Sherlock Season 3 Episode#1: The Empty Hearse | Review

Firstly, apologies to you reader for not having written this right after the episode’s release. It’s always difficult to tackle this issue when there are different airing schedules across the globe. Now let’s get our game faces on, shall we? Everyone knew at the end of “The Reichenbach Fall” that ‘You know Who’ is still alive.

Sherlock-Season-3

The [only] elusive question was “HOW?”

Avid followers would have reveled in the glory of the teaser prequel called “Many Happy Returns”posted online a few days before the official episode hit the channels. A great marketing strategy to, not just promote, and a much-awaited countdown to bring back one of the most likeable characters in recent TV history.

STORY:

It’s been 2 years since Holmes’ “demise“. People close to him (good or bad) have moved on with their lives. Mrs. Hudson, Molly Hooper, DI Lestrade…and others. and yes even poor brooding John Watson included. He’s moved out of 221-B Baker street and is seen with a mustache…along with a to-be fiance, Mary!

Sgt. Anderson, notably one of the assistants to Lestrade who was disgusted by Holmes’ uncanny wit and theories of deductions,out of pure guilt for his actions is seen as one of the very few people who still believe him to be alive. He is frantically and haplessly trying to get Lestrade to think the same by hypothesizing his miraculous escape.

Mycroft Holmes has not been sitting idle as it seems. Next,we are led into a chase sequence in some Serbian forrest where the local terrorist gang are trying to capture a fleeing man. Hmm.. odd. Wonder who could that be?

“Moriarty’s accomplices and work network all across the world needed to be hunted down one by one”. Hence, that’s what Holmes’ puts it. Holmes’ Sr. had been tracking him for an even more sinister case awaiting his attention back home. And the threat is big…and very similar to the central plot of the Warner Bros. Sherlock Holmes part 1.

DIRECTION and ACTING:

Mark Gatiss and Stephen Moffat have been instrumental in recreating the adventures of this mid Victorian era Sleuth and giving it a 21st century makeover and still alluring viewers worldwide 2010. It’s no surprise they would have utilized their time well  to ensure the exponential popularity of their series while the primary cast members were on a movie-sabbatical.

The scene where Sherlock finally confronts Watson to prove he’s alive is hilarious. New characters are infused along with the superb mainstay cast. However personally speaking, the new Sherlock seems to emote a lot, while still being brilliant. He tries to act..dare I say…”humane” in some portions!! But the best act of the episode belongs to Dr. Watson himself whose a show stealer right throughout. He’s vulnerable where he should be and strong where he’s forced to meet a dead man from his past.Brilliant!!

The question of HOW,WHY,WHAT and WHEN things happened the way they happened on the rooftop of St. Barts Hospital that faithful day is to be experienced nevertheless.

Watch it now, because there are so many questions still lingering out there. Folks in India, tune in on AXN Fridays at 10pm.

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