At 9 o’clock, messageboards grew silent as BBC One broadcast ‘The Empty Hearse’. And it was silly. Actually, it was daft. Do not misconstrue this as a dig but it was almost slapstick. Characters were caricatured, physical humour was in high supply, it was surprisingly playful when it could have been extremely dour after the season two finale. What a risk they took, knowing their audience. If you starve a mother wolf of meat, the first living thing she sees will inevitably be food soon after. Similarly, if you starve a fandom of its sleek, tight, brooding drama for two years with not so much as a whimper about the welfare of their idolised Holmes and Watson, lives could have been lost. They could have massively alienated their fanbase by doing what they did. But it was the way in which included them that saved it.
Myriad scenes focused on the intense fan fiction that has grew since the death of the second season. During the episode, many theories are propelled, which was an opportunity for Gatiss to run wild with gay abandon, quite literally at times, and he enjoyed every minute of it. Sherlolly gets a look in, as does Sheriarty. In fact it is within the confines of a fan meet-up that the latter idea is devised, almost playing into the hands of the audience. Understandably, this was received exceptionally well if perusing Tumblr serves me right. However, the Sherlock fandom is almost socially terrorist in its ways so you never can tell, and considering the furore that broke out over fanfic being read by the actors at the premiere, it’s a marvel that anyone is still alive.
This show is brilliant, and is arguably better than 95% of the programming Britain currently receives. However, if you are deemed a fan of something, you should be actively critiquing it, just in the way that you critique all of the things you hate. Perspective is healthy, and since this is the New Year, maybe we should open our minds to the wonder of self-improvement and where else better than your prized detective show.
Who knew modern London was so white? No black people. No Chinese community. Not one Sikh. From a white person’s untrained eye, it is easy to overlook this. But when you do notice, it is terrifying. People choose not to consider this because the guilt that consumes you is overwhelming at times but it is incredibly necessary for progress to happen.
Saying this, I am so thrilled that Gatiss has finally addressed the “psycho hero” trope that Sherlock Holmes has fallen into. This episode contained some lovely observations on Sherlock’s own psyche, focusing on his confusion with ‘human nature’ and his almost reflecting of the stereotypical train enthusiast in their shared discomfort for sociality and ‘regular’ hobbies. The media and fandom seem to pass by the fact that branding someone a ‘high functioning sociopath’ when they’re not is a little bit offensive. It’s actually quite affecting of those who do suffer from mental illness. Gatiss addressed this grey area with grace and wit, which was frankly lovely to see.
Sherlock’s character development was the star of the show. His humour was bigger, as was his heart and scope for human connection. In one very, very important scene, Benedict Cumberbatch swings his legs open to get out of a chair and for a moment you startle because it’s so un-Sherlock. But it’s been two years. He’s changed.
Furthermore, it’s a very sexy episode. People are pulling all over the place, be that imaginings of crazed conspiracists or otherwise. But I don’t care because Molly Hooper is now coming into her own like the badass in the background that she has always been. The flirty looks and sheer equality that travel between Molly and Sherlock throughout their scenes was delectable. But, the sexual tension between Holmes and Hooper (which sounds about twenty six times better than Holmes and Watson, by the way) just struck me as how few male-to-female relationships are in this show. Sherlock and Irene Adler, Mrs Hudson and her tenants, but that’s been relatively it.
Moffat hasn’t got a brilliant track record with the ladies. In fact, he doesn’t really write them well at all. (Look at this Christmas Day’s episode of Doctor Who and see how he treats his companions.) The episodes with the most varied interactions between men and women were from Gatiss and Steve Thompson. I do have personal issues with Moffat though, so I will bow out on this one.
Hopefully, this new set of feature films – because that is what they are: glossy, beautiful, inspiring movies – will throw this instant classic down an even more exciting path, making way for bigger and better characters. I’m talking friends of John’s who are overweight and hot, Muslim chief superintendents, transsexual crime lords, lesbian psychological profilers (actual lesbians, not sexualised notions of lesbians that can ultimately be swayed by a nice tailored coat), disabled supervillains. I loved this episode, it restored my faith and I am now hopeful. We have all moved on, but I am ready, Moffat. Shock me like you did in episode one.
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