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For the benefit of American viewers, here's a link pointing to where the comments begin after tonight's airing. :)

All, please remember that anything that hasn't aired in the U.S. yet should be spoiler tagged in any thread beyond the episode threads, as per the mod note topic. I try to keep up with the topics as best I can, but if anyone sees anything that should be spoiler tagged, please use the report button under the post. That will alert the entire mod team and will get the post hidden as quickly as possible.

Yes, anything that hasn't aired in the U.S. yet should be spoiler tagged in any thread beyond the episode threads, as per the note above. I try to keep up with the topics as best I can, but if anyone sees anything that should be spoiler tagged, please use the report button under the post. That will alert the entire mod team and will get the post hidden as quickly as possible. Thanks!

talula, we don't do separate episode threads for the U.S., but you can join us in the Episode 1 topic here, or skip ahead to the comments made after tonight's U.S. airing here. I don't disagree with your frustration at the scheduling, but I will say that this forum has continued to be busy ever since Series 6 aired in the UK. But, yes, as a viewer - and especially as a mod! - of a bunch of UK-to-PBS shows, I really wish they'd tighten up the dates.

From the recap: This. It annoys be so much when Person A says, "I feel this," and Person B says, "No, you feel that." Stop looking for trouble and take the man at his word. Gah!

Well, I rather liked that. Nice mix of upstairs and downstairs stories. As a person nearing a certain age, I found Carson and Hughes's story to be very poignant. Carson nearly made me tear up when he was talking to Mrs. Patmore. And Leslie Nicol's comedic timing is fabulous. I understand Daisy's upset, but that's just the deal when you're a tenant. My parents were tenant farmers when I was a child, and like Mason our farm was sold and we had to move. I'm not saying it was fun, but it wasn't the end of the world. Frankly, unless you're the owner, the final say isn't yours. That's true whether talking about a farm, house, or job. It doesn't make the owners evil. Mason's old landlord basically went bankrupt. Obviously something had to give. I always love Robert and Cora's quiet moments together. Great scene in the kitchen. Edith was exhibiting some welcome sparkle. Move to London, Edith. The blackmail plot was relatively ridiculous, but I did love Mary's headpiece at dinner. Anna can do my hair anytime. How old ate the Bateses supposed to be? I'd have thought they would have basically already been considered to be past the age of likely to have children, at least in those times. Glad that ridiculous Green story is over, and irritated with Anna that she can't let herself be happy for one damned day. Ugh.

For the benefit of American viewers, I thought I'd pin a note pointing to where the comments begin after tonight's airing. :)

Posting after tonight's American premiere will begin here. (Just marking this so I can link to it.) Just a reminder - please keep the posts in here limited to this episode only, for the benefit of our unspoiled viewers. :)

I don't know, guys. I wanted to love it, I truly did. I mean, I have never anticipated a television program more. But I honestly kind of hated it. It felt cheap to me, like there were a lot of things they wanted to say or thought would be funny but wouldn't make sense in the "regular" show, so make it all in Sherlock's mind and then it doesn't have to make sense. I typically enjoy meta references, like tweaking all the fan theories and the #sherlocklives stuff in TEH. But this went so far beyond that to almost winking at the audience. It was so heavy-handed with Mrs. Hudson that I was convinced she was going to break the fourth wall and start talking to the camera. As a big ACD fan, I'm sure Gatiss had fun writing it, and I did love all the horror/suspense of the bride story. But I thought there were far too many "swipes" at the canon that were likely lost on a lot of people. Take my sister's family, for example. They've become big fans of the show, but she's the only one who has read the books, and I doubt any of them have delved into online fandom. So a lot of the funny jabs at ACD - fat!Mycroft, the confusion about where John lived, Mary waiting at home with John's tea, even the significance of the waterfall! - were going to fall flat with everyone but my sister. At best, they missed it entirely, at worst, it was a distraction. They continued one of my least favorite themes from the last series: "Mary is smarter than everyone else in the room, including Sherlock and Mycroft." I like Amanda Abbingdon, but I don't like Mary, and I wish her role wasn't so prominent. So I'd be happy if she did wait at home with John's tea, (or, like in my head-canon, she had a fabulous career of her own that kept her busy off-screen). I adore Andrew Scott, so any time he's on my screen is a treat! But all of the Moriarty stuff seemed off somehow. He wasn't nearly as intense, menacing, and downright wacko as usual. Maybe that was a deliberate choice, like the anachronisms that weren't, but it took a lot of the fun out of his character for me. Things I did like: I liked where they went with Molly's character hiding her gender. I was wondering how they would work her in, since she isn't a canon character and there wouldn't have been women MEs at that time. But I liked that John realized but Sherlock didn't, and I thought LB did a good job with it. Fat!Mycroft was fun, and the stylists and set design people did a great job of generally de-modernizing the sets and the characters. (Even if what they did to hottie Lestrade was almost criminal! lol) It was neat seeing the hansom cabs and hearing references to "wires", the train, The Strand, etc. I bet it was an interesting writing challenge for Gatiss to regress all of his own modernizations. I loved that in Sherlock's mind, John is smarter than he gets credit for, will always rescue him, and they will always beat Moriarty because they're a team. (Now, if Sherlock could just say all that while he's conscious!) The acting, as always, was the standout, and even more here when the story (IMO) was weak. BC and MF have fantastic chemistry and deserve the biggest accolades, but top to bottom everyone knows their characters so well that they just make it look effortless. What a phenomenal cast, and a phenomenal job of casting! All in all, it was an enjoyable bit of television, but I won't be watching over and over like I have the other episodes. Maybe my expectations are unfair, but I expect Sherlock to rock my world, and this simply didn't. *sigh*

Well, that was... something.

Maybe it's because her legs have been ripped off and reattached. Seriously, what is going on with the bottom half of her body in that photo? lol

Hey, all, just a gentle reminder to please write your post about your own unpopular opinion, and let others speak for themselves. Also, refrain from trying to convince people that they are wrong. Everyone's opinions are welcome here, especially unpopular ones!

Interesting interview with Mark Saks, the casting director of The Good Wife.

Night 4 A Study in Grief Molly Hooper alit from a cab, walking up the brick walk toward the lone pensive figure huddled against the cold inside his long trenchcoat. “Sherlock? You wanted to see me?” He turned toward her, his face a grief-stricken mask. “Yes, Molly. Would you like to solve crimes?” She peered at him closely in confusion, then looked around at the City neighborhood. “Where are we? Why are we here? It’s only been a few days since – ” Sherlock cut off her words, speaking briskly. “This is the pawn shop of one Jabez Wilson. He suspects that his new assistant is robbing him, but I think it may be more complicated. He’s noticed nothing missing, his business is not suffering, but clearly he’s being drawn away from this location. For what purpose? That’s the question we need to answer.” “What? I mean…” Taking a deep breath, Molly plowed ahead. “He’s gone, Sherlock. And you’re having a hard time adjusting. Not that we blame you. Everyone understands.” “You don’t understand,” replied Sherlock quietly. “This is the last case John and I undertook together. I need you, Molly.” She nodded, tears gathering in her eyes. “Let’s do this, then.” They strode toward the establishment, Sherlock pausing twice to strike his heel against a brick in the walk. Knowing his methods, Molly kept her questions to herself. He banged the knocker on the door, which was swung wide by the red headed gentleman himself. “Mr. Holmes! I didn’t expect to see you, so soon after – ” “Mr. Wilson!” Sherlock ruthlessly spoke over him. “Where is your assistant?” “Jim?” asked the shopkeeper. “He called in sick today. Family emergency in Ireland.” Sherlock looked up sharply. “Has this building a cellar?” “Well, yes,” replied Jabez, leading them toward a set of steps, “but I haven’t been down there in years.” The trio descended the staircase, stopping at the sight of freshly turned earth beneath the glow of a bare lightbulb. “Aha!” cried Sherlock. “Exactly as I suspected. The City and Suburban Bank abuts these premises, correct? I believe our friend ‘Jim’ has been trying to find a back door.” He dashed up the steps, Molly right behind. “Mr. Wilson, I’ll be sending a young man here by the name of Billy Wiggins. He’ll stay in the cellar and watch this end of the tunnel while we try to find the way in through the bank.” Sherlock stopped on the brick walk, typing a quick text to Wiggins, as an unmarked police car pulled to the curb. He frowned as Lestrade and Donovan climbed out. “What the hell are you doing here?” Sally rolled her eyes as Lestrade grinned. “Nice to see you too! I’m here to see Molly, would you believe?” Molly exited the building, crying out happily, “Greg!” Sherlock glanced from one to the other, squinting his eyes. “I’m waiting for an explanation, Inspector. Why are you here?” Greg sighed with exasperation. “I’ve told you: I’m here to see Molly.” “There is clearly something going on between the two of you, but that’s not why you’re here,” replied the detective. “This is Mycroft, isn’t it? He can’t admit that he’s concerned about me, so he sends my handler to spy on me incognito. Is that why you’re calling yourself Greg?” Molly chuckled. “That’s his name.” Sherlock frowned at her. “Is it?” “Yes,” Greg laughed, “if you’d ever bothered to find out. Look, I’m not your handler, and I don’t just do what your brother tells me. But he is concerned, about you and about Mary. He hasn’t told me anything, but is obvious he thinks there’s something more going on with her.” “Mary’s safe,” shared Sherlock. “That’s all Mycroft needs to know. She’s gone to visit her friend Janine while I get things sorted here.” “Okay, then,” replied Greg soothingly. “I’ll tell him. But you still need to call your brother. He worries.” He smiled at Molly. “Seven? Dinner?” Molly blushed. “Of course. See you then.” Lestrade headed for his car. Donovan gazed at Sherlock, her usual sneer gone for the moment. “I’m truly sorry about your friend. He was a good man. I liked him, even though we disagreed about you.” Sherlock gave a brisk nod as she turned away. Molly twisted her scarf nervously in her hands. “Greg’s nice. We ... he’s got a dog. We go to the pub on weekends. I’ve met his kids and his mum and dad and his friends and all his family, even his ex-wife. I’ve no idea why I’m telling you this.” Sherlock tossed her a rueful smile. He hailed a passing cab, and ushered her down to the door. “I hope you’ll be very happy, Molly Hooper. You deserve it. After all, not all the men you fall for can turn out to be sociopaths!” Molly giggled to herself as her cab pulled away. “Maybe that’s just my type!” She looked up, meeting the bleary eyes of the cabbie. He reached back, holding out a bottle, and she took it reflexively. It contained two large pills. “Why, ‘ello, Miss ‘Ooper. Time to play.” “What’s this?” Molly asked nervously. The cabbie smiled. “Your friend Mr. ‘Olmes could explain it to you, but simply put, one pill is poison. You’re going to choose one.” “What? Why would I do that? What if I don’t choose either? I could just get out of here.” Molly grabbed for the door handle, but it was removed. She whimpered. Sighing with disappointment, the bespectacled man stopped the car, then lifted a pistol and pointed it at her. “I ’ave a sponsor, and he wants Mr. ‘Olmes to suffer. You can take your fifty-fifty chance, or I can shoot you in the ‘ead. Funnily enough, no-one’s ever gone for that option.” He cocked the pistol. “Time to choose, Miss ‘Ooper.” Teeth chattering in fear, Molly examined the two pills, finally selecting one and choking it down. Within seconds, she knew she had made a fatal error, as she felt her heart and breathing begin to slow, and her eyelids drooped. Whistling happily, the cabbie pulled out into the street once more. Still on the Battlefield (in alphabetical order): aquarian1 Drogo Hanged Man Jesse Lady Calypso Oinky Boinky SilverStormm stacey SVNBob The Crazed Spruce TJtrack99 On a slab at St. Bart's: egavasc – The Hound, Villain • Well, you're an animal. You're scary as hell, but you have no special abilities. Machiabelly - Mike Stamford, Hero and Weak Doctor • Each Night PM the name of a player to protect. Since your role is Weak, if you target a villain with your protection, you will also die that Night, along with any hero the villains have successfully targeted. CuriousParker - Philip Anderson, Hero • You used to be a good detective, but your penchant for conspiracy theories has discredited you and gotten you kicked off the force. Therefore you have no special abilities. Lisin - Mrs. Hudson, Hero and Hider • Each Night PM the name of one player to hide behind that night. If you hide behind a hero, you will be untargetable for all other roles. However, that does not mean you are entirely safe: should the person you hide behind get killed, you will be killed as well. This is a Weak role and as such you will die if you try to hide behind a villain. caprice - John Watson, Hero and Doctor • Each Night PM the name of a player to protect that player from a single kill made during that Night. You will not be told if your protection was successful. Protection from a single kill means that if multiple players try to kill someone, they will not be saved by your protection. MarkHB - Molly Hooper, Hero and Coroner • Each Night PM the name of one dead player to learn the names of everyone who targeted that dead player since the beginning of the game. For instance, if Player A investigates Player B on Night 1, Player C protects Player B on Night 2, and Player F attempts to recruit Player B on Night 3; you will receive a result saying that players A, F, and C targeted Player B at some point. There is one clue in the story. You have 48 hours to get your night actions in. (Giving extra time for the holiday.) :-) Good luck!

It seems like it would have been easy enough to pick a female role model of a certain age whose background did fit the story they were trying to tell. Our at least hewed more closely than Justice O'Connor's bio.

Oh, for fuck's sake.

I hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas! Or, if that's not your deal, I hope you had a fabulous day off work to do nothing. lol It's done nothing but rain here since Saturday, and everything is flooding. Basements, roads, rivers - I live near the Mississippi - even, unfortunately, my back porch, whose roof has apparently developed a leak. I've been emptying buckets for two days. Ugh. The good news is, I've managed to write a mafia story, and submitted to my lovely editor. It's a tear-jerker! *sob* *sniffle*

I'm no Lorelai fan - in fact, I dislike her most of the time. But I can't imagine, given her personal history, that she would have a laissez-faire attitude about her son getting someone pregnant. I know society sadly often holds the female half of a pregnant teen couple more responsible, but I don't think L would, ever.

I don't know if this is my number one, but it's one I go back to over and over. I love everything about it. The song, her voice, her awkwardness, the unbeatable chemistry of the original coaches, and her little brother's reaction. Unfortunately, she quickly imploded, but this remains one of my favorites. Holly Henry, The Scientist. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSqMMtUvx0I&feature=youtu.be

Quoting myself here. I actually wrote this in response to whatever-the-fuck that was with Thomas, but it's a thousand times more apropos to whatever-the-fuck this is with Liam. Poor Chicken. :-(

MOD NOTE: Sorry for the delay, guys, I've been like down-and-out sick from last weekend through Thursday, and I'm still trying to catch up. (Nothing major, just a really bad respiratory/sinus/ear infection, but the side effects of the drugs they put me on are Not Fun.) I posted in the mod space, but I should have dropped a note here as well. Expect to see a Night story tomorrow, and then we'll plan to extend Night past Christmas, so that the Day starts on the weekend and the 48-hour clock won't be counting over the holiday.

MOD NOTE: Night has fallen.

7 to DL MarkHB (Drogo, HM, Spruce, Oinky Boinky, aquarian1, Silverstormm, Anonymous), 0 to see where this goes...

Why, thanks for describing me so perfectly! (and there's the sarcasm.) ;-) My UO is that Lorelei isn't a good parent at all (with the caveat that I've only seen bits and pieces of the first three seasons). She spends WAY too much time trying to be Rory's friend. She lucked into a great kid.

Nooooo!!! I... I don't even understand how this is possible, story-wise.