After a mini
season break, Sherlock Holmes is back but far from firing on all
cylinders. It is unfortunate that just has the series was building up
some momentum, concerning the revelations about Sherlock’s past,
we’ve had a two-week gap to endure between episodes. And
unfortunately, this episode is unable to pick up where the previous
episodes left off. It also decides against picking up any of those
loose threads that have been left hanging but instead adds one or two
new ones of its own.
The latest
mystery to land at Holmes’ doorstep sees him called in to
investigate the bombing of a web design company, which has caused the
deaths of two employees. The case also takes in a PR firm with a
dubious history, a group of animal rights activists and a missing
company man. All the while, Watson is beginning to plan for the end
of her companionship with Sherlock by finding a suitable sponsor who
can see him through the rest of his rehabilitation.
The mystery
at the heart of the episode struggles to truly captivate and offers
nothing new to the series. However, the one really interesting
component is getting the chance to see Sherlock use some of the
skills and techniques that we have seem him practice and hone during
the course of previous episodes. This is where the episode is at its
strongest as although the mystery is none too taxing it is fun to see
Sherlock deploying a variety of methods to crack it.
Meanwhile,
Watson’s search for a sponsor is a rather unnecessary and slightly
disappointing subplot. Just as it appeared that the relationship
between Sherlock and Joan was starting to open up following on from
the “Irene” revelation, everything seems to be have swept under
the carpet. This is a little frustrating as it makes the writers
appear to going around in circles, especially as there is still a
long way to go in the season and I assume there will be some way of
keeping Sherlock and Watson together. We are also introduced to the
character of Alfredo, who Sherlock picks out as a potential sponsor,
but whether he is a character with any genuine mileage is up for
debate.
Former House
star Lisa Edelstein makes a guest appearance and does her best to
liven up her role but it is severely underwritten and feels like a
waste of her talents. Jonny Lee Miller is the undoubted star as his
Sherlock carries the episode in a whirlwind of energy and
high-powered reasoning. Hopefully future episodes will return Watson
to a more prominent position after being sidelined this week.
Review by Jonathan Gray
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