S03.E02: The Sign of Three

[nymusix]

Sherlock faces his biggest challenge of all - delivering a Best Man's speech on John's wedding day! But all isn't quite as it seems. Mortal danger stalks the reception - and someone might not make it to the happy couple's first dance. Sherlock must thank the bridesmaids, solve the case and stop a killer!

[nymusix]

This is probably the funniest episode of the show so far though - all the stuff with Sherlock drunk was pretty hilarious. 

[ApathyMonger]

I could have done with less of the Drunk Sherlock. It was funny, but I didn't need it to go on for so long. Same with most of the episode's set-pieces. I did like how the mystery came together in the end though.

[David T. Cole]

Season 3: The Fan Service season!

[nymusix]

I think this was probably the best of the "middle episodes" so far in Sherlock - they tend to do the first and third episode of the season really well and the middle episode tends to be the least interesting (in my opinion) - the episode with the banker and the Asian smugglers was disappointing, and the Hounds of Baskerville episode was probably my least favorite.

Curious to see how they finish this season out though!

[David T. Cole]

Agreed, also the lack of Lars Mikkelsen in this episode made the end of the first episode of the season a cocktease. Get to it, I've run out of Danish shows to watch him in!

[TravisNelson76]

I liked this episode more than I think I should have.  And it occurred to me while watching it that Sherlock may be the rare SHOW WITH NO PIERCE [a "Pierce" being that annoying character who could be lifted from the show entirely and whose absence would automatically improve said show].

I think I like all of the supporting characters!  That Molly person should be annoying.  Really.  But I find her endearing!  We've seen 20,002 put-upon police chiefs on television, do we need another?  Apparently we do because I like the Sherlock one!  Mary, the new third-wheel wife?  ABSOLUTELY LOVE HER!  Mrs. Hudson?  Cackle away, Mrs. H!  I love you too!

Am I wrong to declare this show Pierce-less?

[nymusix]

I think that it's very much to the show's advantage in that regard that it only has to do 3 episodes ever other year. I feel like if we were to see these characters for 6, 7, 8 episodes in a row, at least some of them would get old very quickly. But because we see them so infrequently, it's less of an issue. 

So in some ways, yes the show has no really weak characters; but it's hard to compare it to a show that gets 22 episodes a season. 

[Rhondinella]

Drunk Sherlock is FANTASTIC!!  Someone should win an award just for coming up with the concept.  "Am I the current King of England?"  Hee!

And drunk John is possibly even better.

Plus, can we please talk about Mrs. Hudson's hat?  I'll frankly be disappointed if previously.tv doesn't have a piece on it within the next week.

[sevans623]

Definitely agreeing with the above as to the strength of this episode - plus even though it was a "what happens when he gets drunk" gag, I really did appreciate that it was used because Sherlock is the type of character that is never drunk, always in control, and it's very funny to see him lose some of that.

I think the speech was great - I was cringing watching it, and while I don't normally agree with Sherlock suddenly having emotions, I of course love Martin Freeman's reactions.  Overall it was good for a middle episode, and everything getting tied up at the end made it very satisfying to watch.  

[ChlcGirl]

I think this was probably the best of the "middle episodes" so far in Sherlock - they tend to do the first and third episode of the season really well and the middle episode tends to be the least interesting (in my opinion) - the episode with the banker and the Asian smugglers was disappointing, and the Hounds of Baskerville episode was probably my least favorite.

Curious to see how they finish this season out though!

I ABSOLUTELY agree with you!  Those are also my least favorites.  I was pretty surprised that my favorite Sherlock Holmes story (Hound of the Baskervilles) ended up being my least favorite episode to date.

[halgia]

I didn't love this episode; I thought the resolution to the mystery was waaaay too telegraphed, and though the drunk Sherlock bit was funny it just dragged.

I think I liked Hound of the Baskervilles more than this one, though I haven't rewatched it since it aired so I'm not sure. It was kind of Scooby-Dooish, but I at least remember a few of the visuals, so that's a good sign for it.

[daisycat]

 

I think I like all of the supporting characters!  That Molly person should be annoying.  Really.  But I find her endearing!  We've seen 20,002 put-upon police chiefs on television, do we need another?  Apparently we do because I like the Sherlock one!  Mary, the new third-wheel wife?  ABSOLUTELY LOVE HER!  Mrs. Hudson?  Cackle away, Mrs. H!  I love you too!

TravisNelson76 everything you say here. Can I also add to it that the bromance angle between Sherlock and Watson, a relationship I find tired and overdone elsewhere, just works in this show. You would think that Sherlock would be the Alpha and Watson would follow along like a puppy, but this series turns the trope on its ear and you see how it's very much a two-way street.

I actually adored Drunk Sherlock. "Egg?? Chair???? Sitty thing?????" is my new favoritest thing ever.

[rereader2]

And don't forget "Cluing for looks"!

[daisycat]

The sort of Matrix-y 3-D wedding photography was excellent too, and Mary just looked lovely. I swoon to men with top hats.

Did you guys notice that during the scene with the serviettes ("That just sort of... happened"), that Mary at one point was standing in alignment with the taxidermied head, so it looked like she had horns? And, similarly, Mycroft in the mind palace courtroom has angel wings. Much ado was made of this elsewhere.

Archie was adorable, as was Sherlock interacting with him ("The who the where the why the what?").

[Lemon Tree]

This episode really improved on second viewing, at least for me.

When I first watched it, I was quite disappointed. I enjoyed several individual scenes but found the overall episode too disjointed. The best man speech felt like clip show, with the two halves of a short mystery tacked onto either end.

I then surprised myself by really enjoying the episode the second time around. The episode's direction felt more purposeful and entertaining once I knew what was flying.

[Rhondinella]

I'm in the minority I think, but this was my favorite ep of the season.  And maybe my third favorite ep of the whole series.  I think it was the humor that did it for me.

[photo fox]

I enjoyed it, too.  It was a "quieter" episode, but it was a great acting showcase, especially for Martin Freeman.  That scene in the kitchen, when Sherlock is gaping at him like the proverbial goldfish, and John is just patiently tapping his toe... perfection.

[jah1986]

Saw this again last night and I have to say I just loved it. "Cluing for looks" doesn't get old. There were some laugh out loud moments for me. The only part I was less than enthusiastic about was the Mind Castle or whatever Sherlock calls it when he's talking to the ladies dating the "ghost". Loved Sherlock not knowing Lestrade's first name, just so Sherlock. I agree with others that this Sherlock/Watson is the best of the bunch and works on so many levels. Especially when John calls Sherlock "Nurse", the look on Sherlock's face. I'm just gushing now because it's so fresh in my mind but really just a great episode.

[PaulaO]

Watched this last night, as my PBS station ran all 3 epis from Season 3.  One plot hole to me: when he was questioning the women in his mind palace, I know he said something about "do they have the same employer?" and answered to himself no.  But didn't it turn out they all did work for Watson's ex-commander? 

[rereader2]

I just assumed that that meant they weren't currently working for the same employer, but he hadn't considered that they all might have done (and in fact did) at different times--maybe only the nurse was currently working for him, because she's the only one that knew about the invitation. That actually makes sense, because once he had that information, he could stop that end of things. 

Edited August 11, 2014 by rereader2

[ToxicUnicorn]

I agree Mary looked lovely and it was sweet to see she and John together.

 

The humor fell flat for me and the wedding day scenes dragged on endlessly.  I thought Sherlock and Mary planning, and Sherlock interviewing people was much funnier, but that was early on the episode.  Honestly, it took me four times to get through this one.  I still love the show, but this episode felt very different.

 

Also, I can't stand it when people vomit on tv.  Even offscreen.  Just get to a bathroom, already.

[SharonH58]

I enjoyed this episode.  Love seeing Sherlock trying so hard to do a good speech and him saying how much John meant to him.  I love their bromance.  I was afraid Mary would ruin that but she is a good addition. 

[TheGreenKnight]

Sherlock's reaction to being John's best friend was my favorite moment of the episode. The drunk scene went on a little long for me and the speech seemed inordinately long before Sherlock even realized something was wrong and dragged it out further, but I did love how all the storylines came together at the end--that was excellent. The only part I really liked about the drunk scene was John describing Sherlock, and Sherlock's usual text-on-screen thing in the woman's apartment except with really cracked inferences. Oh, and the one woman out of the five Sherlock was chatting with who was overly sexual and gave lengthy responses had me rolling; same with the bridesmaid he interacted with throughout. Oh, and I really liked Sherlock continually asking about the "H" in John's name, although I have a hard time believing he wouldn't have skipped to the birth certificate sooner. And I don't buy that Sherlock would've fell for John/Mary's scheme for him to "rescue" John with a case; I imagined he was just humoring them.

As a side-note, I appreciated the brief cameo of the actor from How to Get Away with Murder, particularly the shirtless scenes.

[johntfs]

On 2/11/2017 at 0:53 AM, TheGreenKnight said:

 

As a side-note, I appreciated the brief cameo of the actor from How to Get Away with Murder, particularly the shirtless scenes.

He was also Dean Thomas in the Harry Potter movies.

[seacliffsal]

Just watched this again as I have it saved on my dvr.  I just love this episode-good mystery, humor, and interactions.  This really is my most favorite episode and I enjoy watching it every once in a while.  Love the reception hall.