Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Sherlock Season Three - Episode One


I just watched one of the greatest opening scenes in my personal television viewing history. The first four minutes of this season's Sherlock was a brilliant piece of business that totally puts to rest any real death of the great detective. I knew it all along.

Also cool to see Watson with a very Watson-like mustache.


MYCROFT!! I love all the interactions Sherlock has with his smarter older brother. Who thought that chess wasn't their favorite game to play together? The writing really is brilliant whenever they get together and the two actors look like they are having a lot of fun.


Sherlock - "I didn't know you spoke Serbian"
 
Mycroft - "I didn't. Took me a couple of hours."

Cumberbatch is brilliant - even more so than I remember. It's like no time has passed at all between the characters while it's been almost 18 months since the last new episode and Martin Freeman has done three Hobbit movies as Bilbo.

There is just something so modern and classic at the same time about this incarnation of the great Detective. Every scene is dense with character moments and rewards you for paying attention.

Watson - "Mrs. Hudson, Sherlock was NOT my boyfriend."


I was really impressed with the way they dealt with Sherlock's death and his reinsertion into Watson's life after Watson grieved his loss for two years. Lestrade and Molly and Mrs. Hudson have their own unique and interesting reactions to the return of Sherlock. I loved it all.

Oh the comedy of the restaurant scene and the running joke about the mustache. Freeman and Cumberbatch are fantastic and this new edge to their relationship is wonderful to watch play out. Watson's fiancé Mary is a welcome addition and a puzzle that Sherlock can't quite figure out. I hope she plays a big role this season. She was the perfect bridge to bring the two main characters back together.


The Empty Hearse group are like the modern Baker Street Irregulars. I love their 'theories' as to how Sherlock survived his 'death' - each less probable than the last.

 
All in all I was very impressed with this first episode.
 


6 comments:

Erik Johnson Illustrator said...

Off to a good start. This series has the advantage of being movie length so that we can iron out all the emotional reactions to "you're not dead!" I've known a few other shows that has had similar situations that drag on for at least of a season.

Hopefully next week we can have some fun and adventure with a slightly more direct mystery to tide us over before the next big finale.

Kal said...

I know we don't get much but what we get is so sweet. This was just so well written and acted. It was like good jazz...I know it when I hear it. This was good jazz.

Debra She Who Seeks said...

"What life? I've been gone." LOL! Oh, that Sherlock.

Kal said...

He's a scamp.

Simon B said...

I have to admit I was disappointed by this episode. It had lots of laugh-out-loud and self-consciously "cool" moments, which were fun, but... where was the plot? the mystery? It all seemed a bit smug and self-satisfied. And the whole "Underground bomb below Parliament" thing was ripped off from V For Vendetta. I was definitely the odd one out in our household for having this opinion, so maybe it's just me. I'll still watch the rest of the series but I'm hoping for a bit more meat on the bones...

Kal said...

Maybe I have been so starved for their return that I loved all the quirky parts. I have always been a fan of how the text messages appear on screen or how all the best action is always slowed down. I am being manipulated but I love it. Especially the way Sherlock explained his own fake death...like a magic trick. I saw that too months ago and felt validated and manipulated all over again. But I love it.