 3 a psychologist also stated quite strongly he wasn’t either). An ass, yes. A genius with a God complex, hell yes. Emotionally constipated, most definitely. Just not a sociopath.

        ETA: I studied psychology in college too (two classes a way from a BS/BA in it). I even read the DSM-V just to make sure I was correct. So there’s my analness rearing it’s lovely head. 😉

      • GeeMoney says:

        @LadySlippers

        Dexter was given rules and morals by his adoptive father, who helped him focus his serial killer tendencies, which is why he’s able to function normally in society. And trust me, Dexter is a psychopath, just a “contained” one, I guess you could say. If his dad hadn’t helped him, he probably would have killed many innocents early on and ended up in jail. It’s a little complicated how it all works, but it’s all in the show. If interested, it’s all on Netflix.

        Perhaps they should just start labeling Sherlock as anti-social then? That would take out the “crazy” element to a certain extent, and just make him a bit damaged.

      • LadySlippers says:

        GeeMoney, I think a lot of real sociopaths are either taught how to pretend to function or learn to pretend to function on their own, in order to accomplish goals. So his father giving him rules to follow makes sense.

        As for Sherlock, having another character call him out for NOT being a sociopath and him using it as a crutch (Mary would be perfect) would work. Instead, they threw the label at Mary too. 🙁 And that made me mad as well. But there are any number of ways to dispel the ‘Sherlock is a sociopath’ myth but like the gay jokes, they choose not to cease and desist with them.

        I also think film and TV producers/ creators use the cop out of ‘it’s not real’ and ‘people won’t take this as gospel’ because a great many people DO think the ‘facts’ are real. Most people don’t critically analyse things because they aren’t taught to do so. Or don’t want to because it’s easier that way.

  5. FlaviA_deluce says:

    Eeeeeeeep! Hip glasses and blue shoes! Too cute!

  6. Kelly says:

    Yay, the hustling paid off!
    The movie sounds interesting.
    Wonder what he thought of the Wolf of Wall Street. I hated it personally.

  7. Allison says:

    Ok. Who’s the dude with him in the movie theater pics? He’s been Benedict’s plus one the whole time in LA. He was in the infamous Cumberbatch/Fassbender dancing pic, and many of the other non-red carpet pics.

    • LadySlippers says:

      Good eyes.

      No clue.

      ETA: He has papers with him (who brings papers to a movie???) — perhaps an American assistant? Or someone from the studios?

    • Raven says:

      Jesse Peyronel, a screenwriter and director. He’s Benedict’s age and also from London and I read on IMDB they might have gone to school together.

      • LadySlippers says:

        What is he working on that might warrant the two of them together do often? Or are they friends? Any idea?

      • LadySlippers says:

        Here’s link to an interview featuring Jesse:

        http://www.dailybrink.com/?p=811

      • Raven says:

        He writes for NBC’s Dracula but other than that, I’m not sure. They might have a tentative project they’re working on or hoping to pitch. Someone on IMDB said that he (and Tertius Bune) seemed to be from the same circle and they may have gone to school together, but I don’t know for sure.

      • AG-UK says:

        I think he lives in LA therefore no huge hotel bills for BC? possibly house guest?

      • Allison says:

        Thanks for the detective work everyone. My smut senses are tingling with this one, even from the first pictures he showed up in. I’ll be curious to see what comes of this partnership.

      • Maureen says:

        Weren’t they both connected to the Spencer Hart thing Ben was running around doing for a few days?

    • Shiv says:

      Ah, just asked this question. If only I had scrolled up and seen this. I was beginning to think Cumbers had turned on us as this guy has definitely been his plus one while being in LA.

    • anchan says:

      It’s Dan Stevens, english actor most famous for Downton Abbey. Him and BC are good mates.

  8. Jen says:

    The plot of that movie is tired and cliche.

  9. Sixer says:

    Ah, I’m in yet another moany mood so I’ll repeat my whinges about S3 Sherlock. 1) It mocked its own fans in a snidey way. Not ok. 2) Some of that mockery verged on the misogynistic. Not ok. 3) It went all out for insider jokes to the extent that it excluded some of its domestic audience and was thus not appropriate for the mainstream channel of a PUBLIC SERVICE TV service that this audience is OBLIGED to pay a significant sum of money for, whether they watch it or not and simply by dint of owning a TV. Not ok.

    Otherwise, I loved loads about it since I’m not a canon-freak (not that there’s owt wrong with being one of those, I’m just not one). Cf: Freeman’s performance, Mary’s most excellent line in indulgent side-eye, and even the glorious nuts mess of a denouement.

    Er… so there! Or something.

    • 'p'enny says:

      I agree, however, it worked marvellously well and I found it very funny. But, series 4 needs to go back to sleuthing and fighting the Big Bad.

      • AG-UK says:

        exactly and they say it will come out at the end of this year. I don’t think they can do 3 episodes maybe they plan on one of those one off Christmas shows like Dr Who, he won’t have time for that it takes a few months and he has to do the play or wants to in the fall.. I want sleuthing as well not slap stick yuckedty yucks.

      • Valery says:

        I think it’s a case of people liking the actors portraying the characters, that they’re willingly overlooking some of its core problems. I mean please, The Blind Banker was ridiculously cliche and borderline if not outright racist, what were they doing enumerating Asian tropes and stereotypes. Also, lest we forget its problems with the way it portrays women. I mean sure, it’s witty and the actors are nice but lets not oversell it for what it’s not.
        On the other hand, for the ones complaining, their main beef is with Moffat’s attitude. The guy’s a major douche and he manages to mangle around with both Sherlock and Doctor Who.

    • LadySlippers says:

      There’s a blog that is a ‘canon freak’ and she was able to site many things that people (including me) had issues with were, in fact, canon inspired. It was an interesting read to say the least. Didn’t change my mind though — in fact I got MORE critical of the writing as they could have had some better transitions & explanations for those of us that aren’t as familiar with canon.

    • Ponytail says:

      Wow, you seem very bitter about the TV license. I don’t know if you’ve figured this out, but you’re paying for a service of which you’re lucky if you see/hear 5%. The license fee covers all the channels plus all the radio stations. There are entire radio stations I never listen to because they’re not for me (Radio 1, for example) but I don’t resent the in-jokes that go on during the Breakfast Shows. I haven’t watched Eastenders in years, but I can’t say I care that their storylines alienate this true-life eastender.
      Using your logic, every single BBC programme has to appeal to every license fee payer ? Well, bye-bye children’s TV, for a start. While I think the BBC has certain responsibilties to its audiences, I don’t think this should affect fictional dramas. Imagine your average British TV viewer and now imagine what sort of dross would be broadcast to appeal to everyone. “Some of its domestic audience” is going to be excluded on occasion – you can’t please all of the people all of the time.
      I personally thought the first two episodes were silly, but I wouldn’t bring the license fee into it – I just thought it was poor plotting.

      • Sixer says:

        No. I like the BBC and am happy to pay the licence fee. There is a home for cult/teen/fandom drama within the service, as there SHOULD be. It’s called BBC3.

        I dislike the creators becoming so arrogant as to take a prime time, popular drama and putting it beyond the reach of half the audience who watched it ffom the start.

    • allheavens says:

      I pay $173.00 per month for the privilege of watching America televison programming (that does include premium channels), so I really can’t get too upset about the situation in the UK.

      • Sixer says:

        But that’s your choice. I pay 70 quid or so per month for Sky. My choice. I want all the films and all the sport. If I’m dissatisfied I can cancel. But if I even so much as own a TV, I must pay the licence fee (150 quid a year) because it’s the LAW.

        I don’t object. I think the BBC is unique and special. But I also think there is a certain duty here. And when a primetime show disappears so far up its own fundament that 75 percent of it is solely about and catering to its internet fandom then that compact has been broken. Especially when it’s a loved show with a large proportion of domestic viewers who have no idea that internet fandom even exists.

    • EscapedConvent says:

      @Sixer,

      Hey Sixer! I couldn’t agree more about the inside jokes. Kind of shocking, I thought. There was SO much of it—-a very mild example: The fangirls love Cumberbatch dancing! All right, here’s a Sherlock pirouette! And so on.

      I still loved it, & I will still watch it lots, but it wasn’t the same show.

      • Sixer says:

        I miss you, my little nunette!

      • allheavens says:

        @Sixer

        Yes, and it’s your choice also and I didn’t mention anything about Sherlock. So why that part of the response?

      • Sixer says:

        Because I was talking about the licence fee as it pertains to this particular show, not whether or not there should be licence fee. As I do keep saying. Since I was quite clear about that I could equally ask you why you replied to me WITHOUT reference to Sherlock.

        No, the licence fee is NOT my choice. I honestly don’t know how I can explain it more clearly.

    • grabbyhands says:

      THANK YOU. You stated all of my issues with this season, and this episode in particular. Too short on sleuthing and too long on fan service. And it’s too bad, because I love Amanda Abbington and I love her version of Mary, but I’m afraid with the “addition” introduced at the end of the episode, they’ve written themselves into a corner that they can’t get out of, at least not in a way that is going to be satisfying. I have zero interest in the continuation of rom-com Sherlock. I didn’t hate the season, it just wasn’t what I’d hoped for after waiting for two years.

  10. Marianne says:

    Benedict did pretty good as an American in “August : osage County”.

    • Jen says:

      He did a good job of playing a “special” person. But I’m not really sure if that’s actually what his character was supposed to be…

      • LadySlippers says:

        What do mean by special?

        Little Charles was browbeaten by his mother so he’s supposed to be timid as all hell. Wasn’t that what was portrayed?

      • allheavens says:

        @Jen

        You always exhibit the attitude of a rejected 10-year-old. If you don’t like Cumberbatch way do you spend so much time projecting in the comments sections of these posts?

    • LAK says:

      i hated that film. I have so many issues with it……i hate that anyone from it is being nominated. and i thought it was a waste of a very good cast.

      • AG-UK says:

        I saw it this weekend as it’s only just come out here in the UK. I found some of it funny but not nearly as funny as those in the cinema. I did feel for BC’s character but I didn’t really feel anything for any of them. I do love Chris Cooper he is great but I think it was probably much better as a play from what my friends say.

      • TheOriginalKitten says:

        I thought it looked kinda crappy from the trailer, even thought I know it isn’t fair to judge a movie from a 2 min “commercial”.

        Weirdly enough, I knew that this would be the kind of movie that the Academy would love.

        What didn’t you like about it, LAK?

        EDIT: and yes, I adore Chris Cooper!

      • LAK says:

        TheOriginalKitten: Where to start? It’s like a ball of string.

        1. The complete waste of a good cast. Each and everybody cast in this film is a very good actor. And none, but Julia Roberts and Meryl were used. Julia and Meryl so dominated proceedings that everyone else should have been sent home. no point in being there. it completely unbalanced the film.

        2. Julia/Meryl……could they have made it more obvious that these were the only 2 important characters in the room???!!! They were repeatedly grandstanding. They were the only actors who reacted to anything, usually each other. the camera kept giving them close up after close up. Not to mention that all the other actors simply stood by. mute or unresponsive.

        3. I blame the producers/director for allowing point 2 above. There was a rumour that Harvey re-edited the thing. major fail. Personally i would have cut out a good 30mins and restaged other scenes differently.

        4. it couldn’t hide it’s theatre roots. probably because they allowed the original playwright to adapt the screenplay. The entire thing felt very heavy handed and theatrical.

        5. Juliette Lewis irritated me so much. Her character description [because they talked about her many times before she finally showed up] didn’t match up to the way Juliette Lewis played her.

        6. Poor Julianne Nicholson who was woefully underused and completely shoved into the background once Julia showed up. Ditto everyone else.

        7. Since this is John Wells, director, i was very surprised that he allowed this mess of a film to happen. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0920274/

        8. Your final point about Oscar bait is exactly what i couldn’t stop thinking about as i watched it. You can imagine that as the original conversation when they started this project..

        🙁

      • AG-UK says:

        @LAK
        I actually liked ER and West Wing so not sure how he did this. I even watched by accident the old ER episode where Mark Green dies (might not mean much if you never watched it) but he wrote/directed and produced that and also he is a creator if I am not mistaken I agree on all points regarding the film but it was a rainy Saturday and I was bored.. so off I went (only a 5 min walk from the cinema). That was the longest dinner / lunch on earth.

  11. Dani says:

    Damn those glasses are doing it for me. So Professor Cumberbatch.

  12. Maya says:

    The only thing that got my attention is the fact that there is someone called Rachel Green in real life.

  13. 'p'enny says:

    I love Benedict -Sherlock- but his other roles are particularly slow and often dull.

    However, I will say this. He isn’t picky , he will have a crack at anything. And I will look forward to seeing this develop.

    But, this better not take the place of filming room for Sherlock 4! He is doing Hamlet in the Autumn.

    I guess Star Wars is off the menu 🙁 That’s supposed to be filming Spring time, mmmmmm

    But, I wonder what the delay is with Lost City of Z with R-Patz?

    mmmm

    • Mia4S says:

      Movies get pushed back all the time but what confuses me about Lost City of Z is that the two main males are father and son! Cumby and Sparkles?! WTF?! There is a friend of the son who Sparkles could play, but it’s all a bit weird.

      As for Star Wars, ugh, stay away Benedict! I adored the original trilogy and I’m a fan of Abrams new Star Trek but for this I feel nothing but dread. The long awaited continuation? Bull. They threw out the first story and script. I am not looking forward to this at all!

      • 'p'enny says:

        I read on IDBM thread that film covers three stages of the character’s life, and they will age up Benedict. As for R-Patz, is this a concession to the film investors to attract a bigger audience/money? R-Patz is filming at the moment, maybe the delay? They are trying to get a bigger budget according the IDBM gossip, and if they get it they will need to ensure that the film doesn’t end up on Film/BBC Four/Independent cinema circuit.

  14. Ajla R says:

    I saw 12 Years a Slave yesterday and I finally get the hype around Benedict! I think I might start watching Sherlock 😀

  15. Jenna says:

    Just curious as to what people were complaining about? I LOVED the third season of Sherlock! 😀

    • Kelly says:

      Same!

    • Shannon1972 says:

      Ok, gonna put on my major nerd pants here…but IMO, the problem with the 3rd season is that it took the character of Sherlock in a direction that he would never, ever go. He is not a sentimental character in any way, and isn’t meant to be sympathetic. He’s a sociopath, right? But they veered way too far in that direction this season, and it rings completely false. And I don’t think it’s just a matter of canon, it’s also contrary to the first two seasons. It’s one thing to evolve, it’s another to develop a completely different personality and call him “Sherlock”. The first episode of season 3 was promising, but episode 2 went completely off the rails in this respect.

      It also took three of the best loved stories and mangled them beyond all comprehension. I’m all for modernizing the stories, and I think the first two seasons (and the RDJ movies for that matter) did it with a wink and a smile. They were really fun! But so far, this season hasn’t even tried, and that was a huge disappointment. It’s almost as if these episodes were thrown together. The only thing that has made them watchable for us are the extremely gifted actors, who managed to entertain in spite of two (so far) weak scripts. Hope episode three puts Sherlock back on track.

      That’s my two cents. 🙂

      • LadySlippers says:

        First, he’s not *actually* a sociopath. Like the ‘gay’ jokes this is over done and even the creators know and state he’s not really a sociopath. But a lot of people think he is simply because he fits some (but not all) of the designators.

        Second, I think if they explained some of Sherlock’s OoC stuff it might have helped, but some was too off the rails for me to take. I just see it as really lazy writing.

        Third, (as Sixer pointed out too) it was just TOO damned self indulgent. The whole thing smacked of ‘Look at Me!!!!’. Which I think made the writing and the story suffer quite a bit.

        IF we took out some if the self-indulgence and tightened up the stories, the OoC Sherlock would have not been quite so unsettling. Maybe. Maybe.

      • Phi says:

        Episode 2 was a bit too much. At some point I was like “Sherlock has feelings now?!”. I liked the bit in episode 1 with Molly when he notices the engagement ring and wishes her well. Molly deserved that and it seemed something that Sherlock from seasons 1 & 2 would do.
        Episode 3 is in fact the best of this season, but still I hope Sherlock goes back to his old self. The first 2 seasons were witty, clever and in season 3 it seems that the writers suddenly turned condescending towards the audience.

  16. alison says:

    ooo, bulked up Benny. Yes, alright. Although, his body adapts well to weight/muscle loss/gain so he always looks good. from tubby Tietjens, to unaired pilot skinny sherlock, to muscular khan. It really changes his whole look, too. When he’s super thin he looks about 15 and he looked around 40 at times when playing Tietjens.

  17. AG-UK says:

    The glasses work for him as it makes his face not appear so long. I wonder are they REAL or just for show I didn’t realise he wore contacts then not that I would. Maybe he is getting old age eyes…(:

    • Kelly says:

      I actually have 2 friends who wear glasses only when watching films/reading. Otherwise they say they don’t need them. Which fine, their prescription isn’t big, but I know them and they’re embarrassed to be seen with them on. Need I mention they’re not kids, they’re 27 year old women. Benny could be the same case here.

      • AG-UK says:

        aah yes. They suit him though but if you only need them for reading/films no point wearing them alot as weakens your eyes..

      • Nighty says:

        I wear glasses only to read or work in my pc… I only go out with them if I’m very very tired (headaches from tired eyesight) … Why would someone be ashamed of wearing glasses»?… lots of people need them… And yes, I only need them for that, actually I give classes and I never wear them then, bacause it makes me dizzy to look at the book, look at the board , look at the students.. the constant change in distance…

      • Ash says:

        I’m 25, and absolutely hate my glasses hence why I wear contacts on a regular day-to-day basis. I only wear my glasses when I have no contacts, and I don’t like going out and about with them on. It’s not that they don’t look okay on me, I just don’t like it the way the look.

  18. Aly says:

    New season of Sherlock was awful. Such a huge let down. I mean It had some golden moments (drunk deductions lmao) but Sherlock and John seem much to OOC and third wheel bore Mary isn’t helping. Just my opinion. Still love all the actors, but with the direction this show is headed I’m not invested anymore.

    Thankfully my friend showed me Elementary (which I avoided watching till now) but wow…it’s fantastic. That is definitely my new sherlock show from now on. Lucy Lui and Johnny Lee Miller as wonderful. I was so happily surprised with how much I love it.

  19. betsy says:

    The son’s role in Lost city of Z is small. He only crops up towards the very end of the film and when Benedict’s character has aged significantly.

  20. Shiv says:

    Wolf of Wall Street? Lots of hookers in that film….I wonder if he giggled nervously….jokes! 🙂 🙂

    Love him in his glasses – don’t think it is a disguise though. I wear glasses to watch TV and while at cinema and at my computer. Do not wear them any other time.
    That man he is with in the cinema picture is by his side in many photo’s which appeared from the Golden Globes/Spencer Hart parties, has Cumby turned?! WAAAAAH!
    Also, has he chopped all his hair off??? He looks practically bald at the sides of his head.
    That is all my Cumby questions for the day.
    Thank you.

    • AG-UK says:

      OH no let him still have hair. I saw a very old photo with his “auburn/ginger” hair sort of shaved uni days and I am not sure that suits him. He has beautiful curls/waves…..

      • LadySlippers says:

        Oh Kelly,

        THANK YOU for that!!!

        😀

      • Shiv says:

        Oh yes, I know the university photo you refer to – not a good look.

        How dare you out him as a ginger!! it’s African sunset, maybe even Celtic Rouge but definitely not ginger 😂😂😂

      • Ag-UK says:

        @Shiv I know but from all the old photos it’s not really auburn that to me is a darker hue. I think its similar to Julianne Nicholson which I like. He is good looking to me either way, even Tinker Tailor hair:) I prefer the style of Parades End but his natural colour.

      • LadySlippers says:

        Can you share the uni photo? Please???

      • Shiv says:

        @Ag-UK he is 100% ginger 🙂

        @Ladyslippers I hate sharing ‘private’ photo’s but it is all over the internet soooo…..

        http://www.pinterest.com/pin/42010208998119601/

        If that doesn’t work just go onto Instagram or Google and type baby batch.

        He is still in LA – someone tweeted about hiking behind him on Runyon Canyon. Much hiking behind that sweet sweet ass. I’d fall off!!

      • Kelly says:

        Never mind the photo, how about that description! ! “Sorting through some old photos I found these of Benedict Cumberbatch in my house at uni”
        !!!!!!!!!
        How does that happen!! Who is this lucky bastard who gets to sort through their old embarrassing photos of pubescence and suddenly comes upon a random Batch IN THEIR HOUSE!?
        My god.
        That shit (sorting through some old photos, OH LOOKIE it’s Johnny Depp back in the 90s sitting in my kitchen…) would never happen to me, it’s a cosmic conspiracy.

        p.s. you’re very welcome, LadyS, they made my day 😉

      • LadySlippers says:

        Thanks Shiv.

        I’ve seen the top photo but not the bottom two.

      • AG-UK says:

        @Shiv
        He needs to wear sun cream in a few photos he has a very red nose… this must be his holiday.. LA

  21. lunchcoma says:

    The wedding episode was…okay? I actually like Mary, and I was quite amused by the idea of how Sherlock would execute his best man duties. A bit of the mush in the middle was fine too. But the speech segment needed some more cutting, and the bits at the dance were sentimental to the point of being obnoxious. I don’t mind seeing Sherlock mature, but I don’t need things to be that soft and squishy to get the point.

  22. L says:

    I’m only 2 episodes in because I watch it on PBS, and this is the problem: It has stopped being ‘Sherlock’ and turned into the Benedict Cumberbatch show. Are we going to get to solving mysteries again? That was what made the show exciting. It feels like that’s fallen to the wayside for a unrealistic new character narrative. I like that Watson’s wife is included, I love her attitude and the woman playing her, and I’m not all up on cannon-but the show has def turned into a show about a detective-as opposed to a detective show. It’s no longer a mystery show, but a heroic adventure show where we can showcase Cumby’s facial expressions and voice. Which is fine for the writers/producers to go that route, but it was def jarring, came off as smug, and while I did laugh out loud at moments, there’s nothing wrong with folks being annoyed at the abrupt change of pace and storytelling.

    Last week with the first episode with Sherlock coming back I could get it-there needed to be the return of Sherlock and the mystery was lazy and got tacked on at the end (there’s NO way that Sherlock would have missed the changing # of cars on first glance, and I figured out there was a bomb 30 minutes before he did. That NEVER used to happen with the first seasons, the mystery left me guessing till the end. ) The second episode….meh. It was funny and yet SO slow. So much filler. The opening set up with the bank robbers just being used as a build up to a punchline? The mystery where we don’t really care about the potential victims and they are just tacked on? The only part I really enjoyed about the mystery was the ‘mind palace’ interviews . EW described the 2nd episode as being a rom-com ‘1 wedding and 1 bare mystery’-which was spot on.

    • Green Girl says:

      I am in the U.S. and watching it on PBS, too. I’ve seen the first two and am hoping it gets really good in the third episode (no spoilers, though!).

      I liked the second ep quite a bit, but I agree that, similar to the first episode of this series, the mystery felt like it was tacked on in the end. It feels like we’re watching a fanfic of the show (and I realize the show itself can be considered a fanfic of the original stories, so…). Will I watch the third episode? Of course. But I can’t help but feel it’s a little too cozy with the fans while also, as Sixer points out above, being mean to them.

      • Valery says:

        You guys, but the Easter bunnies… it’s all about the Easter bunnies. Of course a lot of the elements seem tacked on, since the the writers are all too busy coming up with puns than with clever mysteries. But look, there’s a throwback to the unaired episode… oh aren’t we cheeky? And what do the Cumberbithches want, more bromance… sure let there be more gratuitous bromance. Their problems with writing female characters were fixed by making Watson act like a infatuated teenager.

      • L says:

        Everyone keeps telling me that the third episode ties it all together-but frankly with a 3 episode season-the writers/producers don’t have that luxury. Esp with the second episode where it felt like they tried to cram in a entire season into 90 minutes (planning a wedding!, stag night, drunk Sherlock, random unsolved mystery, another mystery, a long wedding speech, dancing, etc etc etc) The show benefits highly from having a limited run as I think it forces Moffet to keep things tight, but episode two was where I could see it becoming a problem with waiting to tell so much story and only having a limited time to do so.

        I totally agree on the ‘fanfic of the show’.

  23. Lilacflowers says:

    This starts filming in April? Didn’t he back out of Crimson Peak because he had scheduling issues with March and April? What happened to whatever that conflict was?

    • Green Girl says:

      That’s what I was thinking! I get that movies get changed around so much, and the cast and director and even the studio might change. But this is weird. So, what’s he doing from now until then? He strikes me as being the type who needs to/wants to keep working.

    • lunchcoma says:

      The official reason he dropped out was creative differences, so no, the filming schedule wasn’t the problem.

    • Lilacflowers says:

      And what happened to the Everest movie?

      • 'p'enny says:

        I think Benedict realised how much of his kit he would have to get off, and then backed out. Apart from showing his excellent bum, he isn’t confident at acting the perv/sex scenes. Unless someone has seen him get proper sexy and point me to a link?

        Now, Tom…. I can’t wait to see Tom get his kit off. I think he is going to nail this role.

      • Lilacflowers says:

        @’p’enny, Tom seems to have no problem getting his kit off.

      • 'p'enny says:

        @lilacflowers, i am looking forward to OLLA for a nice perv, however, we havn’t yet seen him do a full humping away sex scene yet. 😀 . I’ve seen Deep Blue Sea which was a bit meh, for me.

        He seems to be quite close to Ewan McGregor these days, and he may be a bad influence on Tom, and encourage him to do what he had a ‘reputation’ for in all of his early films. 😀

        Gosh, i feel a right letch LOL

      • Lilacflowers says:

        I was stunned when McGregor was chosen for Star Wars. All I could imagine was a naked Obi Wan since he had been naked in every film of his I had seen.

      • Kelly says:

        “All I could imagine was a naked Obi Wan since he had been naked in every film of his I had seen.”
        AHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
        That Trainspotting scene though, yeah…

        And I hate to break it to you ladies, but OLLA is hardly pervy and sexy. The love scenes aren’t steamy or “getting it on” style. It’s more a poetic love song, it isn’t really sexy. Much like the Deep Blue Sea.
        Tommy also seems to have a problem with doing just simple animalistic sex scenes, his so far have all been about emotions and artistic style.

        Frankly, I don’t see neither TH nor BC doing a young Mickey Rourke (unfortunately). Even though their characters (Loki/Khan) were totally perfect for those wild sex shenanigans!

  24. Green Girl says:

    I just can’t with those glasses!

  25. Indira says:

    I think I’m on the exact same page as you re Ben, Kaiser! I LOVED season 3 and I really enjoyed the character growth and his more mature side. Really enjoy all the Ben updates. Bless you for posting about him every time you can 🙂

  26. allons-y alonso says:

    Those Blue shoes! I love them!

  27. lady mary. says:

    sherlock 3 was crazy ,over the top,TMIed in a very short time , and a complete romcom,i blame the writers for this ,they couldnnt come up with a decent script that didnt look like a parody to its original self,if u compare it to “white collar” ,which has its own star power with matt bomer as its lead ,but they make sure that every episode has smthn new ,informative ,thrilling and exciting rather than making up an entre season abt the eccentricities abt the lead character so that it would help them sell off their series , as much as we love the “scarf of sex ,the beady lizard eyes ,lovely martin freeman,and cumby’s curls ,we love the drama ,the mystery and case solving abilities that is the essence and core of sherlock

  28. Ally says:

    Am a fan of Cumberbatch, but not the Sherlock show. BC is always interesting to watch, but the show is major cringe. Also, can we re-cast Watson with Domhnall Gleason, cause I can’t with the dour, whiny hobbit anymore.

    The first episode of this season was tolerable, but the second… oy vey. It was like “a very special episode of Sherlock written and directed by Richard Curtis”.

    And somehow, the character has gone from being a genius, highly respected detective to an infantile, easily confused dolt that everyone patronizes. I particularly feel that the twit Moffatt is using Mycroft as his stand-in, who is smarter than Sherlock and bosses him around (Mycroft as portrayed here is much more prominent & imperious, and Sherlock accedes to his ‘authority’ more, whereas in the novels, they are respectful if distant — two introverts — equals).

    Re “twit Moffatt” — “It’s pretty when a story written over 120 years ago has better gender politics than its modern reimagining”:
    http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/helen-lewis-hasteley/2012/01/moffat-sherlock-women
    Or, more recently (SPOILERS for episode 3 this year):
    http://jezebel.com/what-happened-to-the-female-victor-of-this-sherlock-sto-1505197299
    Also, I basically hate this adaptation as a whole, except for BC. It puts brilliant fiction into a blender and hits ‘purée’, and the visual/editing style is Midsomer Murders + CSI for the short-attention-span set.

    • LadySlippers says:

      Ally,
      WOW those articles were WOW.
      Sorry. A bit speechless — especially after reading the article linked in the 2nd article posted. WOW but I do get people’s anger directed at Moffatt now.

      WOW.

  29. pru says:

    Good deal. Since this year we won’t be seeing as much of him onscreen, maybe 2015 will be a little more Cumberheavy with this, Lost City of Z & Everest?
    I don’t really have the energy to tackle S3 of Sherlock right now, but I will say I loved Drunk Sherlock. And the wedding reception/Best man speech scenes were so beautifully lit (natural light?), BC looked amazing!

  30. Shiv says:

    He is still in LA – someone tweeted about hiking behind him on Runyon Canyon. Much hiking behind that sweet sweet ass. I’d fall off!

  31. Ash says:

    He sure loves to work. This is why I picture him being single for at least another year unless a very understand woman comes along, but it seems he doesn’t like to jump into relationships. I hope he enjoys his singleness since he was in a looong relationship at one time, and doesn’t do anything stupid when it does come to dating.

    He is an amazing actor. Not conventional handsome, but I enjoy looking at him. Those eyes are just wow.

    • MSTHANG says:

      I’m a new fan but I don’t think this movie sounds interesting. I can’t picture him as some Special Forces type.

      • Ash says:

        I’m a new fan as well. I agree, this movie seems to be a bit off for him, but he did play a man that became a soldier in Parade’s End, and did a pretty good job. Given it was more of a drawn out love story than a war movie.

        He has proven it can do an action movie. We will see if he can pull off a military contractor. I’m sure he can since he is a fantastic actor.

      • Miss Scarlet says:

        He specifically did “Little Favour” as a sort of audition tape to get more action roles. Looks like it worked!