Sherlock Holmes: Doctor Who in waiting?

Benedict Cumberbatch will make a brilliant 12th Doctor Who,

.

Were it not for the lack of TARDIS and attractive female companion I could easily have believed I had accidentally tripped my vortex manipulator and been watching the Time Lord's adventures in 2012 while Sherlock was on.

It is believed that Matt Smith is going to hang up the tweed and realise bow ties are not cool at the end of the next series.

So there's no harm in wondering who will take on the biggest job in prime time television when that happens.

Cumberbatch, at 34, is about the age David Tennant was when he caught the wandering eye of Russell T Davies and was cast in Casanova. That series essentially became his audition tape to become the Last of the Time Lords.

Now Steven Moffat, at the helm of Doctor Who, has rebooted Sherlock Holmes minus the deerstalker and opium addiction and could well be using it to test out his new leading man.

With Mark Gatiss involved as well, lending more than just one script or guest appearance this time, the links between 221B Baker Street and Gallifrey are clear to see.

Cumberbatch himself is rakish, looks well in a long coat and has the ability to switch from moody to arrogant to verbally incontinent with ease. In short, he's already playing The Doctor – "Is it nice not being me? It must be so relaxing" – is dialogue that was probably left over from Doctor Who.

Not that this should take away anything from the best bit of Sunday night TV that I can remember in a long time. Sherlock stands up to scrutiny in its own right for a clever script with plenty of clues that no-one can get but that are obviously there when you know the answer.

The nicotine patches in place of opium and pipes were a brilliant touch and the camp malevolence of Gatiss left no doubt that this was intended to be a bit of fun and escapism – and there's nothing wrong with that.

It's just a shame it's been scheduled for the height of summer when its viewing figures will be far short of what it truly deserves. If the remainder of the series keeps up the plot and acting to this standard then we're in for a treat.

The game is afoot. Or, rather "on", as these modern types say nowadays.