Benedict Cumberbatch’s SHERLOCK HOLMES
Let me start this by stating there are spoilers in this post. If you haven’t seen the most recent BBC SHERLOCK HOLMES episode, you might want to not read any farther.
I’m a Sherlock Holmes fan from way back. My best friend and I discovered him when we were about 14, first through Arthur Conan Doyle’s books and then through the movies starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. Those two are still one of my favorite incarnations of Holmes & Watson. Beyond that, I enjoy the movies with Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law, as well as the BBC mini-series with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.
Speaking of which, I watched episode 3 of the 3rd season of the BBC’s SHERLOCK HOLMES last night, and I admit I was confused through much of it. I was…lost. Couldn’t figure out what was going on or why. I don’t know if it’s just because I wasn’t paying close enough attention, or if it really was that confusing. I guess I’ll need to watch it again.
What a hardship.
(SPOILERS AHEAD) I’m not sure how I feel about them turning Holmes into a murderer. I like that they have him taking such strong action to protect John and save Mary from future harm, but I’m not sure the Holmes of Conan Doyle’s imagination would take such an action if there weren’t imminent physical harm present. Though I think when it comes to Cumberbatch’s portrayal of Holmes as a functioning sociopath, the action he took is in character.
What do you think?
Cheryl Somerville
I’ve always liked Jeremy Brett as Sherlock. He seemed to be a very broody(?) person. I’m just glad to see that “you know who” seems to be back.
Cynthia Garner
I could never get that into Jeremy Brett as SH. I think, for me, he was too…manic. Too abrupt. And I’m glad you-know-who is back, too.
Christy
I wasn’t that lost plot -wise because…well…I love spoilers and had read some…so I kinda knew what to expect, but I was unsatisfied. I think the main problem with this season is that there wasn’t a common thread. And that our dynamic duo wasn’t really a duo…solving cases in the way that the viewers have come to love and expect. The last eppie was especially disjointed and attempted to address how reckless and different they’ve become without each other. There were high expectations, but each episode felt like we were thrown into the deep end…the characters had changed off screen for reasons we don’t know…and we had invested in the relationship of Sherlock and Watson and sometimes their actions caused whiplash…where there were sparse moments that felt familiar sandwiched in between moments that made the characters feel they were completely different. I hope next season that they establish business as usual and their cases drives the drama.
Cynthia Garner
Christy, I agree! The changes in Holmes & Watson were necessary, but somehow there was too much of…something. Or not enough. I don’t have any suggestions on how it could have been handled differently. I just know I was thoroughly confused.
Christy
I did think it interesting that they have Sherlock shot someone to save Watson, because Watson shots the taxi driver in the first eppie to save Sherlock. Maybe this is how they are putting the characters back on even footing for season 4?
Cynthia Garner
Perhaps. Like you, I’m looking forward to next season. We’ll have to wait and see.
Danielle
Well, I’m kinda mixed feelings on the whole thing. On the one hand, things had to change between the two be cause they’ve never had this sort of dynamic before. But on the other, it was the same experience the audience is used to. That being said, I quite enjoyed this season. For the first two seasons we were waiting for Moriarty, but as far as we knew for this season, there is no more Moriarty.
Now Moffat does have a way of setting things up at least a season in advance, so we might be missing something just at the moment.
Now, for this episode, there was a ton of action, and I loved that. My favorite part though, Molly. Omg, Molly. I always thought she was kind of adorable, but she has now become badass.
Cynthia Garner
Danielle, I agree with you about Molly! Adorable and badass.
I didn’t dislike this season, though it seemed more disjointed to me. And perhaps that was done on purpose, I don’t know. I’m looking forward to what Moriarty has up his sleeve.