Jan 3, 9:59 PM, the air in my room gets tense, as I wait with bated breath, and count the final seconds prior to the first episode of the 3rd season of Sherlock. After the news of a speculated January 2013 release, the actual 3rd season began in January 2014, but definitely proved to be worth the wait for all the fans, who along with John Watson, wished that Sherlock were alive!
And so, the game was back on, and how, with ‘The Empty Hearse’!
5 things that made ‘The Empty Hearse’ click:
- THE ADRENALINE RUSH: The pace is set right from the first moment when the familiar ‘sinister’ Sherlock tune plays in, culminating in John Watson shrieking ‘Sherlock’, as the camera moves in towards Sherlock’s grave, and accelerates sublimely with the enactments of the various theories, John nearly being burnt alive and the bomb diffusing scene.
- THE THEORIES: This was what the viewers were desperately waiting for- HOW DID SHERLOCK MANAGE TO SURVIVE? Anderson’s theory involving hypnotism, a bungee rope, and Moriarty wearing a Sherlock mask is the first to be shown, and proves to be simply AMAZING with the slick, fast paced moves, seeming right out of a spy film. The second one, narrated by Sherlock, is not as fast paced as Anderson’s version, but proves to be quite interesting, nonetheless.
- THE SHERLOCK WATSON ‘MILAAP’: Sherlock posing as a waiter, nearly gives Watson a heart attack, and then escapes his deadly blows thrice, resulting in ample grins from me, if not laughs.
- THE STORYLINE: The modern day interpretation of ‘The Adventure of the Empty House’ as ‘The Empty Hearse’, doesn’t fail to impress, and lives up to the standards set in the 1st and 2nd seasons. With Sherlock’s return, the encounter with Dr. Watson, the kidnapping, and the final bomb in the carriage, the episode contains the standard elements of humour, suspense and intrigue that form the heart and soul of the Sherlock series.
- THE CAST: Having seen them play a variety of roles such as Khan Noonien Singh, Julian Assange, Smaug, the Necromancer, (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Bilbo (Martin Freeman) in the past year, it almost feels nostalgic to see Cumby on the dash, and Freeman with a moustache :P The Jai-Veeru of Baker street may not display the camaraderie that they used to in previous seasons (who would be mighty pleased if their friend faked being dead for two years), which is a bit of a dampener, but the chemistry while diffusing the bomb in the train, makes up for that, to a great extent.
The season continues to get better with each episode, and ‘The Sign of Three’, which in my opinion, is the funniest episode so far in the series. It shows Sherlock in a more humane manner as John’s best man at his wedding. Most obviously, there is a murderer lurking somewhere… The ‘Three’ gets much importance, with
- ‘Three cases’, the first of the bloody guardsman, the second of a girl who dated a ghost, and the attempted murder of the reclusive Major Sholto, are linked together to form one power packed episode, with John and Mary’s wedding forming the background.
- The idea of Sherlock, John and Mary forming a ‘Trio’, as Mary seems to provide valuable insights into solving the Major Sholto case. Also Sherlock and Mary seem to hit off well. AND
- The Watson family going from a two to a ‘three’, as revealed by Sherlock towards the end of the episode.
BUT, the highlight of the show is definitely John’s stag party, which involves Sherlock making sure that they drink precise volumes of alcohol using scientific equipment, in specific time periods, and even visit the loo according to a timetable! But the planning goes all wrong when John further spikes their drinks (if you can spike alcoholic drinks, in the first place), and the plastered duo end up at Baker Street, play the Post-It game and also attempt to solve the case of a personal nurse who had dated a ghost, all, in a drunken haze.
“Be careful what you wish for”, but if your wish is to see more of this fabulous show, I sincerely wish, from the bottom of my heart, that your wish comes true! Till then, it’s good to know that #SherlockLives.
