becke_davis wrote:
Fricka wrote:
becke_davis wrote:I love the characters and the premise, but I'm not 100% thrilled with the conclusion of either story. I feel like the endings are all flash and sizzle, and I prefer the intellectual exercises.
My husband suspects the producers are preparing us for the absence of Dr. Watson while he's making the Hobbit movie. In the books, Watson was married, of course - my husband is betting they plan to pair up Holmes with MRS. Watson while the good doctor is away.
Oh, oh, becke--the g-nomes seem to be at it again! I just had got the quote from your last post on the page and then it disappeared--then reappeared. Hope this goes through!
Not again! Of course we know why ...
Yes, it's because I seem to be an unwitting magnet for the little guys!
I know what you mean about the endings--not very satisfying, especially after all the thrilling fights and events of the episode. I do hope you are wrong about Sherlock and Mrs, Watson--although, to be precise, she is not Mrs, Watson, just yet. But it was funny to see Watson trying to make a romantic impression.
I agree!
Great minds think alike!
That bit about Sherlock hinting about Watson taking his date to the circus, Watson pooh-poohing that, and then -Voila! ending up taking his date to the circus, and having Sherlock turn up, making it a three some at the ticket office, was pretty funny.
It was close, though - I was getting as irritated with Sherlock as Watson was. It's a fine line between brilliant narcissist and spoiled brat.
True! Have to say, Sherlock is not the most satisfying roomie or friend that one could have. It's better to get him in small doses, as in if you were a client and relying on his thinking skills to help you, but in the domestic arena, he's a wash-out.
I have to say, it's interesting to see how the characters are developing. There were a couple of spots in this episode that showed that Sherlock could be charming to the opposite sex, when he wanted to be. He usually chooses not to be, but it is more interesting to see him as someone who can turn it on and off, choosing usually not to bother, than as someone who is socially inept and not that interested in women in general.
I totally agree, and I thought that was well done.
And yes, there was that little moment when Watson's date(sorry have forgotten her name) was looking over Sherlock's shoulder and pointing out that the chinese code symbols actually spelled out names--the little nano-second that Sherlock had to look at her did kind of hint at either future respect or interese.
I didn't think that look denoted attraction - instead, I got the impression it was the first time he registered her as a human being with a brain.
Huh. I had to think about that again, becke. Wasn't sure if I was just reading too much into that glance, and then I happened to see a repeat of the episode in the wee hours one night, and I paid particular attention to that little snippet of a scene. I think you are probably right, but we won't know if there will be further developments with Watson and his date, and whether Sherlock takes any further interest in her, until we see future episodes.
I do not think that I would be happy with a directorial choice of Sherlock dallying with Mrs. W while the doctor's away--but since this is the 21st century, I could see maybe Sherlock and Watson's girl having a brief romance before she and Watson tie the knot--maybe even her rejecting Sherlock in favor of Watson as a way to explain Sherlock's adult character being adverse to women.
If Sherlock went after Watson's woman, that would be the last time I'd watch it.
Well, I wouldn't either. I was just thinking of scenarios that might explain how the writers might develop the series, seeing as how they are not using actual Doyle stories to base the episodes on. That gives them a lot of leeway--probably much too much, for those of us REAL Sherlock fans!
Anyway, I do think that they do need more effective endings. The two that I have seen so far have not been very impressive.
I agree - it seemed like an awful lot of build-up (which I enjoyed) and then a kind of fizzly ending.
I had a chat with my brother, who is also a fan of British mystery series, and his view is that the actors are good, but the writing is not up to snuff, especially at the endings. Very weak, in his view, and I have to agree. Now I have to wonder if maybe there are several writers working on this project, and the one who does the middle part is very good, but whoever does the beginning and endings is not.
I liked the version with Jeremy Brett--loose ends all tied up at the end make it more enjoyable for the viewer, and that is what the producers of this new series have not quite grasped yet, in my view. ( Although I guess an argument could be made that by indicating the fate of the female Chinese Tong leader at the end did kind of resolve that particular problem...)
I like the world they've built, putting Holmes and Watson in the 21st century, and I think they've done an impressive job of giving them the characteristics of the originals with modern sensibilities.
The plots have been interesting, too, but I've been disappointed by the solutions and conclusions in both episodes, sadly.
It's hard to out-do Doyle, and I don't know why they even try. It would be better if they at least took the kernel of plot lines from the books rather than this free style approach. The thing is, as good, and as watchable as the middle part of the shows are, the plots don't hold up. My brother pointed out all kinds of plot holes in the first episode, one being the part about the taxi guy being the poisoner, and he made the point that the victims could have taken their chances and just walked out on him! That's what most people would do, I think. And the whole thing about the first victim spelling out the word, "Rachel" doesn't really hold water, either. Weak, weak, weak plot line, which get revealed at the endintg of the episode. I think most viewers, at least speaking for myself, stick with the show until the end, expecting for the loose ends to be explained then. Only, they aren 't. which leaves the viewer in the air. That's one thing Agatha Christie had down cold--explain everything that didn't make sense in the story, at the end. Her detective expounding at the end became a bit of a cliche, but it's still a satisfying conclusion for the reader, or the viewer, as the case may be in a film or adaptation of her work. We can all tell how much a producer or director gets this in work that's derived from Christie, and the same goes for those based on Doyle's work. There needs to be more of a deliberate wrap up, with Sherlock explaining everything to Watson at the end. .
The last episode of this season is showing tomorrow night. At this point, I don't know if I will watch it or not.
