Sherlock: "The Sign of Three"

[tj_teejay]

Episode 3x03 hasn’t even aired yet, and already I can tell that the theme of me not liking the middle episode in any Sherlock season continues.

Don’t get me wrong, “The Sign of Three” had a lot of cute, funny, intense and quirky moments, but I couldn’t help cringing all the way through at the overall depressing undertone. Sherlock in E minor.

Comments

[piplover]

I think Redbeard was a pet, one that Sherlock loved dearly and that died. It would explain a lot, and ties back into Mycroft's throwaway line that Sherlock wanted to be a pirate. It would also tie into the don't get attached warning he keeps giving him.

[tj_teejay]

You know, that actually makes a lot of sense! I'm gonna go with that theory. Maybe we'll learn in the next episode.

So, what do you think it would have been? A cat? A hedgehog? A beaver? ;-)

[piplover]

Lol! Knowing Sherlock, I'm thinking dog, or, perhaps non traditionally, a rat or guinea pig.

[tj_teejay]

Or a hamster or gerbil?

[bootoye]

I enjoyed reading your review. XD

I actually enjoyed watching TSo3 and I have seen it about 4 times now... once iPlayer works I will watch it again ^^

You have picked out my fave parts of this ep and I loved seeing those screencaps. Thanks

About Tessa and the Wedding invitation she and the other Mayfly 'victims' worked for Major Sholto and therefore I assume as a private nurse she works closely with him and would have had an opportunity to see and read the Wedding Invitation. Small hunted down Tessa and the others so he could pose as photographer and get his own 'invite' as substitute photographer so he could kill Sholto.

I heard that one of the cast dies and Moffat and Gatiss say that they want Sherlock to HATE Magnuessen so I am thinking either Mary (it's canon) or Mrs. Hudson.

[tj_teejay]

Thank you! I'm sure I will watch The Sign of Three again at some point. It wasn't terrible, and I think I've analyzed the whole depressing undertone enough now to be past it. There were so many good moments in the episode, and they'll be fun to go back to.

Oh, and normally I would shake you by the collar now until your brain bled fog for posting that super big spoiler. ;-) I'm the biggest spoilerphobe ever, although in this case you're lucky because I had picked that up somewhere on Tumblr before. Well, it could be worse, because we don't know who dies, but still... I normally prefer going totally blind into new episodes.

I really hope it's not Mary or Mrs Hudson. My bet is on Anderson, although perhaps he's a bit too "minor" to be announced by Moffat as one of the biggies of His Last Vow.

[bootoye]

So sorry about the spoiler. I am treating it as just hearsay until His Last Vow actually airs.... ^^

But well there is a lot of emphasis on canon in BBC Sherlock and Moffat and Gatiss and the rest of the Sherlock Holmes world all know that Mary did not last very long in ACD's stories.

[tj_teejay]

Well, it could just have been a bit of a mean comment to stir up the fandom. As in making them all think a major character is going to die, and then it turns out to be Magnussen or Mike Stamford or, I don't know, Tom.

And I'm seriously going to hate TPTB if they kill off a major character and then leave us hanging with a super big cliffhanger related to that. I mean, we already know there's going to be a cliffhanger, but I hold out hope that it's not going to be as bad as I think the worst case scenario might be.

I can see how Mary will be an eventual target for a character to die, but I'm kinda clinging to the fact that Amanda tweeted the other day that she hopes to be on the show for a long time, unless she does something to piss off Moffat and Gatiss. Of course that could just have been deflection, but, well...

You are too good !!! i'm amazed with your analysis :-)

[sherlocked01]

i'm really really amazed to read your thoughts on " Sherlock" series…. because its so so similar to what i feel… i'm been " Sherlocked" ,(in that sense) rather late… but i got hooked on and waited with bated breath (after watching both season 1 & 2 back to back )...for season 3 to begin… and now that the season has already crossed mid-way i think a bigger tragedy is in store too :-(
also..i 'm a big fan of the original works by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and think both Sherlock and John have actually been shown as straight in all the original works… but to each his own . Hence i don't enjoy reading fan fics too as they depict more of sex and less of any interesting themes as such.
And what a brilliant actor we have in Benedict Cumberbatch…he really breathes life into "Sherlock" !!! Have you seen Jeremy Brett in the earlier versions..i thought he was good too till we encountered the modern and younger version.
i am so glad to have met you and your reading makes me feel there are like minded people in all parts of this world.

Re: You are too good !!! i'm amazed with your analysis :-)

[tj_teejay]

Aw, thank you so much! It's really great to hear that people actually read and like my reviews. I try to give my best, although sometimes it's just odd rambling that flow from my brain to my fingers

[swanpride]

I liked this episode. For sure better than TEH, but I am not sure how much, because I have the feeling to really judge it, you have to see the whole season. I guess you will have to revisit it, because when all is said and done, I am ready to bet that a lot what happened in The Sign of Three will be seen in a totally different light

[tj_teejay]

I agree, usually the previous episodes in a season reveal new details and meanings when you go back after the season finale. I'll definitely keep that in mind.

1. The theory of Redbeard being a pet Sherlock got attached to as a kid (which someone else posted in a comment) sounded good, but I think yours makes sense as well. We shall see if it's picked up again in His Last Vow.

3. Ah, that's good to know. Just another small hint from the original lore thrown in there for the hardcore fans. :-)

5. You know, I also wondered if John's earlier comment about the afferent nervous system had anything to do with the victims not feeling the stab, but it just didn't seem to be related (at least not that I could see). I suppose it's possible that you wouldn't feel a small prick if you've been standing for several hours, but I still think it's somehow unlikely in this case, because the belts wouldn't have been worn as tight as a corsage.

[swanpride]

Yeah, I know this theory, too, but I have the feeling that the writers deliberately threw in the "I am not a child" to mislead us. They are sneaky that way. Really sneaky. Did you notice during TEH the rolling news at the TV when Sherlock coming back was announced? It's another hint to CAM, but naturally you don't pay attention to it unless you are looking for clues...or this time around one of the news articles under the bank robbery? "Moderate Drinker have the last laugh" indeed

[swanpride]

Oh, I nearly forgot: Yes, he says Vatican cameos, the same code word he already used in season 2 (and which is, btw, also a canon reference).