Sherlock Season 3 Episode 2 "The Sign of Three"

I remember watching this episode when it first aired all the way back in 2014, and I recall being bored while watching it........which is never a good thing.

This episode is very underwhelming; like the last episode, it focuses too much on the character's and not enough on the mystery.

This episode takes place during John and Mary's wedding. Mainly the whole episode is Sherlock's best man speech, with some flashback scenes.

During his best man speech, Sherlock recalls a case were a guardsmen was stabbed, and no one knew how it happened. Sherlock says that he was unable to solve the case.

Sherlock then recalls another case, where women think they are dating a ghost.

It turns out both cases are connected. The man who was stabbed, the guardsmen and the ghost man are one in the same, and he is also John and Mary's photographer.

He wants to kill Major Sholto an old friend of John's from the army. A mission Major Sholto lead went wrong, and he was the only one who survived. The photographer is the brother of one of the men that died.

He stabbed the guardsmen as a test run, in both uniforms they wear a tight belt around waist, he stabbed both the guard and the Major with a very fine blade.

When Sherlock sneaks into the base, were the guardsmen is, he sneaks on it by just wearing a guardsmen hat, and his regular clothes. Why would no one notice? None of the guards he was marching behind would arrest him, or kick him out? Where did he get the hat? Did he have it in his coat?

(https://theinsightfulpanda.com/2014/01/24/sherlock-explained-the-sign-of-three/)

The photographer was dating women who worked for Major Sholto, to find out things about him.

He does stab the Major, but Sherlock, John, and Mary are able to save him.

One thing this episode has over the last one, is that we know what the bad guy's motive is, and he actually has a few lines. However, he is also completely forgettable.

Like the last episode, I feel like the writers just throw a mystery into this episode because they remembered they were writing a Sherlock Holmes story.

This episode has to force it down our throats; basically shouting it in our faces that John and Sherlock are best friends. We get it, we know, you don't have to keep telling us.

(https://www.buzzfeed.com/tomphillips/the-sign-of-three-featuring-a-drunk-sherlock-took-a-lot-of-p)

John and Sherlock have some nice friendship moments, that show you they are friends.

(http://metro.co.uk/2014/01/06/sherlock-series-3-episode-2-the-sign-of-three-10-references-you-may-have-missed-4248142/)

(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/dd/10/a6/dd10a6c8a860d0ce3526977264de99e8.jpg)

(http://benedicked.tumblr.com/post/72575356117/benedics-did-i-do-it-wrong-no-you)

Of course in some of those moments one of them says they are friends. I really don't know why the writer's feel like they have to validate Sherlock and John's friendship. I feel like they tell us they are friends every chance they get.

(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/77/48/6d/77486d81133dd22ef504a15ad310fccb.jpg)

Martin Freeman's facial expressions alone make me laugh, and Benedict Cumberbatch gets some laughs out of me too.

I actually feel very sorry for Cumberbatch in this episode, because Sherlock's best man's speech is basically the episode. He really had to learn a long monologue with the occasional interruption. It must have been hard to learn.

I really didn't need to see John's Stag night aka his Bachelor party. I also didn't need to see a drunk John and Sherlock. I never needed to see this.

(https://www.dengeek.com/collections/all/sherlock-holmes)

I never needed to see a drunk Sherlock Holmes trying to solve a case. That scene of John and Sherlock trying to solve a case while drunk makes them look like fools. I know the writer's were trying to be funny, but it just seemed like they were trying too hard.

(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/09/10/39/091039c24c18eab05b224bbb36d4c345.jpg)

Sherlock composing the song that John and Mary dance to is very sweet. It shows us how much he cares for John and Mary.

After Sherlock is done playing John and Mary's song he makes one last speech. He promises that he will always be there for them, and he will protect them, in his words, "all three of you." Sherlock then tells Mary and John that he deduced Mary was pregnant, and of course he is right.

At the end of the episode, everyone starts dancing, and Sherlock is just standing there since he has no one to dance with. He could have joined in, he could've danced in a group, but he doesn't. He leaves.

(http://sherlock.boardhost.com/viewtopic.php?id=4117&p=5)

I like this scene, because I think everyone can relate to being in a room full of people but feeling alone.

Overall this episode is underwhelming and extremely boring. I actually had to stop watching the episode while reviewing it, because I was so bored. They focus too much on the character's and not enough on the mystery. However, this episode got some laughs out of me, which the last episode did not do. 

I give "The Sign of Three" 3/10.

Sherlock Season 3 Episode 1 "The Empty Hearse"

The episode shows us how Sherlock faked his death. Its a very James Bond opening. Sherlock jumps off of Barts with a bungee cord, and comes crashing through a window, snogs Molly Hooper, then walks off in all his slow motion glory. The body John saw on the ground was Moriarty with a Sherlock mask on.

(http://kissthemgoodbye.net/sherlock/displayimage.php?pid=29523)

Just kidding, its a crazy theory Anderson has made-up, because he feels responsible for Sherlock's suicide. 

Also, since Sherlock's suicide the police investigation has proven that Sherlock was innocent and Moriarty was the guilty party.

Sherlock is in Siberia and is being beaten for information. Sherlock deduces that his tormentors wife is having an affair, which makes his tormentor leave. The man who was watching Sherlock be beaten was Mycroft, who went undercover. He tells Sherlock that London needs him, because an underground terrorist attack could happen anytime.

We learn that Sherlock these last two years has been destroying Moriarty's network.

John visits Mrs. Hudson, who he has not seen in quiet sometime. John tells her and the audience, that he has met someone and he is going to propose to her.

Sherlock learns from Mycroft that John has reservations at a restaurant that evening. Why not visit John at his house? Because Sherlock had to have his Batman moment standing on top of a building looking at London.

(http://www.sherlockology.com/locations/55-whitehall)

Sherlock goes to the restaurant and disguises himself as a waiter and interrupts John's proposal to Mary. John of course is furious and beats Sherlock up.

(http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2014/01/sherlock-recap-empty-hearse)

I don't understand why Sherlock choose such a public place to tell John that he was alive, since later on Sherlock tells John that he doesn't want people to know he is alive yet. Sherlock tells John he didn't tell him he was alive because he thought he would blab about it. What did he think John was going to do? Go on national television and tell everyone that Sherlock was alive. If Sherlock had told John that people had to believe he was dead, John would have kept his mouth shut to protect his best friend. Maybe Sherlock was afraid that John would want to come with him. But John could handle himself he was a soldier, and we have seen him hold his own. Sure Sherlock has had to save John before, but John has also saved Sherlock.

I feel bad for John, Sherlock and Mary are basically saying that John is overreacting for being mad at Sherlock. John is acting like anyone else would act.

After being beat-up by John, we see Sherlock visit his other friends, Molly, Lestrade, and lastly Mrs. Hudson. I never understood why he went to Molly after he saw John. Molly helped him fake his death, she knew he was alive, why not go to Lestrade and Mrs. Hudson first since they thought he was dead.

We see Sherlock trying to figure out who the terrorist is, by using his homeless network.

Sherlock needing an assistant, since John won't talk to him, asks Molly to help him. They solve a bunch of small cases together. I really like these scenes, because it shows their friendship, you can tell that they are having fun, and enjoying each other's company. Molly much like John is impressed with Sherlock's deductions. However when they are solving cases Sherlock is hearing John's voice in his head making negative comments. I believe this shows us that 

even though he and Molly work well together he would rather be working with John. Also I wouldn't be surprised if its also the guilt he feels for hurting John.

The last case Sherlock and Molly work on, is for a man who works for the train stations,  he looks at there security camera's footage. He shows Sherlock and Molly a man who gets on the train into a carriage, then at the next stop the man is gone. He couldn't have jump off anywhere he just simply disappeared. After that Sherlock and Molly start leaving the client's flat, when Molly asks Sherlock what this day was about. Sherlock tells her this.

(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/d5/b0/67/d5b0679e90fc2541e1e82199cdfb5de3.jpg)

Molly tells Sherlock that she is engaged. Sherlock tells her that she deserves to be happy. He kisses her on the cheek, and then leaves. We then see them walking in opposite directions.

(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/08/64/4b/08644b0bb8d0a16116c15ef761160a9b.jpg)

This is a very sweet moment for Sherlock and Molly. Sherlock again tells Molly that she matters to him, and he even showed her that by spending the day with her. He thanks her, and wishes her happiness in her relationship. Sherlock has grown, he is showing Molly the respect she deserves. I don't know if they did this on purpose, but this scene feels like they are breaking up, even though they have never been a couple. That's just how the actors play this scene.

John is on his way to visit Sherlock after work, but he gets drugged and put into a bonfire.

Mary gets a skip code text, and goes to Sherlock for help. Sherlock realizing that John is in trouble, runs into the street and borrows a motorbike, with Mary.

While Sherlock and Mary are going to the church where the bonfire is located, Mary keeps reserving texts from the person that kidnapped John, saying things like, they are running out of time.

Sherlock and Mary get there just after the group has set the bonfire on fire. Sherlock is able to pull John out in time.

(http://rebloggy.com/post/spoilers-bbc-s3-sherlock-martin-freeman-sherlock-holmes-benedict-cumberbatch-joh/71900935155)

The next day I assume, John visits Sherlock to find out who threw him into the bonfire, and why. Sherlock tells John that he does not know.

They then start talking about the terrorist attack that is going to happen, and how one of Sherlock's rat's as he calls them, is the same man in the train video; Moran is his name. Sherlock finally figures out that Mycroft's agent didn't mean that it was an underground network terrorist group, he meant a literal underground network. Sherlock states that seven carriages leave from Westminster and only six carriages make it to St. James's Park. Now I know Sherlock said he missed what was right in front of him, but I feel like he should have noticed the first time he saw the train video, that one of the carriages was missing.

Sherlock skype's the client who gave him the case, and he tells Sherlock that they have railways underground Parliament that are not being used. They believe Moran planted a bomb on the missing carriage. While they are on their way to find the carriage, John keeps telling Sherlock that they need to call the police, but Sherlock responds in the negative. After they find the carriage, they discover that Moran didn't plant a bomb on the carriage he made the carriage the bomb, that would completely destroy Parliament.

After they discover that Moran made the carriage the bomb, Moran sets it off from his hotel room. Sherlock tries to stop the bomb, and he tells John that he doesn't know how. Sherlock begs John to forgive him. John not believing Sherlock at first says that Sherlock is trying to trick him, to make him forgive Sherlock. Sherlock tells John that he is not lying. John forgives Sherlock and prepares to be blown up.

Then for some strange reason it cuts to Sherlock telling Anderson how he faked his death. Using the kidnapper Moriarty had hired, and then killed in the last episode, as the body John see's on the ground. Sherlock landed on an airbag, then got blood applied to his face. Sherlock put a squash ball under his armpit, because if you put enough pressure on it, you can get rid of your pulse.

It has been confirmed by the writer's that this is actually how Sherlock faked his death. Basically Sherlock was very lucky that John didn't move, and that everything went according to plan. I however like this theory better, it makes more sense to me.

(http://shirt.woot.com/offers/how-he-survived)

It then cuts back to John still preparing to blow up, Sherlock then starts laughing. Sherlock was able to turn the bomb off, because there was switch, and he called the police before they left. I think Sherlock lying to John was extremely cruel. He made John think that he was going to die, and that he would never see Mary again. He did all of that to him, just to make John forgive him. John would have forgiven Sherlock, but Sherlock being selfish wanted John to forgive him now, so he manipulated the situation, so that he would get what he wants. Sherlock is very cruel in this scene, and I feel very bad for John Watson.

Moran also got arrested, the episode doesn't focus on it at all so neither will I.

The episode ends with a man, we have no idea who, watching a video of Sherlock saving John from the bonfire. We only see his eyes, but we know that whoever this is, has set their eyes on Sherlock.

This episode is interesting to say the least, and not in a good way. Sherlock is not really likable in this episode, not saying that he doesn't have some nice moments in this story. Sherlock is very selfish in this episode, he does not give John the time he needs to heal from being lied to, and he forces John to forgive him. Also Sherlock just putting John down for being upset that he didn't know Sherlock was alive, and telling John that he was overreacting. He doesn't care about how John feels, just how he feels. 

Also why was Moran a terrorist? What was his motivation? Sherlock says that he has been working with North Korea since 1996, but what is this guys story? What made him do this? This is the bad guy for the episode, and he never talks, he and Sherlock never meet. We have no idea why he is doing this other then the writer's being like "Oh, he is the bad guy, that's all you need to know."

We go from someone like Moriarty to Moran. We knew why Moriarty was doing these horrible things, we knew what his motivation was. Moran was completely and totally underwhelming, and forgettable.

I have seen other people mention this and I agree, that all of season three of Sherlock feels like Doctor Who. Not that Sherlock is fighting aliens, or running around with a sonic screwdriver, but that it has become silly and goofy, which is what Doctor Who has become under Steven Moffat. I don't want to be watching Sherlock feeling like I am watching Doctor Who, I want to feel like I am watching Sherlock.

Also Sherlock usually makes me laugh, it is a very clever and funny show without trying to hard, I did not laugh at all watching this episode.

Also they focus way too much on the character's and not enough on the mystery. They focus so much on the character's that the mystery gets overlooked. I'm not saying that they should totally just focus on the mystery, but when I watch Sherlock I want to solve a case with Sherlock Holmes, and Dr. John Watson, not watch Sherlock play operation with Mycroft. In the first two seasons I believe they had a perfect balance between character's and mystery.

I give "The Empty Hearse" 4/10

Sherlock Season 2 Episode 3 "The Reichenbach Fall"

This episode of Sherlock starts off with a major spoiler! John is going back to therapy because.........Sherlock is dead! Thanks episode for that spoiler!

After the theme song we go back to see how and why Sherlock died. We see Sherlock solving more high profile cases, making Sherlock a celebrity.

The fabulous Moriarty returns like Sherlock knew he would. Of course Moriarty loves to make an entrance so he breaks into the Tower of London, a bank, and a prison, all at the same time, by using a key code he has on apps on his phone.

(http://icefeather-77.deviantart.com/art/Moriarty-Wallpaper-456175070)

After breaking in to all these places Moriarty goes on trail, but of course gets off free, because he threatened the jury.

This episode even though it is more on the serious side has a lot of moments that just make you laugh, which is good because it lightens the mood.

Also Moriarty will make these movements or facial expressions, that just make me shudder. I also get the feeling that Moriarty is a very slimy person. Great job Andrew Scott, for creeping me out.

After Moriarty is released he goes to Baker Street. Sherlock knowing this makes some tea and plays the violin while waiting for Moriarty to arrive. When Moriarty does arrive they have this fantastic scene, its so simple, but so good. Moriarty is walking up the stairs, Sherlock is still playing the violin. Moriarty takes the next step and it squeaks, Moriarty pauses, Sherlock stops playing, after a moment Sherlock continues playing and Moriarty continues up the stairs. I love this scene! Because you just know that Sherlock could tell it was Moriarty by the squeak in the stairs. The scene also for me at least, carries this heavy overtone, that they are archenemies, that they are equals, and that they both mean business.

During this scene Moriarty tells Sherlock in a riddle that he is going to destroy him.

(https://youtu.be/YN7DYPJLXkc)

Andrew Scott and Benedict Cumberbatch have amazing chemistry as these archenemies. I know I have said this before, but Andrew Scott plays an amazing psychopath.

An American ambassador's children have been kidnapped by someone working for Moriarty; from their boarding school. Sherlock is brought onto the case. Sherlock deduces that the boy left a message in linseed, and poured some on the floor, leaving footprints behind. Sherlock gets a sample of the kidnapper's footprint and heads off to Bart's to get help from Molly.

While Molly is helping Sherlock they have a pretty meaningful conversation. 

(http://broriarty.tumblr.com/post/15991697731)

This scene is a very important scene for Sherlock and Molly's relationship. I believe its here that Sherlock realizes how well Molly knows him. She see's him, and can read him in a way John can't. Also in this conversation Molly tells Sherlock that if he ever needs any help, that she will be there for him.

Cumberbatch and Louise Brealey have amazing chemistry! I wish their character's had more scene's together.

Sherlock just by what he found on the kidnapper's footprint, and with the help of his homeless network is able to find where the boy and girl are being held. After they rescue them, Sherlock goes to talk to the girl, who starts screaming as soon as she see's him. Because of her reaction Donovan and Anderson think Sherlock was the kidnapper.

Lestrade goes to Baker Street and arrests Sherlock for the kidnapping. John not liking this head-butts Lestrade's boss, which then gets John arrested.

Sherlock and John escape and go to Kitty Riley's flat. Kitty was a reporter who earlier on wanted an interview with Sherlock. Sherlock had declined, but she gave him her card saying that he may need her. Now Moriarty hired someone who looked like Sherlock so that the police would think that Sherlock was the kidnapper. Moriarty is destroying Sherlock's name. Sherlock wanting to set things straight is now offering to tell Kitty Riley everything. However before he can start Moriarty himself walks into Kitty's flat. Moriarty is claiming to be someone called Richard Brook an actor that Sherlock hired to take the blame for the crimes Sherlock committed. Moriarty even has evidence that he is Richard Brook, and that Richard Brook is a real person.

(https://sherlockshome.net/2015/03/20/moriartys-top-5-diabolical-moments/)

Moriarty's plan is so brilliant! To make Sherlock look like a fake so his friends, and people in general start to believe the lie, that Sherlock Holmes is the bad guy, and that Moriarty was just a character Sherlock made-up, and hired an actor to play.

Now Moriarty is so convincing as Richard Brook that I actually start to believe him a little bit.

Moriarty escapes, and Sherlock realizing what is going to happen next goes to talk to Molly alone.

Sherlock goes to Molly who is just closing up the lab for the night and tells her that he needs her.

(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/e0/0f/84/e00f84be7067e97026bedfb48ab40ce8.jpg)

This scene is a big character development moment for Sherlock. This is Sherlock saying that he needs someone's help, which is not easy for someone like Sherlock to say, I imagine. This is also Sherlock telling Molly and the audience that he does care about Molly, and he does see her as a friend.

After Sherlock's talk with Molly he texts Moriarty to met him up on Bart's roof. Sherlock tells Moriarty that since he has the key code he can destroy Richard Brook and bring back Moriarty. Moriarty tells him that there is no key code, he had people on the inside to break into all of those places.

(https://youtu.be/9l963C4HKL0)

Moriarty tells Sherlock that he has to commit suicide, to save his three friends; Lestrade, Mrs.Hudson, and John; from snipers. Sherlock realizes though that if he has Moriarty then he can make him call off the snipers. The moment Sherlock realizes this is so great. He starts laughing, gets cocky, Sherlock's theme song place in the background. Like Sherlock we believe that Sherlock has bet Moriarty, that Sherlock doesn't have to die, and that Sherlock can save his friends. They make you think, "Yes the hero has won! In your face Moriarty!" The writers give you hope, and then they take it away. Moriarty knowing that Sherlock is correct shoots himself in the face.

So, now Sherlock had to kill himself to save his friends. Sherlock standing on the edge of the roof, calls John who just arrived outside of Bart's. Sherlock tells John that he is a fake, and that he made up Moriarty. Then he jumps. John's reaction is so heartbreaking. He runs to his friends body, to see if he survived. Martins heartbreaking performance is perfect!

As promised Moriarty's sniper's don't shot his friends.

Next we see John at Sherlock's grave.

(https://youtu.be/TDltXZpZl9c)

You can see the hurt, pain, and sadness on his face and voice. In this scene you can truly see how much John Watson loved his best friend. Please someone give Martin an Oscar for this scene.

After John is done talking to Sherlock's grave we see him walking away, and the camera goes off to the side, and we see Sherlock! Alive and well, watching John walk away from his grave! Then Sherlock walks away, and we get the credits! We are left to wonder how Sherlock survived and why he hasn't told any of his friends he is alive.

This episode is fantastic! I feel like it has a perfect balance between drama, comedy, sadness, and mystery. I give the Reichenbach Fall 10/10