BBC Sherlock Season 3 Episode # 3 "His Last Vow" - Canonical References [Part II]

This is the second post listing the nods to the Sherlock Holmes Canon in “His Last Vow”.

Click here to read the first post. 

The main antagonist, Charles Augustus Magnussen (CAM) is based on the character of Charles Augustus Milverton (The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton). 

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

1. Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch) referring to Janine's love for him as a human error – Dr John Watson writes about Sherlock Holmes' attitude towards love in A Scandal in Bohemia: “All emotions, and that one particularly, were abhorrent to his cold, precise but admirably balanced mind... He never spoke of the softer passions, save with a gibe and a sneer... But for the trained reasoner to admit such intrusions into his own delicate and finely adjusted temperament was to introduce a distracting factor which might throw a doubt upon all his mental results. Grit in a sensitive instrument, or a crack in one of his own high-power lenses, would not be more disturbing than a strong emotion in a nature such as his.”

2. Sherlock refers to John (Martin Freeman) as the expert on women - In The Sign of the Four, Dr John Watson refers to his “experience of women which extends over many nations and three separate continents”. Sherlock Holmes refers to Dr Watson's “natural advantages” with the fairer sex in The Adventure of the Retired Colorman. In The Adventure of the Second Stain, Holmes refers to the fair sex as being Watson's “department”.

3.  Sherlock displaying his knowledge of the different brands of perfume (Versace, N°5, Prada, Dior, Claire-de-la-lune) based on their scent in Charles Augustus Magnussen's office – Sherlock Holmes tells 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.”

4. Mycroft's statement to Sherlock (in his mind palace) after he is shot by Mary Morstan (Amanda Abbington): “East wind is coming, Sherlock. It is coming to get you.” Towards the end, Sherlock elaborates on this when he tells John about the story about the East wind told to him: “East wind takes us all in the end. East wind is terrifying force that lays waste to all in its path”. - Sherlock Holmes states to Dr John Watson in His Last Bow: “There's an east wind coming all the same, such a wind as never blew on England yet. It will be cold and bitter, Watson, and a good many of us may wither before its blast. But it's God's own wind none the less, and a cleaner, better, stronger land will lie in the sunshine when the storm has cleared. ”

 5. Janine (Yasmine Akram) expresses her anger at Sherlock repeatedly lying to her. She in turns sells the details of their time together to a newspaper and also tampers with his morphine supply. She also indicates about making up stuff to tell on an upcoming interview with “The One Show”. She summarizes as: “Nothing hits the spot like a revenge for profits” – In A Case of Identity, when Dr John Watson asks him if he will inform Mary Sutherland, his client about the deception carried out James Windibank, her stepfather: “If I tell her she will not believe me. You may remember the old Persian saying, 'There is danger for him who taketh the tiger cub, and danger also for whoso snatcheth a delusion from a woman.'”

6. Janine informs Sherlock about her intentions of buying a gorgeous cottage in Sussex downs and the presence of bee hives nearby, that she will get rid of soon - Dr John Watson mentions in The Adventure of the Second Stain: “...but since he has definitely retired from London and betaken himself to study and bee-farming on the Sussex Downs, ...”
 

7. Sherlock is seen injecting a fresh dose of morphine and tells Janine that being in hospital and being attached with drugs is not good for working. As soon as she leaves, he removes the morphine supply and is back to work in his mind palace – Sherlock Holmes explains to Dr John Watson, why he needs a dose of cocaine in The Sign of the Four: “My mind rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me the most abstruse cryptogram or the most intricate analysis, and I am in my own proper atmosphere. I can dispense then with artificial stimulants. But I abhor the dull routine of existence. I crave for mental exaltation. That is why I have chosen my own particular profession,—or rather created it, for I am the only one in the world”

8. John mentions to DI Greg Lestade (Rupert Graves) about Sherlock babbling due to being drugged up. Obviously, Sherlock is acting out to John to avoid telling the truth about Mary. – In The Adventure of the Dying Detective, Sherlock Holmes fools Dr John Watson into believing that he is delirious. He explains: “Malingering is a subject upon which I have sometimes thought of writing a monograph. A little occasional talk about half-crowns, oysters, or any other extraneous subject produces a pleasing effect of delirium.”

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9. John remarks about the difficulty of finding Sherlock in London - The Canonical Holmes has intimate knowledge of London 

10. Bill Wiggins (Tom Brooke) explains to Mary that working for Sherlock will keep him off the street. Mary responds that won't be the case – In the Canon, Wiggins is the head of the Baker Street Irregulars, the “unofficial force”. According to Holmes: “There's more work to be got out of one of those little beggars than out of a dozen of the force.... These youngsters, however, go everywhere and hear everything. They are as sharp as needles, too; all they want is organisation.”

11. Sherlock refers to 23 and 24 Leinster gardens as empty houses, where he sets up the meeting with Mary – Possible reference to The Adventure of the Empty House 

12. Sherlock tells Mary after projecting her face on the building: “Sorry, I never could resist a touch of drama” -
 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.” 

13. Sherlock informs Mary about how he won the empty house in a card game with the Clarence House cannibal - Possible reference to The Adventure of the Wisteria Lodge, in which a mulatto cook indulges in animal sacrifice. Sherlock Holmes quotes from Eckermann's Voodooism and the Negroid Religions: “The true voodoo-worshipper attempts nothing of importance without certain sacrifices which are intended to propitiate his unclean gods. In extreme cases these rites take the form of human sacrifices followed by cannibalism.”

14. Mary mistaking John Watson to be a dummy being used by Sherlock to fool her - Possible reference to The Adventure of the Empty House, in which Sherlock Holmes uses a dummy to fool Colonel Sebastian Moran into making an attempt on his life. In The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone, Holmes uses a dummy to retrieve the titular jewel from Count Sylvius at 221 B Baker Street

15. Sherlock's mother (Wanda Ventham) is revealed to be a mathematician who has written the book: “The Dynamics of Combustion” - In The Valley of Fear, Sherlock Holmes describes Professor Moriarty: “Is he not the celebrated author of The Dynamics of an Asteroid, a book which ascends to such rarefied heights of pure mathematics that it is said that there was no man in the scientific press capable of criticizing it?”

16. Sherlock's comment about John: “John, you are addicted to a certain lifestyle. You are abnormally attracted to dangerous situations and people” - 
Dr John Watson reacts to Sherlock asking him to accompany Sir Henry Baskerville to Dartmoor in The Hound of the Baskervilles: “The promise of adventure had always a fascination for me, and I was complimented by the words of Holmes and by the eagerness with which the baronet hailed me as a companion.”.
Sherlock Holmes tells Dr John Watson in The Adventure of the Red Headed League: “I know, my dear Watson, that you share my love of all that is bizarre and outside the conventions and humdrum routine of everyday life”.

17. John has a flash drive with the name “A.G.R.A” inscribed on it. Mary confirms them to be her initials – The plot of The Sign of the Four involves the Agra Treasure, which is the object of pursuit by Jonathan Small assisted by Tonga, his confidant

18. Sherlock drugs his own family and Mary, before leaving with John to Appledore – 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.”

19. John is not sure about Sherlock's plan to stop Charles Augustus Magnussen (Lars Mikkelsen) and asks him: “Have you lost your mind?”. Sherlock's reply: “I would rather keep you guessing.” - Dr John Watson writes in The Adventure of the Illustrious Client: “There was a curious secretive streak in the man which led to many dramatic effects, but left even his closest friend guessing as to what his exact plans might be. He pushed to an extreme the axiom that the only safe plotter was he who plotted alone.” 

20. Charles Augustus Magnussen refers to Mycroft Holmes as being “the most powerful man in the country.” - Sherlock Holmes explains about Mycroft Holmes in The Adventure of the Bruce Partington Plans: “Mycroft draws four hundred and fifty pounds a year, remains a subordinate, has no ambitions of any kind, will receive neither honour nor title, but remains the most indispensable man in the country.”

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

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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CBS Elementary Season 2 Episode # 15 "Corpse De Ballet" - Review

Sherlock (Jonny Lee Miller) has just had sex with Tatiana (Nina Lafarga), a pastor. Last week was Sylvia, a mortician. Joan is not happy with Sherlock's exploits, considering he does not even bother to remember the last names of the women.

Iris Lanzer (Aleksa Palladino) is the prima donna in her group of ballerinas. One of the dancers, Nell Solange (Kimberly Faure) is murdered in the midst of a performance.

Vincent Renatto (Bradford Cover), the ballet master intended to cast Nell in the lead role. In his opinion, Nell was unable to connect with the role and hence had to be recast.

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Detective Marcus Bell (Jon Michael Hill) is back to field work, thanks to Captain Gregson (Aidan Quinn).

Iris informs Holmes that Nell recently split up with Nicholas Orman (David A. Gregory). Nicholas has a strong alibi during the time Nell was murdered.

Joan visits a hospitalized Morris Gilroy (Curtis McClaren) , who is looking for his friend, Freebo.

Captain Gregson has Iris arrested for Nell's murder. Sherlock on the hand, decides to have sex with Iris and is convinced that she is not the murderer. Iris' attorney Nolan Sharp (Scott Cohen) expresses his gratitude to Sherlock for believing in his client's innocence.

Sherlock and Joan soon discover that Iris was having an affair with Nell and then manipulates her into withdraw herself from the lead role. 

I recommend the viewers to check out the episode to find out the resolution to the mystery.

Canonical References

1. Elementary Sherlock refers to himself as the second best detective in the world - In The Hound of the Baskervilles, Dr James Mortimer refers to Sherlock Holmes as the “second highest expert in Europe”.

2. Elementary Sherlock refers Joan to his monograph on tobaccoes - Sherlock Holmes mentions 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.” 

Jonny Lee Miller's Sherlock is back to his womanizing ways. In this episode, he seems to be in a frenzy for what he terms as “hot-blooded company”.

Joan Watson reveals that her birth father is a schizophrenic and is homeless.

Guest star, Aleksa Palladino gives an excellent performance as Iris Lanzer.

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Solve for X

Step Nine

BBC Sherlock Season 3 Episode # 3 "His Last Vow" - Canonical References (Part 1)

The final episode of BBC Sherlock Season 3, “His Last Vow” was aired today. I will be posting my review 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.

The main antagonist, Charles Augustus Magnussen (CAM) is based on the character of Charles Augustus Milverton (The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton).

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

1. John remembering Sherlock saying: “The game is on”. Sherlock also repeats this line later in the episode. - 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!”

2. John is awakened by Kate Whitney (Brigid Zengeni), whose son Isaac Whitney (Calvin Demba) is a drug addict and has gone missing (again) since last night. John goes to a drug den to help Isaac and meets Sherlock as well – In The Adventure of Man with the Twisted Lip, Dr John Watson tries to help Kate Whitney's husband Isa Whitney in an opium den and a disguised Sherlock Holmes calls out to him.

3. Molly Hooper (Louise Brealey) slaps Sherlock hard and then chastises for throwing away the beautiful gift he was born with, by indulging in drug use. She also asks him: “How dare you throw away the love of your friends?” - In The Sign of the Four, Dr John Watson makes this plea to Sherlock Holmes, after watching him inject a seven-percent-solution of cocaine: “Why should you, for a mere passing pleasure, risk the loss of those great powers with which you have been endowed? Remember that I speak not only as one comrade to another, but as a medical man to one for whose constitution he is to some extent answerable.”

4. Sherlock asking John why he started cycling to work – This is a bit tentative, but reminded me of The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist. In this story, Sherlock Holmes deduces about Miss Violet Smith being an “ardent bicyclist” based on the slight roughening of the side of the sole her feet caused by the friction of the edge of the pedal.

5. Bill Wiggins (Tom Brooke) deducing that John always keeps his shirts folded, ready to pack – Dr John Watson writes in The Boscombe Valley mystery: “My experience of camp life in Afghanistan had at least had the effect of making me a prompt and ready traveller. My wants were few and simple, so that in less than the time stated I was in a cab with my valise, rattling away to Paddington Station.”

6. Sherlock calling Bill Wiggins as “Billy” – Double reference to Billy, the page (The Valley of Fear, The Problem of Thor Bridge and The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone) and Wiggins, head of the Baker Street Irregulars (A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of the Four)
 

7. Mycroft Holmes (Mark Gatiss) advising Sherlock that cross-dressing would have been a better path option for him – In The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone, Sherlock Holmes disguises himself an an old woman to follow Count Negretto Sylvius.

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8. Mycroft calling 221 B a toxic waste dump – Dr John Watson writes about Sherlock Holmes in The Adventure of the Musgrae Ritual: “An anomaly which often struck me in the character of my friend Sherlock Holmes was that, although in his methods of thought he was the neatest and most methodical of mankind, and although also he affected a certain quiet primness of dress, he was none the less in his personal habits one of the most untidy men that ever drove a fellow-lodger to distraction”.

9. Sherlock physically intimidating Mycroft and John worries that Sherlock just might snap Mycroft in two – Possible reference to the physical strength of Sherlock. In A Study in Scarlet, Dr John Watson writes about his first meeting with Sherlock Holmes: “"How are you?" he said cordially, gripping my hand with a strength for which I should hardly have given him credit.” In The Adventure of the Speckled Band, Holmes straightens out the steel poker that was bent into a curve a few moments back by Dr Grimesby Roylott of Stoke Moran. In The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet, Sherlock Holmes tries to break off a corner  of the titular coronet and comments: “I feel it give a little.... but, though I am exceptionally strong in the fingers, it would take me all my time to break it. An ordinary man could not do it.”
 

10. Sherlock's statement about Charles Augustus Magnussen (CAM): “Magnussen is like a shark. It's the only way I can describe him. You have been to the shark tank at the London aquarium and stood up close to the glass. Those floating flat faces...those dead eyes.. that is what he is. I have dealt with murderers, psychopaths, terrorists, serial killers. None of them can turn my stomach like Charles Augustus Magnussen” - Sherlock Holmes describes Charles Augustus Milverton in The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton: “Do you feel a creeping, shrinking sensation, Watson, when you stand before the serpents in the zoo, and see the slithery, gliding, venomous creatures, with their deadly eyes and wicked, flattened faces? Well, that's how Milverton impresses me. I've had to do with fifty murderers in my career, but the worst of them never gave me the repulsion which I have for this fellow.”

11. Sherlock refers to CAM as “the Napolean of blackmail” - Sherlock Holmes describes Professor Moriarty as “the Napolean of crime” in The Final Problem.

12. Sherlock refers to CAM's house as “Appledore”: an unassailable architecture of forbidden knowledge - In The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton, Milverton lives at Appledore Towers, Hampstead. 

13. Sherlock pretends to be in a relationship with Janine, CAM's PA and even proposes to her. He does this to gain knowledge about CAM's schedule and to gain access to his office - In The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton, Sherlock Holmes pretends to love Milverton's housemaid to know the plans to her master's house.

14. When CAM drops in at 221 B Baker Street and makes a reading on John, we can see that Johan has 10% debt in finance – In The Sign of the Four, Dr John Watson mentions about having difficulties in finance, when he considers the thought of marrying Mary Morstan: “What was I, an army surgeon with a weak leg and a weaker banking-account, that I should dare to think of such things?...”

15. CAM's reading of Sherlock lists him as being officially deceased between 2011 and 2013 – Possible reference to the “Great Hiatus” from 1891 (The Final Problem) to 1894 (The Adventure of the Empty House)

16. Sherlock informing John that he will text the instructions for their visit to CAM's office – This reminded me of the famous note sent by Sherlock Holmes to Dr John Watson in The Adventure of the Creeping Man: “Come at once if convenient–if inconvenient come all the same. S. H.”.  Another example is this telegram from Sherlock Holmes to Watson in The Boscombe Valley Mystery: “Have you a couple of days to spare? Have just been wired for from the west of England in connection with Boscombe Valley tragedy. Shall be glad if you will come with me. Air and scenery perfect. Leave Paddington by the 11:15”

17. Sherlock instructing John not to bring a gun or a knife or a tire lever. “Best not to do any arm spraining” - Possible reference to the note sent by Sherlock Holmes to Dr John Watson in The Adventure of the Bruce Partington Plans: “Am dining at Goldini's Restaurant, Gloucester Road, Kensington. Please come at once and join me there. Bring with you a jemmy, a dark lantern, a chisel, and a revolver. S.H.”

18. Sherlock's comment to John: “You have put on 7 pounds since you got married” - Sherlock Holmes observes 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.”

19. Sherlock commenting about CAM having fourteen levels of security in his office building, two of which are illegal in the United Kingdom – In A Study in Scarlet, Dr John Watson writes about Sherlock Holmes having a good practical knowledge of British law.

20. As Sherlock explains his strategy to break into CAM's office, John ponders that Sherlock's head would be kicked in, after he is taken to a small room by the security for trying to break into Magnussen's office. Sherlock asks: “Do you really need so much color?”. John replies: “It helps pass the time” -
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.”
Sherlock Holmes himself writes in The Adventure of the Blanched Soldier: “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....I am compelled to admit that, having taken my pen in my hand, I do begin to realize that the matter must be presented in such a way as may interest the reader. ”

I will be posting the rest of the references soon.

Click here and here to read the list of Canonical references in “The Empty Hearse” and “The Sign of Three” respectively.

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"

Canonical Nods in "A Study in Pink"