BBC Sherlock Holmes Fans

The current series highlights how good the first two seasons were.

Oh, well, we saw the teasing in the Tube car over the bomb for what it was immediately. We've come to expect it of Sherlock, which makes it that much more difficult for them to surprise viewers, I would imagine. The thing I found rather absurd was the VERY lengthy scene where Sherlock was in his "mind palace," grimacing while various scenes were projected onto him. That went on for far too long for me. But I still enjoyed the episode enormously.

I have serious doubts about Moriarty being alive... how do you fake blowing the top of your head off with a gun? But yes, it really does sound like his kind of plotting, what's going on now. I'm sure his other plots will be played out over the next two weeks. He had a large crew to carry on his work, didn't he? Sherlock has spent two years trying to track them all down and eradicate them, but the wheels they have set in motion and probably some of the minions are still out there.

Munchies, I agree about the Hound of the Baskervilles episode. I thought that one was lacking in polish. And I actually wasn't thrilled about the Study in Pink... a lot of his conclusions about the woman seemed facile and just plain stretching the possibilities. The whole wedding ring/multiple affairs thing made me snort in derision.

I have serious doubts about Moriarty being alive... how do you fake blowing the top of your head off with a gun?

Clearly he has a twin.

dave said:

The current series highlights how good the first two seasons were.

Right! Which is a standard very, very high. And when the wait is lengthly, and the seasons only three episodes, it tends to cause a greater scrutiny to the whole endeavor.

Keep in mind, also, that while we talk about this as if it's just a TV series, what it really is is a series of low - to mid- budget movies, which changes how you might think of it. Out of the movies in, say, the James Bond series, how many are great, how many just good, how many are mediocre?

munchies said:

dave said:

The current series highlights how good the first two seasons were.

Right! Which is a standard very, very high. And when the wait is lengthly, and the seasons only three episodes, it tends to cause a greater scrutiny to the whole endeavor.

Unless, like me, you are so happy to see it again that you cut it substantial slack.

mfpark said:

Oh, it was well written, incredibly well acted, and superbly produced and shot. Far better dialogue and ideas than 99.99% of what else is out there. But I found it to be a bit too self-aware. In past shows they certainly walked a thin line between style and self-mockery, often crossing it, and that is part of the fun. But it felt organic. In this show, at times, it felt too pre-destined, like they are locked so deeply into the characters and their quirks that the writers and actors are trapped and cannot surprise themselves, let alone viewers.

This is exactly how I feel about where Moffat has ended up with his take on Doctor Who. I used to *love* that show, but my enthusiasm dropped as each successive season became more and more self-aware and its characters increasingly smug to the point where I pretty much gave up. I'm hopeful that a new lead actor and a year to develop the next series will refresh it.

I didn't really feel any fatigue with the current series of Sherlock, but I hope Moffat can find some inspiration for this show and Doctor Who instead of continuing to play to the audience with characterization-by-numbers (aforementioned quirks, catchphases, etc.).

jeffmarkel said:

Keep in mind, also, that while we talk about this as if it's just a TV series, what it really is is a series of low - to mid- budget movies, which changes how you might think of it. Out of the movies in, say, the James Bond series, how many are great, how many just good, how many are mediocre?

I have said from the start that they are producing three movies a year and that's an exceptional feat, regardless of the quality. But it really doesn't ease the pain of waiting for the next three.

Can I just say how annoyed I am that these alleged two-hour shows are actually 1.5 hours of the show, followed by a totally unnecessary 1/2-hour explanation and analysis of the show we have just seen? Jesus, people, give us more show!!!

Although I also have to say that the first half of the wedding episode bored me to tears. I actually put it on hold so I could get up and do housework. Dull, dull, dull.

At last, a BC name generator:

http://benedictcumberbatchgenerator.tumblr.com/

Great show watch it on Amazon Prime

j_r said:

At last, a BC name generator:

http://benedictcumberbatchgenerator.tumblr.com/

OMG, that is FANTASTIC!!!! I laughed so hard at "Bandersnatch Chowderpants" that I ended up with an asthma attack.

Perhaps it was inspired by this…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMU9wUHSapc

OMG, last night's episode was incredible. And I absolutely want a tee shirt that says "I don't understand" on the front and "I still don't understand" on the back.

PeggyC said:

OMG, last night's episode was incredible. And I absolutely want a tee shirt that says "I don't understand" on the front and "I still don't understand" on the back.

Right, to be worn by Peyton Manning and Coach Fox.

mfpark,
Very funny and Sad!

Best Regards,
Ron Carter

My wife and I just discovered this series. What a lot of fun!

Tom, if you can, find the episodes from the first two seasons. The show is truly wonderful, and it won't take long to get caught up on everything that has happened so far, which will add a lot to your enjoyment!

Look who stopped by to visit Sesame Street!

"Benedict Cumberbatch and the Sign of Four (or is it Three?)"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7jS7X-2ggA

Tom, if you need, Maplewood Library has the first two seasons.

I have the first two seasons on DVR, but I've never been able to figure out if there's a way to burn from DVR to a DVD using a combination of the TV, a laptop, and the right cables. :/

PeggyC said:

Can I just say how annoyed I am that these alleged two-hour shows are actually 1.5 hours of the show, followed by a totally unnecessary 1/2-hour explanation and analysis of the show we have just seen? Jesus, people, give us more show!!!

I don't know if this helps you, but the show is edited to fit within the time frame as shown on PBS. If you watch the show on a streaming website or later on DVD you will notice scenes which were omitted for the U.S. It is my understanding that one of the producers, Sue Vertue, is asked to do the trimming so it won't take away from the overall story, hence your complaint which I whole heartily agree with! Again, the omitted scenes are very quick...but albeit do take away from the running time!

Also found out that the adorable little boy who played Young Sherlock is none other than Vertue and Steve Moffat's little boy. This season was very "within the family".

PeggyC and Caitlin, thank you. We are catching up on the first two seasons on Netflix. Having a jolly old time of it.

dinolover21 said:

PeggyC said:

Can I just say how annoyed I am that these alleged two-hour shows are actually 1.5 hours of the show, followed by a totally unnecessary 1/2-hour explanation and analysis of the show we have just seen? Jesus, people, give us more show!!!

I don't know if this helps you, but the show is edited to fit within the time frame as shown on PBS. If you watch the show on a streaming website or later on DVD you will notice scenes which were omitted for the U.S. It is my understanding that one of the producers, Sue Vertue, is asked to do the trimming so it won't take away from the overall story, hence your complaint which I whole heartily agree with! Again, the omitted scenes are very quick...but albeit do take away from the running time!

Also found out that the adorable little boy who played Young Sherlock is none other than Vertue and Steve Moffat's little boy. This season was very "within the family".

Oh, good grief. So they are doing the same thing to Sherlock that they are doing to Downton Abbey? At least, they WERE cutting Downton Abbey at first because they didn't think Americans had the needed attention span. I will have to buy all the DVDs of Sherlock now and see what I've missed.

I have to admit I'm glad I watched the add-on footage at the end of this week's episode, because otherwise I would never have known that the man and woman who played Sherlock and Microft's mother and father are Benedict Cumberbatch's real-life parents! I love that.

PeggyC said:

I have to admit I'm glad I watched the add-on footage at the end of this week's episode, because otherwise I would never have known that the man and woman who played Sherlock and Microft's mother and father are Benedict Cumberbatch's real-life parents! I love that.

Makes me smile every time!

The scene at the house was perfect, with the "boys" complaining that it felt as if Christmas had been going on for weeks after only a couple hours spent as a "family."

A la Sherlock's Sesame Street visit

PeggyC said:

The scene at the house was perfect, with the "boys" complaining that it felt as if Christmas had been going on for weeks after only a couple hours spent as a "family."

I loved their simultaneous replies when their mom caught them smoking:

Mycroft: "No!"
Sherlock: "It was Mycroft."


)

I am certain that the writers are also dropping clues to be incorporated into future episodes.
The initials on Mary's thumb drive were zoomed-in on a number of times for instance. There were a few others. TV time is too valuable for red-herrings.

Who knows? I'd posted this one earlier in the thread and nothing seems to have been done with it:

http://forum.southorangevillage.com/discussion/comment/1929809#Comment_1929809