Not all reviews panned it: #spoilers Sherlock episode 3: The Final Problem, review: 'an exhilarating thrill-ride' please log in to view this image Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes CREDIT: BBC Michael Hogan 16 JANUARY 2017 • 1:45PM Shadowy agents, serial killers, secret histories and a grief counsellor who was actually Sherlock Holmes’s long-lost sister. For three weeks, fans of the high-functioning franchise had their brains scrambled by a succession of revelations, riddles and red herrings. But, as the final episode of the fourth series drew to a close last night, one fact remained indubitable: Sherlock is now Britain’s biggest drama. Elementary, my dear viewers. The slick, contemporary adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories – which the BBC has sold to an astonishing 240 territories around the world – was the most popular programme over the festive period, save for the New Year’s Eve fireworks, attracting in excess of 11 million viewers during its three-week run. please log in to view this image Mark Gatiss as Mycroft in The Final Problem CREDIT: BBC However, it’s not all been plain sailing. For every glowing review, social media rave and fan tribute to the flowing-coated charms of Sherlock himself, Benedict Cumberbatch, there has been a sceptical one about the self-referential script or labyrinthine plotting. Last night’s episode showcased all the elements that have made this modern-day reinvention such a hit – as well as those that have proved divisive. Watch | Sherlock Series 4 trailer: The Final Problem 00:20 Titled The Final Problem, this rollercoaster thrill-ride of an episode began with a bang – a bomb blew 221B Baker Street to smithereens, propelling our heroes out of the windows with a huge fireball. Criminal mastermind Moriarty was back, despite having shot himself five years ago: alive and well and up to his old devilish tricks. However, this shock twist – just one of many – wasn’t a resurrection but a rug-pulling flashback and Moriarty was merely a henchman to the main villain of the piece. A villain who was Holmes’s darkest, deadliest adversary yet: his own sister. please log in to view this image Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock CREDIT: BBC Eurus (a star-making turn from Sian Brooke) had spent decades in a fortress-like facility for the criminally insane, located on a remote island to “contain the uncontainables”. As Mycroft (Mark Gatiss) told “brother mine” Sherlock: “This isn’t one of your idiot cases. This is family.” Except rather than being imprisoned, Eurus turned her guards (led by guest star Art Malik) into captives themselves. The lunatics had literally taken over the asylum. Now she set her estranged siblings a string of life-or-death dilemmas, aided by recordings of Moriarty from beyond the grave. “Miss me?” he kept asking. Yes, we did actually. Actor Andrew Scott swaggered, chewed scenery and palpably relished his return. Louise Brealey also shone in her sole, heart-wrenching scene as pathologist Molly Hooper. Twists kept on coming in this Chinese puzzle of a story, co-written by series creators Gatiss and Steven Moffat. Sherrinford, hinted to be a third Holmes brother, wasn’t a person but a place. The much-mourned Redbeard wasn’t the family dog but a little boy: Sherlock’s childhood chum with whom he played pirates, until jealous Eurus threw him down a well. Tense scenes of a young girl on a plummeting aeroplane turned out to be a metaphor for Eurus’s fear and isolation. Highly implausible at times, but also powerfully effective. please log in to view this image Louise Brealey as Molly Hooper CREDIT: BBC The dazzling script delivered laughs, excitement and emotion. Movie pastiches flew past, from horror tropes to Avengers’ gentleman spy weaponry, and some smart Silence Of The Lambs business with a glass cell. After the adrenalin stopped pumping, there was even a happy ending. We were left with a wiser Holmes and Watson (Martin Freeman) – “the junkie who solves crimes to get high and the Doctor who never came home from the war” – back in a rebuilt 221B, ready to crack more crimes. It was like our beloved characters had been restored to factory settings. If this was the last-ever episode, which it surely won’t be, it worked well as a sign-off.
I didn't see last night's but I think the quality in general has gone down each season. Sherlock Holmes seems more and more like doctor who each season. I'm half expecting to see darleks. I still like it enough to watch it, but the first two seasons were best.
For me it's the indirectness of the story telling and trying to be far too clever with the plot and characters that renders it incredibly difficult, nigh on impossible to watch, there's so much clever-clever piece moving going on all the frickin time that any semblance of narrative and storyline is smothered by it and makes it way too hard to follow. Feels to me like the creators are just showing off to demonstrate how 'mind-blowing' and 'tricksy' they can be, probably trying to win awards and amaze the industry. Well that to me has the opposite effect and just seems try-hard and all a bit clunky, hokey and well, ****e. But maybe I'm just a ******.
The first two series were about Sherlock solving crimes with a little bit of personal development. Gradually, they've made it all about various relationships between the various characters with a crime also happening now and then.
Binge watched The OA last night....kinda liked it despite plot holes to sink the titanic and a weird forced climax that felt joltingly out of step with the rest for the series...
Yeah, I thought the last episode wasn't quite as good as the others. I'm glad they left the ending amibguous rather than definitively saying what happened. Spoiler: The ending I lean towards she died and death was the "portal to the next dimension". The Mrs believes the ambulance was the invisible portal to the next dimension and Prairie was unhurt. I suspect there will be a season two and it will continue to be amibguous, did she pass to another dimension or have a near death experience? There were a bunch of plot holes in the last episode. Not least being that doofus guy being back at school after his parents trying to send him away. Surely when he came home his parents would have just returned him. Also wtf was the fbi councillor doing randomly at Prairie's house when the Lacrosse player went there and found the books.
Some more plot holes. Spoiler: Holes If Hap orders all his food via the internet and is deathly allergic to tomatos, why did he have tomato paste in his house? Only explainable if it was all in her head, she's not an angel, so never happened. WTF is leaving doors open about? It's like they wrote it in the first episode and forgot about it, so never explained it. How were the "kidnappers" able to take the money order without it being signed over to them. It was just worthless paper on their hands. Why was law enforcement so willing to shrug off the crime, just because the victim didn't want to talk about it. You think they would try harder to solve a 7 year kidnapping that might involve others rather than just shrug "I guess she doesn't want to talk about it". What's the purpose of a device that can hear individual heartbeats across the room? Why would a hospital want to buy that from hap? Again, explainable only if it never really happened. Also on the Hap side if real... WhyTF would the cop believe such a far fetched story about healing? That just sounds like a ploy. Where did the captives poop? In each other's water supply. Where did the girls get their makeup in the basement? How did they get scissors to cut their nails, and how did they do a good job cutting and styling their own hair without mirrors, training, etc, and where did they get scissors. Why would Hap give sharp metal objects to prisoners. Why would Hap have a video feed playing nonstop in the basement showing the prisoners when someone was at the door that might rescue them? If he used that for his own purposes, surely he would turn it off when not down there. Why did the other captives not warn Prairie before she got locked in her cage? There were only 4 cages before the Cuban girl showed up. How did they suddenly have room for a 5th. If he only took them out one at a time, how come Prairie was sometimes in the cell next to Homer, but occasionally someone was between them. Most of the plot holes relate to captivity with Hap, so if that never happened they probably aren't plot holes in the film, just plot holes in the story told by the crazy girl. My wife pointed out that the length of the darker roots in OAs hair changed length scene to scene. She would have long dark roots one scene then in next scene a perfect dye job... Obviously that's not a plot hole... Just a production oversight. Lots of holes but overall pretty good. ... Oh and I didn't realise. Dr. Hap is Malfoy's dad from Harry Potter.
Lol...you found more than Me but yeah you've covered the ones I noticed..As you say a lot might be explained depending on what turns out to be real.. I felt it didn't have to be all or nothing...there could be lies in the detail but the overall truth still exists...
@License to Milk @DirtyFrank To cover one of the plot holes, the FBI Geezer was at the home planting the books, they are brand new and not books that have been read in a cell for 7 years. There's also a news report on the radio in the last but one episode telling us about a shooting at a high school. Everyone who performs the 5th movement dies, there are 2 people before The OA so I took it as she had to perform the 5th movement to be able to truley die and move on. Loads of silly holes though as Milk pointed out but overall a good TV series.
Binned Vikings I was just bored with it. Brb watching The Affair season 3 still very good, some really good writing.
Christian scum i will only walk peaceful through odin's halls once i have slit your throat or felled you with a mighty blow from my double edged blade
watched Bad Moms last night. Standard American chickflick. Was funny in parts. Mila Kunis is fit though. Bet the son was loving it when she was hugging and kissing him. Kristen Bell has gotten wider too. might be because of how shes portrayed but she'd still get it
