My Review of Young Sherlock - Season 1 (2026, Amazon Prime)

 

Written by Matthew Parkhill And Peter Harness And Steve Thompson And Melissa Bubnic

Directed by Guy Ritchie And Anders Engström And Dennie Gordon And Tricia Bock

Moriarty (to Sherlock): "When you've eliminated the impossible, whatever remains must be the truth."

Ah, yes. For the latest take on Sherlock Holmes, let's go younger with the character and keep John Watson out of his orbit. That might sound a little snarky but it was my gut reaction. Fortunately, it didn't deter me from actually watching the show.

The show itself introduced a nineteen year old version of the amateur detective. This Sherlock (Hero Fiennes Tiffin) spent some time in prison, got released by his oldest brother, Mycroft (Max Irons) and ended up with a porter job at Oxford's Candlin College. This would be where Sherlock would meet future enemy/current friend, James Moriarty (Dónal Finn).

Now the biggest strength of this show undoubtedly would be the Sherlock/Moriarty dynamic. Both Hero Fiennes Tiffin and Dónal Finn are fantastic in their scenes together. Both are smart and both were outcasts from their peers, so the bond they form as the series unfolded made total sense. It's an incredibly strong partnership that made for the best viewing.

Of course there were mysteries afoot to keep things interesting. One of them involved Princess Gulun Shou'an/Xiao Wei (Zine Tseng). Throughout the series, there was some switching back and forth between identities and there were times when she went from being an ally as well as a nuisance to both Sherlock and Moriarty. Colin Firth popped up in the first half of the season as Sir Bucephalus Hodge but he's one of the few weaker elements of the show.

The second half of the season made things more into a rather complicated family affair. I enjoyed the gentle bickering between Sherlock and Mycroft along with the presence of their mother, Cordelia (Natascha McElhone). The latter in particular spent time in an asylum being recorded before she was released. This also played a part into the main plot of the season.

Of course it's the Holmes patriarch, Silas (Joseph Fiennes) and the not so dead daughter, Beatrice (Holly Cattle) that made up our final villains of the piece. There's shades of Guy Ritchie's movies and the 2010-2017 BBC series in this show but that's to it's strength and there's a few nice hooks for future seasons. 

- Episode titles are The Case Of The Missing Scrolls, The Case Of The Burnt Photograph, The Case Of The Unarmed Man, The Case Of The Missing Button, The Case Of Young Sherlock Holmes, The Case Of The Killing Jar, The Case Of The Two Corners and The Case Of Beatrice Holmes.

- Steve Thompson previous wrote for Sherlock and Guy Ritchie directed the Robert Downey Jr movies.

- Standout music: Kasabian's Days Are Forgotten, which was the theme tune for the show.

- Chronology: The show takes place in 19th century London along with Constantinople for the last two episodes.

Young Sherlock definitely hit the right spots. If you've missed the Robert Downey Jr movies and Benedict Cumberbatch TV show, this show's a perfect blend of both. Both Hero Fiennes Tiffin and Dónal Finn are excellent young versions of the iconic frenemy duo.

Rating: 8 out of 10 

My Review of The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

 

Written by Pete Young And Vance Gerry And Steve Hulett And Ron Clements And John Musker And Bruce M. Morris And Matthew O'Callaghan And Burny Mattinson And Dave Michener And Melvin Shaw

Directed by John Musker And Ron Clements And Dave Michener And Burny Mattinson

Dr. Dawson: "From that time on, Basil and I were a close team. We had many cases together, but I'll always look back on that first with the most fondness; my introduction to Basil of Baker Street, the great mouse detective."

Last year marked the fortieth anniversary of The Black Cauldron but I had not seen the Disney animated movie that followed it. Anyone care for a mouse version of Sherlock Holmes? That's exactly what this offered.

Now this isn't a new thing for Disney as well had gotten the animal version of Robin Hood and I will get to that at a later point, review wise. Anyways, on to this movie itself.

Our detective duo are mice named Basil (Barrie Ingham) of Baker Street and his sidekick David Q. Dawson (Val Bettin). Their case for this movie came at the behest of a young mouse named Olivia Flaversham (Susanne Pollatschek). She needed their help in rescuing her father, a toymaker named Mr Flaversham (Alan Young).

The latter had been kidnapped by Professor Ratigan (Vincent Price). He's a rat but don't remind him of that or he'll feed you to the cat. Ratigan also had a bat named Fidget (Candy Candido), who almost got eaten by the cat itself when he wasn't doing Ratigan's dirty work.

Mr Flaversham was needed to aid with a robot clone of the Mouse Queen (Eve Brenner). Ratigan planned to get rid of the real queen while using the robot to take over the country. He almost succeeded and even almost succeeded with getting rid of Basil, Dawson and Olivia but had gravely underestimated the trio.

As a team, they're a lot of fun and the supporting characters are great too. There's Basil's exasperated housekeeper, Mrs. Judson (Diana Chesney) and an entertaining dog character that also helped with the cases. As for the real Holmes and Watson, of course they appeared in their own way.

- Archive recording of Basil Rathbone was used for Sherlock's voice while Watson was voiced by Laurie Main.

- The movie also went by the title of The Adventures Of The Great Mouse Detective.

- Standout music: Miss Mouse's Let Me Be Good To You and Ratigan's The World's Great Criminal Mind and Goodbye So Soon.

- Chronology: It's 1897, London.

The Great Mouse Detective (based on a children's book series) was a lot of fun. Great choice of voice actors, nice nods to the world of Sherlock Holmes and decent songs, though not many. I enjoyed this.

Rating: 7 out of 10 

My Review of Sherlock's 4x03: "The Final Problem"

Written by Steven Moffat & Mark Gatiss
Directed by Benjamin Caron

Sherlock: "John stays!"
Mycroft: "This is family."
Sherlock: "That's why he stays."

Sorry for the delay but I've needed a little time to digest this one. Is it me or has this current season not only not been the show's strongest but at the same time been it's most controversial? No more so than this episode itself which has generated a lot of dissent online from a certain fanbase but let's look at the episode itself, shall we?

First of all, after her behind the curtain antics, the Wizard revealed herself as Eurus Holmes and she decided to up the ante with both of her brothers and Watson by luring them to Sherrinford, which turned out to be the place that Eurus was incarcerated in rather than an extended family member as previously assumed by us all.

On rather fine and demented form here by Sian Brooke, Eurus seemed intent on making up for lost time by taking over the very place that she's spent her life imprisoned and placing her brothers along with John in various life and death situations. Not really for them though. Just a couple of tertiary characters here and there, although there was at least a few moments where either Mycroft or John were some proper peril though.

I have to admit, it's more the psychological battle between the Holmes siblings with Watson caught in the middle that was more fascinating than the actual games that Eurus kept playing throughout the episode. The subplot with the girl in the plane was tremendously dull and predictable and there was something slightly unsatisfying in seeing Eurus go somewhat unpunished for her crimes within the episode itself.

I did however get a kick into seeing the Holmes siblings as kids and the Redbeard stuff took a far darker and interesting turn than I expected it to do. Then there was also the return of Moriarty but don't worry people, he's still dead. Instead we got flashbacks to both him and Eurus meeting five years prior, which to be honest worked reasonably well.

However the biggest thing I took away from this episode was the final five minutes. There was certainly a feeling that things could really go either way for this show. Either this episode served as a series finale or a clearing of the decks for a less chaotic show should it return in the near future. To be honest, I'm perfect fine with either one at the moment.

- Molly got a bit of a bad role in this episode but I did love Louise Brealey's comments on her character's situation when confronted about it on Twitter. Hudson and Lestrade didn't have too much to do in this one either. Paul Weller also played a Viking here too.
- One more appearance from Mary in this one too as Sherlock and John are now living together, looking after baby Rosie. Surely that alone should've sated the more fanatical Johnlock shippers.
- There were so many references to various things in this episode - Victor Trevor, Rathbone etc but the whole island prison also smacked of The Sea Devils as well.
- The BBC have yet to confirm if the show will be returning. It might be a while before that happens.

The Final Problem kind of works as a series finale. It also kind of works as a clearing of the decks for a less muddled future. It also serves as a means of moving the show away from characters like Mary, Moriarty and despite only meeting her this series, possibly Eurus. It also succeeded in restoring Sherlock and Watson's friendship and bringing things back to basics. As an episode though, I did feel it could've been better than it actually was but it still had it's moments though.

Rating: 7 out of 10

My Review of Sherlock's 4x02: "The Lying Detective"

Written by Steven Moffat
Directed by Nick Hurran

Eurus (to Watson): "My parents loved silly names like Eurus or Mycroft or Sherlock. Oh, look at him. Didn't it ever occur to you, not even once that Sherlock's secret brother might just be Sherlock's secret sister?"

No, but considering that the very last scene of this episode played out similarly to Missy as the Master reveal in Doctor Who's Dark Water it really should've done. So, Sherlock and Mycroft have a 'secret' sister named Eurus and like Moriarty, she's a fan of hiding in plain sight as she demonstrated in both this episode .... and the previous episode.

Yes, credit given to actress Sian Brooke who previously appeared as Watson's potential mistress/the woman on the bus from last week while this week donning the guises of both Faith Smith and the therapist that Watson had been seeing. I say credit, because I genuinely didn't cop to the fact that it was the same actress in each of those roles.

In fact going by the reaction online, many people similarly fell for it and Eurus herself gives a great lines about how people don't always look at faces, which was why she was able to hide herself so clearly for both Sherlock and Watson. One thing I am intrigued by though, why it was Watson that Eurus chose to reveal her identity towards instead of Sherlock and/or Mycroft though?

I guess it doesn't matter anyways as the finale will undoubtedly give the three Holmes siblings plenty of moments together. Eurus also revealed that she was the East Wind rising and there's clearly going to be someone else that Sherlock will have to face again that the media already leaked.

Giving Sherlock and Mycroft a secret sister would've been more shocking had we not seen Moffat pull similarly stuff in Doctor Who the last few series with the likes of Missy and the General. The reveal is a nice moment though and I can't wait to see all three (or is there a fourth one waiting in the wings?) Holmes siblings interacting with each other.

Because of the big reveal, I nearly forgot the main nuts and bolts of this episode and that was Mary (pulling in ghostly appearances) trying to reunite Sherlock and Watson from beyond the grave. Of course to save John Watson, he needed to be placed into a position where he needed to save his best friend, so Sherlock resorting to putting his own life in danger to achieve that felt pretty apt.

Pitting Sherlock against cereal killer (and actually a serial killer)/ celebrity guy Culverton Smith was another masterstroke in reuniting the estranged pairing. Toby Jones is a magnificent actor in most things and here he was served pretty well, playing a genuinely horrifying character who delved into some real life celebrity scumbags for good measure. I loved the cat and mouse antics between Sherlock and Culverton throughout the episode and there was something really unsettling in seeing Culverton's glee in getting caught for his crimes as well. For a guest villain, he's definitely one of the more memorable ones.

Also memorable in this episode was the wonderful use of Mrs Hudson. She's always been a great character but this week, Una Stubbs came so close to stealing the whole episode (only slightly pipped to the post by Sian Brooke and Toby Jones) as we saw Hudson play her part in getting Sherlock and Watson back together but the icing on the cake was her dressing down of Mycroft in one of the most satisfying scenes I think the show has ever done. Needless to say but the more Hudson, the better.

- Though dead, Mary made appearances as Watson was talking to her/himself this week. I think she'll be back for the finale as well.
- Both Lestrade and Molly were a little underused this week. We also got another reminder of Irene Adler being alive, though this time with Watson being aware of it.
- Mycroft and Lady Smallwood? Well, that rules out one theory. Meanwhile the real Faith was played by Gina Bramhill.
- Chronology: A good few weeks since the events of The Six Thatchers. The ratings for this episode took a bit of a big dip sadly.

After something of a disappointing opening episode, I'm glad to see the series bounce back magnificently with The Lying Detective. A brilliant adaptation on the tale (even if some moments were a bit too trippy at times) with some brilliant character moments, a truly satisfying guest villain and a brilliant final scene.

Rating: 8 out of 10

My Review of Sherlock's 4x01: "The Six Thatchers"

Written by Mark Gatiss
Directed by Rachel Talalay

Mary (to Sherlock): "Save John Watson!"

After the somewhat disappointing Doctor Who Christmas special, The Return Of Doctor Mysterio, a week later saw the return of Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss's other big hit series, Sherlock and it came back with an opener that had some emotional heart, a telegraphed character death and a lot of confusion. Let's stick with the highlight of the episode - Mary Morstan.

I've not been shy in my like for this particular character and unlike some fans, I've actually quite enjoyed the spy/assassin backstory that Moffat and Gatiss have given the character. In this episode, it came to a head though as Mary's past well and truly caught up with her.

For those of you wanting to learn more about A.G.R.A. then this episode clearly that up nicely. It was acronym of four assassins for hire - Alex, Gabriel, Rosamund (aka Mary) and AJ. We got flashbacks to an event from six years ago when two out of the four were killed and the survivor, AJ (Sacha Dhawan) spent the rest of the time in captivity being tortured.

In the present day, AJ got back his freedom and a determination to kill Mary, so the latter upon realising that she couldn't reason with him decided to scarper. In scenes that could've been lifted from Alias, Mary donned a couple of wigs and dodgy accents while traipsing to different parts of the world to avoid detection from both her former comrade and Sherlock and Watson.

Of course that didn't work out so good as everyone caught up with Mary in the end but for those assuming that AJ would be the one to take her out, well the episode did succeed in tricking us all there. Nope, instead the rather 'harmless' looking Vivian Norbury (Marcia Warren), who was happy for both Mary and Lady Smallwood to take on fall guy roles was the one to do the deed. Although it was a result of Mary putting herself in front of a bullet to save Sherlock though.

Aside from the obvious criticism that Watson himself should've checked Mary's pulse before declaring her dead, I have to admit the death itself actually lacked punch. Even though Amanda Abbington was on fine form during the majority of the episode and the final posthumous scene via a recorded message packed a punch, the actual death should've been far better than it actually was.

Thematically I do think the episode mostly succeeded with Mary having to come to terms with her past just as things had been cracking a little with her, John and baby Rosamund. The episode even implied that John was considering having an affair on Mary at one point. Saying that though, I really liked the character and I kind of wish they had held off her death for another bit but those are the break though.

As for the main bulk of the story. We had AJ destroying busts of Margaret Thatcher to get back a flashdrive (same one Mary had in His Last Vow) but aside from his revenge agenda, I have to admit it didn't greatly interest. Then there's also the fact that Sherlock was more distracted by Moriarty that it took him a while to even figure out that everything was connecting back to Mary and now we have him and John at odds with one another.

- Dexter the dog was apparently a bit of a diva on the set too. Isn't there a saying about never working with children and animals on sets?
- For all the mentioning of Moriarty, Andrew Scott was surprising absent from this one. Don't worry though, he'll be back. Not a spoiler, just intuition.
- We're clearly being set up to meet the third Holmes brother this series, aren't we? Not to mention there was a nice little Easter Egg for next's episode antagonist during one moment.
- Chronology: Time jumped a bit in this episode. I think we were in 2016 though.

I have to admit despite some great moments and a nice look into Mary's past/further set up for more storylines, The Six Thatchers is by far one of the weaker episodes we've had. It's not quite on the levels of disappointment generated by a certain first series episode but it comes up shorter than it really should've, in spite of it's impressive ratings return. Hopefully the next two episodes are more on form.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Comic-Con 2016 - Highlights

In the past I've done more individual trailers and stuff for some of the panels but this year I decided to do more of a rundown of stuff we've learned from various shows and movies over the last few days at Comic Con. Without further ado ....

Castings Alert

- Rihanna has been cast as Marion Crane for the fifth and final season of Bates Motel.
- Once Upon A Time's sixth season will be adding Aladdin (Deniz Akdeniz), Jasmine (Karen David), Jafar (Oded Fehr replacing Naveen Andrews), Morpheus (Giles Matthay) and the Count of Monte Cristo (Craig Horner)
- Kristin Chenowith has been cast as Easter for American Gods.
- Agents Of SHIELD have added Ghost Rider into the mix with Gabriel Luna taking on the role, Lili Birdsell will also recur in the new season.
- Neil Jackson has joined the cast of The Originals while Nathalie Kelly will be playing evil herself in The Vampire Diaries.
- Brie Larson has been cast as Captain Marvel.

Time To Say Goodbye And Hello

- Over the weekend, it was confirmed that the upcoming seasons of Bates Motel, The Vampire Diaries and Teen Wolf will be their final seasons.
- Game Of Thrones seventh season will only be seven episodes and will air in Summer 2017. I assume then it's inevitable eighth season will only be six episodes then.
- Legion will be coming next year for US viewers as will BBCAmerica's version of Dirk Gently with Samuel Barnett and Elijah Wood.
- Viewers will be meeting Penny's mother and brother in the tenth season of The Big Bang Theory as played by Katey Sagal and Jack McBrayer respectively.
- Colton Haynes will be playing a mysterious role in the second season of Scream Queens.
- David Tennant will also be playing the Doctor again, this time on Family Guy during a spoof.

Star Trek: Discovery

With Star Trek Beyond currently in the cinemas, here is a stark reminder that next year we will have a television series once again. While Bryan Fuller sadly didn't confirm the cast at Comic Con (something of an oversight there), he did confirm the proper title for the show and you know what? I like it! We also got an image of the ship as well, which looks okay so far. It's also been confirmed that UK viewers will be able to see the series on Netflix next year.

Sherlock: Series 4 Trailer

Between Benedict Cumberbatch appearing at San Diego as part of the promotion for Doctor Strange (still not too fussed on that to be honest), a trailer for the fourth series of Sherlock was also released and it certainly piqued interest. It looked dark and brooding and even contained the delightful moment where Mrs Hudson likened Mycroft to a reptile. We're also been teased as to whether or not Moriarty (Andrew Scott) is still alive, seeing Mary (Amanda Abbington) in gun toting action and getting a nice look at Toby Jones playing the baddie too. Overall, it looks like a promising season ahead. You can have a look at it here ,... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlcWFoNqZHc

That's a round up wrap for this year's Comic Con. This time next year, yeah?

My Review of Sherlock's: "The Abominable Bride"

Written by Steven Moffat And Mark Gatiss
Directed by Douglas Mackinnon

Sherlock (to Watson): "The game is afoot."

Stop me if you've heard this one before. Now ever since the third series (and arguably even in aspects of the first two), Sherlock as a show has been getting a little too metatextual for it's own good and for a one off special until the fourth series arrives next year, we've got this Victorian laced episode that was certainly not quite what it seemed.

It was 1895 and both Sherlock Holmes and John Watson have met for the first time and are soon working to solve the case of murderous dead bride, Emilia Ricoletti (Natasha O'Keeffe) who has been going on something of a murder spree, targeting certain men in spite of the fact that she's meant to be dead herself. How can a woman supposedly dead be killing people if ghosts don't actually exist?

More to the point, how can a man who blew his brains out actually be alive for that matter? I should've copped on earlier into the episode that this was literally a case of crackfic coming to life with Sherlock using a Victorian unsolved case in his mind palace to figure out how Moriarty can still be a problem for him.

To say I was a little relieved that this episode was actually going to try and resolve (or further enhance, mystery wise) the cliffhanger from His Last Vow would be an understatement but it certainly helped to make what could've been a daft but pointless one-off a little more impactful.

The truth of the matter is that between mind palace escapades, Sherlock getting high in both Victorian and modern times, the interesting use of a women's rights group (hello Janine and posing as a man, Molly) and of course, the recreation of an iconic moment then subverted, the truth is that Moriarty is actually dead. Or is he? By this time next year, we're likely to have a proper answer but logically, how can anyone survive blasting their brains out?

I was initially a little wary of the show playing around with Victorian times but there was certainly a lot of fun to be had with some hilarious interpretations and commentaries not just on Holmes and Watson but also Lestrade, Mary, Mrs Hudson, Mycroft (Mark Gatiss putting in a hilarious comic performance and also a touching one too), Molly, Janine and Anderson. This isn't the sort of experiment the show should ever repeat again but for one night only, it was a great effort.

- The episode opened with a handy recap of the first three series, which turned out to be relevant to the actual episode itself.
- Irene did not appear in this episode, other than in a photograph. I would've loved to have seen her with Janine and Molly. As for that sign language, hilarious.
- I liked the variation of the theme and the sight of a rather heavier Mycroft was funnier than Molly dressed as a male doctor. In Victorian times, she's not a Sherlock fangirl.
- Filming for the fourth series begins in April, so assuming there's no hiccups, we should have it on BBC1 this time next year.

It was indulgent, took a tiny bit to follow in parts and was certainly sillier than usual but other than that, The Abominable Bride made me actually miss the show more than when it was off the air, glad it was on air and kept my Twitter entertaining for several hours. Oh and it was actually an enjoyable episode, so that was a plus too.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Comic-Con 2015: Sherlock - Christmas Special & Series 4 Details

To kick off things, the BBC have rather nicely given us a new image from Sherlock's upcoming Christmas special.

While it's not an actual image from the episode itself, it's still a nice reminder of course that the special is set during Victorian times and pretty much in it's own little bubble as well. In some ways, that's a little frustrating as it's likely they won't resolve the cliffhanger we were left with in His Last Vow but on the other hand, the clip they released from the special did poke a lot of fun though ("I'm your landlady, not a plot device"), so that works for me.

Meanwhile while Benedict Cumberbatch couldn't attend the panel himself for Comic-Con (neither did Martin Freeman), he did however take part along with Mark Gatiss in Andrew Scott's amusing video where the three of them explained their absences. As for the panel itself, it was attended by Steven Moffat, Sue Vertue and Rupert Graves and here are some tidbits we did learn ....

- A crossover with Doctor Who could be a possibility. Moffat didn't seem against the idea this time.
- Sue Vertue said they were trying to get Sherlock to air in the US closer/same day as the UK.
- Hint was made at the third Holmes brother.
- Irene won at the end of A Scandal In Belgravia apparently. Moffat doesn't know if the character will be seen again.
- Series 4 hasn't been written yet but Moffat and company do know where they will be going with it. Expect to be "sucker punched into emotional devastation".
- The sexism of the era will be central to the Christmas special. Somehow factors Molly in a way.
- A clue for the Christmas special is also "ghosts".
- The Christmas special will also be shown in selected cinemas worldwide.

Sherlock Panel & More: http://www.spoilertv.com/2015/07/sherlock-comic-con-panel-live-updates.html

Sherlock's Christmas special will air on BBC1 and in cinemas around Christmas. Series 4 begins filming in 2016.

Sherlock - Christmas Special/Series 4 News

I've been a bit lax when it comes to the Sherlock news of late, so here's a round up on news for both the Christmas and Series 4.

- The special is set in 1895 with Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Amanda Abbington and everyone else playing period versions of their characters.
- Steven Moffat wanted to do at one episode with Holmes and Watson in period gear.
- The special itself is written by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss and will be directed by Douglas Mackinnon, who has directed several episodes of Doctor Who.
- Filming for Series 4 will begin during Spring 2016, so it's more than likely the episodes for that won't air until January 2017.
- It will be darker than the previous series with a lot of emotional upheaval as well.
- There may be also a time jump, not to mention the fact that we also have to have Mary giving birth and whether or not Moriarty is alive.

I have to admit to not really being that shocked that we might have to wait a bit longer for the fourth series, which is probably why this year's Christmas special will be something of a way to bridge the gap. I also get the impression (and considering that both Cumerbatch and Freeman are getting harder to pin down) that Series 4 might actually be the last proper series and that specials (like the upcoming Christmas one) every few years is the way the BBC are going to go with this show. That might not be a bad thing to be honest.

Series 4 Spoilers: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s129/sherlock/feature/a647397/sherlock-series-4-everything-we-know-about-so-far-including-filming-schedule-air-dates-and-plots.html?utm_source=tw&utm_medium=dsuk&utm_campaign=twdsuk#~pcR7l3XnQYjZou

The Christmas special of Sherlock will air in December while Series 4 starts filming in Spring 2016.

Sherlock - Special & Series 4 Confirmed

It's been six months since the third series of Sherlock wrapped up on BBC1 with that cryptic 'Did you miss me?' from Moriarty and now we've got more on the way. Well, kind of ...

It seems that we will be getting a special episode first, which will begin filming in January 2015, followed by a fourth series, also due to be filmed next year. It was only last week that actor Martin Freeman let slip that a special was coming next year and now we have proper confirmation and I think it's a near safe bet that the special will be for Christmas while Series 4 will more than likely air in early 2016.

While the press release didn't reveal anything too spoilery (so we're still in the dark as to whether or not we'll actually be seeing Andrew Scott as Moriarty again), it did go on to explain that what would happen next for Sherlock and Watson would be something unexpected though. Either way, while it's nice to have some news about the next series, it doesn't alter the fact that we still have a long on our hands to go.

Press Release: http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2014/sherlock-miss-me

The Sherlock special and Series 4 begin filming in 2015. Series 1-3 are currently available on DVD.

Elementary - A Revised Opinion (Spoilers)

I'm not gonna lie. When I first heard that CBS were doing their own version of Sherlock Holmes with the New York based Elementary, I wasn't exactly jumping for joy about the prospect of it. Also like some viewers, I also wasn't too eager on the character of Watson being rewritten as a female character, even though the always excellent Lucy Liu had been cast. Then I actually watched the show.

And I have to admit (and not for the first time) perhaps I prejudged it too harshly. While I am still a bit fed up of US networks doing their own versions of UK programmes, Elementary turned out to be a lot better than I gave it credit for. Both Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu have turned out to be a captivating and engrossing take on the great detective and his sober companion, possibly even as good as Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman have been on Steven Moffat/Mark Gatiss's Sherlock series and while the show has largely felt like a traditional procedural at times, it's far more preferable than CBS's other unadventurous offerings.

It's also been slightly more adventurous in some respects to Moffat/Gatiss's baby as well. While changing genders for Watson wasn't the most radical thing Elementary could've done, I think changing Moriarty into a female character and merging him/her with Irene Adler however was. Also casting the incredible Natalie Dormer (The Tudors, Game Of Thrones) certainly helped matters too. Dormer could recite a phone bill and turn it into a BAFTA winning performance. Her take on both roles (Jamie Moriarty/Irene Adler) easily matches what both Andrew Scott and Lara Pulver have done with the roles and she's been a rather interesting version of the popular antagonist/love interest for Mr Holmes. However the less said about Vinnie Jones version of Sebastian Moran, the better though.

Another masterstroke was the brief introduction of Holmes's former landlady, Miss Hudson, who in Elementary's version is actually a transgendered woman, played by Candice Cayne (Nip/Tuck, Dirty Sexy Money). It was a brave move and one that seemed to go down well with fans of the show as well, probably due to the depiction of Hudson as a regular character not written to be a victim or a source of humour. It's hard not to impressed with the show for this alone.

As for the rest of the show - Aidan Quinn has been great as the rather stoic/duty bound Captain Tommy Gregson and the second season itself hasn't wasted time in throwing both Holmes and Watson into London as well as meeting up with the likes of Mycroft Holmes (Rhys Ifans) and Lestrade (Sean Pertwee), both of whom have been memorable in their brief appearances so far. Elementary might not generate the same levels of mass fan hysteria as it's BBC counterpart and it might be a bit too procedural times for it's own good, but overall, I can admit when I'm wrong and this show is certainly better than I thought it would be.

Elementary airs Thursdays 10pm on CBS and will resume airing on SkyLiving, Tuesdays at 9pm from February 18th.

Sherlock - Series 4: Where To Go?

Now that the third series of Sherlock has finished airing on both BBC1 for UK viewers and PBS Masterpiece for US viewers and has been released on DVD, here are five things I'd like to see with the fourth series.

1: Keep The Ensemble Feel

Maybe I'm going against the grain of tradition with this particular verse but one of my favourite elements of the third series was not only just the further examination of Sherlock and Watson's friendship but the expansion of other characters. I enjoyed the fact that Lestrade, Molly, Mycroft, Mrs Hudson and of course, Mary had far larger role in this series and their respective dynamics with the boys.

2: Returning Characters

It was nice to get a brief momentary glimpse of Irene in The Sign Of Three during Sherlock's mind palace antics but I kind of wouldn't mind seeing her again in a slightly larger role. Not to the extent of her role in A Scandal In Belgravia but another proper interact with her and Sherlock would be nice at some point during the fourth series. I suppose more of Billy as well, given how much fun he was to watch in His Last Vow wouldn't go amiss as well as Sherlock and Mycroft's parents too as I enjoyed their scenes with the Holmes boys as well.

3: Mary Must Live

Having done a rewatch of the third series on DVD, I still maintain the fact that Amanda Abbington's Mary Morstan was easily one of the best things about the current series. Credit given where it's due, it's a tribute to Abbington herself as well as writers Steven Moffat, Mark Gatiss and Stephen Thompson that Mary managed to be an asset to the show without disrupting the 'Johnlock' dynamic. More to the point, given the general reception towards the character/actress, the interesting backstory she's been given and the fact that she's carrying John's child, there's definitely more to do with the character than simply kill her off for cheap drama/angst purposes.

4: Tread Carefully With Moriarty

I'm still not entirely sure if it's a wise idea to have Moriarty back into the mix and I'm saying this as someone who massively enjoyed Andrew Scott's take on the character in the first two series. Assuming that the character is actually physically back in action for the role because it's going to take some explanation as to how he survived blowing his own brains out. I just hope on this front that Moffat/Gatiss/Thompson know what they're doing with this one.

5: Perhaps Some New Villains?

I think of instead of Moriarty being the big focus (aside from probably the Series 4 finale), perhaps it's best to make sure the first two stories have fairly memorable villains. Series 3 first two stories had both an unknown terrorist and the Mayfly Man, both of whom were okay but did a lot better with the rather repugnant, Charles Augustus Magnussen. Maybe the fourth series would do well to introduce the likes of Sebastian Moran for a modern audience, especially given that even Elementary have introduced that character. I'm sure there are plenty of great actors out there who could do wonders with that role and go up against Benedict Cumberbatch in the same memorable way that both Andrew Scott and Lars Mikkelsen have done in the first three series. Casting suggestions, anyone?

Sherlock - Series 1-3 are now available on DVD.

My Review of Sherlock's 3x03: "His Last Vow"

Written by Steven Moffat
Directed by Nick Hurran

Moriarty: "Did you miss me?"

Well, if there's one way to upstage a promising new villain like Charles Augustus Magnussen, it's probably by making sure that the former big nemesis re-emerged only seconds after the new guy was rather quickly dispatched with in such a passionless manner. I hate to admit it but despite a rather sublime performance by Lars Mikkelson, something about CAM was lacking for me as a baddie.

Sure, he was pretty creepy in parts (pissing in a fireplace, licking Smallwood's face and flicking Watson's face, etc) but aside from the not remotely subtle homage to media tycoons like Rupert Murdoch and being partially responsible for Mary revealing her true identity, I kind of felt like he was something of a wasted villain as well.

He gloated a few times about being the second most powerful man in Britain outside of Mycroft but another thing that lacked about CAM was that unlike Moriarty, I don't think he was as well integrated in the series. Back in Series 1, Moriarty's presence was definitely felt before Sherlock and Watson encountered him at the swimming pool. The same cannot really be said about CAM and his rather swift death was another way of highlighting that of course.

On the plus side, this episode did manage to reveal some more information about Mary, cause a tiny bit of a rift within her marriage to Watson (she shot Sherlock, naughty girl!) but at the same, both her and the unborn baby made it out of the episode alive. I'm glad because there were so many fans assuming she'd be a goner in this one and it did look like it too. Thankfully though, she's staying and it's a good thing because Mary has undoubtedly been the best thing about this whole series now.

As for Moriarty - is he really back from the dead or is there something else going on here? I love seeing Andrew Scott as much as the next person but it's going to take some explaining to justify having Moriarty back in the mix for the next series. It could work well in the show's favour but it also blow up in it's face. It's moments like these that kind of make me resent having to wait two years for the next batch of episodes.

- Was anyone shocked that Molly called off her engagement to Tom? Nope, didn't think so.
- Clever way of adding Agra into Mary's storyline this week as well. She worked for the CIA, didn't she? At least in this version of events.
- The gang (Sherlock, Watson, Mary, Mycroft, Billy) spending Christmas with Sherlock and Mycroft's parents was a hoot. It seems that Mummy Holmes is the genius in that family.
- I did love Sherlock's nicknames in this episode - "Shezza" and "Sherl" and Janine and Sherlock using each other was kind of amusing as well.
- Not enough screen time for Lestrade and Mrs Hudson in this one but I did like learning more about the latter's former antics though.
- Trust Moriarty to announce his return in a very public manner. The boy's a right show off.

Overall, while I do think the previous story was the best one we've had this series, His Last Vow was a great way of ending the series and making sure that you'd want to tune in for the next series. I really do hope Moffat and company know what they're doing with Moriarty though, assuming he's back for real. Oh and can we have Irene again too?

Rating: 8 out of 10

My Review of Sherlock's 3x02: "The Sign Of Three"

Written by Steven Moffat And Mark Gatiss And Stephen Thompson
Directed by Colm McCarthy

Sherlock: "Today you are sitting between the woman you have made your wife and the man you have saved. In short, the two who you love you the most in all the world."

The middle episodes of Sherlock have been something of a mixed bag. I still feel that The Blind Banker is probably the weakest episode the show has ever produced and while I like The Hounds Of Baskerville, it does actually pale in comparison to the episodes it's sandwiched between. Taking that history into account, this could've boded badly for this episode but I actually think the difficult middle episode trend might have been broken here.

First off all, the union between Watson and Mary became tighter as this was the very episode that saw them getting married and it (rightfully) dominated the entire episode with some nice cutaways to past adventures (including the funniest stag do you'll ever see) and it was a wedding that was certainly full of events. Notably, Sherlock having to deliver one of the loveliest and most bizarre of best man speeches as well. See, how much John has humanised him, folks? This episode made that pretty clear, didn't it?

Of course, marriage aside, the episode ended with revealing rather succinctly that Mary was also pregnant and the title of the episode seemed to be hinting at a new status quo. Can I just say that for all the unfair criticism that Moffat gets with female characters that Mary has been a raring success as a character. Her dynamic with the boys has been as delightful as Mrs Hudson's and her whipsmart intelligence as well in the middle of an assassination attempt more than proves to me that she should stay.

As for the 'case of the episode' - the attack on Watson's reclusive former commander, Schalto was handled interestingly enough. I kind of sussed who the killer happened to be the most Sherlock dropped his champagne glass but the build up and eventual reveal was a lot of fun to see play out. I know some fans haven't been happy with the cases feeling a little secondary this series but personally, I actually think it's a good thing really. I'd rather have more of this new gang Sherlock/Watson have adopted with Mary, Molly, Lestrade and Hudson. It's far more entertaining to watch.

- Irene Adler got an Amy Pond style appearance during one of Sherlock's deductive sequences with the photographer's conquests. Funny how he only seems to view Irene as only naked.
- Anyone else feel a tad sorry for Tom? Molly really does seem to be using him for rebound purposes and she's barely concealing it either.
- Janine the maid of honour was a laugh riot. I did like her and Sherlock's flirtatious banter in this episode. At one point though, I did think she might have been the killer.
- CAM sent Mary a wedding message. So, she definitely has a connection to this series villain then? Must do, right?
- Mrs Hudson really wasn't shy in telling Watson about her own marriage and Mycroft got some cheeky revenge on Sherlock this week too.
- How come it took three people to write this episode? Not complaining, just curious is all.

Okay, far as I'm concerned this current series of Sherlock has been super enjoyable, even if it's been a little lighter feeling than previous series. More to the point, The Sign Of Three deftly smashed the weak middle episode trend by actually being better than the opening episode. Now, let's see what the finale delivers.

Rating: 9 out of 10

My Review of Sherlock's 3x01: "The Empty Hearse"

Written by Mark Gatiss
Directed by Jeremy Lovering

Mycroft: "Sorry, but the holiday is over, brother dear. Back to Baker Street, Sherlock Holmes."

You wait for this show to return and when it does, it comes out with an opening episode that actually managed to be delightfully bonkers. While I don't believe that Sherlock is the best thing on television (despite my enjoyment of it), there was a lot about this opening story that kept my attention.

First of all the various theories as to how the great man survived that fall in the first place were fun to watch and some of the theories were actually more satisfying than what we really got (assuming what Sherlock told Watson was true, it's hard to tell). I especially liked the cheekiness of the first two theories surrounding both Molly and Moriarty the best but I think everyone did if I'm being honest.

Of course the main plot of this episode was the reunion between Sherlock and Watson and I'm actually glad it wasn't that easy either. Watson was understandably mad and tried to keep his distance and in some ways both him and Sherlock used substitutes as a means of not being a team (Watson his job, Sherlock teaming up with Molly/Lestrade) before one of them nearly being burnt to a crisp reunited them.

The emotional weight of the episode was what made this episode the most gripping to watch. Sherlock and Watson's eventual team up against a terrorist threat (that wasn't well explored), followed by the actual explanation was the highlight. I'm not sure if the explanation holds up too logically but it's the time of sleight of hand that works well enough for the show though.

- Amanda Abbington, the real life partner of Martin Freeman played Watson's love interest, Mary Morstan in this episode. I liked her a lot in this episode and I'm glad she'll be around for the rest of the series.
- Benedict Cumberbatch's real life parents actually played his parents in this episode. Can I also just say that Mycroft was a lot of fun this episode too? My view on him has changed a lot in the last two years.
- Molly's new boyfriend, Tom. Is the lady protesting a little too much about being over Sherlock?
- We got a brief glimpse of the new villain of the series at the end of the episode. I have a feeling that him and Mary might be working together.
- Anderson literally became Tumblr during this episode. Actually the metatextuality was on Ryan Murphy levels at times.
- So does Mycroft have a special 'goldfish' in his life? Loved watching him and Sherlock deducting and playing Operation.

Overall this was a fun opening episode. While it loses points for the terrorist plot not being well thought out and rather paper thin, it does make up for it with the cheeky needling of fandom, nice emotional beats and the sheer daftness at times. Looking forward to the next two installments.

Rating: 8 out of 10

My Review of Sherlock's: "Many Happy Returns"

Written by Steven Moffat & Mark Gatiss
Directed by Unknown

Lestrade (re Sherlock): "He didn't solve all of my cases."
Anderson: "He's out there. He's hiding but he can't stop himself from getting involved. It's so obviously him if you know how to spot the signs."

You wait nearly two years for the return of the great detective (not you, Vastra, the other one) and the BBC decide to give us a prequel during the Christmas period in order to whet our appetite a little bit more. Consider this a success then.

The seven minute is delightful in it's simplicity as it's Anderson of all people who's been spotting clues to Sherlock not being dead. It's amazing that Anderson has gone from being somewhat bad at his job in the first two series to actually piecing together vital clues to Sherlock being alive, even if both Lestrade and Watson themselves are still convinced that Sherlock is dead.

Perhaps the most effective and affecting part of this prequel was that video scene. Having Watson watch Sherlock's birthday message certainly tugged at the heart strings, I won't lie but the end scene where it looked like Lestrade was starting to become convinced about Sherlock being alive after all was a nice ending.

- Anderson lost his job and spotted that Sherlock had helped out in a monastery, in New Dehli and a juror in Hamburg.
- Watson's friends seemingly hate him, according to Sherlock.
- The use of Sherlock in a lit shadowy moment was actually pretty effective too.
- Um, who actually directed this minisode? Why aren't they credited it for it?

Overall, a fun little scene with some good character moments (especially from Anderson, which surprised me). The game is definitely back on alright.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Sherlock - Series 3 Airdate Confirmed

It might have been a long wait but it's a wait that is finally over. After weeks of speculation, not only were we given a trailer for the upcoming third series of Sherlock on Saturday last but the BBC have now confirmed the airdate as well.

The third series will air on New Year's Day 2014on BBC1 with the opening episode, titled The Empty Hearse. Written by Mark Gatiss, the episode will reunite both Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch) and John Watson (Martin Freeman) and focus on how exactly the former survived the fall from the previous series.

On the 5th of January, the second installment, The Sign Of Three by Stephen Thompson will air before the finale, titled His Last Vow airs on the 12th of January. The final story, written by Steven Moffat will also introduce Lars Mikkelson's Charles Augustus Magnussen into the mix and will end on another cliffhanger. For now though, I guess the great detective really does live.

Press Release: http://sherlockology.tumblr.com/post/68454886686/airdates-in-full
Series 3 Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Vq4s8n8vxw

Sherlock's third series returns in January 2014.

Sherlock - Best/Worst Bits

Following The Backlot’s best/worst list in relation to Sherlock, I decided to do my own one, so here it is - my best and worst bits from the hit series …

Best Things
1: Sherlock/Watson dynamic. They’re friends, nothing more. Regardless of what certain shippers like to think.
2: Moriarty being a great villain. He really was and I'll kind of miss not seeing Andrew Scott in Series 3.
3: The show’s knack for a solid cliffhanger.
4: Irene Adler - maybe more for Lara Pulver’s performance than the actual characterisation.
5: Molly, Lestrade, Mycroft and Mrs Hudson. All excellent supporting character, though it took me a while to warm to Mycroft.

Worst Things

1: Spacing between series. I have a feeling at some point this show is going to end up like Jonathan Creek.
2: Fans who go about about Moffat’s writing being shit on Doctor Who and yet act like it’s better on Sherlock. There’s not much difference in the writing for both shows.
3: The Johnlock fans who insist on their ship being real. I’m gay and I don’t ship them or care that they (Watson mainly) get female love interests.
4: Irene being written as a gay character when it made no fucking sense to the story she was in.
5: The middle episodes usually being the dull ones. Sorry but they do lack compared to the opening and final episodes of each series.

Sherlock Series 3 will air soon on BBC1.

Sherlock - Series 3 First Trailer & New Villain Cast

It might be a while before we see the third series of Sherlock but the BBC are finally getting in the mood to promote it. Following the repeat airing of the second series finale, The Reichenbach Fall, a trailer for the upcoming third series was aired ...

The 26 second trailer saw the likes of Molly, Mrs Hudson, Mycroft and Lestrade all getting prepared to be taken by surprise from a returning Sherlock, only for it to end with the not so dead detective meeting Watson (sporting a naff looking moustache) in a restaurant. It's a nicely brief trailer but a good reminder that the show does in fact continue. No airdate was confirmed in the trailer but I think it's a safe bet we'll see the third series in 2013 though.

Meanwhile Lars Mikkelsen has been confirmed for the finale as Charles Augustus Magnussen. The actor known for his roles on The Killing and Borgen will be playing the character based on the story The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton and if the picture is anything to go by, he might be an even bigger threat to Sherlock and Watson than Moriarty was in the first two series.

Series 3 Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llGXWICGsD4&feature=youtu.be

Series 3 of Sherlock will air on BBC1 in late 2013.

Comic-Con 2013: Sherlock

First of a few Comic-Con related blogs you can expect from me over the next few days and the first one to go is Sherlock ....

The panel in San Diego was headed by writers/creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss (who was confirmed this week to appearing in the fourth season of Game Of Thrones) and Sue Vertue. At least ten interesting things were leaked about the upcoming third series.

1: A fourth series will definitely happen but of course, it'll depend on when Benedict and Martin are available for filming.

2: Benedict has been described as the "goofy" one with Martin as the "dry, sardonic" one. I would've thought it was the reverse.

3: Mark Gatiss is still surprised that we haven't figured out that cliffhanger. I think I might have done.

4: Sherlock and Watson's reunion is definitely going to appeal to the slash fans in a big way. It's been described as "beautiful" and will "make your hands stand on end".

5: Benedict's spoilers for the cliffhanger have included two toy monkeys, teabag and cabbage. He might not be entirely serious though.

6: For those who ship Sherlock and Molly, well, they won't be kissing anytime soon.

7: Moriarty is definitely dead. And Watson is married.

8: The ending for Series 3 is going to outdo the second series ender to the point where you'll wonder how the show can continue.

9: Mark Gatiss still wants a Roger Moore cameo in either Sherlock or Doctor Who. Then again, so does Roger Moore himself.

10: Don't expect a Sherlock movie anytime soon.

They're not the most revealing of spoilers but they're definitely something to whet the old appetite. The filming for the final story in the third series, written by Steven Moffat and directed by Nick Hurran will begin later this month and before we know it, it won't be long before Series 3 kicks in and we're watching. I'm betting it might air during December with the finale airing around the Christmas period.

EDIT: All the titles for Series 3 have been revealed. They are The Empty Hearse, The Sign Of Three and His Last Vow.

Comic Con Write Up: http://www.digitalspy.ie/tv/s129/sherlock/news/a499716/sherlock-at-comic-con-10-things-we-learned.html

Sherlock's third series will air in late 2013 possibly.