Sherlock: The Final Problem

I really enjoyed this episode, for the suspense of what trap would be laid by the Holmes sister Eurus next, the bizarre fate of the little girl on the plane, and the mystery of Redbeard.

The Little Girl On The Plane

I don't quite understand how Eurus pulled this part off, how she was producing the voice of the scared child.  Pre-recorded?  On the fly?  I was certainly worried about her until the point were she remained in the air on that plane for hours and it never went any lower or arrived at the city in the distance.

The Trap Rooms and Forced Moral Choices

Having someone have to choose between who might be killed, or asking them to kill one of two who are held dear, it's always an impossible situation with no good outcome. 

Somehow the Holmes boys and Watson managed, with one "win" and one "loss".   I found Mycroft to be particularly interesting in these scenarios.  Such a fussy, fussy man.  Sherlock was brilliant but humane, a long in the making story arc for his character.

Redbeard

So much of the characters of Mycroft, Sherlock and Eurus was revealed in the childhood scenes were there was little dialog, but the children were so much what they would become.  The little girl playing Eurus was so cute, but she had sociopath writ large on her tiny features.

Heartbreaking enough to hear the story of Redbeard, Sherlock's missing dog, but so much more awful to realize there was no dog.  That poor little guy.

I've read numerous reviews that seem pretty upset about the episode.  Ridiculous, they think.  I felt it was a great character development episode.

I'm also seeing many noting it could be the end of the series, because the actors are sooo busy doing other things.  Pffft.  I'm hoping for many adventures to come.

Sherlock: The Lying Detective

Here's a bizarre episode, that I did not enjoy for the most part, yet it redeemed itself at the end.

While I was watching, I kept thinking of the old series The Prisoner.  Wasn't there constant maniacal laughter throughout that show?  With confusing, psychedelic visuals?  Maybe it was just one episode.

In any case, as you're watching Sherlock in his drugged, incomprehensible state, you can't tell what is real and what he is imagining. 

Somehow, the plot moves along and you're pretty sure he is actually seeing through the haze to the truth, and a cuddly looking little bear of a philanthropist probably really is a serial killer.

Flaw in the telling this week:

I know you have to write it off to Sherlock's reduced ability to observe and comprehend, but I feel Sherlock's analytics were working well enough so he'd notice the artificial lenses worn by the murderer's "daughter," and that she clearly did not need the cane she carried at all.  He spent a lot of time with her and he would not have missed these things among many others.

Mary

I was pleased to see Mary back haunting Watson's psyche, what a waste of a great character to kill her off.  That final scene!!! where Watson confesses to her that he cheated with the woman on the bus in a texting relationship, (sniff) that was so heartbreaking.  Even Sherlock was moved to give him a hug.  (sniff)

Sherlock: The Six Thatchers

I really enjoyed this new episode of Sherlock. 

In particular, I loved Mary as spy/agent/infiltrator.  I could have watched the Mary as Spy show, but unfortunately, they had her leap in front of Sherlock.

The mastermind behind everything was a complete surprise.  I was hoping it wasn't Moriarty, because I never liked this show's particular Moriarty version and am hoping he remains dead. 

John is being completely unreasonable, and I also don't feel for him as I might since he was having a flirtation with some woman on the bus.  Unworthy, John, completely unworthy of Great Mary The Spy and you haven't any leg to stand on being angry at Sherlock.

I suppose it's some form of Make Up/Break Up between he and Holmes, but meh.

Red Herring city, I thought The Black Pearl was surely in one of the Thatcher heads, but no. 

I thought the scene where they show Mary's old agent bud hiding the flash drive in the statue head was silly, he doesn't get it in there and seal it, he just has time to tip the bottom, stuff in the drive and tip it back.  The first person to handle it would have seen it and there would be no head Thatcher plaster heads smashed at all.

Mycroft's office was pretty creepy, more like a jail cell than an office.

I liked Sherlock's patience with the dog.

Sherlock Season Three to Begin Filming

Filming for season three of the PBS series Sherlock begins filming on the 18th of March, great news for fans of the longer twistier version of Sherlock Holmes' adventures currently on television.  We probably won't see them in the US till late 2013 or early 2014, but at least we know it is coming.  Benedict Cumberbatch also revealed he and his Watson are signed for a fourth season.

Read more via the Washington Post.

Sherlock Holmes Season One

I finally watched season one of Sherlock after many encouragements to do so.  I was surprised at the length of the episodes  90 minutes! (which the official site rightfully describes as more like a film than a television episode).

I like the Doctor Watson character.  I saw Martin Freeman first as Bilbo and so was prepared to like him.   Here, though, he is a very different character.  This Watson has plenty of depth.  I find it fascinating that after just a few episodes Watson is somehow calming and focusing the hyperkinetic crazed Sherlock personality.  Much like Lucy Liu's Watson is a calming influence on Elementary's Holmes.

Holmes himself is hard for me to like so far.  He seems to have little humanity.  He is all about the mental exercise of solving crimes.  How he saw the hostages in The Great Game episode really showed that he hadn't any feeling for them or their desperate plight.  He has a villainous countenance.  Watson has a long way to go to find a heart in this man.  However, also in the Great Game he seems to be getting some attachment to Watson.

I found Moriarty repulsive.  That baby face.  That careening voice.  Ick.  I also watched a video on the official site about why they made him a bit different from the traditional Moriarty, and I respect it.  We shall see.

Luckily I have seaon two at hand.