Oh boy. That last episode of season 2 of Sherlock was a twisty treat unworthy of a scowling old cynic like myself who thought he had seen it all. I loved everything about this episode - the inescapable trap - the ultimate magic trick. The clockwork plot that pulled the walls in closer and closer and seemed to crush the hero. To say what happened then would be a crime against entertainment.
No other statement better described my father that to have him explain a magic trick that we had watched on TV. It was usually an amazing David Copperfield illusion. He would always tell us that it was "Just a trick. But it was a good trick so don't feel bad about being fooled for a second."
I grew up with an ability to 'spot the trick' as it was happening to me in literature or in motion pictures or on TV. Conflict is the basis of drama and all conflict needs a resolution. I always look for the clues that will let me see the flaw in a plan or the one thing that cannot be explained or contradicts the evidence. I want to get to the truth one second before everyone else watching is suppose to.
Be it the A-Team or Sherlock, I can always tell when I am being conned. The really important question then becomes, WHY? Why would Holmes have to fake his own death. To protect those three people in his life until he can undo what he did? SEE! I am already writing season 3 in my head.
Stop being a snob and go to the library and rent the first season of Sherlock. Many of the people who love this show the most are purists who brook no 'creative interpretations' of their beloved detective.
Let me also say that the final ten seconds of this season was a treat. I can now die the thousands seconds I will waste waiting for season 3 to begin. That Cumberbatch is the real deal. He has the perfect name to go with his quirky style. I look forward to many years of cool roles and performances from this guy.
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19 comments:
Cumberbatch will play the voice and do the motion capture of the Dragon Smaug opposite Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit.
Did I just make your day?
I knew that stuff about the Hobbit and that he is also the villian in the next Star Trek movie.
Also, you know why it was done, but do you know how?
...and of course I knew you knew that. I just wanted you to prove to me that you knew that.
Haven't I proved my street cred by now?
Combing through the theories about next season already, so I think I know the why and how the 'death'was accomplished.
Such a fucking ridiculously awesomely brilliant show.
Share your theory with me, sister.
Not very eloquent right now, I'm exhausted from all the excitement lol.
Molly had a major part to play in helping Sherlock fake his death. Remember Irene Adler faked her death in a similar way. Her head was all bashed up too, yet Sherlock recognized her body. She had help, even if it was not Molly's in particular, and was very convincing.
He kept insisting John not get too close, obviously because he didn't want John to know he was faking. For John's own protection I'm sure, Sherlock's pulled the wool over his eyes on purpose before. I think he may have had a few people helping. John got interfered with before he could reach the body, that was sort of 'convenient'.
That's the how and a little of the why. The rest of the why...I think it's simply to buy himself some time. Time for what, to clear his name? Maybe. I think that there's more villainy coming up in the form of Moran. Was that Moran sitting by the window disassembling his weapon? My bet is yes. So Sherlock isn't safe yet, and neither are his friends (plural, whether he likes it or not).
And there wouldn't be much of a plot in season 3 if he WAS safe, eh? :)
I have more ideas but I'm tired and it gets irritating trying to type them all out on my Nook....:)
We will have many other chances to talk about this waiting for season three. I think you are right about there being something bigger than Moriarity coming and Mycroft needed to take his most valuable asset off the table for his own good. I think the guy who 'interfered' with Watson so that he couldn't figure out the scam. If I was John I would be totally pissed when I learned the truth. Treating his only friend like that was all kinds of cold.
They made the switch while Watson was on the ground; that guy was supposed to run into him on the bicycle and knock him over (and keep him pinned) while Holmes got downstairs and replaced whatever fake corpse they threw off the roof. There was some kind of film fakery whereby Sherlock was on the other side of the roof or something (like the doorbell fakeout at the end of Silence of the Lambs, where you're not seeing what you think you're seeing.)
All of this corresponds pretty closely to what happened in the original stories ("The Final Problem"/"The Adventure of the Empty House") with the difference that Moffat et al., unlike Doyle, could work it out a bit more cleverly than Arthur Conan Doyle (since unlike Doyle they knew Holmes was returning).
I can't wait to see the scene in series 3 where Watson finds out Sherlock isn't dead.
I can't fucking WAIT. I'm betting Watson says something like 'I'm gonna kill you' LOL, which would make it extra awesome. Maybe he'll throw his arms around him and then punch him in the face :) And then maybe they'll fall into bed together.
Haha! I know, I know. Only in my head ;) A girl can dream...
Anyway, I'm going to be rewatching Reichenbach after Chuckles gets home today, and I might be able to fill in some of the holes. Last night I watched it by myself on a live stream, but the audio would cut out at inopportune times during the last 20 minutes. Still caught what was going on, but missed some of the finer details I'm sure. Can't wait for Chuck to see it.
Fuck. I've never loved a television show as much as I've loevd this one. Completely overtaken the #1 spot.
It's a rare treat. I am so thankful of British television who realize that a few episodes can be more rewarding than five times that number. There is no filler, just entertainment. You should check out 'Luther' which is another great modern British detective drama. Only ten episodes too.
I agree. I'd rather have quality over quantity. Even though I wouldn't have minded a couple of extra episodes... ;)
I have a few things waiting in my queue that need to be watched or read. I'll keep that one in mind, when this obsession finally calms down a little. Till next year anyway lol.
Okay I've always been dying to know--how does the sawing in half trick work?!?
There is no trick. The magician has supernatural powers. He first cuts her in half then puts her back together. What is there to understand about that?
Seems like Moffat was watching "The Dark Knight" while writing the script. My one and only problem is the intro where John says "Sherlock is Dead". Being told a main character is dead in the opening is one quickly becoming one of my biggest pet peeves in film/television because its always a cheap tease. Thankfully we didn't have Sherlock narrate "this is how I died". That would have killed all of the show's amazing credibility.
But I can ignore that minor obstacle in this otherwise fantastic conclusion.
I had the same feelings that you did at the beginning of this episode (the ONLY time the 'I am dead' plotline ever worked was in 'Sunset Boulevard') but the last ten seconds redeemed the whole thing for me. To keep that ending from viewers would have been very cheap. Even for purists it was the perfect way to conclude the season.
I actually didn't mind the episode starting off that way, cliche as it may be.
It fit.
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