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Sherlock Season 4

Started by JayzusB.Christ, 18 January, 2017, 07:23:49 PM

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JayzusB.Christ

Just finished watching this.  Well, the middle one was proper Sherlock the way it used to be - Mind-bendingly clever with enough hanging plot threads to keep you interested.  The introduction of the [spoiler]Holmes sister[/spoiler] was excellent; I like my Sherlock to gather up seemingly innocuous encounters from subplots and throw them back in your face with a flourish.  Also the [spoiler]Jimmy Savile[/spoiler] angle made the bad guy all the more loathsome and creepy.

The first and last episodes, though; not so great. I can barely remember what happened in the first one apart from [spoiler]Mary Watson dying[/spoiler], and the last one turned into a big episode of the Crystal Maze.  And is that really all the [spoiler]Moriarty 'miss me'[/spoiler] threads were leading up to? 
"Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest"

IndigoPrime

I thought the entire series was shit as a whole, with only the second episode being fairly good. The first one was at least just about watchable, despite it being insanely obvious they were going to [spoiler]fridge Mary, which was entirely unnecessary. Also, did anyone really believe she was suddenly SUPER ASSASSIN?[/spoiler]

As for that dreck that passed for a finale, I have absolutely no idea what they were trying to do. Part Crystal Maze, part Saw, part Ring, but all bloody awful. It made absolutely no logical sense, and shifted Sherlock so far from its broadly reasonable and realistic roots that it came across more like a mocking slice of fan fiction. If it really is the last one, that's an appalling ending, in terms of the show's quality.

A friend noted that the problem is in short-run shows having to always be EPIC and BIGGER, to catch the eye. But Sherlock worked initially because it was like a small series of really clever TV movies. You got wrapped up in the mystery and the characters. You didn't need absurd scenes where the protagonists have [spoiler]three seconds to leap out of a window to avoid a grenade, which is then immediately and conveniently forgotten about, given that they would have HORRIBLY DIED[/spoiler].

If they do more, I hope it's a return to the show's roots. Additionally, if they're having issues with pacing and episode numbers, just hack the 'movies' in two and make a six-part series. Oh, and get a script editor to rein in Gatiss and Moffat. They desperately need one.

Professor Bear

The problem is Elementary, which isn't shit like we thought it would be - "WATSON IS A WOMAN NOW AND THE ONE YOU DON'T REMEMBER FROM TRAINSPOTTING IS IN IT!"  That should have been shit but it's actually okay, and occasionally very clever, so Sherlock was left trying to up the ante with less money, less episodes, about a year between outings, and the two male leads' increasingly-successful movie careers, meanwhile Elementary was doing weekly episodes about framing computers for murder, killer bees, copyrighting the New York skyline, Moriarty as a football hooligan serial killer, crimes being solved during the yearly NYC storms, IRL superheroes - I'm sure there's lots more, but the point is, Sherlock had its work cut out to be distinctive, and fair play, by going right up its own arse it's certainly that.

Magnetica

I watched these with my wife. I cringed all the way through the last one thinking "she is going to say that was utter drivel" afterwards or words to that effect. And you know what I can't blame her. I can't understand what they were thinking.

Why do so many of these type of shows have to deviate from the core premise? What is wrong with just having Sherlock and Watson just solve a case?

It was the same with 24. Why did Jack Bauer have to seemingly always go rogue instead of just tackling the baddies?

Definitely Not Mister Pops

#4
I haven't watched this show since the episode after he fell off of that building. Instead of writing something, Moffat just dramatized a buncha internet fan theories. So it would seem I'm not missing much. That's not going to stop me getting a sly dig in on Moffat/Gatiss, hacks that they are. I agree with the Bear. Elementary is a far superior modern adaptation of Holmes, although it's trajectory is the opposite of Sherlock's. Elementary started off a bit dodgy* before becoming compelling, where Sherlock seemed arsom to begin with, but didn't have any legs**.

*Holmes was a be-tattooed edgy, recovering junkie in early episodes

**Insert misogynistic comment about the absolutely stunning and stylish Lucy Liu
You may quote me on that.

Link Prime

Quote from: Magnetica on 19 January, 2017, 01:25:18 AM
Why did Jack Bauer have to seemingly always go rogue instead of just tackling the baddies?

The following attempt at pithy humour takes place between 09.00am and 10.00am.
Events occur in real time;

Shut it commie

As for Sherlock- I agree it had a continual descent in quality after early season 2.
And the shark was already jumped with The Abominable Bride.

IndigoPrime

I don't recall the exact trajectory of Elementary, but seem to recall it was along the lines of:

America! (WHAT?)
JOAN Watson! (Seriously?)
Procedural! (Yawn.)
Bloke from Transporting cast. (OK. This... might work.)
Sherlock is English. (Promising.)

And then the first series was fairly good, and perfectly watchable. Then the second series built on things. The characters evolved and changed, and were not cyphers. This continues through to the current episodes, which have some really smart writing AND have notably increased Watson's capabilities with every season (to the point she now frequently points things out that Sherlock has either missed or not yet noticed).

Sherlock now just feels like hubris given form as as TV show.

Dandontdare

This season was definitely the poorest - I never really liked the introduction of Mary, and the first episode about her past was just dull. The middle one was pretty good, full of all the things that made it so enjoyable in the past, but the last was a real dog's dinner. A few good ideas, but a ridiculous ending - slow motion jumping from cgi explosions and that sick-making final message from Mary. And that final freeze frame of them running into action .. well I guess it was supposed to be ironic but just looked cheesy.

JamesC

When it first started, Sherlock was an extraordinary person occupying a world full of normal, believable people. Now he hangs out with his best mate's secret agent/assassin wife, has a comedy landlady who's the stunt driver of an Aston Martin and has a sister who's an X-Man.

Professor Bear

Quote from: Dandontdare on 19 January, 2017, 12:24:43 PMAnd that final freeze frame of them running into action .. well I guess it was supposed to be ironic but just looked cheesy.

https://youtu.be/LA61fKHmSv4?t=10s

ming

Quote from: Professor Bear on 19 January, 2017, 01:11:46 PM
Quote from: Dandontdare on 19 January, 2017, 12:24:43 PMAnd that final freeze frame of them running into action .. well I guess it was supposed to be ironic but just looked cheesy.

https://youtu.be/LA61fKHmSv4?t=10s

I liked the 'Rathbone' plaque though.

CrazyFoxMachine

I'm always a month behind listening to the radio and a Front Row from before Christmas featured an interview with Gatiss and Freeman that I heard yesterday -

"I imagine the main focus this series will be John's child - and the shift in him adjusting to take care of his new baby instead of taking care of Sherlock?"

YOU WISH RADIO 4 MAN IT'S MAINLY JUST EXPLOSIONS AND DUMB PUZZLES. KERBLAM BLIMMY BLAM BLOO.


Satanist

A child goes missing and no-one thought to look down a well 5 minutes from the house? REALLY?
Hmm, just pretend I wrote something witty eh?

Link Prime

Quote from: Satanist on 20 January, 2017, 09:49:34 AM
A child goes missing and no-one thought to look down a well 5 minutes from the house? REALLY?

IndigoPrime

Quote from: Satanist on 20 January, 2017, 09:49:34 AM
A child goes missing and no-one thought to look down a well 5 minutes from the house? REALLY?
And this is why we need script editors rather than (effectively) proof readers, who can throw this kind of stuff back and the writers and stay, sternly: "Do it again."