Sherlock Series Two - My Review

After watching series one last night I couldn't wait for night to fall so I could watch series 2. Now if you read my last Sherlock blog you know I had to watch the beginning of episode 1 of series 2 to see the resolution to the cliffhanger from series 1.

Series 2 started with "A Scandal in Belgravia", which is loosely based on "A Scandal in Bohemia", the episode depicts Holmes's quest to retrieve compromising photos of a minor royal held on the camera phone of Irene Adler, a ruthless and brilliant dominatrix who also trades in classified information extracted from her rich and powerful clients.

First of all the conclusion to series one finale was okay.. kind of odd but of course I knew they weren't going to blow everyone up.. but now to the main story of episode 1... OMG!!! this has to be one of the best written/acted/produced episodes I've seen of any TV series. I loved, loved, loved this episode. I adored Irene Adler, I loved her, hated her and loved her again. She is the perfect foil for Sherlock and I loved that he recognized this as well. Still my favorite thing about this series is the chemistry of Freeman and Cumberbach or Watson and Holmes. Those two actors blow me away every time they are on screen together.

I actually stood for the second half of the movie as I was just way to pumped/excited to sit. At the end when they were about to behead Irene my heart broke.. I really thought this was the end but then you hear Sherlock's phone message as she texted him "Goodbye" and my heart leaped. What an amazing ending to an amazing episode.

The second episode of this season was "The Hounds of Baskerville", which investigates the strange activities at a military base. Aware that The Hound of the Baskervilles, first published in 1902, was one of the most famous of Conan Doyle's original stories, Gatiss felt a greater responsibility to include familiar elements of the story than he does when adapting the lesser-known stories. Henry Knight, a man whose father was ripped apart by a gigantic hound on Dartmoor twenty years earlier requests the help of Sherlock.

This was an enjoyable episode, but I mean after episode one nothing could compare. But I liked the story and of course the companionship of Holmes and Watson. I liked Sherlock's conflict between what his mind is telling him and what his eyes are seeing. It literally driving him crazy. His outburst at Watson and eventual apology was played so well.

The final episode of Sherlock series 2 was "The Reichenbach Fall". The episode follows Moriarty's plot to discredit and kill Sherlock Holmes, concluding with Holmes faking his suicide as Watson looked on. It was based upon Conan Doyle's story "The Final Problem", in which Sherlock and Moriarty are presumed to have fallen to their deaths from the Reichenbach Falls in Switzerland.

I love that they showed the outcome of Watson's blog with Sherlock becoming a "celebrity". It was great to see Moriarty back turning everyone against Sherlock, making it look like he is a fraud and everything was a set up. And then we have the ending with Moriarty killing himself leaving Sherlock with no way of saving his friends unless he kills himself as well. Moriarty is a whack job.

I mean I know Sherlock isn't going to die but I don't understand how he pulled off this supposed suicide. I know Molly had something to do with it but other then that I don't have a clue. And then at the very end with Watson at Sherlock's grave heart broken and Sherlock watching from behind a tree, I was in tears.

Again this was a great episode but they ruined all episodes for me after episode one of series 2. But over all three more fantastic episodes to add to this amazing TV series. Can't wait for next season (series).

And speaking of Series 3, since I'm watching these so late I didn't have to wait a year like everyone else as series 3 will be out in January and they released a trailer  which you can watch below. I'm not sure how I feel that it's 2 years later and everyone kind of moved on with their lives.. but either way I can't wait to see what's in store for Mister Sherlock Holmes and his best friend Watson.

After watching series 2 I watched all the behind the scenes for both series 1 & 2. There wasn't much.. both had a cool "special" about each series but series 1 DVD's had the unaired 60 minute pilot that sold BBC on the concept of a Sherlock series.

Of course BBC loved the pilot and ordered three 90 minute episodes. They couldn't just extend the pilot for 30 minutes so they reshot the entire thing. It's basically the same story, it just has more details. All the characters/actors are the same but some of the locations changed. They also changed the way we see into Sherlock's mind (one of my favorite parts of the show) It's interesting to see how they expanded the pilot to make the first episode.. a must see of all Sherlock fans.

So now I'm like everyone else.. I must wait before I can't get more of one of the best TV series I have seen in a long time... bring on series 3!!!