Moffat's next "Three Words" (Spoilers!!!)

[ChristineT]

I haven't seen "A Case of Identity" mentioned before, ChristineT, but by process of elimination, you're matching it up with "Wedding." Would you care to elaborate?

 

 

Basic plot is of a woman engaged to a man who leaves her at the alter by stepping in one side of a four wheeler and out the other. As the story goes on it becomes increasingly apparent that the man is, in fact, her stepfather in disguise and she has been duped.

 

 

Although it might make more sense if the Empty House episode contained JW's own wedding and the 'rat' was the second episode. I assume we're all agreed that it's possible the third will be His Last Bow?

Edited January 5, 2013 by Undead Medic
Added spoiler tags

[Carol the Dabbler]

 

She musta been one incredibly gullible woman!

 

 

Yes, I think that most of us think that Moftiss want us to think that it's "His Last Bow" -- i.e., based on that story (though presumably not our Sherlock's actual final case). And I believe I read somewhere that they have one heckuva cliff-hanger in mind!

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

There was a story that was mentioned but never related for the public called "The Giant Rat of Sumatra". According to many Sherlockian historians Watson was married as many as three times. Mary Morstan is considered by many to be his second wife. "His Last Bow" is also a collection of short stories under that heading.

[ChristineT]

 

She musta been one incredibly gullible woman!

 

 

And I believe I read somewhere that they have one heckuva cliff-hanger in mind!

 

Goody goody

 

And r.e. spoiler - I concur! Although one could see why she didn't guess at the time.

[SolitaryCyclist]

Rat: The Giant Rat of Sumatra "...a story for which the world is not yet prepared." This beast is mentioned in the ConanDoyle story The Sussex Vampire. So maybe, the 'rat' episode will involve vampirism; very popular these days

 

Wedding: There are several possible wedding episodes. Mentioned here already are Charles Augustus Milverton, a blackmailer. The Sign of Four, where John meets and becomes engaged to Mary Morsten (although The Blind Banker seemed more of a Sign of Four derivative). And, A Case of Identity, also mentioned.

 

Then there is The Solitary Cyclist, where a young women is married against her will. The Noble Bachelor, where a nobleman marries an American Heiress, and 20 minutes later she disappears! The Abbey Grange has a young Australian woman recently married to a vile noblemen, who ends up dead of a crushed skull. And, The Illustrious Client, where a young woman is engaged to a charming murderer, and Sherlock is engaged to disengage her

 

Bow. As mentioned, His Final Bow is the name both of a short story, and the second to last collection of short stories that ConanDoyle wrote; eight stories all together: Wisteria Lodge, The Cardboard Box, The Red Circle, The Bruce Partington Plans (already alluded to in The Blind Banker?), The Dying Detective (I see elements of this in The Reichenbach Fall), The Lady Francis Carfax, The Devils Foot (parts of which I see in The Baskerville Hound), and His Final Bow.

 

Wow...there are a LOT of possibilites in those three words!

[Carol the Dabbler]

Oh, how true! I'm torn between being inspired to read all of the Holmes stories and just giving up and waiting for Season 3. (So far, option number two is ahead.)

 

I liked the Season 2 "three words" a whole lot better!

[Alice Holmes]

Oh, come on people. We know Moffat. We know how his crafty little brain works. We know it cannot possibly be His Final Bow. Sherlock's not ending on nine episodes. And even if it didn't end--it really couldn't be called "His Final Bow", could it?

[SolitaryCyclist]

Sherlock's not ending on nine episodes. And even if it didn't end--it really couldn't be called "His Final Bow", could it?

 

Dear God, I hope not!

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

Gatiss did say that he would like to see the BBC Sherlock's Sherlock and Watson reach the same ages as Basil Rathebone and Nigel Bruce that would take them up to their forties and fifties. And Cumberbatch said he was willing to play Sherlock for the long run. So as long as Moffat and Gatiss can keep up the good writing it may be in production. Here is hoping.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Freeman has also been quoted as saying various things along the lines of it's one of the very best things he's ever been in, and he loves doing it -- so it does look hopeful.

 

It seems a little odd that Moftiss keep saying that bit about "till they're in their forties and fifties" as though any older would be implausible. I don't know exactly how old Sherlock and John are supposed to be, but Freeman is already in his (early) forties. I'd love to see them keep going as long as everyone's up for it, silver hair and wrinkles and all (even if John needs to get his cane back out of the closet). After all, Sherlock is more about friendship and wits than gymnastics.

[SolitaryCyclist]

This all sounds very encouraging. I must admitt, my heart sank a bit when reading interpretations of 'bow' as meaning the end of the series on the BBC. The story 'His Final Bow' takes place on the eve of WWI, and of course by then Sherlock and Watson are likely in their sixties. Broadly, it is a story about Sherlock unmasking a German spy. Seems to me this could be used as a story of unmasking a cyber-spy, or something like. Plenty of espionage in the here-and-now.

[Carol the Dabbler]

The story 'His Final Bow' takes place on the eve of WWI, and of course by then Sherlock and Watson are likely in their sixties.

I was thinking that Watson had given his impression of Holmes's age in Study in Scarlet, but can't seem to find it now. Do you know of any point in the canon where a specific (or even approximate) age is given for Holmes? At any rate, Study takes place in early March of 1881, and "Last Bow" in early August of 1914 -- a span of 33 years and 5 months.

 

Watson says that he himself "took" his degree in medicine (I assume he means completed it) in 1878. Nowadays, newly-minted American MDs are typically in their mid-20's, and I doubt the average was any older in Watson's day. So age 25, say, plus 3 years (from 1878 to 1881), plus 33 years, makes Watson's age about 61 for "Last Bow." I have the impression (please correct me if appropriate) that Holmes is supposed to be somewhat younger than Watson, but even 61 sounds awfully young for someone addicted to mental stimulation to be thinking of retirement.

 

Back to Sherlock -- As you say, even if they base the new third episode on the case from "His Last Bow," they could set it much earlier in Sherlock's career. I saw either Moffat or Gatiss quoted somewhere as saying they had a really terrific cliffhanger for this season, so it doesn't sound like they're planning to pull the plug just yet.

[aely]

they had a really terrific cliffhanger for this season

Oh not another one! I don't mind cliffhangers so much usually, but not when you have nearly 2 years to wait for resolution! Oh well, just proof of their evilness towards Sherlock fans (I can imagine the two of them rubbing their hands with glee and cackling - because obviously, they know what happens and we don't).

[Undead Medic]

Those two don't even tell Martin Freeman how Sherlock did it!

[Alice Holmes]

So I suppose we have pretty much completely ruled out His Final Bow, good to know...

[Carol the Dabbler]

So I suppose we have pretty much completely ruled out His Final Bow, good to know...

An actual "final bow" seems highly unlikely, yes -- though they may be using the plot from that story, ergo the clue word.

 

 

I can imagine the two of them rubbing their hands with glee and cackling - because obviously, they know what happens and we don't.

Or 2) they have nearly two years to come up with something. Or 3) they just sit at their computers and collect the cleverest bits from the fan forums....

 

 

Those two don't even tell Martin Freeman how Sherlock did it!

Thanks for that link, Tim. Even though the interview was brief, there was one thing I hadn't heard from anyone with the show before:

 

From what Steven and Mark have intimated to me... the people writing in to Radio Times and other places have got quite close I think

(Note that this ties in quite nicely with my conjecture 3) above. )