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. 

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Image Sources: Hartswood Films, BBC Wales, Masterpiece theater

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Canonical Nods in "The Empty Hearse"

Canonical Nods in "The Sign of Three"

BBC Sherlock Season 3 Episode # 1 "The Empty Hearse" - Review

Dear Readers,

Having seen and enjoyed Season 3 of BBC Sherlock, I have decided to put down my thoughts.

The first episode “The Empty Hearse” has been long awaited by fans eager to unravel the mystery of how Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch) survived his fall at the end of “The Reichenbach Fall”.

Readers who have not yet seen the episode are welcome to skip the rest of the post, if they wish to avoid plot details.

The opening scenes offer a quick recap of the closing scenes of “The Reichenbach Fall”. Sherlock is seen taking the help of Molly Hooper (Louise Brealey) and even shares a kiss with her. The body of the dead Jim Moriarty (Andrew Scott) is substituted for Sherlock's with the help of a mask.

This is yet another of the theories proposed by Anderson (Jonathan Aris) to the hapless Detective Inspector Greg Lestrade (Rupert Graves).  Lestrade is as usual dismissive of  this theory. We saw a similar scene being played out in the Christmas 2013 minisode “Many Happy Returns”.

Sherlock Holmes is being held captive and physically tortured. He manages to distract his captor through his deductions. The other person sitting nearby is revealed to be Mycroft Holmes (Mark Gatiss).

Sherlock has been working his way to dismantle Moriarty's criminal empire. Mycroft needs Sherlock's assistance to thwart an impending terrorist threat to London. Sherlock promises Mycroft that he will work on the case.

Sherlock's immediate priority is to reunite with John Watson (Martin Freeman) and the rest of the usual gang. Mycroft informs Sherlock about John's whereabouts for the day and Sherlock plans a reunion.

Sherlock adds a touch of drama by improvising a quick disguise and a French accent to surprise John at the restaurant. John is about to propose to Mary Morstan (Amanda Abbington). Sherlock's arrival not only shocks John, but also disrupts John's plans for the evening.

John is not happy with Sherlock's actions and expresses his displeasure by attacking Sherlock more than once. Mary promises to bring John around.

A disappointed Sherlock recruits Molly to be his assistant. John gets kidnapped and it is up to Sherlock to save both John and London.

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The episode is a mixed bag, with far more misses than hits. The usually reliable Mark Gatiss spends a considerable amount of screentime to fan service. The theories about how Sherlock survived the fall are especially unpalatable. While some fans might be thrilled to see their fantasies come to life on the screen, I was taken aback.

There are also lot of meta references. Martin Freeman's finger gesture, Martin and Amanda being John and Mary, Benedict's real life parents Timothy Carlton and Wanda Ventham and Martin/John's remark about Benedict/Sherlock enjoying being Sherlock again.

This combination results in a weak episode. The climax is also arguably a big letdown. “The Empty Hearse” is in my opinion, the least watchable/entertaining among the ten episodes aired so far (including the Christmas minisode).

However, there are some delights to be had. I personally liked the deduction game between Sherlock and Mycroft involving a prospective client's hat at 221 B Baker Street. The scene refers to the deductions made by Sherlock Holmes about Henry Baker's hat in The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle.

The client scenes at 221 B Baker Street are enjoyable as always. Couple of these cases refer to A Case of Identity and The Adventure of the Creeping Man.

Another of my favorite scenes is the investigation of the “corpse”. I enjoyed Sherlock's comments about the corpse belonging to a shoddy Victorian outfit from a museum and being displayed on a dummy. Mark Gatiss has often commented about the overly serious nature of certain Sherlock Holmes adaptations. This is clearly Mark's handiwork, done is true Sherlock style.

Benedict Cumberbatch continues his superlative turn as Arthur Conan Doyle's iconic detective. It is a tribute to his acting skills that despite the previously mentioned weaknesses in the script, he manages to deliver such an impressive performance.

I especially liked Sherlock's reunion with Greg the best. Perfectly acted by both Benedict and Rupert, this was both humorous and touching in equal measure. The closing scene where Benedict dons the deerstalker nicely captures the essence of how perfectly he has been cast as Sherlock Holmes.

Martin also displays his acting chops in the scene with the old seller of books/DVDs. A double reference to Dr Verner (The Adventure of the Norwood Builder) and The Adventure of the Empty House.

 

Mary reading out aloud John's blog entry was another nice touch. She almost read verbatim few lines from The Sign of the Four. The rest of that blog entry refers to the plot of The Adventure of the Speckled Band.

Speaking of references, Mark Gatiss has included a number of nods to the Canon. Please click here to read all the Canonical references.

Another plus is that the season really picks up with the second episode “The Sign of Three”.

Recommended to fans of the series. Watching the episode with lowered expectations will definitely help increase the enjoyment factor. 

Click here to read all my posts about BBC Sherlock. 

If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

Image Sources: BBC Wales, Hartswood Films, Masterpiece Theatre

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Canonical Nods in "The Empty Hearse"

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BBC Sherlock Season 3 Episode # 2 "The Sign of Three" - Canonical References

I will be posting my review of “The Sign of Three” soon, once readers all over the world have seen it.

Readers who have not yet seen the episode are welcome to skip the rest of the post, if they wish to avoid plot details.

Here are the references to Arthur Conan Doyle's original stories:

1. Sherlock replies:  “I was composing. I am road-testing” when Mrs Hudson asks him if he was playing - Dr John Watson writes about Sherlock Holmes in The Adventure of the Red Headed League: “My friend was an enthusiastic musician, being himself not only a very capable performer but a composer of no ordinary merit.”

2. John hears violin music combined with Mrs Hudson's shrieks (of laughter) and asks her if she is dying due to Sherlock composing music - Dr John Watson writes about Sherlock Holmes playing his violin in A Study in Scarlet: “When left to himself, however, he would seldom produce any music or attempt any recognized air. Leaning back in his arm-chair of an evening, he would close his eyes and scrape carelessly at the fiddle which was thrown across his knee. Sometimes the chords were sonorous and melancholy.....I might have rebelled against these exasperating solos had it not been that he usually terminated them by playing in quick succession a whole series of my favorite airs as a slight compensation for the trial upon my patience.”

3. Sherlock tells Janine (Yasmine Akram) about his deduction that a wedding guest is wearing traces of two leading brands of deodorant, both advertised for their strength. - Sherlock Holmes states to Dr John Watson in The Hound of the Baskervilles: “There are seventy-five perfumes, which it is very necessary that a criminal expert should be able to distinguish from each other, and cases have more than once within my own experience depended upon their prompt recognition.”

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4. The character of Major James Sholto (Alistair Petrie) is a reference to the character of the same name in The Sign of the Four

5. Mycroft's comment to Sherlock over the phone about John's wedding: “John and Mary: Domestic bliss” - This is a bit tentative, but this reminded of Sherlock's observation about Dr John Watson in A Scandal in Bohemia: “Wedlock suits you.... I think, Watson, that you have put on seven and a half pounds since I saw you.”

6. Sherlock, the best man refers to a telegram from Mike Stamford (David Nellist) - In A Study in Scarlet, Stamford introduces Dr John Watson to Sherlock Holmes and the rest is history.
 

7. Sherlock, then reads a telegram from a certain CAM: “Oodles of love and heaps of wishes from CAM. Wish your family could have seen this” - The character of CAM is a possible reference to the titular character in the story, The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton

8. Sherlock is seen burning an eyeball, as part of an experiment - Dr John Watson writes about Sherlock Holmes in The Adventure of the Dying Detective: “His incredible untidiness, his addiction to music at strange hours, his occasional revolver practice within doors, his weird and often malodorous scientific experiments, and the atmosphere of violence and danger which hung around him made him the very worst tenant in London.”

9. Sherlock mistakenly drops the aforementioned eyeball in a cup of tea. Just after Sherlock takes a sip out of the cup, the eyeball resurfaces - Dr Watson mentions in The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual: “Our chambers were always full of chemicals and of criminal relics, which had a way of wandering into unlikely positions, and of turning up in the butter-dish, or in even less desirable places.”

10. Sherlock mentions to John as part of his best man speech: “I am afraid John, I can't congratulate you. All emotions in particular love stand opposed to the pure cold reason I hold above all things..” - When Dr John Watson informs Sherlock Holmes about his decision to marry Mary Morstan in The Sign of the Four, Holmes replies: “I really cannot congratulate you....love is an emotional thing, and whatever is emotional is opposed to that true cold reason which I place above all things. I should never marry myself, lest I bias my judgment.”

11. Sherlock's comment on John's writing style: “Of course, he tends to romanticize things a bit...” - In The Sign of the Four, Sherlock Holmes expresses his opinion to Dr John Watson's account of the Jefferson Hope case (A Study in Scarlet): “Honestly, I cannot congratulate you upon it. Detection is, or ought to be, an exact science, and should be treated in the same cold and unemotional manner. You have attempted to tinge it with romanticism, which produces much the same effect as if you worked a love-story or an elopement into the fifth proposition of Euclid.”

12. Sherlock quotes the following line almost verbatim from The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier: “Speaking of my old friend and biographer, I would take this opportunity to remark that if I burden myself with a companion in my various little inquiries it is not done out of sentiment or caprice, but it is that Watson has some remarkable characteristics of his own to which in his modesty he has given small attention amid his exaggerated estimates of my own performances.”

13. Sherlock mentions the case of the Poison Giant who throws poison darts - In The Sign of the Four, Tonga is an pygmy Andaman Islander and the trusted ally of Jonathan Small. Tonga uses poison darts to kill Bartholomew Sholto and makes an unsuccessful attempt on the lives of Sherlock Holmes and Dr John Watson during the chase on River Thames.

14. John remarks to Sherlock about a lady walking back and forth in front of the entrance to 221 B Baker Street. Sherlock replies: “She is a client. She is boring. I have seen those symptoms before. Oscillation on the pavement always means there is a love affair.” - Sherlock Holmes states about his client, Mary Sutherland in A Case of Identity: “I have seen those symptoms before,....Oscillation upon the pavement always means an affaire de coeur. She would like advice, but is not sure that the matter is not too delicate for communication.... Here we may take it that there is a love matter, but that the maiden is not so much angry as perplexed or grieved.”

15. Sherlock comments about the case of 3 husbands: “Solved it without leaving the flat.” - In A Study in Scarlet, Dr John Watson asks Sherlock Holmes: “But do you mean to say that without leaving your room you can unravel some knot which other men can make nothing of, although they have seen every detail for themselves?” Holmes replies: “Quite so. I have a kind of intuition that way.”

16. John explains his credentials to the superior officer of Private Stephen Bainbridge (Alfie Enoch), “the bloody guardsman” in order to treat him: “I am John Watson. Fifth Northumberland Fusiliers. 3 years in Afghanistan. Veteran of Kandahar, Helmand and then Bart's bloody hospital” - Dr John Watson writes in the beginning of A Study in Scarlet: “...I was duly attached to the Fifth Northumberland Fusiliers as Assistant Surgeon. The regiment was stationed in India at the time, and before I could join it, the second Afghan war had broken out.... I followed, however, with many other officers who were in the same situation as myself, and succeeded in reaching Candahar in safety, where I found my regiment, and at once entered upon my new duties.... I recognized young Stamford, who had been a dresser under me at Barts.”

17. DI Lestrade (Rupert Graves) theorizes that a dwarf could have crawled through an air vent or a similar opening and made the attempt to murder Bainsbridge - This is the actual solution to the mystery behind the murder of Bartholomew Sholto in The Sign of the Four

18. When Sherlock asks Molly Hooper (Louise Brealey) for her help for their alcohol consumption for the stag night, she replies: “You are a graduate chemist. Why don't you just work it out?” - Stamford explains about Sherlock Holmes to Dr John Watson in A Study in Scarlet: “A fellow who is working at the chemical laboratory up at the hospital.... I believe he is well up in anatomy, and he is a first-class chemist”. Dr John Watson also makes a note about Sherlock Holmes' skills and limits: “Chemistry.—Profound.”

19. Sherlock almost picks a fight with a fellow patron at the bar and shouts at him: “I know ash” - Sherlock Holmes tells Dr John Watson in The Sign of the Four: “Yes, I have been guilty of several monographs. They are all upon technical subjects. Here, for example, is one 'Upon the Distinction between the Ashes of the Various Tobaccoes.' In it I enumerate a hundred and forty forms of cigar-, cigarette-, and pipe-tobacco, with colored plates illustrating the difference in the ash.”

20. A drunk Sherlock tells John: “I have an international reputation” - In The Adventure of the Lion's Mane, Harold Stackhurst implores Sherlock Holmes: “For heaven’s sake, Holmes, use all the powers you have and spare no pains to lift the curse from this place, for life is becoming unendurable. Can you, with all your world-wide reputation, do nothing for us?”

21. While playing the game of 20 Questions, Sherlock asks John: “Am I human?” John replies: “Sometimes” - In The Sign of the Four, Dr John Watson is surprised that Sherlock Holmes did not notice the physical beauty of Mary Morstan, when she visits 221 B Baker Street as Sherlock's client. Dr Watson exclaims: “You really are an automaton,—a calculating-machine!...There is something positively inhuman in you at times.”

22. Again, while playing the game of 20 Questions, Sherlock asks: “Tall?”. John replies: “Not as tall as people think” - Dr John Watson writes about Sherlock Holmes' physicality in A Study in Scarlet: “His very person and appearance were such as to strike the attention of the most casual observer. In height he was rather over six feet, and so excessively lean that he seemed to be considerably taller.”

23. Sherlock tells John: “The game is.. something”. John completes: “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!”

24. A drunken Sherlock telling Tessa (Alice Lowe) while working on clues in the apartment to solve the case of the Mayfly Man: “Don't compromise the integrity of the...” John again completes: “crime scene” - This reminded me of the famous line spoken by Sherlock Holmes to Inspector Tobias Gregson about the pathway Number 3, Lauriston Gardens in A Study in Scarlet: “If a herd of buffaloes had passed along there could not be a greater mess. No doubt, however, you had drawn your owdn conclusions, Gregson, before you permitted this.”



25. Sherlock is seen stashing cigarettes inside his slippers – Dr John Watson writes about Sherlock Holmes in The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual: “...when I find a man who keeps his cigars in the coal-scuttle, his tobacco in the toe end of a Persian slipper, and his unanswered correspondence transfixed by a jack-knife into the very centre of his wooden mantelpiece, then I begin to give myself virtuous airs.”

26. Mycroft and Sherlock's exchange about the world being too lazy for this coincidence: Tessa, one of the Mayfly Man's victims knows John's middle name “Hamish” - This reminded me of following exchange between Mrs Laura Lyons and Sherlock Holmes about the reason for presence at the place and hour of Sir Charles Baskerville in The Hound of the Baskervilles: Mrs Lyons: “There is no connection.” Sherlock Holmes: “In that case the coincidence must indeed be an extraordinary one. But I think that we shall succeed in establishing a connection, after all.”

27. Sherlock indirectly hints to John about the dangerous situation at his wedding by proclaiming: “Vatican Cameos” - Sherlock Holmes tells Dr Mortimer in The Hound of the Baskervilles: “I had observed some newspaper comment at the time, but I was exceedingly preoccupied by that little affair of the Vatican cameos, and in my anxiety to oblige the Pope I lost touch with several interesting English cases.” 

28. Sherlock tells John: “You. It is always you, John Watson. You keep me right.” - Sherlock Holmes remarks to Dr John Watson in The Adventure of the Creeping Man: “Good, Watson! You always keep us flat-footed on the ground.”

29. John questions Sherlock: “How can you not remember which room? You remember everything!” - Sherlock Holmes states in The Adventure of the Lion's Mane: “I am an omnivorous reader with a strangely retentive memory for trifles.”

30. Sherlock's reply to John's aforementioned question: “I had to delete something!” - Sherlock Holmes lectures about the human brain to Dr John Watson in A Study in Scarlet: “I consider that a man's brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose. Now the skilful workman is very careful indeed as to what he takes into his brain-attic. He will have nothing but the tools which may help him in doing his work, but of these he has a large assortment, and all in the most perfect order. It is of the highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out the useful ones.”

31. John's comment about Sherlock: “You are not a puzzle solver. You never have been. You are a drama queen!” -
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.”
Sherlock Holmes remarks to Lord Cantlemere at 221 B Baker Street in The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone: “My old friend here will tell you that I have an impish habit of practical joking. Also that I can never resist a dramatic situation.”

32. John commands Sherlock: “The game is on. Now solve it!” - 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!”
 

33. Sherlock asks DI Lestrade to summon Jonathan Small, the substitute photographer to have his picture taken. When Small appears, Sherlock quickly puts the handcuffs on him, even before Small realizes it – In A Study in Scarlet, Sherlock Holmes apprehends Jefferson Hope, the cab driver by handcuffing him swiftly, after tricking him to come to 221 B Baker Street by hiring his services.

I welcome the readers to add any other references that might have been missed.

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

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Image Sources: BBC Wales, Hartswood Films, Masterpiece Theatre

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Canonical Nods in "The Empty Hearse"

Canonical Nods in "A Study in Pink"