The game, Ms. Hudson, is back on. BBC One’s cult hit drama Sherlock opened to the tune of 9.2 million viewers overseas as the much awaited series 3 debuted several weeks ago.
The show’s near 2 year hiatus was dedicated to hyping up and promoting the return of the modernized sleuth after a jaw-dropping series 2 cliffhanger.
Before the premiere, an empty hearse was parked outside of the set, the internet was littered with trailers, stills, a 7 minute mini episode ironically titled “Many Happy Returns” and the tag #SherlockLives. The crazed fanbase nearly broke Tumblr.
The creators did not disappoint. With all the enthusiasm that comes courtesy of rabid fan fuel, the show offers a plethora of well balanced tension, romance, drama, humor and chilling and enticing cinematography.
It is no spoiler at this point that last season saw protagonist and consulting detective Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch, Star Trek into Darkness) plummeting to his death after jumping off the roof of a hospital, leaving his best friend and “assistant” Dr. John Watson (Martin Freeman, The Hobbit) devastated.
Set in 21st century London, this installment takes place 2 years after Sherlock Holmes’ supposed death and picks back up to find the famous pair back in action after a strained reunion.
The first episode “The Empty Hearse”, sets the stage for the introduction of the charming Mary Morstan, played by Freeman’s wife, Amanda Abbington, and Sherlock’s new adversary.
The riveting and elaborate opening sequence quickly dissolves into various wild theories about how Holmes faked his death, all of which coming from a blog/Sherlock stalking fanbase that eerily mirrors the likes of Tumblr.
These detours allow writers Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat to tease a bit of fan service.
With a run time of an hour and thirty minutes, each episode of Sherlock is shot as if it were a feature length film, which nearly excuses the three episode a season limitation. Respectively, as the first episode was dedicated to Holmes’ return to Baker Street, the second deals with the rift that Watson’s marriage will inevitably create between the duo.
While it is emotionally poignant, it is obviously a platform to get from point A to B and the weakest of the three–which is saying something.
In routine fashion, the final episode, “His Last Vow” closes out with a major cliffhanger that involves new and previous adversaries with much more melodrama than mischievousness.
Filling the role of the established villain is Lars Mikkelsen who gives an absolutely cringe-worthy performance as the “Napoleon of Blackmail”.
The actor himself isn’t that awful to look at, but it is his portrayal of Magnussen’s repulsive mannerisms that will make your skin crawl.
However, in the way of antagonists for the show, the addition of Magnussen is startlingly understated and mishandled. This brings me to my next point.
The show, however great, is not without its faults. A large amount of the time, the audience is slave to Sherlock and not in the filthy way that you might think.
The viewer often relies on Sherlock’s deductions and if he misses a detail then so do we, initiating a blind-leading-the-blind situation.
Not only that but, without revealing any spoilers, it seems that this season was dealt a heavy hand of fan influence. This is most apparent in the climax of the final episode.
Zhana Johnson
Features Correspondent