I love the BBC’s modern day Sherlock adaptation so I’m probably not the most unbiased reviewer you’ll ever read. If you’re looking for the short version, I though this episode was on par with the best of the first season although the emphasis this week was less on the mystery and far more on the characters.
At the end of the last season we were left with a major Reichenbach Falls themed cliffhanger which is deftly resolved in the opening minutes of this episode. That’s actually the weakest part for me because it feels like the escape comes down to luck. You could argue perhaps that it puts Moriarty on a level with Holmes, but it doesn’t sit well for me.
Things really pick up with the introduction of The Woman Irene Adler. Here she is imagined as a somewhat stereotypical Dominatrix figure. Which almost didn’t work except for the great acting and dialogue for both Holmes and Adler.
The acting in this show has always been strong and this episode was no exception. Benedict Cumberbatch was apparently born to play Holmes, Martin Freeman’s strength has always been the everyman character but he gives Watson a bit more bite than many adaptations offer. And Lara Pulver was an excellent choice for Irene Adler. She played a woman that was every bit as intelligent as Holmes, though her application of that intelligence was different.
This weeks story really wasn’t a mystery in the conventional Holmes sense. There was a mystery, but it was background. This was all about the relationships. Holmes and Watson; Holmes, Watson and Mrs. Hudson; Holmes and Adler, Holmes and Mycroft. And it was all really good stuff.
Also thrown in along the way were sly references to assorted pop culture subjects. The Greek Interpreter and The Speckled Band were referenced on Watson’s blog as The Geek Interpreter and The Speckled Girl for example.
Non-Holmes referenced included 007 and Bond both connected to Mycroft which is an interesting nod perhaps to Alan Moore’s League of Extraordinary Gentlemen?
There was even a Doctor Who reference right at the end when Holmes said “When I say run, run!”
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Review: Sherlock S02E02 – A Scandal in Belgravia http://t.co/Y8Qi0TGR
Review: Sherlock S02E02 – A Scandal in Belgravia http://t.co/Mx3bCK1I #fantasy #fiction
It was S02E01.
I have to wait until at least May for series 2
Oh well..worth the wait!
We have to wait for it to be broadcasted in France. I already looked forward to it. Now, I'm impatient.
Of the four
episodesminimovies released so far, this one was my favorite. I can't help but feel that when actors have good writing to work with, the acting part is easier.We have been waiting (quite impatiently) for this new season to start. We can only get them on Netfix, unless it is playing on BBC America and I missed it. grrrr!
+Donna Earnhardt BBC America doesn't have any information on it possibly being there. I show that PBS is broadcasting it in early May
Very fair review. I loved the episode, though I have to say it pretty much was the dialogue and chemistry between characters that pulled it off. Other than that it seemed so rushed and slapdash (like too much so), as if they were trying to put several episodes into one hour, and I think it made it weaker story-wise in that regard compared to the past episodes.
+Richard Cosgrove's right, though. S02E01.
Shouldn't that be S02E01 +Eoghann Irving ?
I found the episode a bit too focused on the supposed connection between Holmes and Adler. Something didn't ring true with that for me. The short time that Holmes initially met Adler and the subsequent texts from her formed this attachment, this attraction to her? This was just a tad bit too convenient for my taste since they needed this connection to wrap up the story line of the first episode.
What I found highly interesting we're the revelations regarding Mycroft. So we have ourselves a spymaster, well well this puts some things neatly into perspective.
All in all this was very much like the first Guy Ritchie movie, certain stylistic elements as well as part of the score reminded me of scenes from the movie. Actually I may have to revisit the first season to see if that has already been like that.
The weakest part was the ending for me, that was just lazy writing, I'm not going to spoiler it her.
What was outstanding were some of the dialogues in this episode, pure gold!
All in all I'm looking forward to the next episode. However I do hope more story with Moriarty.
+Eoghann Irving Nice potted review.
I really enjoyed the focus on the characters. This episode explored some aspects of Sherlock's sexuality, which is rarely touched upon.
MINOR SPOILERS
On the point about Moriarty, he was Holmes' equal, if not his superior, in terms of intellect in the original books. I think he's actually Mycroft's equal, not Sherlock's. Besides if Moriarty wasn't so formidable, he'd be a terrible nemesis.
I didn't like some aspects of Adler's characterisation: an intelligent, strong-willed, independent woman who has to strip to be powerful, is a dominatrix, and is a gay, only until the Right Man appears and she becomes attracted to him. Most if her character seemed to come from "Male Screenwriter Fantasies Guidebook". Also this Adler was beaten by Sherlock. The original Adler beat him.
So overall, this Adler was disappointing to me.
And those references were highly tiresome.
+Dirk Reul The connection between Adler and Sherlock came out of the original story: Scandal in Bohemia. In that they formed an even quicker bond, and an attraction that Holmes held for life – even though they never met again after the case concluded.
+Richard Cosgrove thanks for the pointer, at least it is close to the original. That doesn't make it better in regards to storytelling though. i have to agree with you on Holmes sexuality, that is indeed something that was not touched upon before and until now I've regarded this Holmes as a asexual person.
+Dirk Reul I don't think Adler-Sherlock's attraction works in terms of storytelling either, but Sherlock is sticking closely to the original texts – for good and bad.
I've always wishes Doyle hassle used Adler again in future stories, but she only appeared in Bohemia. (Incidentally, "The Woman" was Holmes' nickname for Adler; coined after her departure.)
I've always seen Holmes as having a repressed sexuality, possibly due to having an autistic spectrum disorder. He is very immature in many ways (poor impulse control, lack of empathy, ignores responsibility, lack of emotional awareness).
I'd like to have learnt more about the women in his family, as the original Holmes was a misogynist – something Sherlock has brushed aside.
+Richard Cosgrove Adlers character would have been a nice foil for some of Holmes impulses. I can't really speculate on a possible disorder of Holmes but the symptoms I jusr read upon would indeed support such a notion.
Regarding the misogynistic traits of the classic Holmes, I'd assume that this would have been a bit too intense for the limited amount of time given for character development in a mini series. Combined with all the other rather antisocial behavioral symptoms, this would simply have been too much.
+Dirk Reul I think bringing in Sherlock's dislike of women would've been easy in Sherlock. But they've made him mildly misanthropic instead, simplifying his character.
I actually find the relationship between Adler and Holmes believable simply because I think he rarely deals with someone who can work on his level. That alone is likely to create a bond.
Excellent, right to the end.
Well, close to his level, anyway. She couldn't figure out the boomerang. The dolt.
Ah but she could +Claudio Ibarra. She just doesn't think the same way he does. So there were areas where he was able to deduce something she needed pointed out, but similarly she was able to outsmart him. Except at the end.
Actually this episode will give people a lot more fodder for their treatise on Moffat and his relationship with women.
+Richard Cosgrove it would have been easy, true. But would it have been prudent? Personally, I've found the current incarnation to be patronising and arrogant to everyone, regardless of gender. The disdain shown to women is something I'd put down to his inability to understand and connect to people that have feelings of any sort towards him. The ME for example clearly infatuated with Holmes but is not able to connect with Holmes. When she confronts him he is confounded but drops his disdain right away.
+Eoghann Irving Her intellectual prowess provides a basis for a relation, but he falling for her within seconds is simply rubbish from my point of view. Part of that may because I did not find the actress attractive at all and the approach to confounding Holmes by only showing herself without clothes to limit clues he could work with was a nice idea but Holmes was utterly overwhelmed and that is something out of character. Thus however is purely my personal take on this.
i do understand your point of view though. Do we no if the actress is credited for all episodes ir jst the first?
+Dirk Reul I think Moffat's decision to not highlight Holmes' as a misogynist was a character choice, similar to making him a sociopath: his way of interpreting his character. Although this may have been influenced by the BBC's guidelines on drama writing, which may prohibit showing such attitudes.
Having Holmes apologise to the ME didn't ring completely true to me. Although the occasional softness to his character is in line with the original Sherlock Holmes and other interpretations of his character. He's not unable to follow social norms, rather that he doesn't want to.
I don't think Adler did appear naked in order to reduce the clues Holmes had to work with. She told her assistant that she was going to wear her "battle dress", to which the assistant replied "Lucky him."
When she appeared naked, with freshly applied make-up, I just took that as her "battle dress" look.
Regarding Holmes being "overwhelmed" when he saw her naked, that feeds in from his sexual immaturity. He wasn't intellectually overwhelmed, but emotionally overwhelmed, which reduced his ability to think logically. Which, to be fair, happens to most heterosexual men when an attractive and confident, naked woman walks into a room.
Adler's character isn't listed as appearing in future episodes in this season.
+Richard Cosgrove I did not consider the BBC guidelines, that is valid point.
The apology didn't ring true for sure, Holmes is clearly not used and not interested in considering the feelings of others, To him people are a nuissance and the ME being a trifle socially akward incites him even more, thus the horrible greeting and subsequent analysis of her. He did, however, realise his social blunderhimself so as far as the character goes, this was more of an apology than we've seen before or dud I miss something in season one.
The "battle dress" was indeed her being naked, but the visual clues overimposed on the screen showed him searching her for clues and coming up empty, cue Watson where Holmes identifies several clues right away. i took this as she presenting him with only a blank canvas.
i concede the point regarding his inability to deal with a confident and naked women, he was not able to adapt accordingly.
Her not showing up in later episodes renders the final scene totally without impact, now I dislike this part even more. Btw thanks for your views abd input, this is fun !
+Dirk Reul The final scene does mean Adler could appear in a later season.
Also, a Twitterer I know pointed out that last 'rescue' scene could have been a wish fulfilment fantasy of Sherlock's.
I actually think that the apology by Sherlock to the ME was supposed to be out of character. I'm basing that on the reaction of everyone else to his apology.
I think we might be meant to take this as a sign that he is grappling with something resembling an emotional attachment. Something he is not at all familiar with.
+Richard Cosgrove well it leaves this avenue open but that is a trope I don't like very much.
The idea with a delusional Holmes is nice. Does this version also indulge in drug abuse? If I'm not wrong this was implied by Watson and the Landlady stating to having looked in the usual places when emo Holmes was not home. Or else they were looking for the phone.
It was blatantly implied in the very first episode that he had at least dabbled with various chemicals.
Thanks +Eoghann Irving This leaves a lot of possibilities. I'll just watch the first season again anyway to catch up on these points.
I totally agree that the apology to Molly was dramatically out of character, look at the expression on John's face when he does. It was totally my thought that this was the effect Adler was having on him.
He was cruel to Molly. Everyone in the room was wincing at his nastiness toward her.
Oh, and if anyone wants that… text alert ringtone, I had to create it for a friend and then posted it. https://plus.google.com/u/0/108421068311256655678/posts/GG5txiKTBm1
+Dirk Reul Traditionally Holmes favoured a mixture of cocaine and heroin. He also dabbled with opium. I think Moffat's Holmes would have more varied tastes.
One of the 1940s Basil Rathborn Holmes films – I think it was Hound of the Baskervilles – ended with Holmes leaving a room saying, "Watson! The needle!"
+K.B. Burnfield Thanks for the ringtone.
I think everyone's reactions in the room could justify having Holmes apologise to Molly. Or it may be that Moffat is trying to show Holmes is slowly becoming more socialised. But still, it was out of character.
Holmes didn't notice anyone's reaction to his cruelty, that's Holmes. That's what made his apology so surprising.
I think any changes in Holmes's sociopathic behavior will be minimal although his breaking into laughter with John is eventual otherwise it seems.
I edited a comment I made earlier about disliking Adler for being a dominatrix. It wasn't that she was a dominatrix, but that it was a cliched and tacky portrayal of a dominatrix.