Bellona

I'm still not over this, and not sure about it. I am going to watch it again now. I gave it a 10/10, because it moved me, and I was literally sitting on the edge of the sofa for most of the show, but I'm not sure how much or if I actually like the episode. Doesn't make sense, I know. Then again, TV shows are meant to be entertaining, and this episode certainly did that to me. I need to think more. I really loved the fact that Moriarty was to come back and, yes, I was screaming at the screen, and was disappointed about the "5 years ago" even though I should have known better. Sherlock said he's dead, and Sherlock is always right, right? :P The whole "Monte Christo" theme reminded me of the "Fort Boyard" show in a way, I was like, seriously!? and I still don't get why Euros was able to control everyone just with her voice. And the girl on the airplane was just confusing me for most of the episode. Again, I need to rewatch it and hope that with the knowledge of what happens I'll be able to make up my mind if I like this or not - I certainly enjoyed it though.

Guys, thank you so much for 12 pages of amazing discussion! I'm having a hard time catching up. I absolutely loved this episode, and as so many others have said, it makes up big time for the so-so T6T. I'm not sure if this is the right place to put this, and I'll try the "spoiler" thingy for the first time ever, but since everyone has been speculating about the sister, and the family connections...and since this might be a hint for the future I just go for it. Please forgive me in case I have missed this being mentioned before.

I'm just watching that episode again. I was wondering, is it just me or does "the girl on the bus" has an accent? She doesn't sound quite english to me. But then again I'm not a native speaker myself, plus, if she does, it mightn't mean a thing... Secondly: the scene where John and Mary are in bed, talking (666), and then the baby cries, and John get the text(s) - it only occurred to me now that it's got to be two different occasions. When Mary gets up to mind the baby she says something like "Coming, darling, Mummy's coming" the first time, and the second time (when we actually see the text messages) the "Mummy" bit is not in there. Am I missing something here? I don't believe it would be an accident that they wouldn't have gotten Mary's lines right, right?

Again, from radiotimes.com: they mention this as a reference, which I didn't knew about and found quite nicely done: "(...) In Conan Doyle story The Adventure of the Yellow Face, Holmes rushes too quickly to a conclusion and misses the exact solution to the case, which lies in a cottage in the town of Norbury, south-west London. Afterwards, he tells Dr Watson, "if it should ever strike you that I am getting a little overconfident in my powers, or giving less pains to a case than it deserves, kindly whisper 'Norbury' in my ear, and I shall be infinitely obliged to you."

Reading lots, posting little, that's me - but the start of season 4 really got me. Still slightly shocked - I didn't expect Mary to go so soon. Overall, I really liked that episode, yes, it was dark, yes, it was cruel, but still. The best scene ever though was definitely this: “As ever Watson, you see but do not observe. To you the world remains an impenetrable mystery whereas to me it is an open book. Hard logic versus romantic whimsy, that is your choice. You fail to connect actions to their consequences. Now, for the last time, if you want to keep the rattle, you do not throw the rattle.” (Thanks to radiotimes.com, where I found that quote.) Absolutely hilarious! What was that bit after the end credits...when Mary says, from the DVD she made: "Go to hell, Sherlock!"...any ideas?

Uh, sorry - I just realise I missed the second page of this discussion. Some ideas have already been posted re: Anderson being a "Sherlock fan" all of a sudden. My bad! Oh, and - Happy Christmas to all of you!

I'm asking myself the same question and have no idea - interesting indeed!

It was still discussed here if Cumberbatch and Freeman would appear at all - lovely to see that they did. "A smile and a wink, people seem to like that"...

So what did you think about it? I totally loved it - it gets you right back into the spirit! Really well done, as always...

Good evening / night / morning - wherever you are! It/s 10 to 2am here now, and I'm sad to announce that I still need to do some thinking on the "multiquote" feature, it sadly didn't work for me. Then again it might be possible that I'm just not in the full possesion of my brains right now, due to lots of overtime at work. Anyway, I'll do it the old fashioned way with "copy and paste". Carol the Dabbler said: "(...)So, Bellona, where are you originally from, then? Please don't worry about your English. Your phrasing is occasionally nonstandard enough to sound interesting -- but interesting is good, and it's perfectly clear what you mean. (...) Thank you! I'm german by birth and language. @Martina: Danke, das baut mich auf! (I am saying to her that it comforts me not to be the only one who's a non native speaker here. ) @T.o.b.y: (you do realize that your screen name always reminds me of that dog Sherlock "hires" in "The Sign of the Four"? Even though I learned now that Mollys cat is called Toby too...anyway, your quote: "(...) It's so reassuring to find there are a lot of people out there older than me who apparently reacted to the series like I do. I am "only" in my (very) late 20s and I thought I was already too old for this kind of infatuation and that I would outgrow absorbing myself in fiction some day. Now I'm pretty confident I won't and that's very cheering. Isn't it... The first episode you saw was A Scandal in Belgravia? Interesting! I remember we had a discussion about that not long ago and somebody said it didn't really fit in with the rest. What was your impression? Did you miss something you had expected when you saw the other episodes? I saw The Great Game first, and it certainly influenced the way I look at the characters. I was first drawn into the series by that discussion about whether Sherlock cared that there were human lives at stake and the wonderful line about crying a people's bedsides. The Sherlock we saw in that episode, on the verge of discovering his own humanity but not quite there, is my favorite portrait of the character (to date). I could watch that pool scene again and again and when his hand starts to shake, I still catch my breath.Okay - the first thing of that episode which totally got me was the visuals! Remember when Sherlock and Irene are talking and you see her sitting on that white sofa, on the green meadow, "I don't understand!" "Think!!" - That sort of photography wow-ed me big time. Being a very visual person myself and having seen the way (which you all are accustomed to by now but I haven't been then) they show text messages etc was intriguingly new to me, so apart from the beautifully set storyline and the brilliant acting from all involved this left me breathless. @bakerstreet irregular: (...)I wouldn't worry about not being knowledgeable. Just being enthusiastic really does mean a lot and as you pointed out, the more you join in, the more you will learn. "Enthusiastic" hits the spot, yes. Very much so, and I already have learned so much here - by now I'm going through the transcriptions of the incredible Ariane DeVere...the amount of time and effort she put into that is amazing! *bows" I'm a little older then you and I can still lose myself in a book. I keep a book in my locker at my work place and I travel back to Victorian London every chance I get even if it's for only 15 minutes at a time. I am into Ann Perry and her mysteries as well as any new or old, Sherlock Holmes I can get my hands onto. I know what you're saying...the thing is that getting older makes you being more demanding, it needs to be seriously cool stuff to get you there again. I still read too, of course, and I still can get lost in books, but the most intense experiences with books I have had when I was between, say, 11 and 17 years of age. I've never heard of Ann Perry before btw, I might look her up! And to get back to one of my initial remarks, quoting Carol again: "(...) Wow, thanks, Bellona -- I think that's the first time we've been called "sophisticated"! Welcome to Sherlock Forum! (...) My heartfelt thanks again, Carol! - "sophisticated" translates in many ways to my language and what I mean is the utterly respectful and friendly way people communicate here. I guess ye all know your average forum, rudeness and mocking and all sorts of, um, "not so nice" behaviour. I don't see that here. At all. Even when people disagree with anothers opinion they point it out in a polite way, and they ask for clarification. And that's why, in my opinion, this is sophisticated indeed. I bid you adieu from Ireland for now (it's late...like VERY late *smiles*) - delighted to have met you all! Talk later and my very best regards again. B.

Ohh! Thank you so much for the warm welcome, everyone! And a special thanks to Undead Medic for having added the "sans snow" skin so quickly, that's brilliant and I really appreciate it. The snowflakes were pretty though... Once I finished work for the week (starting in about an hour) and once I figured out how to use "multiquote" I shall get back to the posts in detail - something to look forward to this evening. Btw: please bear with me in case my use of the English language seems to be a bit odd at times. I'm living in Ireland for more than 8 years now, but English is not my mother tongue. Thanks again - until later! B.

Greetings! I have been around for a while as a "guest" and once I realised how much I enjoy the sophisticated discussions here I decided to get an account myself. I doubt that I would be as knowledgable as most of you on the series since I only discovered it about 3 months ago (yes, I didn't have or was interested in a telly for years... ), but once my friend showed me the "Scandal in Belgravia" I was hooked and had to get the box set. I am quite savvy on the original books though. So, being 41 years of age and not exactly a series fan (the last one I absolutely loved was "The Sopranos" and that's ages ago) I find myself smitten by this. I had heard about the BBC Sherlock before and I couldn't believe that the Doyle stories would actually translate to the 21st century - how terribly wrong I have been! I totally love it and I can't wait for New Years Day now. Being that obsessed again with fiction makes me smile - firstly because I see here that I'm not alone, secondly because I was thinking that sort of thing disappears when getting older.... No it doesn't! And it's lovely to experience it again. Remember the times as a kid or teenager, reading a really great book, being completely absorbed? Not noticing the world outside anymore, and it taking a few minutes to realise WHO and WHY you are, once you put the book down? This feeling is back when I watch this. So thank you all for your contributions here ( btw: I went through ALL the episode discussions and found so much pointed out by ye which I have missed, oh my!) and in case I have something valuable to say myself I sure will. To the reunion! My very best regards Bellona PS: How can I get rid of the snowflakes, does anyone know by any chance?....my poor old laptop reacts with heavy fanning to them!