Showing posts with label BBC Sherlock Season 3. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BBC Sherlock Season 3. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

BBC Sherlock Christmas Mini-Episode "Many Happy Returns" - Review

Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes in BBC Sherlock Christmas Episode Many Happy Returns Season 3 Prequel

Dear Readers,

The Christmas mini episode of BBC Sherlock has arrived.

The rest of the post might contain spoilers. Please watch the video first, if you wish to avoid spoilers.




The episode opens in a Buddhist monastery, in which a blonde female smuggler is caught by an abbott with extraordinary powers of observation and deduction.

The scene cuts to Anderson (Jonathan Aris) and Detective Inspector Lestrade (Rupert Graves) discussing about the possibility of Sherlock surviving the fall. Anderson has been obsessively looking out for signs of Sherlock's existence, to the extent of losing his job.

Anderson brings up the next sighting in New Delhi, India where the solution to a particular case strongly suggests the presence of a genius. The third sighting is of an mysterious juror in Hamburg, where one Herr Trepoff is proven to be guilty of the murder of his wife, despite all the other jurors believing in his innocence.

Lestrade advises Anderson to try to get his job back and then meets John Watson (Martin Freeman) to hand over an uncut version of the video of Sherlock's message on John's birthday. Interesting thing to note is that John refers to Lestrade by his first name “Greg” (a nice nod to the inn scene in “The Hounds of Baskerville”).

Click on the link below to buy your copy of Season 2:


Canonical References

1. The first sighting of Sherlock by Anderson takes place in the Buddhist monastery - Sherlock Holmes states to Dr John Watson in The Adventure of the Empty House: “I travelled for two years in Tibet, therefore, and amused myself by visiting Lhassa, and spending some days with the head lama.”

2. In the second sighting in New Delhi, India: The local inspector solves the case by working out the depth to which the chocolate flake had sunk into victim's ice-cream cone. This is a reference to The Adventure of the Six Napoleons, in which Sherlock Holmes remarks to Dr John Watson: “You will remember, Watson, how the dreadful business of the Abernetty family was first brought to my notice by the depth which the parsley had sunk into the butter upon a hot day.”

3. Anderson commenting to Lestrade about Sherlock's refusal to take credit for solving the latter's cases - Sherlock Holmes often refuses to take any credit from Scotland Yard in many cases in the Canon

4. Anderson chiding Lestrade for not seeing the signs of Sherlock's genius at work - Sherlock Holmes makes a similar statement to Dr John Watson in A Scandal in Bohemia: “You see, but you do not observe. The distinction is clear.” 

5. The Herr Trepoff case - Dr John Watson writes in A Scandal in Bohemia: “From time to time I heard some vague account of his doings: of his summons to Odessa in the case of the Trepoff murder,...”

6. Anderson notes that Sherlock is getting closer to London, with the recent sightings in Germany, Netherlands and the latest one in France - Sherlock Holmes informs Dr John Watson in The Adventure of the Empty House: “Returning to France, I spent some months in a research into the coal-tar derivatives, which I conducted in a laboratory at Montpellier, in the south of France.” 

Martin Freeman as Dr John Watson in BBC Sherlock Christmas Episode Many Happy Returns Season 3 Prequel

7. In addition to a pink phone (presumably from A Study in Pink), a yellow mask can be seen inside Lestrade's box - This is a reference to the main plot of The Adventure of the Yellow Face: Sherlock Holmes is sought out by Grant Munro to solve the mystery behind a yellow-faced person in a nearby cottage (credit to Swanpride)

8. Sherlock's statement about missing John's dinner: “Of course, I am going to miss dinner. There will be people” - 

Sherlock Holmes remarks to Dr John Watson in The Adventure of the Gloria Scott: “I was never a very sociable fellow, Watson, always rather fond of moping in my rooms and working out my own little methods of thought, so that I never mixed much with the men of my year.”

Dr John Watson also writes about Sherlock Holmes in A Scandal in Bohemia: “...Holmes, who loathed every form of society with his whole Bohemian soul, remained in our lodgings in Baker Street, buried among his old books, and alternating from week to week between cocaine and ambition, the drowsiness of the drug, and the fierce energy of his own keen nature.”

9. Sherlock notes in the video that he has written an essay on suppressed hatred in close proximity after observing John's friends - Sherlock Holmes notes in The Adventure of the Dying Detective: “Malingering is a subject upon which I have sometimes thought of writing a monograph.” Holmes has already written monographs on cigar ashes (A Study in Scarlet) and tracing of footsteps (The Sign of the Four).

Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman as Sherlock Holmes wearing deerstalker and Dr John Watson outside 221 B Baker Street in BBC Sherlock Season 3

The episode has everything that fans have liked about the show so far: the trademark visual text, the humor (the newspaper headline proclaiming “The game is back on!”) and references to Arthur Conan Doyle's original stories.

Benedict Cumberbatch is back in the game as Sherlock. I liked his explanation for refusing to elaborate on his excuse to skip John's birthday: “Only lies have details”.

This is a veritable Christmas treat for fans. Sherlock Season 3 debuts with the first episode “The Empty Hearse” on Jan 01 2014 in the UK and on Jan 19 2014 in the US.

Click here to read all my posts about BBC Sherlock.

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Image Sources: BBC Wales, Hartswood Films, Masterpiece Theatre

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Canonical Nods in "The Empty Hearse"
Canonical Nods in "The Empty Hearse"
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Monday, December 9, 2013

BBC Sherlock Season 3 Trailer - Benedict Cumberbatch returns as Sherlock Holmes

Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Amanda Abbington as Mary Morstan, Louise Brealey, Rupert Graves and Una Stubbs in Season 3 of BBC Sherlock

Dear Readers,

The first trailer for Season 3 of BBC Sherlock has arrived.




Amanda Abbington, Martin Freeman's real life partner plays Mary Morstan. For readers not familar with Arthur Conan Doyle's stories, Mary is Sherlock Holmes' client, who ends up marrying John Watson in The Sign of the Four (referred to in the title of Episode # 2 “The Sign of Three”).

Mycroft Holmes (Mark Gatiss) informs Sherlock about an impending terrorist threat to London. Sherlock gets back into his groove to save the day.

Click on the link below to buy your copy of Season 3:


True to the Canon, Sherlock's return seems to have successfully thrown “Mrs. Hudson into violent hysterics” (The Adventure of the Empty House).

I am curious to see if the rest of the world too reacts the same way to Benedict Cumberbatch's return as Sherlock Holmes.

Sherlock premieres in the UK on Jan 01 2014 and in the US on Jan 19 2014. Click here to watch the interactive trailer.

Click here to read all my posts about BBC Sherlock.

If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

Image Sources: BBC Wales, Hartswood Films, Masterpiece Theatre

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Canonical Nods in "The Empty Hearse"
Canonical Nods in "The Empty Hearse"
Canonical Nods in "The Sign of Three"
Canonical Nods in "The Sign of Three"

Friday, November 29, 2013

BBC Sherlock - Season 3 "The Empty Hearse" premeries in the UK on Jan 01 2014

Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman as Sherlock Holmes and John Watson in BBC Sherlock Season 3

The UK air date for “The Empty Hearse”, the first episode of Season 3 of  BBC Sherlock has been set for Jan 01 2014.

The second episode, “The Sign of Three” and the the third episode “His Last Vow” will be broadcast on Jan 05 and Jan 12 respectively. 

Benedict Cumberbatch is one of my favorite actors to play Sherlock Holmes and BBC Sherlock one of my favorite adaptations of Arthur Conan Doyle's legendary creation.

I am happy that the British get to savor this excellent show with the advent of the new year 2014.

The acclaimed show returns to the US on Jan 19 2014.

Check out these other posts related to BBC Sherlock:

Click here to read all my posts about BBC Sherlock.

If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

Image Sources: BBC Wales, Hartswood Films, Masterpiece Theatre

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Canonical Nods in "The Empty Hearse"
Canonical Nods in "The Empty Hearse"
Canonical Nods in "The Sign of Three"
Canonical Nods in "The Sign of Three"

Thursday, October 24, 2013

BBC Sherlock - Season 3 Premiering in the US on Jan 19 2014



Benedict Cumberbatch returns as BBC Sherlock Season 3 US Premiere Jan 19 2014

Dear Readers,


Here is some great news for fans of BBC Sherlock.

Benedict Cumberbatch returns as Sherlock when the third season premieres in the US on Jan 19 2014 at 10 pm EST on PBS Masterpiece.

As has been the case with the previous two seasons, Season 3 will also have 3 episodes.

The first episode, “The Empty Hearse” is based on The Adventure of the Empty House. It has been penned by Mark Gatiss and directed by Jeremy Lovering.

Steve Thompson has written the script for the next episode, “The Sign of Three”. Readers familiar with the Sherlock Holmes Canon will recognize the obvious reference to The Sign of the Four. Colm McCarthy directs this episode.

Sherlock co-creator Steven Moffat takes over the writing duties for the season finale, “His Last Vow”. Directed by Nick Hurran, the episode title refers to “His Last Bow”, the collection of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories published between 1908 to 1917. The last story in that series is also referred to by the same name.

Having enjoyed the show so far, I am excited for the Season 3 premiere.

Click here to read all my posts about BBC Sherlock.

If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

Image Sources: BBC, Hartswood Films

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Canonical Nods in "The Empty Hearse"
Canonical Nods in "The Empty Hearse"
Canonical Nods in "The Sign of Three"
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Saturday, August 3, 2013

BBC Sherlock - Season 3 Teaser Trailer - He is back!


BBC Sherlock Season 3 teaser trailer - Benedict Cumberbatch returns as Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as moustached John Watson

Dear Readers,

The teaser trailer for Season 3 of BBC Sherlock has premiered. Benedict Cumberbatch returns as Sherlock Holmes as do the rest of the regular cast. The highlight of the teaser has to be the moustached Martin Freeman as John Watson.




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Image Sources: Hartswood Films, Sherlockology

Saturday, July 20, 2013

BBC Sherlock - Season 3 Episode # 3 Title revealed!

Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes. BBC Sherlock Season 3 Episode # 3 title name revealed as His Last Vow.

Dear Readers,

The title for the final episode of Season 3 of BBC series Sherlock is "His Last Vow". The episode is written by Steven Moffat and will be directed by Nick Hurran.

The name is a reference to "His Last Bow", the collection of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories published between 1908 to 1917. The last story in that series is also referred to by the same name.

Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss continue their game of paying tribute to the Canon and at the same time, providing their own flavor.

The titles of the first two episodes are "The Empty Hearse" and "The Sign of Three".

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Image Source: Hartswood Films

Thursday, April 11, 2013

BBC Sherlock - Season 3 Episode # 2 title revealed!

BBC Sherlock Season 3 Episode 2 The Sign of Three title revealed

Dear Readers,

As the Season 3 filming progresses, we are getting more information about the episodes. Today, Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat have revealed the name of the second episode: The Sign of Three.

The title is a play on the name of the second novel, The Sign of Four. John Watson meets Mary Morstan in this story.

Steve Thompson ("The Blind Banker" and "The Reichenbach Fall") is handling the writing duties for this episode.

Click here to read all my posts about BBC Sherlock.

If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

Image Source: Sherlockology

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Season 3 Episode 1 title revealed
Canonical References in BBC Sherlock

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Mark Gatiss reveals the title of the first episode of Sherlock Season 3


BBC Sherlock Season 3 Episode One named The Empty Hearse

The name of the first episode of Season 3 has been revealed by Mark Gatiss: "The Empty Hearse".

The name is a play on the original story The Adventure of the Empty House. In the Canon, this story follows The Final Problem. Holmes is back from his self-imposed exile after his confrontation with Professor Moriarty at the Reichenbach Falls. He takes on Colonel Sebastian Moran, Moriarty's own Watson.

The ending episode of Season 2 "The Reichenbach Fall" was based on The Final Problem and it is a logical choice to start off the third season with an adaptation of The Empty House.

This announcement officially marks the beginning of Season 3 filming. I eagerly look forward to further developments and hope for an early announcement of the actual airing dates.

Click here to read all my posts about BBC Sherlock.

If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe to this blog by clicking here.

Image Source: Sherlockology

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Canonical References in BBC Sherlock
Sherlock