Yes, you read that right
Whilst on vacation a business trip last weekend, I found myself with some time to kill and free Wi-fi. So, being the anglophile I am, and finding myself with unexpected quiet time, I endured the interminable Admiral Cruise Lines ads and watched the first episode of the third season of Sherlock: "The Empty Hearse."
I was pleasantly surprised; after last season left me a little undersatisfied (and a wee bit disturbed), "The Empty Hearse" just worked:
- The interplay between Sherlock and Molly was very well done - after last year's awkardness.
- Very happy with the casting for Mary Morstan; Amanda Abbingdon shone in the role, and her real-life relationship with Martin Freeman gives the couple a playfulness that rather humanizes John a bit...
- ...but incredibly glad to see the damned mustache go. It was funny for an in-joke, but there were plenty of those already.
"From your mustache, I can deduce that you are single."
"Why, what, er, from the shape or, er, something?"
"What? No, because it's ugly."
- Loved the overload of Doyle references throughout; I summarize the ones I picked up in the title; I'm sure there are more.
- The "Blue Carbuncle" reference was the best of that lot; "A Case of Identity" was the most subtly wonderful.
- It would've killed 'em to drop a blue Police Box into the background somewhere? No lingering shot, no offhand remarks, just a drive-by on Fleet St. or somewhere. Truly overload ever Beeb-addict in the world's head in one shot.
So what'd I really think?
Glad to see the franchise back and at fighting weight. Exclusive of Episode 1, last season just did not work for me. I thought they totally missed the feel of "Baskervilles," (although they get mad props for even trying to update that one), and the ending was too abrupt, too cold - directed by Moriarty, not Watson. It was the suicide sequence, of course - those always get me - but nonetheless, I walked away gladly and haven't rewatched them since.
Oh, shut up. Everybody has an off year.
For context, I rewatched Series 1 four times in the first two weeks I had the DVD's.
The team got it back with this episode. Sherlock should be almost uproariously funny at times - Doyle's detective had a rapier wit and classic Victorian timing - and Freeman's furious response to Cumberbatch's reincarnated Holmes is what Doyle would be writing if he were still at it today (and weren't well over 100 years old, that is.)
