Sherlock - feeling cheated?

Just watched the first episode of Series three and without giving too much away, I do feel somewhat let down by the convenient explanation re his faked death and the whole thing in general.

Got a lot of time for Mark Gatiss but just feel that he's taken a bit of soft option here. Now, I may be doing him a dis-service and subsequent episodes may tie everything up nicely (as the ending woud suggest there's a further plot twist) but I get the sneaking suspicion that the BBC have asked him to rein in his intellect for the viewing masses and not make it too complicated.

The annoyance for me is that, having read the Conan Doyle originals, I'm frustrated by the simplicity of the New Year's day episode. Don't get me wrong I did enjoy it but there seemed to be very little in the way of Holmes' famed deductive skills which made te earlier episodes so enjoyable

There's the early scene in the restaurant with maitre D and it flashes up on screen that he's an expectant father. Holmes says, "That will be your wife texting, she's probably gone into labour" so the guy rushes out the door and we're just expected to take it as read that he's correct without any explanation. There's also an earlier scene where someone is told their wife is having an affair and they rush of but we just leave it at that with no explanation of how we came to that conclusion. Now, go back a couple of years and take the very first episode when Holmes and Watson examine the scene of the dead woman in the abandoned house and Holmes goes to great length to explain about how she's come to be there (Wedding Ring, wet clothes, missing suitcase etc)....this series, nah, can't be bothered.

Come on guys, you're better than this...sadly, I reckon it's already been written and filmed so my pleas will fall of deaf ears.

Hold your horses Dave, its only the first episode doesn't mean the rest of the series will be like this.

I was slightly disappointed with last nights episode. I thought it was a bit cheesy and dumbed down. I can't remember the previous series being so.

Pretty sure that there is another way he did which will be revealed when he tells Watson.

I see where you are coming from; I didn't enjoy it as much as I have other episodes of Sherlock, but I'm willing to give them a pass on this one. Mainly due to the fact that they didn't really have time to set up the actual mystery due to the main bulk of the episode having the purpose of reuniting Sherlock and Watson. On that note, anyone else reckon it was Mycroft and Mary who organised putting Watson in that bonfire to try and get him and Sherlock back together?

Will be expecting better on Sunday though, still was pretty good TV though.

JDizzle wrote:I see where you are coming from; I didn't enjoy it as much as I have other episodes of Sherlock, but I'm willing to give them a pass on this one. Mainly due to the fact that they didn't really have time to set up the actual mystery due to the main bulk of the episode having the purpose of reuniting Sherlock and Watson. On that note, anyone else reckon it was Mycroft and Mary who organised putting Watson in that bonfire to try and get him and Sherlock back together?

Will be expecting better on Sunday though, still was pretty good TV though.

Sitting down over a cuppa would have been easier. Supposing the battery on their mobile goes dead and they miss a vital clue? Strange how she knew what kind of code it was though and how Holmes has never questioned it. Have to say that whilst I think it's a fairly preposterous suggestion (no offence) given my earlier comments, it wouldn't come as a massive surprise if the producers had gone down that road.
I just find it ironic that were dealing with one of the most cerebral detectives ever (Poirot be damned) and more and more stuff appears to be falling into place due to sheer dumb luck or coincidence.

Did enjoy the section with Sherlock and Mycroft playing Operation though.

Haha, none taken. It sound fairly ridiculous as I typed it, but it's clear Mycroft doesn't really have a sense of what is normal and the fact Mary broke the code seemed a bit odd, obviously more to her than meets the eye. And why was only the first message in code? Although, actually, the fact the new villain was watching videos of the bonfire at the end of the episode does imply it was him who set it up.

i didnt enjoy it as much but i like the development of Mycroft but with Gatiss writing and acting the part...

It was dumbed down though, and I really hope the explain the death properly, like the Moriarty stitch up though

I've been watching a lot of Elementary recently. On the basis of the last couple of episodes of that, and the last few episodes of Sherlock, I'd put Elementary comfortably ahead.

I much prefer Jonathan Creek.

Hulking_up wrote:I much prefer Jonathan Creek.

One floppy haired smartar5e is much the same as another in my book

Bull wrote:Pretty sure that there is another way he did which will be revealed when he tells Watson.

I think it's guaranteed to be something different, especially the way Sherlock dissapeared after the bloke who was recorded realised Sherlock was lying to him.

I enjoyed it, a bit cheesy but I enjoyed the part in the resteraunt and the following scenes a lot.

agreed. Actually felt cheated first time round but watched it again a couple of times and am really loving it. They basically put out a homage to the plots/method/fanfiction that were floating around the web, probably going to hint at it until the last episode of this round.

Both of us thought you were an idiot sherlock - we had nothing else to go on

If they had started the episode with a straight ' this is how i did it ' scene i would of felt more cheated .

It's just a shame they only make 3 episodes a series

Tonight's episode was far better, a genuinely gripping mystery and plenty of his deductions which as Dave has said are a highlight of the show. Much preferred this episode to last weeks.

Think if you watch it back you might enjoy it - anticipation made it a let down, todays episode was fantastic though

Loved tonights episode. Perfect mix of entertainment and brilliant deductive work.

I'm not so sure. There were good parts last night but it was too long. Perhaps it is just me and I may be wrong but weren't the last episodes shown over 2 nights? After a few beers and on a Sunday night it has just been a bit consuming.

THAT's more like it Sherlock...really enjoyed last night's episode but now my concern is that they've only an hour and a half to tidy up the mystery of this shadowy figure seen at the end of the first episode and I don't think there's enough time to do it justice...unless they're planning a fourth series

seanmichaels wrote:I'm not so sure. There were good parts last night but it was too long. Perhaps it is just me and I may be wrong but weren't the last episodes shown over 2 nights? After a few beers and on a Sunday night it has just been a bit consuming.

They have always been an hour and half and shown straight through Sean, maybe through a combination of old age and alcoholism you are just losing your ability to concentrate or focus.

Rowley wrote:

seanmichaels wrote:I'm not so sure. There were good parts last night but it was too long. Perhaps it is just me and I may be wrong but weren't the last episodes shown over 2 nights? After a few beers and on a Sunday night it has just been a bit consuming.

They have always been an hour and half and shown straight through Sean, maybe through a combination of old age and alcoholism you are just losing your ability to concentrate or focus.

Possibly. I think I was knackered on NY's day and possibly just not in the mood yesterday. Watching Silent Witness prior to it probably didn't help concentration levels.

It was one of my favourite episodes. The character interactions were really well written and acted and it had the right mix of clueing for looks, solving puzzles, comedy and heart felt drama

I am gutted there is only one left and to steal a phrase from wrestling - I would mark out if at the end of the next episode it ran a trailer for more episodes coming soon

Sure I saw something saying they are planning more episodes but it will probably be another couple of years wait. The makers said it was not an intentional thing to create excitement or mess fans around it was just than both Cumberbatch and Freeman are film actors now and so it takes a while to get everyone’s calendars together.

A fourth series has been confirmed I believe, and a fifth hinted at. I think I'd rather we had the wait than they cancelled it outright as it is my favourite thing on TV. The shadowy figure at the end of the first episode, doesn't necessarily have to have his arc end at the end of the next episode, Moriarity's didn't end at the end of the first series.

I think a years' wait will be the least time until the next series, like Rowley said, it's out of necessity rather than plan that there are such huge waits, think of the amount of big films Cumberbatch has been involved in over the past two years, and Martin Freeman has The Hobbit films which are incredibly time-consuming, and I'm sure other offers will be piling up.

Last night's episode was fantastic I thought, nice to see the cameo of Irene Adler who was an excellent character in the last series and am glad they're mentioning her, suggesting she will be back at some point, if not in the next episode.

I can't recall if Adler appears in the original novels again although she's often alluded to by Watson. Been a while since I read them but also read a lot of stuff written "in the style" of Doyle as was fashionable at the time and I may be blurring official Doyle works with homages.

I agree it would be nice to see her again (even if my motives aren't altogether altruistic) but I also feel that by her being the one person to ellude Holmes it adds a continued air of mystique to her and shows Holmes if fallible both professionally and personally

Loved lastnights episode , hope the finale matches up or is better

Thought last nights episode was rubbish to be honest, only good but was lestrade being laughed at for his theory being the actual original method from Doyle's sign of three.

People are easily pleased but the crime, criminal and deductions round it were utter crap.

Watch it again when after united's next win

Sundays episode was superb, back to what made series one and two so great.

I still want to know how he did it and something has me thinking we won't find out in this series.

I dunno, I felt there was a lot of filler in the episode and it wasn't all that entertaining.

Also might just have been me but could the killer not just have followed one of those women to work and then done sholto.

Just all seemed stupid really.

ShahenshahG wrote:Watch it again when after united's next win

Why would he wait two years to watch it again?

Ent wrote:I dunno, I felt there was a lot of filler in the episode and it wasn't all that entertaining.

Also might just have been me but could the killer not just have followed one of those women to work and then done sholto.

Just all seemed stupid really.

Would he then not have been seen causing the murder to be solved very quickly and him not even standing a chance of getting away with it?

Yeah but he also risked getting caught with his practice run.

Apples and oranges, whilst all the cases require suspension of belief and are a bit convoluted this one IMO is just a bit stupid and all based around the desire to have Sherlock give a best mans speech.

Just seems they are humanising him for some cheap laughs.

I did like the first episode though.

Fail to see how the Mayfly man who is clearly of mixed race with Asian/South European origins (he was in Shameless a while back) could have gotten away with portraying himself as a ginger or blonde fella when dating these women. How stupid were they not to notice it?

Poor casting from the makers I'm afraid

Lol, I was disinterested by that point and didn't even notice.

Lucky I'm here to keep you abreast of these things

I loled at Sherlock with about 30 fags in his mouth, i know how he feels. I did enjoy it but they need to reign back the bromance a bit imo.
Problem Im having is its like a weekend. As soon as it starts I know its finishing soon so I cant enjoy it as much.

ok that episode blew my mind, thought it was brilliant, the sub plots, the whole mind palace- and moriarty's appearance in the cell was superb. The only thing which let it down was I thought they took the easy way out with killing the villain, just by shooting him, I mean as soon as I saw the empty room I realised the solution so how could it take Sherlock so long?

But the ending, I mean wow, I was starting to think they were hinting at it being the end of the show, and then they come out with that. mind seriously racing now. hurry up series 4

welshy824 (new) wrote:ok that episode blew my mind, thought it was brilliant, the sub plots, the whole mind palace- and moriarty's appearance in the cell was superb. The only thing which let it down was I thought they took the easy way out with killing the villain, just by shooting him, I mean as soon as I saw the empty room I realised the solution so how could it take Sherlock so long?

I don't think it took him that long, I think he was waiting for the Secret Service to arrive and watch him do it so as to save John from any arrest.

They've got one hell of a job to explain how this is possible, only problem is it looks like we may have to wait until late 2015/early 2016

I really enjoyed this series even though the one thing I really wanted explaining never was but that took nothing away from it for me
The Q&A with Moffatt and Gatiss after the episode was interesting without being that insightful - It has made me want to read the Doyle books
Looks like another couple of years until the next series so plenty of time to discuss theories of how it was done which too be honest is half the fun of the whole Sherlock experience

Interesting that Gattis has said they will continue to make this show until the fans don't want it anymore, can't imagine Sherlock would ever get boring to be honest.

really enjoyed the episode , i thought the sub plots were well done and obviously the ending was wtf as my jaw fell open .

So let the theories begin   

Awesome stuff. THAT ENDING!!! WOW!!

Spoiler:

According to a few sites the BBC have approached the producers to ensure that Sherlock will be back for next Christmas Day start to a 4th series

Kenny wrote:According to a few sites the BBC have approached the producers to ensure that Sherlock will be back for next Christmas Day start to a 4th series

I will give you a fiver right now that it won't.

They will film it as soon as possible, however this will be down to when Cumberbatch and Freeman's schedules both allow for it. However Cumberbatch appears to be particularly busy over the next year at least. My guess would be 2 years again, Moffatt also said he thinks one of the reasons Sherlock is such a success is because it leaves fans wanting more, so because they get so little they flock to it.

Anyway my theory for Season 4:

Spoiler:

More rubbish again this week.

Mary a spy for absolutely no reason and the same twist as moriarty not having that computer program.

No explanation as to how Sherlock did it, a genuinely intriguing criminal made absolutely rubbish and killed off.

Great Jims back, so did Sherlock dismantle his criminal network or not. Did him know he was going to fake his own death etc etc

I think the buzz, theories and hype around the show are more interesting than the show itself now - which was a massive let down this season.

Such a shame as the first 45 minutes were excellent tonight until that nonsense with Mary.

Thought it was a good episode. By far the ebst of the 3