BBC Sherlock S4E1 "The Six Thatchers" - Recap and Review

There will be spoilers throughout and the readers who are yet to watch the episode are recommended to skip this post.

At the end of “His Last Vow”, Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch) shot Charles Magnussen (Lars Mikkelsen) at point blank range in order to protect Mary Watson (Amanda Abbington). Mycroft Holmes (Mark Gatiss) had arranged for Sherlock to leave the country on a MI6 mission, but the mission lasts only a few minutes thanks to a widely telecast video indicating the return of the allegedly dead criminal mastermind Jim Moriarty (Andrew Scott).

With the help of technical experts, the footage showing Sherlock shooting Magnussen has been doctored to ensure Sherlock's continued free existence. John Watson (Martin Freeman) and Mary soon have a baby daughter, Rosamund Mary.

Sherlock is meanwhile awaiting Moriarty to make his presence known and is looking for patterns in seemingly trivial cases. DI Lestrade (Rupert Graves) and DI Hopkins (Eleanor Matsuura) try to help Sherlock in his quest. In a murder case, Sherlock notices that a bust of the late Margaret Thatcher has been broken to pieces.

Sherlock's instincts are proven right when four more incidents are reported, wherein a bust has been the target. Sherlock comes face-to-face with the criminal when he tries to break the sixth one. He is Ajay (Sacha Dhawan) and used to be on the same special ops team as Mary.

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Ajay believes that Mary betrayed him and three other members (their names are collectively referred to as A.G.R.A) during their last mission together. Readers might remember that, Mary had a flash drive (with the initials A.G.R.A. inscribed on it) containing details about her past life.

Ajay makes his exit and promises to go after Mary, despite Sherlock warning him that Mary is under his protection. Sherlock finds Mary and informs her about Ajay's intentions. Mary drugs him unconscious and flees.

Mary has a set of hiding spots that she chooses with a roll of the dice. She is in Morocco and is confident that she has thrown everyone off her tail. Of course, Sherlock knows where she is and is very much at home welcoming her to her own safe place. He has placed a tracker on Mary. But they are in for a nasty surprise, as Ajay turns up with vengeance in mind. He has been following Sherlock (!).

A shootout ensues and Mary tries to convince Ajay that she is not the traitor. Ajay has heard whispers of an Englishwoman who goes by the codename “Ammo” as being responsible for the death of his ex-teammates.

Ajay is killed by the local police before he completes his self-appointed mission. Sherlock figures out that “Ammo” is in fact “Amo” which means “I Love” in Latin. This makes Lady Smallwood the primary suspect as her codeword is Love.

Smallwood however protests her innocence. Sherlock then deduces that it is her secretary, Vivian Norbury (Marcia Warren) who is the mastermind.

Sherlock arranges a meeting with Vivian at the aquarium and also invites Mary, Mycroft, Lestrade among others. He proceeds to insult Vivian who shoots the arrogant detective. Mary jumps in front of Sherlock and takes the bullet.

Neither John's medical knowledge nor anybody else can save Mary from meeting her maker. Mary has left a final note for Sherlock via a DVD. She asks him to take care of John Watson.

This was an uneven episode that was boring at the beginning, picked up steam during the middle and fizzled out in the end.  The only case that Sherlock solved happened within the first 15 minutes and was strangely uninvolving. It was weird to see Sherlock suddenly having premonitions. On top of that, Sherlock solving cases without leaving 221 B Baker Street was a bit like Mycroft Holmes. As Holmes himself said about his elder brother in The Greek Interpreter: “If the art of the detective began and ended in reasoning from an armchair, my brother would be the greatest criminal agent that ever lived. But he has no ambition and no energy. He will not even go out of his way to verify his own solutions, and would rather be considered wrong than take the trouble to prove himself right. ”

The lesser said about the opening scene where Sherlock is briefed by Mycroft, Lady Smallwood and Sir Edwin, the better. Sherlock just acts like a spoilt brat and is a far cry from the man described by Dr Watson in The Final Problem as “the best and the wisest man whom I have ever known. ”

It did not help that the chemistry among the ensemble cast was almost non-existent. In the previous seasons (including the much criticized Season 3), the cast seemed to be having a great time working together. But this time, it is a different story.

Most of the cast members appear to have lost interest and there is a distinct sense of boredom in the proceedings.This point is best reflected by the non-human member of the cast: Toby. As Holmes himself said about dogs in The Adventure of the Creeping Man: “A dog reflects the family life. Whoever saw a frisky dog in a gloomy family, or a sad dog in a happy one?”

Another interesting thing that struck me was the obvious cut in budget. Most of the scenes were clearly shot inside a studio. Compare this with any other episode and readers will appreciate the jarring difference.

Finally, I have to mention the number of shots showcasing bodies of water (aquarium, swimming pool etc.). I am sure there is a good point to all this, but it went right over my head. Perhaps, some reader who has understood this can enlighten me.

The best part of the episode was the standout performance by Amanda Abbington as Mary Watson in Jane Bond mode. She has amazing onscreen presence and it is a pity that her character had to go. Perhaps, Moffat and Gatiss can make a spin-off show based on her adventures. Since the show is called “Sherlock”, this level of screen-time allocated to Mary (no matter how good Amanda is in the role) takes away the focus from the titular character and this is never a good idea.

Other performance worth mentioning is by Sacha Dhawan as the vengeful Ajay. He brings equal parts of pathos and determination to his role.

In a scene towards the end, Mycroft Holmes (Mark Gatiss) is seen placing a call to one Sherrinford Holmes. The character of Sherrinford Holmes was not created by Arthur Conan Doyle. William S. Baring-Gould created this character in his fictional biography “Sherlock Holmes of Baker Street”.

But the most significant aspect of “The Six Thatchers” is the surprisingly dull performance of Benedict Cumberbatch. For the first time in the show's history, I saw him being bored with the role.

Personally speaking, Cumberbatch has been the # 1 reason for me enjoying the show so much. While the BBC version is quite different from the Canonical Holmes, still I like it for the sheer passion and dedication the actor brings to the table every time he is onscreen.

When a show's lead actor becomes tired of the character, it is not a good omen. We have to wait and see if Cumberbatch regains his enthusiasm failing which it would be best that the show wraps up with the third episode “The Final Problem”.

Click here to read all the Canonical references in the episode.  Click here to read all my posts about BBC Sherlock.

Image Sources: Hartswood Films, BBC Wales, Masterpiece theater

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BBC Sherlock Canonical References and Nods - "The Six Thatchers" S4E1

The first episode of Season 4 has aired and as can be expected, Mark Gatiss has scripted quite a few nods to Arthur Conan Doyle's original stories and novels. There might be spoilers and the readers who are yet to watch the episode are recommended to skip this post.

1. Sherlock takes a case from a pile affixed to the mantelpiece with a knife - Dr John Watson writes about Sherlock Holmes in The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual: “..his unanswered correspondence transfixed by a jack-knife into the very centre of his wooden mantelpiece,…”

2. An onscreen text reads: “Mr Hatherley came straight round to Baker Street in a terrible state. He was white as a sheet and bleeding from an awful wound on his hand. Exactly how he came by this wound was at first confusing...”. Sherlock then says: “Come back, it is the wrong thumb” - Reference to the Canonical story, The Adventure of the Engineer's Thumb in which Victor Hatherley, the titular hydraulic engineer has his thumb severed by Colonel Lysander Stark.

3. There is a case involving a jellyfish being the assassin - Reference to the Canonical story, The Lion's Mane. In this story, the murderer is Lion's Mane Jellyfish (Cyanea capillata).

4. Sherlock sends a text: “Fresh paint to disguise another smell” - In The Adventure of the Retired Colorman, Holmes explains how he deduced that Josiah Amberley is the killer:  “Why should this man at such a time be filling his house with strong odours? Obviously, to cover some other smell which he wished to conceal - some guilty smell which would suggest suspicions.”

5. Sherlock texts: “If dog can't swim, neighbour is the killer” -  This is a bit tenuous, but reminded me of  the“singular epidemic among the sheep” in The Silver Blaze. In this story, Sherlock Holmes guesses that the killer (John Straker) would have practiced nicking the tendons on the sheep before trying it out on the titular horse. Further, after Silver Blaze escaped after accidentally killing Straker, it was taken care of by one of the neighbors (Silas Brown).


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6. DI Hopkins (Eleanor Matsuura) mentions to DI Lestrade about the case of the Borgia Pearl - This is a reference to The Adventure of the Six Napoleons, the story that inspired the title of this episode. The plot of that story involves an Italian immigrant (Beppo) who hides the black pearl of the Borgias inside a bust of Napoleon Bonaparte.

7. Sherlock is seen lecturing the baby Rosamund Mary: “As always you see, but you do not observe” - Sherlock Holmes tells Dr John Watson in A Scandal in Bohemia: “You see, but you do not observe. The distinction is clear.”

8. Sherlock's deduces that his client started out in manual labor by observing that his right hand is bigger than his left. Then the client confirms that he was a carpenter. When Sherlock explains how he came to his conclusions, the client downplays the detective's skills as being simple and that that there is not much to them - In The Red-Headed League, Sherlock explains how he deduced that his client, Jabez Wilson did manual labor: “Your hands, my dear sir. Your right hand is quite a size larger than your left. You have worked with it, and the muscles are more developed.” Jabez confirms that he began work as a ship's carpenter. Jabez then laughs after hearing Sherlock's chain of reasoning and says: “I thought at first that you had done something clever, but I see that there was nothing in it, after all.”

9. Sherlock deduces that his client has a Japanese girlfriend from the Japanese tattoo (that reads “Akako”) on the crook of his elbow. The tattoo is blurred now as a result of attempts made to erase it. - In The Gloria Scott, Holmes surprises Trevor Sr. by telling him that he has been “most intimately associated with some one whose initials were J. A., and whom you afterwards were eager to entirely forget”. Holmes explains how he came to this conclusion: “When you bared your arm to draw that fish into the boat I saw that J. A., had been tattooed in the bend of the elbow. The letters were still legible, but it was perfectly clear from their blurred appearance, and from the staining of the skin round them, that efforts had been made to obliterate them. It was obvious, then, that those initials had once been very familiar to you, and that you had afterwards wished to forget them.” Trevor Sr. later reveals that his real name is James Armitage.

10. Sherlock's line: “The game is on” - Sherlock Holmes awakens Dr John Watson in The Adventure of the Abbey Grange and implores him: “Come, Watson, come! ... The game is afoot. Not a word! Into your clothes and come!”

11. When Lestrade wonders aloud who would go around smashing busts, John theorizes that some people have a complex of being obsessed over a particular thing that they cannot let go (an idée fixe). To which Sherlock replies: “Why would a monomaniac fixate on just one?” - In The Adventure of the Six Napoleons, Dr Watson puts forward his theory: “There are no limits to the possibilities of monomania...There is the condition which the modern French psychologists have called the idée fixe...”.

12. Craig tells Sherlock: “There is quite a market for Cold War memorabilia: Thatcher, Reagan, Stalin. Time is a great leveler, isn't it? Thatcher’s like ... Napoleon now.” - Yet another reference to The Adventure of the Six Napoleons.

13. Craig also informs Sherlock that the busts were supplied by Gelder and Co. and that out of the six busts, one was given to Dr Barnicot, two to Miss Orrie Harker and one to Jack Sandeford of Reading - In The Adventure of the Six Napoleons, the supplier of the busts is Gelder & Co. and out of the six Napoleon busts, one was sent to Mr. Horace Harker, one to Mr. Josaih Brown and one to Mr. Sandeford of Lower Grove Road, Reading.

14. Sherlock displays his lack of knowledge about who the late Margaret Thatcher is as well as the fact about her being the first lady Prime Minister of England - In A Study in Scarlet, Dr Watson writes that Holmes has “feeble” knowledge of Politics.

15. The flash drive with the initials “A.G.R.A.” referring to the names of the four team members - Reference to The Sign of the Four in which the character of Mary Morstan was introduced. The novel's plot involves the treasure belonging to four convicts: Jonathan Small, Mahomet Singh, Abdullah Khan and Dost Akbar.

16. Toby, the bloodhound who is used by Sherlock to track the individual responsible for destroying the Thatcher busts. While following the scent of blood found on the broken busts, Toby's trail finally ends at a butcher's shop - In The Sign of Four, Holmes explains to Dr Watson about Toby: “... a queer mongrel, with a most amazing power of scent. I would rather have Toby's help than that of the whole detective force of London.” Holmes uses Toby to track down the killers using a creosote handkerchief. Toby after a long run, finally ends up at a barrel of creosote near a timber-yard.

17. John tells Mary after he and Sherlock track her down in Morocco: “Mary, I may not be a very good man but I think I am better than what you give me credit for most of the time.” - In The Yellow Face, Grant Munro tell his wife: “I am not a very good man, Effie, but I think that I am a better one than you have given me me credit for being.”

18. Sherlock remembers Mycroft mentioning some code names: Langdale, Porlock (among others) -

In The Valley of Fear, Sherlock Holmes deciphers the code sent by Porlock, one of Professor Moriarty’s agents from books. Holmes explains to Dr Watson about Porlock: “Porlock, Watson, is a nom-de-plume, a mere identification mark; but behind it lies a shifty and evasive personality.”

In The Adventure of the Three Gables, Dr Watson writes about Langdale Pike: “I saw no more of Holmes during the day, but I could well imagine how he spent it, for Langdale Pike was his human book of reference upon all matters of social scandal. This strange, languid creature ... was the receiving station as well as the transmitter for all the gossip of the metropolis …. Holmes discreetly helped Langdale to knowledge, and on occasion was helped in turn.”

19. Sherlock texts Mary: “The curtain rises. The last act. It is not over” - In The Adventure Of The Second Stain, Holmes states: “Excellent! ... Come, friend Watson, the curtain rings up for the last act.”

20. Sherlock deduces that Vivian lives on Wigmore Street based on the clay on her shoes - In A Study in Scarlet, Dr Watson writes about Sherlock Holmes' skills in Geology: “Practical, but limited. Tells at a glance different soils from each other.  After walks has shown me splashes upon his trousers, and told me by their colour and consistence in what part of London he had received them.”

21. Inside the aquarium, Sherlock tells Vivian: “Nice location for the final act.... I can't resist a touch of the dramatic” - 

Sherlock Holmes states in The Valley of Fear: “Watson insists that I am the dramatist in real life,... Some touch of the artist wells up within me, and calls insistently for a well-staged performance.”

Sherlock Holmes explains to Percy Phelps in The Adventure of the Naval Treaty: “.... but Watson here will tell you that I never can resist a touch of the dramatic.”

22. In the aftermath of Mary's death, Sherlock tells Mrs Hudson: “Work is the best antidote to sorrow” - In The Empty House,  Dr Watson writes about Holmes: “In some manner he had learned of my own sad bereavement, and his sympathy was shown in his manner rather than in his words”. Holmes then tells Dr Watson: “Work is the best antidote to sorrow, my dear Watson..and I have a piece of work for us both tonight which, if we can bring it to a successful conclusion, will in itself justify a man's life on this planet.”

23. Sherlock's request to Mrs Hudson to say the word “Norbury” to him if she ever thinks that he is getting overconfident  - In The Yellow Face, Holmes tells Dr Watson: “Watson...if it should ever strike you that I am getting a little overconfident in my powers, or giving less pains to a case than it deserves, kindly whisper 'Norbury' in my ear, and I shall be infinitely obliged to you”.

Trivia:

1. One of the cases Sherlock solves is “Canary Trainer” - Reference to a Sherlock Holmes pastiche: “The Canary Trainer: From the Memoirs of John H. Watson, M.D” by Nicholas Meyer.

2. Mycroft places a call to one Sherrinford Holmes. Mycroft also alluded to the other brother at the end of His Last Vow - The character of Sherrinford Holmes was not created by Arthur Conan Doyle. William S. Baring-Gould created this character in his fictional biography “Sherlock Holmes of Baker Street”. Sherrinford is presumed to be the eldest of the three brothers.

3.  The character of David Welsborough is portrayed by Charles Edwards - Charles also played Arthur Conan Doyle in Murder Rooms: Mysteries of the Real Sherlock Holmes, the TV series that starred the late Ian Richardson as Dr. Joseph Bell. Dr Bell is credited as the man who inspired Doyle to create the legendary detective. 

4. Sherlock is also seen working on the case of “The Duplicate Man ”: How could Dennis Parkinson be in two places at the same time? And murdered in one of them?. Sherlock says: "It is never twins" - Possible reference to the plot of the Sherlock Holmes pastiche movie: Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silk Stocking starring Rupert Everett as the titular detective. The mystery is resolved 

Readers are welcome to point out any other nods I might have missed out.

Click here to read my review of this episode. Click here to read all my posts about BBC Sherlock.

Image Sources: Hartswood Films, BBC Wales, Masterpiece Theatre, Cumberbatchweb

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BBC Sherlock Season 3 Episode # 2 "The Sign of Three" - Recap and Review

At the end of “The Empty Hearse”, Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch) and John Watson (Martin Freeman) are back in business at 221 B Baker Street for new cases. A mysterious figure was seen, watching the recorded video of Sherlock rescuing John Watson.

Detective Inspector Greg Lestrade (Rupert Graves) and Sergeant Sally Donovan (Vinette Robinson) have been working hard to solve a series of bank robberies. Just as Lestrade is about to make the arrest, he gets a phone call from Sherlock, asking for his immediate presence at 221 B.

Overriding Sally's objections, Lestrade rushes to Sherlock's apartment with heavy backup, in attendance. Concerned by the urgent nature of Sherlock's request, Lestrade is prepared for almost any contigency.

But to his surprise, Sherlock merely asks for his assistance to draft the Best Man's Speech at the wedding of John and Mary Morstan (Amanda Abbington). This scene sets the tone for the rest of the episode: a fun and light one, featuring a Sherlock as we have never seen before.

On the D-day, Sherlock makes a very interesting speech, comprised of recollections of previous cases and their stag night among other details.

Some of these cases include The Poison Giant, The Matchbox, The Mayfly Man, The Bloodied Soldier, The Elephant in the Room, The 3 husbands. The Poison Giant is a reference to The Sign of the Four. The Matchbox alludes to The Thor Bridge, in which Dr Watson mentions in passing about Isadora Persano.

The one involving the Mayfly Man is the most significant one from plot perspective and occupies a significant amount of screentime.

Sherlock and John get heavily drunk during the stag night. Sherlock almost comes to blows with another bar patron. Back at 221 B, Sherlock and John play the game of 20 Questions, with Sherlock being Sherlock Holmes and John being Madonna. This scene has couple of great Canonical References via the questions asked by Sherlock.

A client, Tessa (Alice Lowe) shows up, asking for Sherlock's assistance about a mysterious man she dated. Sherlock passes out at the apartment, where the Mayfly Man dated Tessa. Sherlock and John end up in jail and are bailed out by Lestrade.

Another case is that of the Bloodied Soldier, that Sherlock leaves unsolved.

As Sherlock continues to deliver his Best Man Speech, he hits upon a clue to solve the Mayfly Man case. Sherlock discovers that the Mayfly Man is present at the wedding itself and is about to murder someone.

Sherlock deduces that the intended victim is Major James Sholto (Alistair Petrie), John's former commanding officer. Major Sholto has been living in anonymity following the deaths of several men under his command.

Sherlock captures Sholto's potential killer, Jonathan Small (Jalaal Hartley) the substitute photographer for the wedding.

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Based on the novel, The Sign of the Four (SIGN), this episode has been written by Steve Thompson and directed by Colm McCarthy. Steve has made some significant changes to the original story - In SIGN, Major Sholto was the friend of Mary Morstan's father, Captain Arthur Morstan. In this adaptation, it is John who has served under Sholto. Similarly, Jonathan Small in SIGN, wanted revenge on Major Sholto and Captain Morstan for stealing the treasure that duly belonged to Small and his three Indian friends. Here, Small is hellbent on killing Sholto for the death of his brother. Small cleverly works up his way among Sholto's workforce, by dating the women as the Mayfly Man until he figures out that Major Sholto will be attending John's wedding. Small even practices his modus operandi on Bainbridge (Alfie Enoch) to make sure that his actual murder attempt on Sholto is completed successfully.

This episode is a big step up from the previous one, “The Empty Hearse”.

Benedict Cumberbatch gets to show his versatile acting talents to great success. Sherlock's reaction to Molly's description of her physical intimacy with her current boyfriend, Tom (Ed Birch) is hilarious. Despite taking on the role of the Best Man and delivering the speech against his own wishes, Sherlock does an amazing job.

As John Watson writes in A Scandal in Bohemia: “It was not merely that Holmes changed his costume. His expression, his manner, his very soul seemed to vary with every fresh part that he assumed. The stage lost a fine actor, even as science lost an acute reasoner, when he became a specialist in crime.” Full credit to Benedict for bringing life to these immortal lines of Arthur Conan Doyle. 

Benedict's rapidfire delivery of the line: “The who, the what, the when, the why, the where?” in response to Archie's theory about the invisible man was amazing.

Benedict has a good chemistry with Yasmine Akram as Janine, the bridesmaid. I liked his confession of his love for dancing and the subsequent little “dance” routine he performs for her.

I also liked his quick jump over the table. He projects Sherlock's physical vitality effortlessly. As John Watson writes in The Sign of the Four: “He mounted the steps, and, seizing a rafter with either hand, he swung himself up into the garret. Then, lying on his face, he reached down for the lamp and held it while I followed him.”

The rest of the cast get their own share of the limelight.

Rupert Graves (when he bails out Sherlock and John), Una Stubbs (while explaining her whirlwind romance with Mr Hudson to John), Louise Brealey (during the aforementioned scene with Sherlock).

Alice Lowe makes a great guest star. Hope to see more of her in the upcoming season(s).

However, it is Mark Gatiss who steals the show as Mycroft Holmes. His scenes with Sherlock, where he mentors him about coincidences and especially, his advice to “narrow it down” were simply superb. It is a great choice to expand on Mycroft's screentime and Mark completely justifies this decision.

Click here to read all the Canonical references in the episode. 

Click here to read all my posts about BBC Sherlock.

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Image Sources: Hartswood Films, BBC Wales, Masterpiece theater

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