Sherlock S2E3
Broke my Sherlock boycott for 'The Reichenbach Fall'. I will never, ever, watch the first episode and probably not the second either, but it turns out there's only so long I can stay away from anything with 'Reichenbach' in the title. I am that simple a slave to the angst.
Come on Moffat
(Don't fear the homo)
We can be like they are
(John has taken his hand).
Uh, cough, sorry, don't know where that came from. I mean, YAY ACTUAL SLASHINESS. (Nope, never really seen it in this version before) Or, more seriously, at least the episode wasn't making with daft defensive "THEY ARE NOT GAY SHUT UP" posturing and as a result had me slightly more convinced these people gave a fuck about each other. The lack of a persuasive connection between the characters has been my third chief complaint, under "soul-punching misogyny" and "Sherlock being a thicko".
Not that John/Freeman has ever been a part of that problem -- and he was beautiful in this.
The little details of the performance -- the words he struggled to get out, the understated simplicity in of his reactions, the moment when he nearly throws the phone away and goes running when it becomes obvious to him what's about to happen . Sherlock's name in his mouth, in the therapist's office, and at the roadside, and at the grave -- they were all so true and so touching. He illuminated that episode. (Heh. This Watson is not just a 'conductor' of light).
Not that Cumberbatch is bad, but I don't think he's in the same league. The writing doesn't show me the Sherlock I'm supposed to see, and while B.C's perfectly adequate, he's not showing me much beyond the script's limitations. I get occasional glimpses of That Sherlock, the one who's beautiful and amazing and exhilarating, the one we don't want to jump off buildings, almost entirely through John.
I will give the writers a LITTLE BIT of love for not making him seriously doubt Sherlock for a moment -- little occasional jolts of confusion, but an emphatic "no. this is bollocks" as soon as he had even a second to think about it. 'EVEN THE HERO'S FRIENDS ARE AGAINST HIM'/'THE VILLAIN HAS THE HEROES TURNING ON EACH OTHER' is a trope I've always hated and felt it undermined beloved characters beyond writers' ability to repair them. I guess there's a sense that you HAVE to do it, because CONFLICT and OVERCOMING OBSTACLES. And it's so familiar that to watch a character steadfastly refuse to have any part of it has real power.
The last scenes were as moving as they possibly could be for me considering where I'm coming from with this show. The idea of Sherlock having to destroy himself twice, one quick and brutal fall, one agonising slow verbal self-immolation -- is gorgeously painful and I wish I could have seen more of how he got there, John's reactions thereafter, as I've said -- utterly beautiful. They gave the pain the space it deserved -- unlike, I must say, Ritchie -- but didn't fuck around pretending to the audience he was really dead when we had to know he wouldn't be.
On the other hand the Ritchie Moriarty was infinitely scarier. I'm glad Jim Moriarty's dead and we won't have this Joker nonsense any more. I could at least see slightly more why they were doing it, this time, but that's not saying much.
Of course, because apparently we cannot get through an episode without it, we have to have more of men being vile to women who usually have it coming by being evil. And I see at some point they did get a modern landlady dusting her tenants' flat. At least there's now one tiny spark of hope in Molly, who was not treated horribly or made to look an idiot for once in her life. I hope she is deeply involved in the secret of Sherlock's completely ridiculous survival and I hope everyone, especially Sherlock, is INCREDIBLY NICE TO HER FOREVER as a reward.
I also hope poor John doesn't have to wait three years. His relationship with Sherlock's been immensely contracted, surely his hiatus will be too?
Anyhow, at least I'm back to wanting to read Sherlock fanfiction ...oh, wordstrings, surely that episode will tempt you back...? (There were a couple of moments that seemed wonderfully in accord with her readings of the characters. What was that line"keep your eyes on me" ) Whereas I was beginning to feel slightly ill at the very sight of one of my favourite characters' first name. (Stuff happened IRL. I'll go into it later).
Come on Moffat
(Don't fear the homo)
We can be like they are
(John has taken his hand).
Uh, cough, sorry, don't know where that came from. I mean, YAY ACTUAL SLASHINESS. (Nope, never really seen it in this version before) Or, more seriously, at least the episode wasn't making with daft defensive "THEY ARE NOT GAY SHUT UP" posturing and as a result had me slightly more convinced these people gave a fuck about each other. The lack of a persuasive connection between the characters has been my third chief complaint, under "soul-punching misogyny" and "Sherlock being a thicko".
Not that John/Freeman has ever been a part of that problem -- and he was beautiful in this.
The little details of the performance -- the words he struggled to get out, the understated simplicity in of his reactions, the moment when he nearly throws the phone away and goes running when it becomes obvious to him what's about to happen . Sherlock's name in his mouth, in the therapist's office, and at the roadside, and at the grave -- they were all so true and so touching. He illuminated that episode. (Heh. This Watson is not just a 'conductor' of light).
Not that Cumberbatch is bad, but I don't think he's in the same league. The writing doesn't show me the Sherlock I'm supposed to see, and while B.C's perfectly adequate, he's not showing me much beyond the script's limitations. I get occasional glimpses of That Sherlock, the one who's beautiful and amazing and exhilarating, the one we don't want to jump off buildings, almost entirely through John.
I will give the writers a LITTLE BIT of love for not making him seriously doubt Sherlock for a moment -- little occasional jolts of confusion, but an emphatic "no. this is bollocks" as soon as he had even a second to think about it. 'EVEN THE HERO'S FRIENDS ARE AGAINST HIM'/'THE VILLAIN HAS THE HEROES TURNING ON EACH OTHER' is a trope I've always hated and felt it undermined beloved characters beyond writers' ability to repair them. I guess there's a sense that you HAVE to do it, because CONFLICT and OVERCOMING OBSTACLES. And it's so familiar that to watch a character steadfastly refuse to have any part of it has real power.
The last scenes were as moving as they possibly could be for me considering where I'm coming from with this show. The idea of Sherlock having to destroy himself twice, one quick and brutal fall, one agonising slow verbal self-immolation -- is gorgeously painful and I wish I could have seen more of how he got there, John's reactions thereafter, as I've said -- utterly beautiful. They gave the pain the space it deserved -- unlike, I must say, Ritchie -- but didn't fuck around pretending to the audience he was really dead when we had to know he wouldn't be.
On the other hand the Ritchie Moriarty was infinitely scarier. I'm glad Jim Moriarty's dead and we won't have this Joker nonsense any more. I could at least see slightly more why they were doing it, this time, but that's not saying much.
Of course, because apparently we cannot get through an episode without it, we have to have more of men being vile to women who usually have it coming by being evil. And I see at some point they did get a modern landlady dusting her tenants' flat. At least there's now one tiny spark of hope in Molly, who was not treated horribly or made to look an idiot for once in her life. I hope she is deeply involved in the secret of Sherlock's completely ridiculous survival and I hope everyone, especially Sherlock, is INCREDIBLY NICE TO HER FOREVER as a reward.
I also hope poor John doesn't have to wait three years. His relationship with Sherlock's been immensely contracted, surely his hiatus will be too?
Anyhow, at least I'm back to wanting to read Sherlock fanfiction ...oh, wordstrings, surely that episode will tempt you back...? (There were a couple of moments that seemed wonderfully in accord with her readings of the characters. What was that line"keep your eyes on me" ) Whereas I was beginning to feel slightly ill at the very sight of one of my favourite characters' first name. (Stuff happened IRL. I'll go into it later).