Matrimony, my dear Watson. The second episode of Sherlock (BBC One) saw Benedict Cumberbatch's otter-faced detective tackle his toughest challenge yet: delivering the Best Man's speech on Dr Watson's wedding day. No easy task for a high-functioning sociopath who's somewhere on the autistic spectrum and simply does not understand trifling matters like love.
Mrs Hudson (the magnificent Una Stubbs), the landlady of 221b Baker Street, found the idea of Sherlock making a speech so hilarious that she emitted a noise like she was "torturing an owl". Oh, she of little faith. The speech turned out to be a tear-jerking showstopper, albeit a deeply unconventional one. It took up most of the episode, punctuated by stumbles, sarcasm, dropped drinks, flashbacks, digressions and deductions. This was really several stories in one, as our hero recalled cases such as The Hollow Client, The Matchbox Decathlete, The Mayfly Man, The Poison Giant, The Bloody Guardsman and, most amusingly, The Elephant in the Room.
There was a fresh case to solve, too. A murder was due to take place at the reception unless Holmes could work out the target, identify the killer and stop him. He made more high-speed deductions, dashed around his "mind palace" and saved the day.
The newlyweds (Martin Freeman and real-life partner Amanda Abbington) were warmly believable. Their first dance - set to music composed and played by Holmes - showed that Freeman and Cumberbatch share a flair for ballroom. Take note, Strictly producers.
However, this episode was really about that other happy couple, Holmes and Watson, and how the latter's new marital status would affect their "bromance". It was a bravura performance by Cumberbatch: his Holmes was kind, wise and witty, yet childishly jealous and endearingly naïve. As the disco got going, Holmes snuck out, slipped into his comforting overcoat and strode off into the darkness, alone again - but not before deducing that the new Mrs W was pregnant. Paternity, my dear Watson.
READ: Is Cumberbatch the greatest ever Sherlock?
There were a couple of weaknesses to this otherwise dazzling episode: it took until half way through for the somewhat meandering plot to crank into gear and, like Sherlock's New Year's Day comeback, it lacked a charismatic villain. That problem should be fixed with Sunday's climactic case, in which Lars Mikkelsen (aka politician Troels Hartmann in The Killing) guest stars as a dastardly master blackmailer.
IN PICTURES:SHERLOCK AND MORIARTY, AND THE MOST SHOCKING SCREEN KISSES
0 comments Blogger 0 Facebook
Post a Comment