Sherlock (TV Series) The Six Thatchers (2017) User Reviews

...I suppose they can't all be winners.

[Anonnamus · 7/10 · 10 February 2021]

Sherlock is truly a masterpiece. Each episode is like a full-length feature film, sucking in us viewers from the opening scene and keeping us hooked and begging for more by the end. Between this episode and the previous one, set in the late 1800s and leaving me so confused I begin to ask myself whether or not current Sherlock was not in fact the hallucination, I was less than thrilled. Not to say either episode was "bad", it's just that every single episode prior were works of art. No one can keep reaching an impossibly high bar that Sherlock set, though they have tried and succeeded multiple times. I am not necessarily heartbroken by the death of a relatively new character, but I am supremely disappointed in the impulsive out-of-character actions of another. I only have one problem with The Six Thatchers, and it is John Watson, who until this very episode has been the rock solid dependable man, who threw away everything we thought we knew about him thus far.

Seriously, if I were to rank every single major and minor character in order of who I thought would be unfaithful or disloyal, John Watson would have been at the very very bottom of this list. His furtive exchanged texts with some rando he met on a bus made zero sense. I honestly waited for the reveal, that he was texting Rando a couple years later after the death of the love of his life, Mary, as we all pretty much knew her death was coming. I truly hope that an explanation is given in the next episode, I don't want to think my favorite character had fallen from grace so quickly for something as stupid as what is in his pants. Here are some thoughts.

• Lestrade is a character I need more of. How far his relationship with Sherlock has come since that pilot episode. It's also nice to not see Donovan, I am glad they got rid of her. I could stand to see more Anderson, though.

• Was there even a point to this contrived showdown between Ajay and Mary? I mean, it's great to finally learn Mary's backstory, but I can't help but think the resolution was nothing more than a mere plot device. To make matters worse, it was all caused by what amounted to a court stenographer's boredom. It was all very anti-climactic.

• A tracker in the flash drive makes perfect sense and led to one of the funnier scenes, but how in the world did Sherlock know where to go before the tracker? He is super smart and observant and all, but come on.

• Did anyone fully expect Sherlock to goad the old lady into shooting the glass out of the aquarium, drowning them all? I thought that was perhaps what Mary was trying to prevent.

• How did Mary escape such a dangerous situation in Georgia when everyone else was caught and tortured? She is apparently faster than a speeding bullet! Slo-mo made for amazing dramatic effect, but unfortunately enabled us viewers to see that Mary didn't actually jump to action until like 15 seconds after the gun was fired. Either way, it was a heroic death and Sherlock will forever carry the guilt of knowing his inevitable smug and arrogant speech is what caused Mary's demise and possibly an enemy of his best friend.

• John must have been a terrible doctor. Holding his hand over her wound while leaving her in that totally uncomfortable position doesn't seem very doctor-like. Even a chiropractor would cringe.

• The actress who played Mary died really well. I always thought open-eyed deaths were always so much more believable than someone dramatically sighing and fluttering their eyes closed.

All in all, I am disappointed. It wasn't terrible, it's just not up to Sherlock standard. It is actually a nod to the producers and writers of this show, as we have come to expect perfection from them. I do not want this show to ever end, so knowing that I only have two episodes left is disappointing, I can't believe I ever refused to watch this show.

Not What I Hoped for

[ahmad_nadal · 8/10 · 5 January 2017]

I am sure this episode isn't like anyone was expecting, it's not really this important, We don't really care about Mary Morstan or here future, we only care about Sherlock Vs. Moriarty.

That doesn't mean that the episode was bad but it should have been in the previous season or something not in this season "the final". we were expecting an epic start for the name of "Sherlock Holmes" final show.

Can't really imagine why they wasted one of only 3 episodes in this thing and what make them relying on only 2 episode to end this epic war. I can only hope the just don't disappoint us.

I will give it 8/10. Because again it's not a bad episode but it's not the time really.

Thrilling and ingenious

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 1 January 2017]

The Six Napoleans has to be one of my favourite stories from Conan Doyle, so I was intrigued to see what work would be done for The Six Thatchers. The result was something quite wonderful, you can truly see that plenty of time and effort was put into every detail, from the script, to the casting, to the shock ending. Loaded with twists and turns, this has to be one of the best episodes of Sherlock to date, if this one is anything to go by then the series is going to be wonderful.

They played an absolute blinder with Marcia Warren, such a talented actress I always associate with humour and lighter roles, the ending she helped create was spectacular. Best episode I thought for Amanda Abbington, given a big story, to which she put an amazing performance into.

It will be interesting to see how the dynamic between Holmes and Watson develops....

Thrilling 9/10

Lacked a focus

[TheDonaldofDoom · 1 January 2017]

I was so hyped for this season of Sherlock, after all it's been years since the last present-day episode. But this one was not anything like what I expected, and not in a good way. First of all, it takes a long time for the plot to get moving, with many irrelevant scenes, which while funny are obtrusive in what's supposed to be the darkest season yet. And the plot itself is convoluted, lacking a clear focus. It's mainly about Mary's backstory, which is annoying as it requires you to recall details from Season 3 which was about three years ago. There's also not much of a sustained sense of threat, very little tension expect in a few scenes. There's no traditional murder case to solve and it feels like a generic thriller rather than a Sherlock episode. And one other thing- that action movie-style fight in the pool is unintentionally goofy and silly, which I would not usually expect from a Sherlock episode.

That's the bad, but the episode is still clever and fast-paced, despite lacking a clear focus. The ending sets the tone for rest of the season, marking a clear change in Sherlock's personality and explaining this season's tagline 'This isn't a game anymore'. So not the best Sherlock episode, but the sets the scene for the rest of the season.

Redeeming and not disappointing

[florence_major · 9/10 · 6 January 2017]

I certainly don't think this show has lost its edge. How could it? To have a shocking turn of events, Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat couldn't have brought back Moriarty to life because he's dead (and it's never twins). They also couldn't kill off Sherlock, John, or Mycroft because they bring too much to the story. If Molly, Lestrade, or Mrs. Hudson died or were killed, it wouldn't make much sense. So Mary dying was the best possible choice. As creators, I think they brought a nice twist to the series. I personally think this episode was brilliant. Perhaps not as good as the Reichenbach Fall or the Scandal in Belgravia or even The Great Game, but it still checks out on all the Sherlock criteria.

Fantastic

[blanche-2 · 9/10 · 1 January 2017]

Finally - the fourth all-too-short season of "Sherlock" begins. And it's a fitting opening.

As Sherlock waits for Moriarity to strike, even after death, he sits at home following case after case and texting the solutions, even though no one asked him.

Lestrade (Rupert Graves), however, brings him one case and begs him to solve it. For Sherlock, it's an easy solve - the death of a Cabinet Minister's son - but it leads to a more perplexing case. Someone is going around breaking busts of Margaret Thatcher. Sherlock is ready to swear that it has to be Moriarity up to something. But it actually has to do with someone much closer to home - new mother Mary Watson.

This is a great episode, filled with humor, excitement, suspense, and raw emotion. Beautifully crafted and well acted by all involved.

As for Benedict Cumberbatch playing Sherlock, what a perfect mating of actor and role. After ten years of small parts in movies, and leads in TV miniseries - playing Van Gogh, Stephen Hawking, and fictional characters - he hit it big with Sherlock. It was as if lightning had struck. It's made him a huge star. Hopefully not too big so we can get another season out of him.

We can not escape the certain.

[ananyathecutedevil · 10/10 · 1 January 2017]

This has to be the best, second best episode of Sherlock so far (my favorite being S03E03) of course. Without any spoilers, this episode revolves around Mary and her past, which is totally captivating as how the events from her past unfold and tell the mystery which kept us waiting since the last three years. In addition to her story, there are other scenarios and cases running in this episode parallel which keeps us glued to the screen. The direction was perfect, so was the story, I mean every scene made sense and was linked to another, say if you missed a scene by the blink of your eye, there are chances that you might not understand something happening in the episode 10 minutes later. Mark Gatiss has to be the hidden gem of this one as his portrayal of Senior Holmes was the best ever seen till date.

There were comic moments, proud Sherlock showing off moments and heartwarming moments as well; to me this one was a complete 10/10.

The ending did leave me stunned as it was not something many of us would expect but then since when was Sherlock predictable?

Not bad

[tynantibz · 8/10 · 10 January 2020]

The episode still has great witty dialogue and humorous. It is a little bit of a mess but still awesome as always. I think a lot of people miss the point of watching this show the acting is outstanding every time and it's far better than most shows out there.

Sherlock is a show about smart people for people who want to think they're smart.

[Rrearleii · 6/10 · 2 January 2017]

I feel like the writers of Sherlock aren't even trying anymore. The "ah-hah" moments are completely phoned in every single time, the solutions to the mysteries are so far-fetched that you can easily tell that the writers were thinking "ok, what sounds ridiculous?"

It doesn't even feel clever anymore. It's the same old formulaic structure that is so open-ended that any character could be killed off and brought back at any moment.

Steven Moffat is doing the same thing to Sherlock that he's doing to Doctor Who. He's somehow able to create mediocre shows with huge fan bases who are willfully oblivious to how awful the shows actually are. Granted, I watch both of them, but now they're both guilty pleasures.

Marriage of "The Six Napoleons" and "The Sign of Four"

[Hitchcoc · 8/10 · 1 January 2017]

I like these characters so much that my prejudices will show through. I thoroughly enjoy watching Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman in any setting, particularly when Sherlock is explaining something how he solved a case. With that in mind, I have to say that this particular episode was so full of twists and turns and the editing so convoluted, I had all I could do to keep up. Mary Marston (Mrs. Watson) found herself trying to cover up her making a pact with three others as a spy. She's in with dangerous company when one of them shows up. Sherlock gets into the act and the consequences are deadly. This sets up a real change in personality and direction for Sherlock. The next two episodes will hopefully validate this one.

Wow for Modern Sherlock lovers! A mix for classic lovers!

[vnktrmn791 · 9/10 · 2 January 2017]

NO SPOILERS

Story :

3 parts of 30 minutes each - 1st one was intense with petty cases and 1 big case in which we will see the classic Sherlock sniffing and running behind clues. Too fast and bloody brilliant.

OK now we are on track with Sherlock. So, the next 30 minutes tries to find a balance between a case and personal emotions. It lands right in middle but the flip side is, classic lovers will start wincing by then. Sherlock is void of emotions. But not in this episode.

The last 30 minutes in intense emotional. But we already saw him taking vow but I don't know why the creators wanted to re-iterate the vow once again but in a totally unpredictable circumstances.

All over - Story 8/10

Performances

Benedict - He is BORN TO BE SHERLOCK. Perfect and I could give him 100/100

Mr & Mrs Watson - Does their part well, esp Mrs. Watson has so much potential and the depth of story increases as we come to know her more and more.

Mycroft, Lestrade and rest - Nothing to complain. Perfect on their part.

Technicalities

BGM - A very good one esp., if you are on a silent atmosphere. Loved the chase sequences and action effects.

Cinematography - Excellent ! Be it dark or outdoor shots, this one looked like a high class movie. Foreign locations reminded James Bond but it is good to see Sherlock creating fear on the rest.

Editing - perfect run time and as I said earlier, 3 parts of 30 minutes each and each has a different emotion.

CGI - Stunning visual effects and intelligent scene shifts and stitching.

VERDICT

Sets the pace for the upcoming episodes.

For old lovers - A mix of emotions For modern Sherlock lovers - This would be the best episode

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CLASSICS AND MODERN SHERLOCK

It is necessary to understand the basic difference between old and new Sherlock.

Classics have :

Fixed case Limited places investigation Sherlock is given the sole attention (even Dr.Watson has little to do) Rock hard Sherlock Slow narrations Limited technology

The modern Sherlock have:

Multitude of cases Open in investigation - does in style and no limit on places CGI to give us insight on what is in Sherlock mind Fast pace Some emotions to establish his true nature

As the two editions has a lot changed, the classic lovers must take this as a venture. Not as such! For text book, I love JEREMEY BRETT

As today's man, I LOVE BENEDICT.

We need modernization on all. So, let us join hands celebrating our SHERLOCK (BENEDICT)

Season 3 problems continues!!!!

[sanyamkhetarpal · 6/10 · 3 January 2017]

I was a big fan of Sherlock when i watched series 1 and 2 but post season 3 the show's quality has gone down significantly.This episode continues the trend in a big way and there were a lot of problems with this episode

1)Lack of Focus-The episode never really comes together as it wanders round and round through plot lines with significant lack of focus you're never fully invested i was waiting for that moment when everything clicks but it never came

2)Style over substance-Post season 3 the makers of Sherlock seem to be to much into showing off how cool they are instead of focusing on the story and telling a solid story.Dialogues like the game is on and the final stage which felt cool in series 1 and 2 feel contrived here

3)Lack of any payoff - Sherlock seems to have forgotten that its a crime mystery show the Christmas episode had the worst resolution and this episode also wants us to be surprised or be amazed by the end but i just couldn't care less

4Major Death??-First of all i saw Mary's death a mile away but it all feels like a gimmick i was never really invested in her character and the fact that John for some reason started a affair with a random girl just before her death dint particularly made any sense to me.

Sherlock is back, but the show we know and love isn't

[ryanjmorris · 4/10 · 1 January 2017]

Watching Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss' Sherlock evolve from the superb "The Reichenbach Fall" to tonight's season four premiere has been like watching a car crash in slow motion. Season three on the whole would represent the moment you lose control of the car and everything starts turning pretty grim. Last year's Victorian-But-Not-Really- Victorian one-off special "The Abominable Bride" didn't help matters but at least, like a car in mid air, there was a bizarre kind of spectacle to it. And now, with "The Six Thatchers", the car has come crashing down to the ground with barely a shred of anything left from before. This episode alone represents everything wrong with Sherlock as a show, and for all of it to be crammed into a singular 90 minute instalment made for some pretty unfortunate viewing. Shall we start at the start?

The first half hour of "The Six Thatchers" was good. I'd go as far as saying it was great. Aside from a wobbly cold opening - one that once again shows little understanding of how to keep Sherlock cruel and careless but still a likable on screen presence - things moved quickly, and it felt like season one again. Lestrade shows up at 221b Baker Street, gives an exciting case to Sherlock, and the three of them set out to solve it. "It's a doozy" says Lestrade, and he's right. The little case we're introduced to is filled with exciting prospects and potential alleyways to mysteriously swoop down. From here, Gatiss (who penned this episode) buys us into this case well and I couldn't help but grin from ear to ear. After a season that essentially gave up being a detective show, it was terrific to have this element back again. And then Sherlock solved the case. Just like that, it was over. "Hang on, though" I thought. "Maybe this will be like 'The Great Game' in that we'll have lots of little cases to follow!". Well, I can only hope, right?

We start to follow a new thread, a new kind of case emerges, and then, right as it's about to get really exciting and give us our first piece of real evidence, it throws it all away and makes the whole thing about Mary. This is where things get complicated. Amanda Abbington is a terrific actress, and she plays Mary very well, but Mary is a deeply flawed character. Her history is meaningless in respect to who she is in the show's present. I understand Sherlock's desire to flesh her out and give her a backstory, but a backstory that makes us doubt every word she speaks is entirely counterproductive when we look at who she represents. Just when we think we might be okay to trust her, the show turns it against us again and reveals more of her lies, and then it expects us to care when she sacrifices herself for Sherlock at the episode's close? No. That is not how storytelling works. You cannot give a character a backstory for the sake of giving them a backstory, and then repeatedly use that backstory as a way to trick the audience. By trying to flesh Mary out and create a more interesting female character, Sherlock has instead turned its lead woman into a plot device.

There are lots of other issues with the episode too - it lurches from scene to scene with barely anything connecting them, the entire subplot of John and the woman from the bus is meaningless and and frankly stupid, and the episode's final showdown is so devoid of emotion in such an important scene that the whole thing verges on pastiche - but it's this key misunderstanding of every component of what Sherlock should be that lets this episode down. Sherlock Holmes is a detective. He detects. That is his story. I understand that Sherlock can't do the same thing every week, and I understand that shows must grow and develop across time, but when they grow and develop in a way that threatens to leave behind all that made the show so special in the first place, it's really not good. It would be like watching all of the Parks & Recreation characters turn into unpleasant people, or watching Game of Thrones throw all of its characters together and halve its budget, or if Breaking Bad decided to make Walt and Jesse part ways just two seasons in. Yes, it is development, but at the cost of what made that show so exciting in the first place. Sherlock was a superb show for two of its seasons, and some of its early material is phenomenal, but it's straying so far now from what it needs to be that I fear we've lost it for good.

morrismovies.blogspot.com

A bit convoluted but shows promise

[Alex_Hodgkinson · 1 January 2017]

Huge spoilers below from the offset!

Alright, where do I begin? I've been watching the show since the beginning, and so I remember the disappointment I felt from The Empty Hearse, as nothing could live up to Reichenbach Fall. With this knowledge, I watched the episode with cautioned anticipation. Is it good? Well, personally I think every Sherlock episode is above standard television, so yes. Does it hold up to the standards of Sherlock? Well, err, no. Honestly, it feels as though the episode was just one big lead up to Mary's death. As if the writers just came up with the rather cliché backstory and wanted to give her a bit of character before they offed her. It didn't work. The story was a bit of a cluttered mess and it seemed like the characters didn't really know what they're doing. Does anyone else miss the chemistry between the original characters from back in the day?

Obviously, it would be unfair to judge the episode solely on the writing, but sadly the rest doesn't really hold up to the first two series either. The transitions and overall editing is clearly done to wow us because of how impressed we all were by how they did it in A Study in Pink and A Scandal in Belgravia, and it is impressive, I'll give it that, but it definitely feels like too much. Did we go a single minute without text flashing across the screen or a weird transition that didn't really do anything for the plot? It felt like they were trying to up the show; impress us by giving us what we want but more of it, which sadly was a little bit too much.

Speaking of which, the tonal shift. Now, I'm happy for a darker Sherlock, as we only get three episodes every other year, so the story must progress, but when will directors, showrunners, DoPs, etc. learn that low key lighting does not mean darker? And that characters being brooding does not mean darker? The Reichenbach Fall was dark, this is pretentious.

Now, while the episode was a bit of a convoluted mess, it was still good. It was still Sherlock. It's probably my least favourite first episode yet, but the last ten minutes showed true promise for the development of the characters and how things are going to go. If they just offed Mary at the end of series three or at the start of this one, that would have been great, because her backstory failed to entice me at all and, unless she has some masterplan still set in motion, her entire character is mainly a plot device to mess up the two protagonists' relationship. They might as well have just called this episode 'Mary'. The promise given at the end of the episode, though, has me excited.

So not the worst of Sherlock, but definitely not the best. I'm hoping we'll start getting those payoffs the writers promised us next episode. If anything, we'll always have the amazing characters and acting that keeps me glued to the screen.

Intense nail biting crime thriller

[vnktrmn · 10/10 · 1 January 2017]

SHERLOCK 6 THATCHERS REVIEW: (SPOILER FREE) To begin, this episode will TOP among all other episodes.

Very racing, unexpected twists, some hard to believe events.

CGI is chick and traces for Moriarty's return are scattered throughout the episode. Many scene transitions are neatly stitched with intelligent effects.

No words to appreciate Benedict and his performance. As usual, he cake walks as SHERLOCK. Mrs Watson has a great role.

Unlike classics, the modern Sherlock has emotions to each episode. It keeps building and we cannot avoid a flash thought if things are starting to get too personal. However, with references to classics' and the original cases, the personal feel is suppressed and we feel happy.

We can expect IMDb rating to be waving between 8-9.5 To me, personally, this is the best of all 11 episodes that was aired so far.

I enjoyed the BGM. Pitched at the right zone and was awesome to hear on Senheiser headsets. Though the trailer looked darker, this episode was shot relatively on day light and the light effects was good on most part.

Doyle homages buried in an emotional premiere.

[tlfirth · 9/10 · 1 January 2017]

I think a lot of people criticise BBC's best moneymaker for being too clever for its own good. In my opinion, they're half right. It is an incredibly clever series, but not for its own good. Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss are, in essence, two very big fans. If it's not Doctor Who, it's Arthur Conan Doyle's detective work. They cherish their work, and above all, enjoy every moment of writing it. With that, their entire work is embedded with homages to everything they've enjoyed in life. I appreciate that, because unlike all the other shows out there, there's a unique flavour to the style in which this show has been created.

I won't go too far into the details of this episode, but in truth it was entirely different to the usual Sherlock episode, mostly because there's a new angle to discover. On the wake of finding out that Moriarty may be posthumously scheming to tease Sherlock, the unique sleuth attempts to return to the natural work life of solving simple mysteries. This quickly develops into something larger as we go into the old-fashioned, inexplicable crime. It's exciting, tantalising and it's the good-old Sherlock Holmes story. This spirals into something larger though, as Sherlock is attracted to a missing bust of Margaret Thatcher.

Simply put, it's a multi-layered story of great ramifications among the primary Sherlock characters, which is well-constructed by Gatiss. The cinematography is even more sumptuous this time round, with a sincere emphasis on the symbolism of the events and the question of morality in the end result. From a jovial and witty beginning, the episode quickly delves into a darker tone and eventually reaches an emotionally challenging end. Mary may have only been with us for a season and a bit, but her departure has left a massive hole in the lives of the characters she leaves behind.

Simple, yet powerful - that is the strength that this TV series has. It gives you a sense of uneasiness about the events that transpire within its many plot lines. And true to form - taking into account the writing, acting, directing, passion and promise - this is top quality entertainment.

Sherlock Holmes season 4 is too dark indeed!

[masush · 10/10 · 1 January 2017]

Yes, I give this episode rating 10. (well i am somehow emotionally attached to this series.. Sherlock fans should understand what i am trying to say..)

So Great plot, Good acting as usual. But i am bit disappointed with Sherlock decision/deduction at last.

The Curtain Rises..... The Last step...(but not last)

Did you miss me?

Go watch it. it worth every second of your time.

Cant wait for E02

Happy New year.

I am finally breathe air of new year 2017

A tragic but entertaining opening to series four

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 1 January 2017]

After the death of his nemesis Moriarty, Sherlock is expecting some posthumous plot to challenge and threaten him. While waiting for this case he quickly solves a number of other cases… then he gets a real puzzle. While solving the case of an apparently inexplicable death he notices something odd at the dead man's parent's house; an ornament is missing. It turns out this was a bust of Lady Thatcher which had been smashed by vandals… or so they think, Sherlock is convinced that this could be part of the mystery he was waiting for. When further busts of the late Prime Minister are reported to have been destroyed he quickly tracks to a consignment of six made in Tbilisi. He finds the final unbroken bust at the same time as the man who was smashing them and in the process learns that this case is connected to Mary Watson's hidden past; a past that could get her killed.

This episode was a solid return that provided a good central mystery as well as telling us about Mary's secret past. There are hints at who is ultimately behind the events; I'm sure some viewers will guess the identity of the person concerned before it is revealed… but not too early. The story is told at a good pace and there is some impressive action; including a shootout during an exciting flashback sequence and a fight in a swimming pool. I enjoyed the fact that Sherlock occasionally got something wrong; most notably what was actually hidden in one of the busts. The cast does a fine job; as expected Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman impress as Holmes and Watson but they aren't the only ones who impress. Overall I really enjoyed this episode; the ending is tragic though.

A weak installment in what had been thus far a great series

[Gandalf_the_fool · 6/10 · 27 September 2020]

This episode was very lackluster and key plot points were sloppily handled. The motivation for Mary's death was hardly believable and was more laughable than serious, which for another series may have not been a problem but Moffat and Gatiss have shown they can handle character deaths quite well: Sherlock, Moriarty, Magnussen. The dialogue for the whole episode was cheap and not as sharp as previous seasons. On the positive side, the cinematography was awesome and the soundtrack for this season is my favourite so far. In conclusion: not good

Brilliant episode.

[anderson_382 · 8/10 · 3 January 2017]

SIX THATCHERS.

Sherlock is back in force in this new suspenseful and grim episode. Brilliantly reintroduced, we see Sherlock and Watson back in business.

This episode was brilliantly crafted and written, even more so intricately ploted than the previous episode. Season 4 seems to be a culmination of everything that has happened yet. The plot unfolds around Mary's dark past as a secret operation goes awry. She is branded as a traitor. Her character is very well developed and her ending was satisfying, and heart breaking enough. I think people are confusing "convoluted" with "complex". In the end this episode will be much better as an arc of a season. There is a lot of foreshadowing and building up to the Grand act. Sherlock is lost. More than ever. He has the feeling something is coming, without having a single idea when it is gonna come, when Death will meet him in Samarra. People need to understand that every little thing that happens in the show has a purpose, every line. Somehow Mary Watson, the lady flirting with Watson, Culverton Smith and Moriarty are connected. We will see in the next week's. Some scenes dragged for a bit and tonal issues here and there but nothing of a monumental problem. Not enough of Watson also.

Secrets are starting to drift them apart, which seems to be a theme this season. The past, secrets and consequences.

Great episode, great build up for the rest of the season. Slowly but surely. Things are getting serious as the season unfolds and the whole series build up to that point/season. Can't wait to see the rest.

8.7/10

Series 4 a disappointment

[loa-3 · 6/10 · 2 January 2017]

We saw the first episode on STAN in Sydney on 2 January. We are absolute dedicated Sherlock fans, but were disappointed with the offering. Not because of what happened in the end- that was predictable. It just seemed as though we were watching a pilot that had not been tightened up either that or the authors had grown tired of the writing the series. It was all a bit sloppy with silly and unnecessary dialog that could have been deleted. And it just seemed as though the whole cast was wondering where it was all going. What was the reason for that ridiculous coiffured Dr Watson hairdo? Freeman just didn't seem the same to us. Was this because of his real life breakup with his partner?

But the biggest omission to my mind: where was that thumping Arnold and Price music that kept the pace of previous episodes. All the dynamic music had been 'sucked out' of the presentation and we were left with limpid weedy muzak that reminded me of cheap 80's drama background of distant wailing strings not all that relevant to the story. It sounded like someone had left the radio on in the background. It was pathetic. It left the characters 'naked' with embarrassing dialog in many of the scenes. So were all of these changes because of budget limitations? Sorry I give it a bare 6.5 to 7/10.

The Six Thatchers

[Prismark10 · 8/10 · 2 January 2017]

Mark Gatiss's The Six Thatchers (based on Conan Doyle's The Adventure of the Six Napoleons) in its heart exhilarating, cheeky, fiendish and served with a few red herrings.

Sherlock is called in to solve why a body of a young man was found inside a burnt out car outside his parents home when he was supposed to be up a mountain. What struck Sherlock was that a tribute to Mrs Thatcher had been disturbed.

Of course anyone familiar with the Conan Doyle story would had realised that the bust of Margaret Thatcher contains something important. What we get though is a device that brings events closer to home, well the Watson household and Mary also has to come to grips with a ghost from her past.

Closer to spirit to the first two series of Sherlock, it seems the creators have decided that a cull in the cast is needed to reinforce the Sherlock and Watson dynamics.

Sherlock's season 4 begins with a touch below the expected

[mtgsebsean · 6/10 · 3 January 2017]

It seemed like centuries since I had popped down on the couch for the newest episode of Sherlock. Dare I say I ever doubted the arrival of the new season, as I spent my days checking the Twitter account that counted down the days until the new episode. Without a doubt, the first episode of season 4 has been one of the more lacking entries in the series' history. For the first hour or so, Sherlock and co. investigate a newer case that Lestrade has handed them, along with the expository re-introduction of the cast. Even early in the episode you can see how the writers intended for there to be a focus on the matrimony of John and Mary. As the episode dwindles on, Sherlock solves the first case easily and the plot deepens. Unfortunately, going deeper is not what the episode needed. We find out about the huge spy-associated history of Mary, and the mysterious flash drives and their connections to her team. This entire story is built in one episode, and it is the centerpiece of it as well. This decision by the writers backfires, because the actual flesh of the story is not only unnecessary but at times boring. As viewers have come to see a show about Sherlock, they are immersed into the Watson world of Mary and John's boring adventures. From an irrelevant 'love' side plot of John and a random bus passenger, to Mary's affairs in the spy world, the episode lacks any real entertaining substance. Mary is followed by Sherlock to the destinations she wishes to hide herself, thus making the whole idea of her hiding herself unnatural and unneeded. Another issue is some plotshielding throughout, which allows the characters to go about things altogether unrealistic. Although the episode uses the concurrent themes and music from the past seasons, its main focus is astray from the brilliance of the Sherlock series- and that is Sherlock himself. The great thing that lifts this episode above a terrible rating is the acting. Even though the writing and plot bores me, Cumberbatch and Freeman once again deliver exciting portrayals of their characters. By the end of the episode, there is a deep gash in the cast, with Sherlock and John divided for 'classified reasons' (I wish not to spoil). Hopefully this gash will be the interest of a new story arc to power the next two episodes in season 4. The first episode just lacked interesting detail and function for the latter half. Please, Moffat, don't disappoint me like you did with Doctor Who, and bring season 4 home with some exciting content.

6/10

An almost incoherent mess.

[jzathajenious · 5/10 · 3 January 2017]

This show has declined to such a drastic degree it breaks my heart. I adored the first 2 seasons of Sherlock, whose episodes ranged from simply entertaining to jaw droppingly brilliant. Season 3 had its work cut out for it following the masterpiece that is The Reichenbach Fall. Ultimately it was a disappointment, with a horrible first episode, a fun but essentially flimsy second episode, and a decent but not brilliant third. Part of the problem was the introduction of Mary Morstan, Watson's lady friend with a shady past. Personally, I feel Amanda Abbington is not a bad actress at all, but was awfully miscast as a bad-ass cold blooded retired killer-for-hire. It's quite obvious she got the gig because of Martin Freeman's influence.

And this brings us to the crux of the problem with The Six Thatchers. It's all about Mary and her past. Gone are the days of solving brilliantly complex mysteries and battling wits against psychotic cabbies, seemingly supernatural hounds, and of course the singular Moriarty. OK, there is one mystery that is solved in like 2 minutes, but then the next 80 minutes are mystery free.

Without going into too much detail, basically some guy from Mary's old hit squad team wants her dead because of some alleged betrayal, which is never really made clear. Anyway, he soon dies and its discovered someone from the government was the betrayer. Turns out it was some secretary we met at the beginning of the episode, whose sole motivation was getting money to buy a cottage (oh, and jealousy of her superiors apparently). Secretary decides to pull out a gun and shoot Sherlock, but Mary jumps in front of him and takes the bullet, because apparently Sherlock's life takes precedence over her new born baby and husband. And then the ridiculous cherry on top of this laughable sundae is that Watson is furious at Sherlock for some reason??? And that's pretty much how the episode ends.

Sorry Mark Gattis, but that is some God awful writing. Full of improbable turns, glaring plot holes, plots threads that make no sense (Watson's bus lady???) and it plays out as a second rate Jason Bourne thriller starring a middle aged woman who looks more suited to being a primary school teacher than a black ops assassin.

On a positive note though, she dies. So can we get back to solving mysteries now pretty please?