Ah yes, Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Mark Gatiss...they're all back to kick off Sherlock's return with a bang! I have to admit that I, like millions of highly enthusiastic fans around the world, was looking forward to this one. Yet strangely, as with Sherlock in the past, I kind of got used to it not being around, this probably being a combination of the writers/producers wanting to tease us as much as possible (remember - the brilliant but devilishly devious Steven Moffat heads this one too!) plus the two leading men having careers going from strength to strength, which clearly mean other filming commitments. Lest we forget, in between this series and the last, there has been the ginormous Peter Jackon-helmed epic that is The Hobbit franchise, which stars Freeman as the Hobbit in question, as well as Cumberbatch lending his prodigious vocal skills to the characters of the Necromancer and Smaug the dragon. And that is just one of the many projects these actors have been working on, hence the two year wait, so at one point it was doubtful we'd see Sherlock again. Yet we have and I am sure we are all hugely greatful.
The speculative hype leading to this series outdoes that of previous series by miles. That is due of course, to the awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping cliff hanger at the end of series 2 that saw Sherlock fake his own death. On the face of it, series 3 kicks off by answering that crucial question - how did he do it? However... things (again, this being Sherlock/Moffat led) are not entirely as they appear. Oh don't get me wrong, the audience were massively treated to many great "scenarios" shot, scored and acted brilliantly; depicting just how Sherlock did it. But as the credits started to roll, we were left in some doubt as to whether or not we had seen how events actually did play out, and not just the various musings and fantasies of several characters. That I feel, is the only fly in the ointment for me, and I suspect a few others too.
Other than that - epic, amazing, spectacular, funny, exciting, touching, cryptic, dramatic. All this and more, done in the best of ways possible. This is of course in some ways, "the difficult third album" for Sherlock, and though it was set up, and thus far executed brilliantly, I can understand some niggling doubts that people may have. Luckily Sherlock is still as vibrant and as fresh as ever, as well as having that incredible, charismatic, and oddly quite warm-hearted, chemistry and familiarity that fans have now come to know and love well and truly. The characters were on fire both new and old. Cumberbatch and Freeman's Sherlock and John were just as wonderful to behold as they ever were, we got quite a packed episode from Mark Gatiss' Mycroft Holmes, and Mrs. Hudson and Molly Hooper were a joy to watch too, as always. We also have a new dynamic or two, to add to the beautiful character mix. Without wishing to give too much away, there are definitely things a' changin' for the Baker Street Boys
Yes, I am well and truly chuffed that Sherlock is back. And though we've already had one of only three new episodes, needless to say I can't wait to see what is to come in the next two.
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