S04.E00: The Abominable Bride

[call me ishmael]

Yes! I looooved that version - Jeremy is the best SH ever. 

I agree. Although i grew up watching the old Basil Rathbone movies on tv, Brett was the finest of them all.

[cardigirl]

Pass me your revolver, I have a sudden need to use it!

I loved that entire conversation while waiting for the ghost!

[cardigirl]

 

It may just be me but I also thought that the opening shots of Victorian London and the final shot of Holmes looking out the window were homages to the Jeremy Brett version.   Those episodes always started and ended with almost identical shots.

They also used the music from the Jeremy Brett version. 

Edited January 5, 2016 by cardigirl

[TomServo]

All these complicated theories floating around while I was just sitting here on my couch wondering why Mycroft had left so little room on his notebook page to work his matrix algebra problem.

[TrueMyth]

I'm trying to imagine the rules previously established for the Mind Palace. While it is an actual memory trick and they gave Sherlock the throwaway line that he uses it differently, I feel it is a bit of a cheat that we saw several scenes from the point of view of Watson or other non-Sherlock characters. Many here seem to assume that it is simply Sherlock's lense we are watching through, but I feel there was not enough Rashamon'ing of character traits for that to be the case. I have to knock the whole episode down several points for that, and I'm surprised as Moffat typically does better at such high concept narratives.

[StatMom]

All these complicated theories floating around while I was just sitting here on my couch wondering why Mycroft had left so little room on his notebook page to work his matrix algebra problem.

I noticed that, too. Surely he can work it out in his head!

[tennisgurl]

So, upon much further reflection, I think I really did like this, although it is rather frustrating, given how damn long its going to be until we get anything else.

 

My current meta theory that I have seen floating around is that either the 21 century Sherlock is real, and making all this up on a drug trip, or the old timey Holmes is real, and he made everything up on a drug trip. Or both, in a meta sense, allowing both versions to exist. Commenting on the many iterations and interpretations for the Holmes stories? Or just the writers trying to be clever? I kind of like the meta narrative. What can I say, I`m a sucker for meta fiction. 

 

Molly was so obviously a woman, it was hilarious. Clue that this world was made up? Or vise versa? 

 

I remember when it was so weird hearing people refer to Holmes as Sherlock, and now its weird to hear the opposite. 

[needschocolate]

Wasn't quite sure how I felt about the episode until I came on here and read all the comments and theories. I have decided I like the episode, now that I understand it better - especially the OD stuff (never entered my mind that the fight by the falls meant he was been close to ODing).  I am not sure what to make of the "Moriarity is dead, I wonder what he will do next" - is Moriarity dead?  I ma not a fan of Moriarity scenes because they require me to remember too much of what has gone on before (I don't watch TV to think, I watch to stop thinking so much).

 

I have no opinion on whether Mycroft should have been fat in the Victorian scenes, but I will say that it was the best job I have ever seen of making a thin person look fat.  Usually, fat suits are too obvious and and characters either have no expressions or have such unrealistically tremendous chins/necks (or both).  Had I not known what the real actor looked like, I probably would have not realized the heft was all fake. 

[Xantar]

I read somewhere that Mark Gatiss lost a significant amount of weight shortly before the Sherlock TV series started, so I thought all the references in this episode and elsewhere to Mycroft's weight were a sort of meta-reference to Gatiss himself.

I didn't really like the episode. I understand that it was clever. I got all the in-jokes (here's one people haven't mentioned before: in the ACD stories, Holmes observes that Watson employs a careless maid since he notices scuff marks on his boots. In this episode, we see Watson scolding his maid for scratching his boots). It was a delightful piece of fan service.

But that's all it was. If you aren't already emotionally invested in the characters and the world, there's nothing in this episode to make you care about what happens to anyone. And that wasn't always the case. The first season in particular did a wonderful job of humanizing John and Sherlock.

And it doesn't help that the actual story is pretty weak. It took me a few minutes to solve the mystery of the Abominable Bride. It seems that this is another case of Moffat forgetting that his primary goal should be to tell a good story. Instead, we've got an episode that's just about itself.

[rereader2]

Re: Mycroft's weight:

 

Mycroft Holmes was a much larger and stouter man than Sherlock. His body was absolutely corpulent, but his face, though massive, had preserved something of the sharpness of expression which was so remarkable in that of his brother. His eyes, which were of a peculiarly light, watery gray, seemed to always retain that far-away, introspective look which I had only observed in Sherlock’s when he was exerting his full powers.

“I am glad to meet you, sir,” said he, putting out a broad, fat hand like the flipper of a seal. “I hear of Sherlock everywhere since you became his chronicler. By the way, Sherlock, I expected to see you round last week, to consult me over that Manor House case. I thought you might be a little out of your depth.”

--"The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter" by Arthur Conan Doyle

Edited January 6, 2016 by rereader2

[SusanSunflower]

I couldn't connect to the live stream -- no worries, it said it would be re-streamed Sunday -- except then it wasn't and the video is not available on the PBS website ... does anyone have any knowledge wrt WTF is going on with this episode ... 

[rereader2]

It's going to be re-aired on PBS on Sunday, NEXT Sunday, Jan. 10  (at least on Channel 13 in New York). It's also going to be streaming on PBS.org for a short while starting Jan. 11. (Mark Gatiss explains all here.)

[j5cochran]

I saw this show in a theatre tonight.  There was a bigger crowd than when I saw Star Wars last week!

 

I enjoyed it more, in part because I could follow the convoluted plot better the second time around, and in part because I could see better.  The Victorian interiors were too dark for the small screen.

 

I did spot a goof.  In the first Victorian scene on Baker Street, as the camera swoops down from the Baker Street sign, I spotted a matched set of electric spotlights tucked in at the top of the Speedwell's Restaurant and Tea Rooms. It would not have been visible from the street level, but it was glaringly obvious from the crane shot.

 

 

 

[Peace 47]

Question 1: Are we supposed to recognize Watson's housemaid? She's a projection of Holme's imagination, she's impertinent (for a 19th century housemaid) -- is that scene supposed to represent Sherlock's mental imagining of a19th century men overlooking and being oblivious to the hard work and intellect of the women around them? She re-appears in the scene with the hooded women -- right after Watson brags that he "wasn't fooled" by Molly Hooper's masquerade as a male coroner (she leans into his line of sight.) Are we supposed to recognize her from the 21st century or is Sherlock just projecting that John has no idea what the women in his life are up to (an echo of all of Sherlock's projections of his mixed feelings about Mary.) Why is she in the story?

It is interesting that the other women with speaking roles in Victorian times were all women who had a modern equivalent in Sherlock's life: Molly, Janine and Mary. Even Lady Carmichael (whom we had never seen before) eventually showed up in this episode as the pilot of Sherlock's plane. Yet this housemaid is someone we've never seen. (But perhaps she's just like Eustace Carmichael, in being the other main character to have a significant role in the dream but no modern equivalent.) The maid seems to enjoy needling John about the poor state of his marriage and doesn't seem particularly worried about repercussions, despite her subservient position. And she seems important in some way by being the person to have a significant scene with John in Sherlock's dream when Sherlock was not present.

I'm once again impressed with the acting in this episode. Benedict's shaky, nearly cracking voice on the plane the first time Sherlock wakes up was very good at conveying how compromised Sherlock is. Same with the graveyard scene when he's pleading with John to stay and help him, but mind palace John walks away on him. I was also impressed with Martin's acting when Victorian Watson comes to 221b to find Holmes laying on the floor and drugged. Sherlock starts rambling about Moriarty being there, and Watson says shortly (and with disappointment), "Moriarty's dead" before really letting his emotions escalate.

[PepperMonkey]

I didn't ADORE it, but I loved it plenty enough.

 

I would watch Benedict and Martin in anything they do, though, and Benedict has done some questionable stuff (Star Trek Into Darkness, I'm looking at you). Those guys have charisma out the wazoo, charisma with each other and I LOVE how integral to the stories they have made Mary, since I love her, as well.

 

I'll miss Moriarty, if we never see him again. That guy is crazier than a bag of rabid cats and I love him, too.

 

I can't believe we have to wait an whole other year to see more Sherlock mini-movies, but I'm sure they'll be totally worth it. I'll give the Victorian fantasy episode a 9 out of 10 because, well, it's Benedict, Martin, and all the others who make this show so great.

Edited January 6, 2016 by PepperMonkey

[blackwing]

Overall, I hated it.  I loved the Victorian portions.  Huge fan of pretty much any incarnation of ACD Sherlock.  Not as big a fan of the two modern day interpretations.  There's just something about imagining the characters rushing to catch a hansom cab and then clipclopping on those cobblestone streets filled with fog that I find very appealing.

 

So I was greatly disappointed when we kept getting jolted back and forth between modern and Victorian times.  I stopped trying to figure out what was real and what wasn't and then just kept looking at my watch and waited for it to end.  It just seemed like the show was trying too hard to be clever and blow people's minds.

[SusanSunflower]

thanks very much for the information wrt to next streaming !!! 

[rereader2]

What can I say? I loved the whole thing. Any time we can get a good, twisty look into Sherlock's brain, I'm in, especially when there is so much good stuff to chew on PLUS all the throwaway callbacks and jokes, both to ACD and to previous eps, any of which may or may not really be a throwaway! 

 

For me, the originals were all about the fun and adventure and characters, and I'll always choose that over high drama. I can't rewatch Reichenbach because of all the high drama, and I skip my way through HLV. This one, though, this one I'll rewatch a dozen times or more, just to catch all the Easter eggs. (It's like they said, okay, you're gonna analyze this to death? We'll REALLY give you something to analyze!)

[M. Darcy]

FYI, the episode is now available for downloading on ITunes. 

[Kate the Great]

It's up on Google Play as well!

[jeansheridan]

I love this episode more with repeat viewings. There was one major gap however. If this is all in Sherlock' s head, I have a hard time imagining him imagining John eating breakfast at home. It is the only solo John scene. <br /><br />I liked a sharper Molly too. The drag didn't work but I do wonder how many women did do that and people just didn't notice because it wouldn't occur to them a woman would do that. <br /><br />So Mind Palace Mycroft being massive. I didn't mind it given all the jokes over the seasons. Plus this is Sherlock' s most exaggerated idea of his big brother looming large. And despite the jokes, clearly Sherlock worries about him. Doesn't Mycroft die in Doyle's stories?

[ganesh]

The scene with Watson alone at his house is kind of a callback to the books where Holmes mentions something about the maid not shining his shoes properly. I knew it had something to do with the books, but I couldn't place it, until it was actually mentioned here. Essentially, the remark in the books that Holmes makes, imo, this is what he's imagining. Note how stiff Watson is to the maid. It's almost OOC. I think that was meant to be a tip off.

 

I mean, clearly, Holmes totally wonders what exactly Watson is doing when they're not together. There's a lot of passages in the books where Holmes makes an off hand comment and then breaks down what Watson had been doing the night before. I vaguely remember something in the books about Watson having chalk on his fingers, so Holmes goes on about how Watson was probably at his club playing billards and the dirt on his boots, so he's making a new investment or some such. But a lot of the stories open with Watson visiting Holmes and then they go on like that for a while until Holmes starts talking about the new case at hand.

 

Come to think of it, Holmes liked to ramble a lot to Watson when they were alone. 

 

I liked that the episode was such a thorough oeuvre of the Holmes content, but I'm familiar with Sherlock Holmes quite well, as I'm sure most are, and I'd prefer to see Holmes and Watson facing a challenging mystery. 

Edited January 9, 2016 by ganesh

[Starchild]

All you people talking about foreshadowing of Mycroft's death can just stop that right now. Please.

[dr pepper]

Also, did anyone else notice the Terry Pratchett shout out? At the end someone said something about a Monstrous Regiment. Since Pterry died since the last new Sherlock, I figured this was a tribute to him, as it doesn't seem a common enough phrase I've heard it outside of Discworld.

 

No.

"Monstrous Regiment" is actually a well known reference to a renaissance political tract denouncing women in power.

I think it was actually intended as a shout-out to the novel of the same name by Laurie R. King. She has written a series of books (the twelfth to be published in April 2015) about Mary Russell, an Anglo-American orphan who meets the retired Sherlock Holmes in the 1910s. I actually like the books, but YMMV.

 

Again, no.

Here is the link to the original

 

http://www.swrb.com/newslett/actualNLs/firblast.htm

[dr pepper]

Here's a really off the wall theory: Holmes was in a coma from a drug cocktail including LSD. But it wasn't this Holmes. It was the one from the american show.

[PaulaO]

I watched it again last night and enjoyed it even more. The Victorian running and screaming was annoying though so I fast forwarded. Has there ever been mention of this Sherlock being an addict (excuse me, user) other than nicotine? His list must have had some powerful drugs on it. And I think Sherlock is just horrible to Mycroft, who will always be there for him. I want to know that backstory.

[Zahdii]

... I think Sherlock is just horrible to Mycroft, who will always be there for him. I want to know that backstory.

I've never read the books, or watched any Sherlock Holmes movies before BBC 'Sherlock' and the American 'Elementary' came along. As a result, my thoughts on the relationship between Sherlock and Mycroft have been formed from limited exposure to the Holmes brothers.

Anyway, I get the feeling that Sherlock resents Mycroft for many reasons:

Mycroft was the first son; Sherlock may feel that he is 'sloppy seconds' in his parents eyes. Although Sherlock pretends that his parents are terribly ordinary and pedestrian, I think that it's a cover and he really loves them and wants to be #1 in their eyes.

Mycroft is as smart as, or smarter than Sherlock. While Sherlock might find himself to have some respect for other people as smart as he, it's intolerable that his older brother could be a contender for "the smartest".

Mycroft is a very big deal in the British government. Sherlock would hate to be limited by a government position, but it galls him that a significant portion of the Powers That Be tolerate him because of their respect for his older brother. Mycroft also wields power through his position that Sherlock doesn't have access to.

Sherlock has the comfortable knowledge that there is a significant number of people who fear him and would avoid getting on his bad side. But Mycroft has the same effect, and with his government contacts, it's possible that even more people fear Mycroft. The difference is that Mycroft works behind the scenes and Sherlock is right out in plain sight, dealing face to face with the public and having newspaper articles written about him. I think it's part of Sherlock's rebellion that he courts publicity and is adament that he only works on cases that interest him, while Mycroft stays in the shadows and does what needs to be done, even if it's not that exciting; at least not exciting to Sherlock.

In the same vein, Sherlock acts like he's a free spirit who isn't beholden to anyone while Mycroft is another cog in the government wheel. But Sherlock will use his association with Mycroft when it suits him, and does it with almost an 'eff you' air. When Mycroft uses Sherlock to further his own goals, Sherlock gets resentful and suspicious.

The worst thing for Sherlock is that Mycroft watches over him. He's still the little brother being protected by the older brother. The more we learn about their relationship, the more obvious it becomes. Sherlock desperately wants to think that he rose above common parents to become a sleuthing star, but his big brother is always there watching and running interference when necessary. On top of that, I suspect that there is a part of Sherlock that is grateful for the oversight, and that really bugs him.

Sibling rivalry at it's smartest, I suppose.

[pcta]

Adored it. Loved the more formal acting style of most of the characters - including Moriarity - in the Victorian version. Loved that they were very fair with the audience in foreshadowing the twist - Holmes wondering how HE was able to survive being shot in the head. Loved the major nod to the Paget illustrations - particularly Reichenbach Falls which was stunning. There was sooooooooo much to love.

[ganesh]

Has there ever been mention of this Sherlock being an addict (excuse me, user) other than nicotine?

 

It's canon from the books that Holmes injects himself with cocaine. It's only mentioned "directly" once iirc, and Watson kind of hand waves it imo, like, "Holmes has such an active mind when he doesn't have a case he gets really depressed." After that I think there's some oblique references to Holmes reaching for 'his box on the mantle'. 

[Starchild]

What's NOT canon is the animosity between the Holmes brothers. Mycroft doesn't show up very much, but when he does, Sherlock shows nothing but respect for him. I wouldn't go so far as to say there's affection between them (this is Victorian England after all), but Sherlock acknowledges Mycroft's superior intellect and even accepts instruction from him in the science of deduction with absolutely no sign of resentment.

[PaulaO]

I know about Holmes and the cocaine in the books. If there has been mention of his using in this series, I missed it.

[angora]

In the pilot, when Lestrade suspects Sherlock of keeping his theories to himself, he shows up at the flat for a "drugs search."  John starts to laugh off the idea of Sherlock using drugs as ridiculous, but he realizes from Sherlock's reaction that it's not.  "A Scandal in Belgravia" has an oblique reference (I think it's after the battered body has been discovered?) - with Sherlock in a vulnerable place, Mycroft tells John that it's a "danger night" and informs him that his holiday plans have just changed to keeping an eye on Sherlock.  John and Mrs. Hudson search the apartment in the same episode, and I don't get the impression that it's for cigarettes.  And then, in "His Last Vow," there's that thing where Sherlock goes off the map and is found in a flop house.  John assumes it's a relapse, but it turns out it was a front/act/something or other to draw out Magnussen?  I forget the precise motive.  So there have been a few references, but they're all pretty vague, and the show has very rarely given any indication that Sherlock has (or ever HAS had) a real problem with drugs.  I suppose it ties into the air he always tries to give off of being in control.  I like that here, even after having used drugs, he STILL insists that he's fine and he can handle it all, but is actually in danger of ODing.  That seems very realistic for Sherlock, that he'd assume he can use and still be in total control - it fits well with his flaws.

[Fosca]

No.

"Monstrous Regiment" is actually a well known reference to a renaissance political tract denouncing women in power.

Again, no.

Here is the link to the original

http://www.swrb.com/newslett/actualNLs/firblast.htm

Actually, the Laurie King book get its title from that political tract, as it is referred to prominently in the novel. Given the number of shout-outs to other stories in this episode, I would say it's definitely intentional.

[ganesh]

I know about Holmes and the cocaine in the books. If there has been mention of his using in this series, I missed it.

 

Holmes' drug use in this current tv series is quite well documented. It's not subtle or wink wink. It's very clear that he uses drugs. I don't know what season it was, but Holmes is flipping out because he can't find his drugs; Watson and Mrs. Husdon are both there and say essentially, "Yeah, we threw them out. They're not here and we don't approve of you using drugs." It wasn't a long scene, and I've only watched the episodes once each, but I recall it. 

 

The modern show has been quite open about Holmes' drug use imo. So with this episode of Holmes all drugged out, it's not a surprise, because he's done that before. Even if one has only watched this current tv series. 

 

John and Mrs. Hudson search the apartment in the same episode, and I don't get the impression that it's for cigarettes.

 

That's probably what I'm thinking of.

 

Not for nothing, but just watch the show. I like getting online to talk about shows I like. And I like doing it here. But actually just watch the show. The fact that Holmes is a drug addict is canon books, and canon this tv series. It's a huge character flaw and it underscores in the books and the show that Watson is addicted to Holmes, In the books, he's always taking off from his private medical practice to romp on off, and in this episode, Watson's wife has to present herself to Baker Street as a potential client in order to get some face time for her husband. 

[SimoneS]

If that is all we get for season four, it was a cop out although I enjoyed it somewhat. 

 

I concur with what others have said about Sherlock's drug use, it is straight from the books and is openly presented in this series. Watson as a traumatized army doctor was served in Afghanistan is also from the books. I think that sticking to the main characteristics of the leads in the book this is what makes this Sherlock Holmes series work so well, that and the casting of course.

[call me ishmael]

What's NOT canon is the animosity between the Holmes brothers. Mycroft doesn't show up very much, but when he does, Sherlock shows nothing but respect for him. I wouldn't go so far as to say there's affection between them (this is Victorian England after all), but Sherlock acknowledges Mycroft's superior intellect and even accepts instruction from him in the science of deduction with absolutely no sign of resentment.

You are right. In the books at least there is a lot of mutual respect. Mycroft has the larger mind but he is lazy. He calls Sherlock in not because he needs proof of something he has already figured out but rather because he needs someone more active who is almost as smart as he is to solve the case. But ACD didn't really do family drama. That started later i think. Perhaps with Nicholas Meyers.

[Pallas]

"You see, but you do not observe"  -- a compensatory rewatch,  

 

1)  Victorian Holmes's greatcoat has its top buttonhole outlined in red.  

2)  Mary really does need to change her perfume.

3)  The Bride's YOU left in blood = Moriarty's IOU, left in lights or apples.

4)  "Nothing made me. I made me...Redbeard?"  Along with, "It's never twins/There are no ghosts!/One of my rare failures"/Moriarty's 'Miss Me?' and the Bride's 'Do Not Forget Me' = all allusions to the missing brother?

[proserpina65]

I was enjoying the Victorian mystery until Moriarty showed up (really don't like that particular portrayal of the character); it was all downhill from there.  This just reaffirmed that I no longer need to watch Sherlock.

[rereader2]

If that is all we get for season four, it was a cop out 

 

Season 4 is supposed to start filming this spring to air early 2017. This was a non-season special.

[janeta]

Well, i liked this one. :-) It was certainly better than the first two eps of S3. Reading all your observations here, i see that i missed a lot. Will have to find out when it's re-airing and watch it again. A few times. ;-) I'm trying to remember which scene it was--i got a total Doctor Strange vibe the way Sherlock was standing.

And yes, y'all just hush about Mycroft dying, book canon be damned. =O

Edited January 12, 2016 by janeta

[Starchild]

Mycroft didn't die in the books (or at least, it was never said that he did). If Mycroft dies in this series, it's pure Moffat/Gatiss. I'd hate to see it happen, because the interplay between them is always delightful, but M/G have said that this version of Sherlock is young and inexperienced, not a reflection of the man in the stories, but an earlier version who still needs to grow up. One way to effect that growing up is to kill off the older brother he still relies on so much.

 

But I'd hate to see that. I'm not entirely sure I could keep watching. :(

[M. Darcy]

I don't think Mycroft will die just because I don't see Gatiss giving up writing the part for himself.

 

FYI, the DVD is available today.

[ganesh]

They certainly seem to like the source material, so I don't think they'd kill of Mycroft either. The books weren't a showcase for character development, so I give the show credit for at least trying. I don't think I recall anything as meaningful as the wedding speech in the books, though Holmes clearly enjoys Watson's company and has bee grateful for him helping out on a case. They could just have a rift between Holmes and Mycroft without him dying if they wanted to cut the reliance of Holmes on him somewhat. 

 

What's the story where Holmes and Watson were tracking down the guy who blackmails everyone? Was it Milverton? Because the ending to that was kind of funny, and it wasn't really a "win" for Holmes. And it had a good female character in it. But Milverton has been done already, so they can't really go back to that. 

 

[ratgirlagogo]

 

 

Penman61:This tweet by Leigh Alexander summed it for me:

just watched sherlock mansplain feminism to a room full of annoyed women in witch outfits

I suppose they might be seen as witch outfits, but they sure looked like Ku Klux Klan outfits to me - which is not offensive to me because this is all a confused dream/nightmare in Sherlock's drug-crazed mind.  It's also a reference to the the ACD story The Five Orange Pips, in which the five orange pips are sent to the victims by a KKK member:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Five_Orange_Pips

 

He's not mansplaining anything to actual women.  He's talking to characters in a dream.  Given who he is and how he treats people, his unconscious invents an Avenging Army of wronged and underestimated women - something that has little to do with the suffragist movement or any feminist movement of course.  "I wish to see women neither heroines nor brutes, but Reasonable Creatures," as Mary Wollstonecraft famously said - an ambition you'd think this supposed paragon of Reason would understand.  Part of what I got from this episode is that Sherlock is facing emotional realities in his dreams that he doesn't in waking life - just like all the rest of us.  He is afraid of being treated the way he has treated others.

 

But as Moriarty says to Sherlock later in the episode, "Pure reason overcome by pure melodrama  -  your life in a nutshell."   Too funny.

 

I think the Monstrous Regimen reference is of course to the John Knox pamphlet, but don't see why it isn't also a nod to Laurie King and Terry Pratchett (and many other writers/feminist groups that have used it).

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

Haven't read all the replies, so sorry if I repeat a bunch of stuff............

 

So, finally got around to watching TAB.  Everyone's opinion is different, but my own op is that if you like or love Sherlock, you can't not like (or love) TAB.   I'm actually glad they made the special more about the running canonical plot than just a completely 'non-canon' one-off.  It was a fun way to give fans of the show a special 90 minutes between seasons, while actually advancing the overall plot/myth-arc between seasons [or series, if you prefer].  I personally really appreciate that, seeing as how there are usually 2+ years between new seasons/series.

 

I had avoided all info and spoilers about it going in, other than it was going to be (at least partly) set towards the end of the 1800s.  And I didn't realize it was just in Sherlock's mind palace until they actually showed the plane stuff, but I did immediately realize something was 'off' when he zoned out and was mentally reviewing how it was impossible to survive blowing one's brains out while referring to Mrs Richoletti as a "he".  I wasn't sure how they would actually tie the 1880's case to Moriarty's 'mind-blowing' exit, but the clues were easily recognized from that point forward. 

 

I think what I liked most about what they did with this special, was setting up quite a bit of emotional and inter-relationship narratives for the future - while his drug-induced mind-self insisted he didn't feel emotions or the need to be anything else than alone;

-  I don't ever really see Sherlock/John happening on the TV show, but you'll be hard pressed to find two closer and truer friends on television

-  Despite the highly antagonistic way they treat each other, Mycroft is very protective and concerned about Sherlock's welfare

-  Not quite sure how to take the Irene Adler bit that was included, is he just missing her or will she be back?

-  The bit with the feminist gathering, was his conscience's way of telling him he needs to treat the women in his life better, especially Molly Hooper  (if IA is never again a part of the show, I could put up with a Sherlock/Molly pairing if they go that route)

 

I also found it really interesting, from a narrative standpoint, how Sherlock revealed to himself (as the 1880's was all in his mind) that he "did this to himself", re: how he got to be like he is.  Was that referring to his whole adult life, or more as a way to draw even more attention to the drugs?  Could be seen both ways, I guess... probably meant to be seen both ways.

 

 

I liked TAB, myself, but especially for what it was...... a "free" 90 minutes of Sherlock, while advancing storylines and narratives.  Thank you, to everyone involved.

Edited January 14, 2016 by iRarelyWatchTV36

[SusanSunflower]

TAB is available on the PBS website until 01/25/2015 -- and -- even better -- on the PBS channel on Roku (meaning it can in theory be recorded -- I've just started with Roku and need to reconfigure my VCR/Dish Receiver (byebye) configuration but I have seen/been told it can be done) ... I have also read that some personal use downloader/streaming sites can overcome the obstacle to downloading from the PBS site, although I am doubtful and suspect the infernal Cruise Commercial provides obstruction. Those downloaders claiming to be able to download PBS videos have very limited free trials and I'm not ready to spend hours on troubleshooting/FAQ site exploring. 

 

Roku streamed PBS generally better than online and then suddenly went to hell at 9 P.M. watching TAB, however, I managed almost the entire last Downton episode without pause at a speed of 0.5 mbps  -- I have terrible slow broadband, hence, my desire to download/record off screen during off-hours (after I go to bed) 

Anyway, as a result my viewing was a bit fragmented but I liked it better than I expected (since I loathe Mark Gattis) ... I missed many, even most of the in-jokes without feeling put down or like a clueless geek. Win win. I find Gatiss' too clever by half routine be off-putting.  I was astonished at both Cumberbatch and Freeman's ability to shape-shift  and the outstanding pretty much shtick-free acting ... I expected to hate it but wanted my chance. I'll try again over the weekend to VCR it for posterity

 

eta:  or at least to rewatch without all those pauses. 

fwiw: I live at 9,000 feet and have zero over-the-air channels, even with antenna capacity. 

Edited January 15, 2016 by SusanSunflower

[Kimmature]

Not a high point in the series for me- a lot of it just seemed to be beating us over the plot points and characterizations that had been set a a while ago.

 

But it looks like they'll be doing it for many years in the future, so I'm still all in.  This episode seemed a bit poorly though out and done for the sake of doing it, but as viewers we probably won't care as much in a few decades. 

[TomServo]

Is this this first time they've busted out "Elementary, my dear Watson!"?  I had it in my head that they were planning not to use that line in this iteration.  If so, maybe it only resides in the mind palace fantasy version along with Lestrade's sideburns.

[rereader2]

Is this this first time they've busted out "Elementary, my dear Watson!"?  I had it in my head that they were planning not to use that line in this iteration.  If so, maybe it only resides in the mind palace fantasy version along with Lestrade's sideburns.

 

I think that's true--Sherlock uses "obvious" instead of "elementary"--but as long as they were going Victorian and throwing in all the Victorian!Holmes tropes, how could they resist "elementary"? 

[sinkwriter]

 

Holmes' drug use in this current tv series is quite well documented. It's not subtle or wink wink. It's very clear that he uses drugs. I don't know what season it was, but Holmes is flipping out because he can't find his drugs; Watson and Mrs. Husdon are both there and say essentially, "Yeah, we threw them out. They're not here and we don't approve of you using drugs." It wasn't a long scene, and I've only watched the episodes once each, but I recall it.

 

They've definitely brought up Sherlock using drugs, but that scene where he freaks out and is searching everywhere, he's not looking for drugs. He's looking for his cigarettes, but Watson and Mrs. Hudson have gotten rid of them and/or have hidden them from Sherlock. I believe it's "The Hounds of Baskerville" episode because first he freaks out about needing a cigarette, then he begs Russell Tovey's character to please smoke as he tells his story to them, he obnoxiously gets in Tovey's physical space and breathes in the smoke that Tovey exhales, and finally he refuses to get on the train to go to Russell's town to investigate, and says he's just going to send his "best man" Watson, so finally Watson rolls his eyes, goes over to the skull on the mantle and pops a pack of cigarettes out of its hiding place and tosses them at Sherlock. To which Sherlock says something like, "I don't need them now! We've got a case to solve!" 

 

(I just rewatched series 1, 2 and 3 over the last week or so. *GRIN*)

Edited March 7, 2016 by sinkwriter