I was a bit disappointed to be honest. It all felt a bit messy and not hugely coherent; the random scene where they 'flashback' (I assume it's a flashback anyway) to Sherlock being in the ex-detective's flat and giving one of the explanations for falling off the roof just seemed bizarre stuck where it was in amongst the bomb scenes. And the whole lack of continuity over the tube trains really bugged me (don't go from a brand-new District Line train to an old one and expect us to believe it! Plus I don't think the camera shots were even of the District Line, looked like a Jubilee Line train to me...and there's no way TFL wouldn't spot an entire car go missing for over a week...and...and...argh!)
It wasn't as good as some of the previous episodes. I'll watch on Sunday and hope it's better...
Fab, funny, clever, all the things Sherlock should be. BUt, a bit like Doctor Who, there is SO MUCH hype around Sherlock it kind of will never live up to expectations.
Loved the way they showed possible theories, that was so fun and a wonderful nod to the huge fandom Sherlock has. Also the whole sherlock/John, Sherlock/Molly, Sherlock/Moriarty shipping moments were a little fan pandering!
And is it my imagination or were there nods to Hal / Being Human?
I won't bother with a second viewing though; not really a re-watcher unless I absolutely love something...
The shipping moments were fine as alternatives to Sherlock jumping off the roof, but they felt a little contrived to me; maybe I was just destined to be unimpressed by it?
@Domino, the restaurant scene did remind me of Being Human a few times.
@Pradakat, I also thought the flashback in the middle of the explosion scene was bizarre. I was really confused at first. Maybe that was part of the intent but I found it jarring and it kind of took me out of the show for a minute.
I thought it was fun but a bit fan service-y and the case was mostly background noise and more plot device than anything. That's unfortunate. I prefer more of a balance between time spent focused on the relationship between John and Sherlock and the cases, but I understand that this episode pretty much had to be devoted to the survival theories, reuniting with everyone and the introduction of Mary. Hopefully the next episode will fell less disjointed and more balanced with all of the other stuff out of the way.
One thing that really got me was how out of character Sherlock was for what felt like most of the episode. More than just the shipping scenes. I'm sure it was intentional but I'm a bit apprehensive about what it means for the character. Is he on drugs, sick, just glad to be back, even more off his rocker than normal? I don't know.
I was glad that the shippers got their shipping scenes though I felt a little cheated out of the Sherlock/Moriarty kiss. Not that I ship them together but because we got a full on kiss for Sherlolly but only an almost kiss for the gay couple. If you are going to go there can't you fully go there? It seems a bit unfair to me. (Also, still no real Johnlock for me. :oP)
I think Martin did an excellent job with John's emotions, but there was one thing that really bothered me. If my best friend died and then came back (for whatever reason) my first reaction (if I didn't faint) would be to give them a massive hug (like Lestrade did) and then punch them in the face if I was mad at them. As much as Sherlock means to John, I feel like he should have hugged him first before he had time to think about being mad.
Oh dear, I seem to have thought way too much about this.
Still, I found it much more satisfying than anything done on Doctor Who in the past couple of years. I have to be honest.
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"I should have left a clue. Like, I don't know, locking him in a cellar and tying him to a fucking radiator!"
you can never say too much on the forum Jane, that is the beauty of it...unlimited space and i enjoyed reading your thoughts thanks for sharing them
Agree with you about Martin Freeman's performance, I felt it was the shock and anger (it's like being propelled backwards through the stages of grief) and also he was hurt, as I would be, that his best friend hadn't told him he was still alive...and that hurt is the expression of love for him i think....maybe also it is just because of how these two are written, there is a resistance to displaying their emotions ..to do so wouldn't have been John and Sherlock?
So.. I guess we still don't know how Sherlock did it, and perhaps the theories are more satisfying? we could never be satisfied I suspect by one absolute version of how he did it...could we?
It is kind of nice how the writers pandered to the fandom in this episode, afterall it is the fandom that have propelled it into mega international popularity. they even got a bit of naked shackled sherlock/ Benedict Cumberbatch. I can't see it personally, except for the long arms and fingers, that I get.
Fun trailer ... Well, the episode was fun, funny ... too silly. I accept the silliness in Sherlock. That's always been an element of the show but last night laid it on a bit too thick. And what a muddle! I suppose they were trying to avoid a bog standard murder-at-the-wedding thing. If so I applaud them for trying ... Except they ended up making an original clip show! Oh well. There was still much to enjoy but I hope next week's finale is, you know, a proper episode.
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"Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realise you're wrong."
I thoroughly enjoyed the latest episode. I would still have liked more case solving but I thought it was more balanced than last week. It was also hilarious, gave me plenty of Johnlockish moments and was thoroughly heart breaking at the same time. The balance of drama and humor reminded me of Being Human, UK.
My boyfriend also liked it but he would rather see a bit more case. He complained that it has more of a Doctor Who feel this season.
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"I should have left a clue. Like, I don't know, locking him in a cellar and tying him to a fucking radiator!"
Drunk Sherlock and Watson was an absolute hoot. Especially when they were in the client's house and we saw how Sherlock analyses his surroundings but with a drunk bent to it. Loved the best man speech, how each time it threatened to crash and burn, Sherlock would rescue it from the flames. And when he was called a psychopath, his response was classic "high functioning sociopath" *beam* Brilliant stuff.
I loved the first 2 eps - but I'm glad it looks as though the final ep might be a lot darker...grittier. I think it's a sign of how confident Sherlock is of it's own sucess that they have spent so much time on character and relationship development, and the plots have felt secondary to that......it's been brilliant, but with only one ep left in this series it's feels like it's maybe been a bit self indulgent! I'm itching for some classic Sherlock case solving!
I guess it's a very fine line to tread....I'm all too aware that my biggest problem about BH s5, and the first half of both series of RS is that they were too plot driven, and there wasn't enough time devoted to character development - some people are never satisfied....!!
Oh yes....and Kat- you made me lol! I suspect that the majority of the audience have absolutely no idea that they filmed on the wrong tube line (....ppssst - the Barry Grand isn't even in Barry!!)
-- Edited by fifi on Tuesday 7th of January 2014 09:41:04 AM
I thought they'd peaked last series..and it couldn't be topped... but this episode transcended! I think because they were very bold and it was choc full of newness and mind blowing revelations and happenings
I have to admit, after the episode aired with that reveal, i chuckled to myself for a full ten minutes, earning myself very strange looks from my daughter, thinking that Twitter would explode with that revelation, and i was right.
How will they deal with that conundrum then?
Terrific episode, I thought Martin Freeman was sensational, i really thought when CAM was flicking his face, he'd go for him, shoot him himself. Really pleased that Mary came up good and no one died (i don't think anyone actually died on that roof either!)
OMG! Please tell me that 'Sherlock is actually a girl's name' means the same thing as 'I love you' in England.
But seriously though it was a good episode. They toyed with us something fierce on all levels. I'm kind of mad though that it's looking like they are starting to suffer from Supernatural affliction in bringing dead characters back. If that's really what's happening here.
Kind of mad at John. After all that Sherlock has sacrificed for John and all he can muster is a handshake?
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"I should have left a clue. Like, I don't know, locking him in a cellar and tying him to a fucking radiator!"
Sadly I'm underwhelmed by this season. I have to keep reminding myself of all the genius and beauty I've seen these past three Sunday nights but it just didn't engage me. Flashy, over stated direction and editing, shoving in characters for the sake of it. It's felt self indulgent.
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"Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realise you're wrong."
UJ, I agree that this season has been a bit self indulgent. I've still enjoyed it but not as much as the previous two seasons. I do like that fact that this season was been a bit funnier.
I'm hoping they'll get back on track next season and go back to cases but I'm worried what the Mary/baby thing is going to do to the show. As much as I liked Mary (and Amanda has done a great job) I was kind of hoping she would get the axe in the last episode because I don't like the dynamics of the show being messed with so much. It would be different if the seasons were longer and there was more time to deal with all of these different relationships. But I feel like because the seasons are so short it's detracting too much from the meat of the show.
I'm sure others will diasgree.
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"I should have left a clue. Like, I don't know, locking him in a cellar and tying him to a fucking radiator!"
Am I the only one who though John was having a dream within a dream ...and at any moment he was going to wake up ? Also that he may have asked Molly to pretend about his drug testing results... All part of his plan?
I am not sure that I was enjoying the more self aware Sherlock, or the more coming out as self aware Sherlock " high functioning sociopath" but that development has allowed for more from him this series, like going undercover in a heroin and undercover as a boyfriend ... That whole thing was intriguing because he played it so sell.. The smile at the door as he said goodbye and immediately dropping it...
Jane for me the handshake was perfect, the assumption being, I think, that we all thought he was going to say something like I love you to John, but instead the shake of hands... Which was actually his way of saying it. The continuing bro nance or bond between these two has a certain tension to it and if he was just to say I love you it would have taken away from that ongoing thing?
I know what you mean, Random. In the books Mary was referred to and appeared rarely. And the Second Mrs Watson got even less of a look in I think. In theory she's in the background, but that would be weird, to only have token references to her. It's easily set up for her to die or have to go into hiding. I hope they get back to solving cases too.
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"Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realise you're wrong."
Jane - I agree with a lot of what you said. I actually really liked Mary - although I suspected that there was going to be some sort of backstory to her - but I wish they'd left that part for another series - I think I'd like to have been left with my suspicions at the end of this series....and had that thread into the next series. Generally, though....what an excellent series!
I feel curiously underwhelmed by the Moriarty reveal.......
Fifi - I was also underwhelmed by the Moriarity reveal, not that I don't like the character but I'm kind of tired of characters being killed off to miraculously return. It's boring. Though, I'm not sure it's really Moriarity.
Domino - I didn't actually expect an 'I love you' but I felt like a handshake was a bit of a let down. I felt like a quick bro-hug would have been more appropriate in the situation. And now that I have rewatched that scene (in gif format) I can see that John was also taken aback by the handshake offer. It was Sherlock distancing himself.
This whole season was amusing but terribly painful. I guess I should expect nothing less form this show.
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"I should have left a clue. Like, I don't know, locking him in a cellar and tying him to a fucking radiator!"
