Episode 3.1, "The Empty Hearse"

[Karie]

Dunno, they had him kiss Molly in Anderson's theory earlier so if anything, they're equal opportunity baiters.

 

Yes, I would certainly agree with that!  Doesn't mean that will make it go over any better with the people who have been expressing annoyance and hurt, though. 

 

Haha, I think that "theory" was my favorite, I loved him crashing through the window! 

[AnonymousPlumber]

Gods, that was a good episode. So much drama, so much excitement. But did anyone notice a throw back to the Scandal in Belgravia episode? Remember when Sherlock says to Irene : " Dilated. Your pupils dilated" At the very last second, we see the man who is watching Sherlock, and his eyes, and I'm quite sure that his pupils dilated. Is Moffat finally picking up the gay act and giving Sherlock a gay arch nemesis? Who knows, but I will be waiting to find out.

[Karie]

I also loved most of the stuff with Mycroft, but I really disliked how he sat there and watched Sherlock being beaten bloody. I know he said he couldn't risk giving himself away, but he didn't seem the least bit bothered to me (I knew it was him the moment we saw him sitting there with his legs up, and he did seem to be enjoying himself). And if Sherlock deduced that Mycroft was even slightly pleased to sit there watching him getting beaten, I believe that deduction. 

 

I loved their game of Operation later, and their talk where Sherlock turned some of Mycroft's insults from Scandal back on him (come to think of it, I now remember a spoiler that said that would happen). "Have you ever even talked to a woman, ever?" and "how would you know?" It's interesting that now that Sherlock is back, he seems to be focusing on his brother's loneliness and even trying to push him to do something about it.  It seems that now Sherlock has a greater understanding of how important it is to have friends and people in your life you can be yourself with. Maybe he grew to appreciate that more when he had to spend two years without it? 

 

And lastly, let me be really shallow for a minute and comment on how amazing Ben looked in this episode! I don't know if it's the extra bulk or what, but I was frequently gaping at him. I really hope they'll let him stay fit this time and not starve him for the sake of making 100 jokes an episode about his cheekbones. I find him gorgeous at any rate, but I prefer his, as Ben puts it, "chunky monk". 

[Karie]

Watching it again, and paying particular notice of the part where John asks Sherlock again why the person came after him and put him in the bonfire. 

 

In line with that, it's also strange that they contacted Mary instead of Sherlock directly. Obviously, they knew she would go to Sherlock for help (and directed further communications on her phone to him directly), but why text her in the first place when they could have just texted Sherlock? 

 

Then, at the end, the bad guy is playing that clip over and over of them pulling John out of the fire.  It is made to look like he's focusing on Sherlock, but what if he's actually focusing on Mary? He repeatedly plays the bit of her saying "John!" "John!" "John!" over and over. I'm starting to wonder if there is a connection between Mary and this bad guy, and if threatening John was a way to get at her, and not Sherlock. 

[Karie]

Slight spoiler:

 

 

Sherlock lied to Anderson about how he survived, right? We don't know the right version yet, am I correct?

 

There is some speculation as to whether or not what he told Anderson was true, but the way I saw it, it was.  I think Sherlock told the truth (especially given the way he rolled his eyes when Anderson got all "Hang on..." at the end, like "well, fine, don't believe me, I'm not going out of my way to convince you!") and then the bit with Anderson picking out all the what if's (How could you know John would stay in that spot? What if he'd come around? What if someone else had seen you? What if? What if? What if?) was just another "poking fun at the fans" bit of the episode. All of those "what if's" are ones that we've all seen in speculation on the internet for months, I think it was just their teasing way of pointing out how, it didn't matter how Sherlock  did it, there was no way they were going to please all of us with what they came up with.  There would always be some fans who were like "Wait, that doesn't make sense, because what about this?" I think the particular cherry on the sundae, so to speak, was him having his delirious little break down at the end. Because we all know we  fangirls and boys can get a little worked up. 

 

So, in conclusion, yes, I do believe Sherlock was telling the truth to Anderson. But I'm sure there will still be plenty of fans who disagree.  

[sherlockandjohn]

Just watched the whole thing again, and I must say it definitely grew on me the second time! The first time my own emotions couldn't catch up with John's, as I felt the emotional scenes were cut short. The second time I was much more able to appreciate the details, the subtleties of the feelings portrayed. I guess my initial reaction was a result of months of anticipation and speculation, so when the reunion finally happened, it was, as I feared, over too soon. Anyway, I LOVE the episode now, and the acting from Benedict, especially, but also from Martin, was superb! I really can't get over it; they are fantastic.

The first meeting is so emotional, and the train/bomb scene is amazing at a closer look! It's funny how I wanted to tear Sherlock apart the first time I watched the scene, and then the second time I felt like I was in on the joke.

Hmm, well there went most of my night's sleep; better see if I can get a couple of hours now

[Karie]

OK, I think we are going to be able to trust Mary after all (unless there is a sinister plot twist/shift took cannon) Looking at John's blog reveled her last name (as she commented at the bottom).

 

A quick Google led me to Wikipedia, talk about keeping it in the family. Just as Sherlock's parents were played by Benedict's real life parents, so (according to Wikipedia) Mary is played by Martin's real life partner!

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minor_Sherlock_Holmes_characters#Mary_Morstan_.28later_Watson.29

 

Mary Morstan (later Watson)

 

Mary Morstan becomes the wife of Dr. Watson. She is first introduced in The Sign of Four, where she and Watson tentatively become attracted to each other, but only when the case is resolved is he able to propose to her. She is described as blonde with pale skin. At the time she hires Holmes she had been making a living as a governess. Although at the end of the story the main treasure is lost, she has received six pearls from a chaplet of the Agra Treasure.

 

Mary Morstan's father, a senior captain of an Indian regiment and later stationed near the Andaman Islands, disappeared in 1878 under mysterious circumstances that would later be proven to be related to the mystery, The Sign of Four. Her mother died soon after her birth and she had no other relatives in England, although she was educated there (in accordance with the received wisdom of the time about children in the colony of India) until the age of seventeen. Shortly afterwards her father disappeared and she found work as a governess. Watson and Mary marry in 1889.

 

Although it was "love at first sight", Mary Morstan and Dr. Watson's marriage fluctuates somewhat. In "The Adventure of the Crooked Man" Watson goes off with Holmes to solve a locked room mystery the summer after his marriage. She is concerned enough about his health to send him to the country during "The Boscombe Valley Mystery", but when Mary Morstan dies (the circumstances of which are not related in the Sherlock Holmes canon), Watson moves back in with Holmes and makes no reference to the loss, though it is speculated by Baring-Gould that he married again afterwards, which raises questions as to how close they actually were, or whether Watson is being a stiff-lipped Victorian. It is probable that Mary Morstan died in the interim between "The Adventure of the Final Problem" and "The Adventure of the Empty House", given that in his farewell letter to Watson, Holmes asks his old friend to "give my regards to Mrs. Watson"; upon Holmes's return, Watson writes, "In some manner he had learned of my own sad bereavement"; and in "The Adventure of the Norwood Builder", one of the most immediate adventures after Holmes's return, Watson has returned to the old quarters in Baker Street.

 

Film appearances

Mary Morstan has been portrayed on film by several actresses.[11]

Isobel Elsom in the 1913 silent film Sherlock Holmes Solves The Sign of the Four

Isla Bevan in the 1932 film The Sign of Four: Sherlock Holmes' Greatest Case featuring Arthur Wontner as Holmes

Ann Bell in The Sign of Four episode of the 1965-68 Sherlock Holmes series featuring Peter Cushing as Holmes and Nigel Stock as Watson

Gila Von Weitershausen in the 1974 French/German film Das Zeichen der Vier

Cherie Lunghi in the 1983 film The Sign of Four featuring Ian Richardson as Holmes

Yekaterina Zinchenko in the 1983 Russian film Priklyucheniya Sherloka Kholmsa i doktora Vatsona: Sokrovishcha Agry

Jenny Seagrove in the 1984 television series starring Jeremy Brett

Susannah Harker in the 1991 television adaptation of the play The Crucifer of Blood, starring Charlton Heston as Sherlock Holmes. In the play and the telefilm, Morstan is renamed "Irene St. Claire". Glenn Close played the character in the original 1978 Broadway cast of the play; Susan Hampshire played her in the original 1979 London cast.

Sophie Lorain in the 2001 film The Sign of Four, with Matt Frewer as Sherlock Holmes and Kenneth Welsh as Dr. Watson. In this version, Mary Morstan becomes engaged to Thaddeus Sholto rather than Dr. Watson.

Kelly Reilly in Guy Ritchie's 2009 film Sherlock Holmes, starring Robert Downey, Jr. as Sherlock Holmes and Jude Law as Dr. Watson. In the film, Mary is first introduced to Holmes as Watson's fiancée rather than as a client. Reilly reprises the role in the 2011 film Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.

Amanda Abbington in the third season of Sherlock (TV series). She is the real-life partner of the show's Watson, Martin Freeman.

 

 

It's been no secret that Amanda Abbington is the real life partner to Martin Freeman (and mother of his children). How does that mean that they won't write her to have a secret agenda or past? Or did you just mean about how it deviates from canon? (Although, that also doesn't guarantee that they won't do it!) 

 

I don't think she's evil. At least I hope not, as I really like her.  But I definitely think she's hiding something from her past, and whatever that something is, I think it's going to come back to haunt her and cause a lot of heartache for both her and John.  

[SH/LotR/Zelda Fan]

Ok, so, I watched this...then I died for a few hours, I think. And...I have no idea how to describe what I thought of this episode. It almost literally had me crying one moment then laughing the next. I think I'll just go and watch it again now...then another time...and another...and another...wait, then I won't get any sleep! *sigh* Why are there only 24 hours in a day???

[Karie]

Just watched the whole thing again, and I must say it definitely grew on me the second time! The first time my own emotions couldn't catch up with John's, as I felt the emotional scenes were cut short. The second time I was much more able to appreciate the details, the subtleties of the feelings portrayed. I guess my initial reaction was a result of months of anticipation and speculation, so when the reunion finally happened, it was, as I feared, over too soon. Anyway, I LOVE the episode now, and the acting from Benedict, especially, but also from Martin, was superb! I really can't get over it; they are fantastic.

The first meeting is so emotional, and the train/bomb scene is amazing at a closer look! It's funny how I wanted to tear Sherlock apart the first time I watched the scene, and then the second time I felt like I was in on the joke.

Hmm, well there went most of my night's sleep; better see if I can get a couple of hours now

 

 

I'm also enjoying it more the more I watch it! I definitely agree that the emotional scenes felt rushed the first time around, and less so after I watched it a few times. 

 

We had a light week at work this week, and my boss offered to let me take Tuesday off. I instead negotiated that I work Tuesday and have Thursday off, so that I could stay up as late as I wanted tonight watching the episode repeatedly and chatting about it online. Of course, I didn't tell her that!   So, yeah, I think I planned pretty well for this! 

[Carol the Dabbler]

I am ducking in here with averted eyes just to post the following:

 

Once more than one new episode has been aired -- if you want to discuss multiple new episodes in a single post, please post it in the thread for the latest of the relevant episodes.  Otherwise, people who have seen only "The Empty Hearse," for example, may inadvertently see a "Sign of Three" spoiler while reading the "Empty Hearse" thread.

 

Those of us in delayed countries thank you! 

 

[wildwoodflower]

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear... This was... I don't even know. Think I need some recovery time, really. It was different than what I expected, and different from the other episodes so far in several ways. I loved it to pieces, and yet there's a part of me - I suspect the sensitive part - that's not satisfied with Sherlock's response to John's anger. I honestly thought I had expected something like the reactions I've just seen, but... I don't know, I feel slightly exasperated. Like I want to rip Sherlock's hair out myself, because I think he got off the hook too easily Hehe! But, wow, this was awesome, too! So much great stuff. Don't know how I'm going to sleep now, what with all this excitement  I think this episode is just more wacky than any so far. Will need to see it again very soon!

 

Well, I thought the bit in the carriage of the train was vile. I mean, why was it necessary for the real emotion to be invalidated and laughed at. Why the trickery? What was it for? It was really unpleasant and kind of horrified me.

 

I loved a lot of it, but that bit of business there disturbed the hell out of me. Sherlock displayed more genuine compassion for the young woman being tricked by her stepfather ( and good canon reference there, kudos) than he did for the genuine deep emotional trauma he caused his friend. So we think he's remorseful, that he wants forgiveness and then it's all a trick and he laughs?  The scene could have been done with honest emotional imapct and still ended on a comedy note with the off switch. Why did they choose this? 

 

Sorry, it really bothered me.

[bborchar]

I liked it...and then loved it the second time around.  The fake theories were the best part, IMO.  I think if people can just poke fun at themselves, they will have a blast with it.  Can't wait for the next episode, and especially the week after that.  Glad to see that Sherlock's explanation was very logical and made sense.

[TeaNinja]

My hypothesis about Mary is that she is an operative sent in by Mycroft to keep tabs on John. Mycroft said he was watching him. Also she could distract John from looking too closely at the faked death if John was getting close and cheer John up if he was getting so depressed he would off himself(which we have seen he could be prone to do.) had to keep John safe for his little bro.

 

Anderson imagining Sherlock there because he is driven mad from guilt is awesome.

 

I like Sherlock's interaction with his parents, It was very in character, Sherlock has a childish personality and it was like when a person is young and their friend comes over. Most kids/teens are quick to get their parents out of the room. they love their parents but they want to play with their friend.

[atomich01]

Sherlock has changed - he's far more animated in this episode than he has been before, and if the trailer posted earlier in the thread is anything to go by, it's a trend that will continue. I don't dislike it, but it'll take a bit of getting used to.

 

Great episode tho, thoroughly enjoyed it and I'm planning to re-watch it today. 

 

Couple of minor niggles tho - I'm a little disappointed at the explanation - seemed a bit too mundane for my liking. Although from th reaction to Anderson, it might not be the complete story anyway. I do hope if there's more we get to find out in a later episode.

 

And also - Moffatt and Gatiiss said -

 

1) There was a clue that everyone missed, and

 

2) Sherlock acted very out of character in TRF, and that was a clue as well.

 

For the life of me, even after seeing the "explanation", I can't work out what they meant - any ideas??

[sherlockandjohn]

 

Well, I thought the bit in the carriage of the train was vile. I mean, why was it necessary for the real emotion to be invalidated and laughed at. Why the trickery? What was it for? It was really unpleasant and kind of horrified me.

 

I loved a lot of it, but that bit of business there disturbed the hell out of me. Sherlock displayed more genuine compassion for the young woman being tricked by her stepfather ( and good canon reference there, kudos) than he did for the genuine deep emotional trauma he caused his friend. So we think he's remorseful, that he wants forgiveness and then it's all a trick and he laughs?  The scene could have been done with honest emotional imapct and still ended on a comedy note with the off switch. Why did they choose this? 

 

Sorry, it really bothered me.

 

 

I started out by reacting the same way, so I definitely understand. However, from Sherlock's point of view things must look a bit different. He did what he deemed necessary in order to destroy Moriarty's network, and I'm guessing he didn't much consider John's feelings when planning that out. Not that he didn't care - we see plenty of evidence that he does - but considering people's feelings is not in the forefront of Sherlock's mind.

 

I don't think Sherlock was making fun of John's feelings, but in stead he was having a laugh at how easily he could trick John - and, yes, that came at the expense of John's feelings, but John didn't seem to take it too hard.

 

With regard to the woman whose stepfather tricked her, I got the distinct feeling that Sherlock was just pretending to have sympathy in order to make himself seem more human and thereby earn the woman's trust. A trust that she needed to have in order to open up to him and tell him all he had to know for him to solve the case.

 

I do have my own issues with the way John's emotions were handled. It would have satisfied me more if Sherlock had more clearly demonstrated understanding. Yet I feel he does so in more subtle ways; like his nervousness at the first meeting with John, and how he later (after having rescued John, and John seeks hims out in Baker St) says: "Sorry, sorry again!" Then he adds one more humble and low "sorry". I love that scene.

[rochelleromee]

I have to say this was by far one of the best episodes and congratulations Mark on writing such a beautiful episode with Moffat...

Ok so the episode itself was pretty great..

Loved all the comical elements and the introduction of a new character...

The editing that went on in the background... Especially the whole pupil dilatation in the end....

It was so touching that Benedict's parents play Sherlock's parents....

Thank heavens John shaved that moustache off...

And John's headbutt was a beauty..

I'm slightly concerned about Mary... mean I'm happy she's there and everything but that one more character whose life they're going to put in danger and I also think she's going to be involved in something bad because they can't ruin the whole 'Johnlock' team for long..

And I think he told Anderson everything as a way of saying thank you for believing and so that Anderson could get his life back in order and not feel guilty and obsess about Sherlock. 

Molly is eventually going to leave her fiance because she clearly hasn't moved on from Sherlock..

Mark Gatiss/ Mycroft will be appearing less because he's now also the writer of the show... 

And this may sound bad but I want Moriarty back

[T.o.b.y]

Glad to read that the episode grew on a lot of you on seeing it the second time. I must admit I wasn't best pleased after my one view. Too fast, too loud, to much point-blank comedy, too rushed, too incoherent, too much not-so-subtle emotion and not near enough detective work. It didn't seem like a regular episode to me at all, more like a frantic tying up of loose ends and setting the stage for new stuff (hopefully) to come.

 

I particularly object to the solution to The Fall. It was kind of the writers to leave us an element of doubt, but I am sure that what Sherlock told Anderson is meant to be the truth. So Mycroft and Sherlock are supposed to have planned everything that happened in The Reichenbach Fall in advance and been ahead of Moriarty the whole time. In that case, the wonderful last episode of the second series makes no sense to me anymore. Sherlock was never in real peril and Moriarty wasn't nearly as dangerous as he seemed. Not even the snipers were a real threat - so Sherlock never sacrificed anything for anybody's life. And the cruelty to John is magnified, since it was carefully premeditated by both brothers and there were plenty of alternatives. Why did they do that to him? Where was the advantage? Oh, and can anybody explain to me what the dead body was for? John couldn't see the landing, anyway, and it was replaced with Sherlock himself once he got to the scene, so what was the point of throwing it on the street at all? It could have stayed in the morgue and just been re-labelled as "Sherlock Holmes".

 

Of course, Sherlock's faked death still beats Doyle's original idea! Wasn't it nice that they included a little reference to Baritsu and dismissed it?

 

I liked the way they toyed with the fan theories (with fan reactions to the show in general) and what they've done with Anderson. I also appreciate the numerous canon references.

 

The scene on the train was fine with me. I can totally understand why some people found it upsetting, but I prefer it to a purely "sentimental" heart to heart. This is still Sherlock. No matter how much progress he has made emotionally, I couldn't picture him getting on his knees and begging for forgiveness in earnest. I'm sure he did mean it - he was sorry, and he felt the need for a few kind words, otherwise he wouldn't have gone to so much trouble to procure them.

[polux]

Woo, i watched it, and i don't know what to think about it! I'm french so needless to say that i don't clearly understand the all thing! ^^ but it was hilarious!

 

I realy loved the doctor maboul ( is that the same name in england?) scene!!

[Janie]

Well, I don't really know how much I liked this episode. I was really excited all the time so that was probably why I feel slightly disappointed. I probably didn't catch everything (I watched without subtitles) so I need to watch it again very soon.

 

Glad to read that the episode grew on a lot of you on seeing it the second time. I must admit I wasn't best pleased after my one view. Too fast, too loud, to much point-blank comedy, too rushed, too incoherent, too much not-so-subtle emotion and not near enough detective work. It didn't seem like a regular episode to me at all, more like a frantic tying up of loose ends and setting the stage for new stuff (hopefully) to come.

 

 

Yes, exactly. The whole thing was too rushed, too confusing sometimes. It was so different from other episodes. And I'm probably the only one here who thinks that they wasted their time with Sherlock/John reunion and all the theories so there was almost no time for the actual case. On the other side I know I would have been disappointed if they jumped right into a case without any of this. Maybe this episode just needed to be about 30 minutes longer.

And I don't know what to make out of Sherlock's behaviour. He seemed too emotional, too normal, too nice. I'd like to think that he pretended most of it (it sometimes seemed so) and hope that we'll see the old Sherlock in other episodes. 

 

God, it seems that I'm so critical about this episode. I liked lots of things as well. I loved Mary, all scenes with Mycroft, Sherlock's parents, the whole bomber thing, John's reactions on Sherlock's return. Well, I definitely have to see it again.

 

[ToniLianne]

There was so much going on in that episode I wasn't entirely sure what to think at first. like most of you overall I loved it but there was one or two bits that disappointed myself, mainly for me not getting the proper explanation for 'the fall' and I really hope that we will get one at some point and the part on the train when Sherlock played a joke on John, irked me a bit. I was intially disappointed by how Sherlock was going about his reunion with John, but then I realised the insensitive nature of it all with Sherlock thinking he could just waltz back into John's life was just so "Sherlock" and I thought John's reactions were fantastic, he reacted exactly as I had hoped they would do it, but then on the train I knew that Sherlock would have a way out in the end, he always does but I really genuinely thought that there was a "moment" between him and John and this was almost like the real reunion and Sherlock could finally show a bit of emotion and humanity now it was just the two of them, and then he burst into laughter and completely killed the "moment" however even though it was a bit cruel of Sherlock a part of me still believes or hopes that despite once again Sherlock's insensitive nature he was being genuine and sincere in his apology to John and asking for forgiveness, I think John's friendship and support means more to him than anyone else and he needed to hear John say he it by any means.

 

I really like Mary as a character, or did I was intially wondering if and how she would fit into the Holmes and Watson dynamic (I haven't read the books) and I felt that she did and Mary worked well as a character and that she got on and worked well with Sherlock and I just really warmed to her but now I've seen the "Liar" part on the picture I'm slightly suspicious, and I really hope that Mary won't turn out to be a villain or anything bad happens with her character.

 

I loved the moment with Sherlock and Molly, about time he appreciated that girl.

I loved that we got to see quite a lot of Mycroft and the 'deduction off' with Sherlock, one of my favourite parts of the episode.

 

The whole Anderson "We believe in Sherlock" club and the various theories probably was poking fun a bit, but I found it very tongue in cheek and quite amusing although I agree there was a large proportion of the episode taken up by this which could have been lessened and maybe more important parts elaborated a bit more.

 

Mrs Hudson's reaction to Sherlock has got to be my favourite though, she is brilliant!

 

Thank you for the trailer, I totally managed to miss that! Seems like poor John can't even get married in peace, at least we don't have to wait so long for this episode.

[T.o.b.y]

The whole thing was too rushed, too confusing sometimes. It was so different from other episodes. And I'm probably the only one here who thinks that they wasted their time with Sherlock/John reunion and all the theories so there was almost no time for the actual case. On the other side I know I would have been disappointed if they jumped right into a case without any of this. Maybe this episode just needed to be about 30 minutes longer.

And I don't know what to make out of Sherlock's behaviour. He seemed too emotional, too normal, too nice. I'd like to think that he pretended most of it (it sometimes seemed so) and hope that we'll see the old Sherlock in other episodes.

 

I don't think time was wasted on the reunion scenes, but they could have made better use of it. I felt like I was watching the same scene over and over again. There didn't seem to be any kind of development like "shock - anger - punch - distance - reconsider - talk - understand - forgive". It was more like "shock - punch 1 - anger - punch 2 - more anger - punch 3 - distance  - boring job - losing it - boring job - could have talked about it and reconsidered with my fiancée but didn't - kidnapping - lose consciousness - almost died - none of the audience's business - try back to normal - bomb threat - he's got to be kidding - he's not - say obvious things - was kidding after all - no matter - say more obvious things - back to normal for good".

 

I still don't understand why exactly John decided to forgive Sherlock and I think they left out the most interesting parts, for example what happened when John woke up after he was pulled out of the fire? Was Sherlock still there? Or did he leave explanations and visible concern to Mary and left (my guess)? Also, they might have just shown the blows realistically instead of doing slow motion to dramatic music and then blend over. John's anger was way too farcial that way.

 

As for Sherlock's behavior. Well, I agree with you in that I miss the way he used to be. But it makes sense that he comes back changed. Who knows what he went through during the two years, but it must have shaken him considerably. That "torture scene" was just awful. (I found it really disturbing, especially when it turned out that Mycroft had been cooly looking on the whole time!) He seemed out of synch with his own self, unsure of who he is or wants to be. Kind of interesting, actually, especially if the following episodes really explore and develop that instead of just mining it for a string of comic relief scenes.

 

[sherlockandjohn]

Glad to read that the episode grew on a lot of you on seeing it the second time. I must admit I wasn't best pleased after my one view. Too fast, too loud, to much point-blank comedy, too rushed, too incoherent...

 

I particularly object to the solution to The Fall. It was kind of the writers to leave us an element of doubt, but I am sure that what Sherlock told Anderson is meant to be the truth. So Mycroft and Sherlock are supposed to have planned everything that happened in The Reichenbach Fall in advance and been ahead of Moriarty the whole time. In that case, the wonderful last episode of the second series makes no sense to me anymore...

 

The scene on the train was fine with me...

 

For me, the second viewing helped a lot in making the episode feel more well put-together. They did spend a lot of time on the reunion and emotional impact, but for me that was only a plus.

 

The train scene - strangely enough - now stands out for me as one of my favorites in any of the episodes, and the faces of Sherlock and John are priceless!

 

All in all, this has quickly become possibly my favorite episode, due to mainly the reunion and how it was handled throughout. I will say, though, that I agree about your objections to the TRF solution... I was not happy to find out that Sherlock had the upper hand the whole time, and it just raises a number of new questions, like you also point out. I.e: Why would Sherlock yell "can't you see what's going on?" to John in that heart-wrenching manner? It was one of my favorite scenes, and now... well... I thought that was a bad call.

 

[Escribblings]

 

OK, I think we are going to be able to trust Mary after all (unless there is a sinister plot twist/shift took from cannon) Looking at John's blog reveled her last name (as she commented at the bottom).

 

A quick Google led me to Wikipedia, talk about keeping it in the family. Just as Sherlock's parents were played by Benedict's real life parents, so (according to Wikipedia) Mary is played by Martin's real life partner!

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minor_Sherlock_Holmes_characters#Mary_Morstan_.28later_Watson.29

 

[snip]

 

It's been no secret that Amanda Abbington is the real life partner to Martin Freeman (and mother of his children). How does that mean that they won't write her to have a secret agenda or past? Or did you just mean about how it deviates from canon? (Although, that also doesn't guarantee that they won't do it!) 

 

I don't think she's evil. At least I hope not, as I really like her.  But I definitely think she's hiding something from her past, and whatever that something is, I think it's going to come back to haunt her and cause a lot of heartache for both her and John.

 

 

It may not have been a secret, but it certainly passed me by (and I thought it worth a mention in lieu of Sherlocks parents), anyway. I agree that just because Mary is played by John's real life partner does not mean they won't write her as a baddie, but it doesn't mean they will either. There is definately more to her than we have been given so far - evil? I hope not too.

 

My hypothesis about Mary is that she is an operative sent in by Mycroft to keep tabs on John. Mycroft said he was watching him. Also she could distract John from looking too closely at the faked death if John was getting close and cheer John up if he was getting so depressed he would off himself(which we have seen he could be prone to do.) had to keep John safe for his little bro.

 

[snip]

This is plausible, would certainly explain her knowledge of "skip codes". Also there has been many a time when an on screen "undercover" relationship has blossomed into a real one.

 

 

[snip]

 

I really like Mary as a character, or did I was intially wondering if and how she would fit into the Holmes and Watson dynamic (I haven't read the books) and I felt that she did and Mary worked well as a character and that she got on and worked well with Sherlock and I just really warmed to her but now I've seen the "Liar" part on the picture I'm slightly suspicious, and I really hope that Mary won't turn out to be a villain or anything bad happens with her character.

 

[snip]

I too have very little knowledge of Canon. Whilst loving most things Sherlock, most of my history covers a few films and the ITV series (Jeremy Brett was very good). That said you make a valid point about "JohnLock". Having read the article I posted above it wouldn't surprise me if, either in the last episode of this series or in the next series, they kill Mary off.

 

Although it was "love at first sight", Mary Morstan and Dr. Watson's marriage fluctuates somewhat. In "The Adventure of the Crooked Man" Watson goes off with Holmes to solve a locked room mystery the summer after his marriage. She is concerned enough about his health to send him to the country during "The Boscombe Valley Mystery", but when Mary Morstan dies (the circumstances of which are not related in the Sherlock Holmes canon), Watson moves back in with Holmes and makes no reference to the loss, though it is speculated by Baring-Gould that he married again afterwards, which raises questions as to how close they actually were, or whether Watson is being a stiff-lipped Victorian. It is probable that Mary Morstan died in the interim between "The Adventure of the Final Problem" and "The Adventure of the Empty House", given that in his farewell letter to Watson, Holmes asks his old friend to "give my regards to Mrs. Watson"; upon Holmes's return, Watson writes, "In some manner he had learned of my own sad bereavement"; and in "The Adventure of the Norwood Builder", one of the most immediate adventures after Holmes's return, Watson has returned to the old quarters in Baker Street.

[Janie]

Mark Gatiss/ Mycroft will be appearing less because he's now also the writer of the show...

 

Gattis has always been one of the writers of the show so I don't think we'll see less of Mycroft   And welcome to the Forum, by the way 

 

 

About the explanation of the Fall. I really hope that what Sherlock said to Anderson wasn't true. Well, I believe that he planned it with Mycroft but the rest of it was a bit unrealistic. At least for me would be better if they never explain it, than something like this. 

[mujie]

No. I don't think what Sherlock told Phillip was true. You know Sherlock. I'd think he'd always take the simplest option out. Mycroft just used his power to get rid of John's sniper? Why wouldn't he do that for the others as well? It would have saved a lot of trouble. A Sherlock corpse that was replaced by the real Sherlock? First, there was no blood on the corpse, and if Sherlock had the "window-dressing" done on him while he was lying down, he could've just started off there. And in that case, why not just use the corpse. Sherlock wouldn't overcomplicate things, would he? But wait, if he did just want it to be more complicated, Molly still wasn't a key part as the corpse wasn't needed.

 

In fact, I'm questioning whether that encounter was real or not. I've been trying to figure out when it happened. And it's almost impossible that it happened before Sherlock and John were with the bomb. Sherlock knew it was a plot to blow up parliament, he said so himself, by which time, he had figured most of it out. Sherlock would waste no time. So if that were the case, why would Sherlock visit Anderson of all people. So that leaves 3 possibilities as I see it:

 

A) It's not real

It took place after the events on the train

C) The scene is more important than we think