To get through the obvious, the show is brilliant.

Coming from watching Jeremy Brett's version, the first part to comment on is the adaptation. The attention to detail, either through careful research or ingenuity, is immediately recognizable. The show chooses the parts of the lore that would still give a strong sense of the 'Sherlock Holmes' mythology and yet manages to successfully transform the characters to the present day. The parts where it defies the past and brings in its 'twist' to the characters, are intelligently done; since, any one familiar with the 'Sherlock Holmes' can easily reason with these changes and accept it fairly easily. The scene in 'The Hounds of Baskerville' where Sherlock is bored and needs a nicotine fix is a case in point. - Score 10

The other big aspect being the plots used. It appears to me that the plots also like the characters are inspired. However, the influences are not limited to the Canon, but are derived from other classic private detective movies and shows as well. For example the story arc of Holmes and Irene trying to outsmart each other in 'A Scandal in Belgravia' reminds me of the tussle between Sam Spade and Mary Astor in the film noir classic 'Maltese Falcon'. - Score 10

Having said that, the show is not just a clever montage. The creators and writers have definitely strived and managed to create a new identity in the show, both in terms of the characters and the story lines. And this aspect of the show is where I feel they are lagging a bit. I feel the endings are a little over-explained or too goody-goody for a sizable chunk of the shows' target audience. The sort who know their Sherlock Holmes and or or, are the followers of the private detective genre. However based on the creativity and the genius of the creators, I am pretty confident that this is something that can be fixed and will be as the seasons roll out. - Score 8

In summary, it is a great show with a clear promise of it becoming a classic in its own right.