GGR Reviews Sherlock – “The Empty Hearse”

From Geek Goes Rogue TV Editor Zach W. Lorton, as told to by the 9 inches of snow piled up against his car…

“…the holiday is over, brother dear.”

I’m seriously geeking out right now, because while PBS will not be premiering the first episode of Season 3 of the BBC’s Sherlock until January 19th, I’m watching episode 1, “The Empty Hearse”, right now.

How, you might ask?  I’m afraid I can’t say because I’m not 100% sure it’s legal.  You see, there are places on the interwebs that you can find many movies and television shows to stream from that don’t require a subscription.  Some of them will want you to download a special media player, some will have a very limited selection, and even others will have been hacked with malware and spyware, just waiting to download onto your hard drive for evil purposes.  So while most of what you’ll find on these websites have already been released or broadcast, I don’t know if the sites are violating copyright law by hosting them.

This is one of those times that I feel comfortable with the idea of having to ask forgiveness after the fact, rather than obtaining permission beforehand.  Besides, this episode has already premiered in the UK, so I’m not all that worried.

And so, with as few spoilers as possible, I give you my review of the highly-anticipated Season 3 premiere episode of Sherlock.

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Everything you’ve come to expect about Sherlock is here.  The intricate cinematography, the precise angles, the asymmetrical framing, the creative use of scoring, all of it lovingly brings the viewer back into the world of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson.  After 2 years of being presumed dead, Holmes is making his way back to London with the help of his brother Mycroft., and Watson is preparing to propose to his girlfriend Mary.

“London.  It’s like a great cesspool into which all kinds of criminals, agents, and drifters are irresistibly drained.  It’s not a question of who; it’s a question of who knows?”

Have you ever seen a world class detective play a children’s board game?

To be sure, this episode is a writer’s dream.  The interplay between not just the characters, but also between correlating scenes, is deftly played out like a ballet.  The humor is rolled into the interpersonal conflicts with precision, and the lightheartedness is a welcome distraction from what might otherwise be a fairly tense thriller.

The method by which Sherlock faked his death is never revealed until late in the episode, but the reasoning why is made clear early on.  During his time incognito, Sherlock had been busy dismantling Moriarty’s criminal network, but when an underground terrorist network plans an attack on London, Mycroft calls his brother back to the metropolis to find those responsible.  In the interim, Sherlock reveals his living status to Watson, Mrs. Hudson, and Inspector Lestrade.  All of their reactions are different, yet wholly remarkable, to Sherlock’s revelation.

While not wanting to give too much of the plot away, I will say that one of the best parts of this series has always been watching the interaction between Benedict Cumberbatch as Holmes and Martin Freeman as Watson.  They are seasoned performers with a world’s worth of experience and charisma between them, and the relationship between their characters is enough to make you empathize with everything they feel at the moment they’re feeling it (or not feeling it, depending on the character).  Under no circumstances are we ever given the idea that the terrorist plot is anywhere near as important as Sherlock being reinstalled into his former London life.  This episode is about Sherlock’s connection with the people around him, and how those relationships have evolved over the 2 years of his absence. But honestly, one can’t complain when the writing and acting is this good.

So forget about whether or not lives will be lost, or important documents that were misplaced will be found — this episode is all about welcoming Sherlock Holmes back into the world.

And what a return it is.

Zach W. Lorton is a media producer and professional DJ/MC by trade, and a comedian, actor, and musician by default.  His debut music project is set to begin recording in 2014, and will likely take the world by storm, possibly in the form of a Sharknado.