BBC Sherlock S4E3 "The Final Problem" - Recap and Review

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

As seen at the end of “The Lying Detective”, there is one more Holmes lurking around and that is Eurus (Sian Brooke). Eurus is seen taking a shot at John Watson (Martin Freeman) and this is supposedly meant to indicate that either John is dead or at least injured.

The season finale starts off with Mycroft Holmes (Mark Gatiss) watching classic movie at his palatial home. Suddenly, horror movie cliches (creepy girl and creepy clown running around randomly) abound and Mycroft is scared out of his wits. Turns out that his “brother dear” Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch) is behind this charade.

Sherlock wanted to get even with Mycroft for not revealing the existence of Eurus. And as an added bonus, John is still alive. What about getting shot by the scheming sister, you ask. Well, it was just a tranquilizer shot. No worries.

Mycroft then gives a quick rundown about Eurus (“an era defining genius beyond Newton”). If only she had not gone bad, the world would have benefited from her genius intellect or at the least Sherlock would not have had so much trouble from that pesky criminal mastermind, Jim Moriarty (Andrew Scott).

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But as thing stand, Eurus has gone bonkers. As if she had predicted the exact time and day of this conversation, Eurus arranges a nice explosion at 221 B Baker Street by sending a remote controlled drone. Man, that Eurus is so smart.

Like any respectable action heroes would do in such a situation, Sherlock and John escape completely unscathed and decide to take the war right back to “sister dear”.

The next scene shifts to Sherlock, John and Mycroft arriving at Sherrinford and right at this moment, the show divorced itself from Arthur Conan Doyle's works (on which it is supposed to be based on).

The rest of the episode is busy doing an ill-advised and completely out of place imitation of the Saw horror movies rather than be a show about a bohemian detective. And yes, the resolution. The resolution comes and goes like the Miss Hudson cameo in the other equally inept adaptation that also claims to be based on one Mr Sherlock Holmes: the CBS show known as Elementary.

Coming back to this show,  Eurus has taken complete control of Sherrinford and subjects her dearest brothers and the ex army veteran to a series of psychological tests including making a phone call to Molly Hooper (Louise Brealey), one character choosing between shooting one of the other two etc. Yes, the episode is that bad.

A special mention must be made of the closing montage. With the departed Mary Morstan still making her presence felt through DVDs (come to think of it, so many characters make their appearances through clips after dying..), the show ends with a tribute to Basil Rathbone with the lead actors continuing the time honored tradition of Batman and Robin running towards the camera.

Mrs Hudson (Una Stubbs), who stole the show in the previous episode, has the best line in this one too: her exchange with Mycroft about a cup of tea.

Surprisingly, the best performance is not given by either the Holmes brothers or their new found sister or even the cute as a button and always teary eyed John. It is Andrew Scott as the late Jim Moriarty with his very brief but very catchy and enjoyable contributions by imitating the sounds of time ticking away and train sounds.

I know this makes no sense when you read it, but it really translates well to screen. I have never been a fan of Andrew's over the top version of Moriarty, but this was just pure fun. Scott's performance remains the only redeeming feature of this shipwreck of what was once a widely acclaimed show. Here is an article that captures the unbelievable plot holes and gaps in the script.

Going forward, I can only hope for two things: that the BBC show never returns, and that Guy Ritchie and Robert Downey Jr. learn from this mistake and continue their great work with the third Sherlock Holmes movie.

Click here to read the list of 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 Season 4 air date revealed!

Dear Readers,

The premiere dates for Season 4 have been revealed: Jan 01 2017. The season will air simultaneously in both the UK and the US on the same day.

Here is the latest trailer for Season 4:

I prefer this trailer to the previous one. This one actually contains some substance, compared to the first trailer which was all too serious and full of poses and reaction shots.

The trailer strongly indicates the return of Jim Moriarty, given the reactions displayed by Sherlock. Another antagonist is Culverton Smith, played by Toby Jones. As readers of the Canon will be aware, Culverton Smith appears in the original story: The Adventure of the Dying Detective.

As for Moriarty's return from being dead, I am reminded me of the following lines spoken by Sherlock Holmes in The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire: “This agency stands flat-footed upon the ground, and there it must remain. The world is big enough for us. No ghosts need apply.”

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Let us see if Moriarty does return and if so, how will Gatiss and Moffat explain the same.

My favorite lines in the trailer were: “You Reptile” (spoken by Mrs Hudson to Mycroft). The final exchange between Sherlock and Mycroft was good too: “Keep me Informed.” “of what?” “Absolutely no idea...”. Of course, these lines might have been taken from different scenes. We will know when the episode airs.

But right now, the trailer has succeeded in arousing my interest in the series that is just two months away.

Click here to read all my posts about BBC Sherlock.

Image Sources: Hartswood Films, BBC Wales, Masterpiece Theatre

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BBC Sherlock Christmas Special Teaser - Review

Click here to read the list of Canonical references in this episode.

The first look teaser for the upcoming Christmas special episode of BBC Sherlock has been released.

As the camera pans back from the familiar close-up shot of the Baker Street. w. sign, we see that it is a foggy London teaming with hansoms and snowing heavily.Yes, as readers might be aware, this stand alone episode is set in the 19th century, the actual time in which Arthur Conan Doyle started writing the original stories and novels.

Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Dr John Watson (Martin Freeman) return from one of their adventures. A frustrated Mrs Hudson (Una Stubbs) wishes loudly that her famous tenant should inform her beforehand about his planned arrival.

Accompanying her is a young boy, who may or may not be Billie, Holmes' page in The Valley of Fear, The Problem of Thor Bridge and The Mazarin Stone. He is played by Adam Greaves-Neal, who portrayed Archie in “The Sign of Three”.

The rest of the teaser features a playful banter between Mrs Hudson and Dr Watson as they debate her opinions about his published stories. In true BBC Sherlock style, Mrs Hudson reminds him: “I am your land lady, not a plot device!”

She is concerned about her role being reduced to that of a lady who just shows the clients to her tenant's room and bringing food for them.

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Sherlock consoles her by commenting that he himself has been a casualty by being short changed in “The Dog one” (reference to The Hound of the Baskervilles).

Mrs Hudson also complains about Dr Watson making her beloved 221 B “so drab and dingy”. The doctor promptly blames this on the illustrator (Sidney Paget?) and claims to have grown the mustache to hide his true identity.

Though very short, the clip gives enough footage to showcase the glory of Benedict Cumberbatch's Victorian Sherlock. Benedict looks quite comfortable, smoking the pipe and in full fledged Victorian outfit (Inverness cape, Deerstalker et al). This looks to be another home run for Cumberbatch. His Victorian Holmes looks to have more of the dry wit that characterizes the Canonical version so well.

Martin Freeman and Una Stubbs also look right at home in their Victorian versions. Freeman's Dr Watson seems to be carrying a criminal relic from their recent investigation, that he wisely chooses not to disclose to the curious young boy.

Hopefully, the script by Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat will strike the right balance between humor and mystery to provide a solid episode, full of Victorian Goodness in true ACD style Sherlock Holmes.

Check out the clip below:

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Image Sources: Hartswood Films, BBC

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BBC Sherlock "A Scandal in Belgravia" - Canonical References [Part II]

Dear Readers,

This post concludes the list of Canonical References in “A Scandal in Belgravia”. 

Scripted by Steven Moffat, it is based on the original story: A Scandal in Bohemia.  Here are the references to Arthur Conan Doyle's original stories:

1. John questions Sherlock: “You composing?” and he replies: “..helps me to think” - In the original story, The Adventure of the Red-Headed League: “I observe that there is a good deal of German music on the programme, which is rather more to my taste than Italian or French. It is introspective, and I want to introspect.”.

2. John’s lack of knowledge about Sherlock’ personal life is reflected in the question he poses to Mrs Hudson: “Has he ever had any kind of relationship, a boyfriend, girlfriend…” - Dr John Watson mentions in The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter: “During my long and intimate acquaintance with Mr. Sherlock Holmes I had never heard him refer to his relations, and hardly ever to his own early life.”

3. John remarks about Sherlock: “He is Mr Punchline. He will outlive God trying to have the last word” – In The Adventure of the Red-headed League, when Dr Watson expresses his doubt about Sherlock's proposition, Holmes replies: “You did, Doctor, but none the less you must come round to my view, for otherwise I shall keep on piling fact upon fact on you until your reason breaks down under them and acknowledges me to be right.” 

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4. Sherlock deduces the presence of Irene Adler (Lara Pulver) based on her perfume – Sherlock Holmes states 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.”

5. Sherlock solves the cryptogram in 4 seconds – Sherlock Holmes remarks in The Valley of Fear: “Because there are many ciphers which I would read as easily as I do the apocrypha of the agony column: such crude devices amuse the intelligence without fatiguing it.”

6. Moriarty’s text to Mycroft: “Jumbo Jet. Dear me Mr Holmes, dear me” – Direct reference to this note sent by Professor Moriarty to Sherlock Holmes in The Valley of Fear: “Dear me, Mr. Holmes. Dear me!”

7. At 221 B Baker Street, Sherlock does not notice that Watson is gone and that Irene is now in the room – In A Study in Scarlet, Dr John Watson writes about Sherlock Holmes: “So engrossed was he with his occupation that he appeared to have forgotten our presence, for he chattered away to himself under his breath the whole time, keeping up a running fire of exclamations, groans, whistles, and little cries suggestive of encouragement and of hope.”

8. Sherlock remarks: “Coventry all over again. The wheel turns. Nothing is ever new” –

Sherlock Holmes mentions in The Valley of Fear: “The old wheel turns, and the same spoke comes up. It's all been done before, and will be again.”

In A Study in Scarlet, Holmes states: “There is nothing new under the sun. It has all been done before”

9. Sherlock's advice to Irene: “This is your heart and you should never let it rule your head” - Sherlock Holmes states in The Adventure of the Lion's Mane: “Women have seldom been an attraction to me, for my brain has always governed my heart, ....”

10. Mycroft’s observation about Sherlock: “My brother has the brain of a scientist or a philosopher, yet he elects to be a detective” – Dr John Watson writes about Holmes’ acting skills 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.”

11. Sherlock remarks to John: “If it’s about the Leeds triple murder, It was the gardener. Nobody noticed the earring” – Possible reference to The Adventure of the Cardboard Box where earrings played a vital role in solving the mystery.

12. The initial case of the hiker killed by a single blow to the back of his head from a blunt instrument near a body of water - Reference to The Boscombe Valley Mystery in which one Charles McCarthy who was killed by repeated blows to the back of his head from a blunt weapon. His body was found beside the Boscombe pool. (Thanks to Anonymous commenter for pointing this out).

Click here to read the first part of Canonical references.

Feel free to point out any references I might have missed out.

Click here to read all my posts about BBC Sherlock.

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

Image Sources: BBC Wales, Hartswood Films, Masterpiece Theatre

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BBC Sherlock Canonical References in Season 2 Episode # 1 "A Scandal in Belgravia"

Dear Readers,

After a significant gap, we return for another post about the Canonical References in BBC Sherlock. 

Scripted by Steven Moffat, “A Scandal in Belgravia” is based on the original story: A Scandal in Bohemia.  Here are the references to Arthur Conan Doyle's original stories:

1. John is seen typing about a case involving a pleasure cruise – In The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire, Sherlock Holmes mentions to Dr John Watson: “Matilda Briggs was not the name of a young woman, Watson,” said Holmes in a reminiscent voice. “It was a ship which is associated with the giant rat of Sumatra, a story for which the world is not yet prepared…”.

2. John Watson is seen typing the details for a case titled “The Geek Interpreter” - Reference to the Canonical Story: The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter.

3. John Watson is seen typing the details for a case titled “The Speckled Blonde” - Reference to the Canonical Story: The Adventure of the Speckled Band.

4. When Sherlock asks John not to mention the unsolved ones on his blog, John replies: “People want to know you are human” – Reference to this line spoken by Dr John Watson in The Sign of the Four: “There is something positively inhuman in you at times.”

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5. John points out to Sherlock about the success of his blog and advises him: “This is your living, Sherlock. Not 240 different types of tobacco ash” – This is a bit far-fetched, but this reminded me of the advice given by Trevor Sr. to Sherlock Holmes about being a detective in The Adventure of the Gloria Scott: “I don't know how you manage this, Mr. Holmes, but it seems to me that all the detectives of fact and of fancy would be children in your hands. That's you line of life, sir, and you may take the word of a man who has seen something of the world.”

6. Sherlock asks John if he is going to title their latest case as “Belly Button Murders”. John replies: “The Navel Treatment” and Sherlock groans audibly –

Sherlock Holmes writes about Dr Watson's writing style in The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier: “..since I have often had occasion to point out to him how superficial are his own accounts and to accuse him of pandering to popular taste instead of confining himself rigidly to facts and figures.”

Sherlock Holmes tells Dr John Watson in The Adventure of the Abbey Grange: “Your fatal habit of looking at everything from the point of view of a story instead of as a scientific exercise has ruined what might have been an instructive and even classical series of demonstrations. You slur over work of the utmost finesse and delicacy, in order to dwell upon sensational details which may excite, but cannot possibly instruct, the reader.” 

7. Mrs Hudson (Una Stubbs) discovers some severed thumbs in the fridge –

Dr John Watson writes about Mrs Hudson in The Adventure of the Dying Detective: “Mrs. Hudson, the landlady of Sherlock Holmes, was a long-suffering woman.”
Possible 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.

8. A highly palpitating client faints in front of Mrs Hudson – In the Canon, many clients are exhausted by the time they arrive at 221 B Baker Street. Holmes/Dr Watson have to revive their strength, sometimes with the help of brandy. Examples - Thorneycroft Huxtable in The Adventure of the Priory School and Alexander Holder in The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet.

9. Sherlock instructs his prospective client: “Tell us from the start. Don’t be boring” – Sherlock Holmes comments about the nature of Lord Robert St. Simon's impending visit in The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor: “This looks like one of those unwelcome social summonses which call upon a man either to be bored or to lie.”

10. Sherlock questions the DI Carter (Danny Webb) as to why his suspect would call the police and consult a detective, if he had really committed the murder successfully without an eyewitness. Carter replies: “He is trying to be clever. It’s over confidence.” – In The Adventure of the Retired Colorman, Sherlock Holmes explains the reasons for Josiah Amberley hiring his services, even though he has murdered his wife and Dr Ray Ernest: “He felt so clever and so sure of himself that he imagined no one could touch him. He could say to any suspicious neighbour, "Look at the steps I have taken. I have consulted not only the police but even Sherlock Holmes."”.

11. Sherlock's observation that his client has “the right sleeve of an Internet porn addict”. Later, he deduces that he is being summoned to Buckingham Palace by observing the finger nails, boots and other details of Mycroft's agent - Sherlock Holmes writes in A Study in Scarlet: “By a man's finger nails, by his coat-sleeve, by his boot, by his trouser knees, by the callosities of his forefinger and thumb, by his expression, by his shirt cuffs—by each of these things a man's calling is plainly revealed. That all united should fail to enlighten the competent enquirer in any case is almost inconceivable.”

12. Sherlock deduces that his client has “the breathing pattern of an untreated heart condition” - In The Adventure of the Norwood Builder, Sherlock Holmes deduces that John Hector McFarlane is an asthmatic by observing his breathing.

13. Harry, the Equerry (Andrew Havill) makes the statement: “Client is illustrious in the extreme.” – Reference to the title of the Canonical Story: The Adventure of the Illustrious Client.

14. Sherlock refuses to take the case without knowing the identify of his client by stating: “I am used to mystery at one end of my cases. Both ends is too much work.” - In The Adventure of the Illustrious Client, Sherlock Holmes states to Colonel Sir James Damery: “I am accustomed to have mystery at one end of my cases, but to have it at both ends is too confusing. I fear, Sir James, that I must decline to act.”
 
15. Harry mentions that his employer enjoys John's blog and in particular the story of “The Aluminium Crutch” – In The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual, Sherlock Holmes brings out the large tin box and explains its contents to Dr Watson: “Here's the record of the Tarleton murders, and the case of Vamberry, the wine merchant, and the adventure of the old Russian woman, and the singular affair of the aluminum crutch, as well as a full account of Ricoletti of the club-foot, and his abominable wife.”

16. Sherlock explains to John about getting prepared for their meeting with Irene Adler (Lara Pulver): “I am going into battle, John. I need the right armor” – In The Sign of the Four, Sherlock Holmes explains about the importance of disguises to Scotland Yard Inspector, Athelney Jones: “You see, a good many of the criminal classes begin to know me,—especially since our friend here took to publishing some of my cases: so I can only go on the war-path under some simple disguise like this..”.

17. Sherlock’s first words with Irene Adler: “Ms Adler, I presume” – This reminded me of A Study in Scarlet, in which Sherlock Holmes’ first words with Dr John Watson are “You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive”.

18. Sherlock explains to Irene Adler: “Noises are important. Noises can tell you everything” – In The Adventure of the Three Gables, Sherlock Holmes deduces that Susan is overhearing his conversation by listening. He explains: “I have been listening to her for the last five minutes, but did not wish to interrupt your most interesting narrative. Just a little wheezy, Susan, are you not? You breathe too heavily for that kind of work.”

19. Sherlock utters “Vatican cameos” just as he starts to fight the agents at Irene's place – In The Hound of the Baskervilles, Sherlock Holmes mentions as being “exceedingly preoccupied by that little affair of the Vatican cameos”.

20. Sherlock Holmes uses “The Process of Elimination” to guess the name of Watson’s current girlfriend, Jeanette (Oona Chaplin). – Hilarious reference to Sherlock Holmes’ classic quote from The Sign of the Four: “How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?”

21. At 221 B Baker Street, Molly Hooper (Louise Brealey) remarks about Sherlock complaining about John’s absence – Sherlock Holmes writes in The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier: “The good Watson had at that time deserted me for a wife, the only selfish action which I can recall in our association. I was alone.”

22. Irene Adler fakes her death by passing off a dead body with a “bashed in head” as her own corpse - Possible reference to the plot of The Valley of Fear. In this novel, John Douglas/Birdy Edwards kills Ted Baldwin by bashing his head in with a hammer and then tries to get away by using Ted’s dead body as his own. 

I will be posting the rest of the references in the next post.

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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