I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere: Rachel Gosch

Showing posts with label Rachel Gosch. Show all posts

Sherlock Series 4 — That's a Wrap

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"a glimpse of a great heart as well as of a great brain." [3GAR]</h4>
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[<b><i>Editor's Note:</i></b> this is the 14th in the series of reviews we're sharing on Sherlock Series 4. And spoilers? Yeah, we got that.]<br />
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After six years, Sherlock Holmes’ journey is complete. Series 4 of the hit BBC series has come and gone amid rumors that this latest offering could be the very last we see of the detective’s famed modern incarnation. “The Six Thatchers,” “The Lying Detective,” and “The Final Problem” represent the culmination of a six-year-old story, and in a way that recalls the very best of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, these tales give us a rollicking, powerful ending that still manages to toss out all of the viewer’s lingering preconceptions.<br />
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If you come into this crop of episodes expecting to be entertained by intricate Holmesian plots, you may emerge from your viewing with disappointment. There is <i>a lot</i> going on in this season—along with trying to solve the overarching mystery of Moriarty’s continued appearances from the afterlife, Sherlock and John must confront the unspeakable tragedy of Mary Watson’s death and unravel the secrets of the previously unknown Holmes sister, Eurus. All of these storylines are compelling to follow, but the sheer amount of material that has to be covered sometimes reduces the impact of the individual episodes themselves.<br />
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The strongest standalone tale of the bunch is certainly “The Lying Detective;” in addition to possessing the best single-episode villain in the entire series' history, Toby Jones’s chilling Culverton Smith, our main characters both have time to solve a case and cope with their traumas. In contrast, “The Six Thatchers” and “The Final Problem” race through their scenes at breakneck speeds, leaving fewer quiet moments for the audience to savor even as they create almost unbearable dramatic tension.<br />
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While some of the plots are slightly jumbled, there are still plenty of delights to be found throughout all three episodes. As always, the performances are top-notch; Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman brilliantly infuse Holmes and Watson with believable shades of ambiguity that challenge our perceptions of the famed heroes. And, as in “The Abominable Bride,” the women of the show get another opportunity to shine. Even as a figment of John’s imagination, Amanda Abbington is a heartbreaking delight as Mary Watson. Series newcomer Sian Brooke steals every scene she’s in, making Eurus Holmes a singular creation that is equal parts terrifying and pitiable. And Una Stubbs may have just cemented herself as the definitive on-screen Mrs. Hudson, bestowing the beloved landlady with an indomitable spirit and the driving skills of James Bond.<br />
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"with special reference" [LADY]</h3>
A furor has recently been raised about this series’ similarities to the Bond films, but I actually find the season’s referential nature to be a strong point in its favor. <i>Sherlock</i> has never been shy about drawing upon outside influences, but it’s fun to see the writers stretch beyond the Basil Rathbone canon and instead incorporate elements from Bond, <i>The Silence of the Lambs</i>, and even Batman’s Arkham Asylum. What makes them all work is that these sources once drew from Sherlock Holmes; now, the show is returning the favor while still maintaining a distinctly Holmesian twist in re-adaptation.<br />
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Even after brawling over a bust of Margaret Thatcher, Sherlock still finds it necessary to dramatically announce that he’s found the Black Pearl of the Borgias with a wording that doesn’t sound too far removed from the actual canonical text. Instead of engaging in a philosophical prison debate à la Batman and the Joker in <i>The Dark Knight</i>, Eurus torments her brother by demanding a violin performance from her jail cell. Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss have always pushed the boundaries of how adaptations can pay tribute to and innovate their source materials, and their experiments in this respect continue to be an entertaining spectacle to witness and analyze.<br />
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<br />"pray what remains for you?"</h3>
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But perhaps the largest success to come out of series four is in its resolution. I was keenly aware as I was watching “The Final Problem” that I was witnessing an ending that had been building since “A Study in Pink,” and one that has always been reflected in the title of the show. When we were first introduced to Sherlock way back in 2010, he was a high-functioning sociopath who couldn’t even understand why someone would be distraught over losing a child. He was prickly, irascible, petty, and brilliant—even Greg Lestrade couldn’t deny that he was great and terrible. But it quickly became clear that the show’s goal wasn’t to see Sherlock achieve further illustriousness; if they had wanted to associate him with greatness from the start, the title would have been <i>Sherlock Holmes</i>, which would have instantly aligned this version of the character with his iconic legacy. <i>Sherlock</i> was not fully formed—it demanded evolution.</div>
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This season was not the climax of the entire series’ plot; it was its emotional apex. Sherlock’s character transformation was wrenching and revelatory in these three episodes—he finally saw the disastrous consequences of giving into his own ego. Instead of lapsing into drug use to stave off his own boredom, Sherlock went to hell and back in service of a friend. This character finally was able to be there for other people—he hugged the bereft John Watson; he was able to bring Eurus Holmes down to earth by promising to be by her side, not through a series of dazzling deductions. Greg Lestrade could smile when he realized that his hope from six years ago had been realized.<br />
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Instead of being great, Sherlock Holmes finally became good this season. If it turns out there are more journeys with him ahead of us, I know I will look forward to seeing what they will be like with the good detective and his best friend.<br />
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Sherlock Series 4 — That's a Wrap

"a glimpse of a great heart as well as of a great brain." [3GAR] [ Editor's Note: this is the 14th in the series of revi...

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by Unknown

The Diogenes Cases: Terror Lies Underground — A Review

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"only in the Diogenes Club" [GREE]</h4>
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Historical fiction endures as a genre because the form allows an author to become both creator and explorer. Through careful crafting and contextualizing of the past, the lives of people lost to time can be unearthed upon the printed page, giving the modern reader a more subtle understanding of an era’s unique complexities.<br />
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This particular allure is also critical to the enduring popularity of the Sherlockian novel. Conan Doyle’s writing delights in provoking questions and inciting imaginations: who hasn’t wondered how a giant rat terrorized Sumatra? Did Holmes have more misadventures than those described during the Great Hiatus? Dr. Watson, Professor Moriarty, Irene Adler, and even Athelney Jones have taken turns as heroes of their own tales, expanding Sherlock Holmes’s 1895 into a world brimming with untold stories.<br />
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One such character has arisen as an increasingly popular conduit for the unexplored histories of the Canon. With his enticingly vague yet clearly critical role in the British government, Mycroft Holmes is now an essential figure in Sherlockian fiction. His shadowy connections, intense intellect, and contradictory personality allow him to bridge the gap between a writer’s original story and Conan Doyle’s creations, which is one of Mycroft’s many functions in Greg Jameson’s <i>T<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Terror-Lies-Underground-Diogenes-Cases-ebook/dp/B01IA9LY7U" target="_blank">he Diogenes Cases: Terror Lies Underground</a></i>.  <br />
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The first entry in a new ebook series, this story centers upon a young London surgeon named Jacob Wrayburn, who is struggling to cope with morphine addiction and the recent death of his father. But after witnessing strange happenings at St. Vincent de Paul hospital, Jacob is recruited into the secretive Diogenes Club by Mycroft Holmes and becomes a field agent in his spy network. Working alongside both Mycroft and Faith Hobson, a clever yet enigmatic American nurse, Wrayburn must confront his past in order to unravel a conspiracy that threatens England from the inside.<br />
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Jameson’s writing is very effective in uniting Conan Doyle’s Victorian atmosphere with Jacob Wrayburn’s transformative odyssey, which in turn strengthens the depictions of the characters and temporal issues that affect their lives. Personal dilemmas that arise throughout the course of the novel each reflect the limitations of Victorian society upon its citizens; for example, Jacob is saddled with a family legacy that goes against his personal desires, and Faith, in a stand-out turn, must combat entrenched sexism as she attempts to uncover the mysteries behind the Diogenes Club. The characters’ struggles feel natural in their setting, which in turn makes them compelling figures to follow in the fast-paced plot. <br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Terror-Lies-Underground-Diogenes-Cases-ebook/dp/B01IA9LY7U" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzO-YNFUyfclGlLXJweNJhlvTtASqaJuD2w975KHGPhU86eJlj9wiIhVuw38-cqZdirDuYLY1PjW-p6-JBGwj1sjMQTQAiyQ0QFjvTe8sugwGTyyXHuh9-JU9T7WPCvtqYVhQeG4t83tNR/s320/Diogenes+Cases.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
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These internal problems faced by the heroes are also complimented by complex themes that propel <i>The Diogenes Cases</i>’ central storyline. Jameson’s plot excellently couples intense action to thought-provoking questions; the conflict forces the reader to challenge their perception of the Victorian era. With a home-grown Imperialist terrorist sect serving as the story’s antagonist, the author deftly avoids creating plot motivations based on broad stereotypes of the period’s morals. These well-crafted elements recall the strength in Conan Doyle’s depiction of the Victorian world; Sherlock Holmes’ clients and foes alike were similarly driven to desperate actions as a result of the society that shaped their lives. Issues of class and nationality are often at the center of the Canon’s stories, and these same themes also live on in the author’s reimagining of Victoriana.<br />
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While the original components of the story have interesting parallels with Conan Doyle’s text, the depiction of Mycroft Holmes veers very far from what readers familiar with the character may expect. The indolent thinker has become a man of action—this version of Mycroft isn’t afraid to point a gun at his enemies in the middle of a crowded party. His intellect is still intact, but it is jarring to see his core personality altered so drastically.<br />
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Even Mycroft’s appearance has been changed beyond immediate recognition; upon meeting Jacob and Faith, he is described as “a tall, thin man…with a good head of dark brown hair wearing a smart pin-striped suit, leaning casually against a set of filing cabinets in the back of the room.” We are introduced to a polished, elusive, dynamic gentleman; a reader might wonder if they are meeting the younger Holmes brother in place of the elder. It's not unfamiliar territory, as <a href="http://ihose.co/ihose81" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">recent Mycroft stories</a> have also tread.<br />
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<i>The Diogenes Cases</i> is set in the aftermath of “The Final Problem,” but Sherlock’s shadow still looms throughout the narrative. However, his absence creates a series of inconsistencies that undermine Mycroft’s effectiveness as an individual character. Jameson implies that the relationship between the brothers is contentious at best; Mycroft describes Sherlock as a fame-seeker who’s more concerned with his image than benefitting society. But he also doesn’t appear to bear any ill will towards Watson for lying to the public in his stories—in an unusually magnanimous act, he goes so far as to recommend his medical services to Wrayburn. Is Mycroft angry about his brother being misrepresented? How does he feel about being depicted as corpulent and idle in print? These questions remain frustratingly unanswered and form a point of unneeded tension between the story and its source material. Without any details given to justify the massive alterations to Mycroft and Sherlock’s characters, the changes do not feel innovative or organic to the process of adapting Conan Doyle’s work.<br />
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Even though this first entry into the series does not fully succeed at characterizing Mycroft Holmes, <i>Terror Lies Underground</i>’s original elements create a promising bedrock on which to develop further tales. Greg Jameson’s nuanced Victorian world can be further deepened in future installments that similarly explore our conception of the Diogenes Club’s chief spymaster.</div>
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<i>The Diogenes Cases: Terror Lies Underground</i> by Greg Jameson is published by Artellus Ltd. and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Terror-Lies-Underground-Diogenes-Cases-ebook/dp/B01IA9LY7U" target="_blank">is available on Amazon</a>.<br />
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The Diogenes Cases: Terror Lies Underground — A Review

"only in the Diogenes Club" [GREE] Historical fiction endures as a genre because the form allows an author to become both ...

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by Unknown

Silent Meridian — A Review

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“vague memories in our souls of those misty centuries when the world was in its childhood.” [STUD] </h4>
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In the rise of Victorian-set fiction, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has lately found a second life as a character within historical and pastiche narratives. In works such as Laurie R. King’s Mary Russell series, the Master has served as Watson’s literary agent; on occasion, he has even investigated crimes in the style of Sherlock Holmes, as shown in Graham Moore’s <i>The Sherlockian</i> and Fox’s recent TV show <i>Houdini and Doyle</i>. But in <i><a amzn-ps-bm-asin="1780929773" class="amzn_ps_bm_tl" data-amzn-link-id="fa858535fb697d9befb2f0d38d3408b4" data-amzn-ps-bm-keyword="Silent Meridian" href="http://www.amazon.com/Silent-Meridian-Time-Traveler-Professor/dp/1780929773/ref=as_li_bk_tl/?tag=thebakerstree-20&linkId=fa858535fb697d9befb2f0d38d3408b4&linkCode=ktl" id="amznPsBmLink_8023072" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Silent Meridian</a><img alt="" border="0" height="0" id="amznPsBmPixel_8023072" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?source=bk&t=thebakerstree-20&bm-id=default&l=ktl&linkId=fa858535fb697d9befb2f0d38d3408b4&_cb=1463719685620" style="border: none !important; height: 0px !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: 0px !important;" width="0" /></i>, the first entry in Elizabeth Crowens’ Time Traveler Professor series, Conan Doyle is instead placed in the center of a unique Spiritualist quest that stretches across centuries and continents.<br />
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The novel begins in 1898, when John Patrick Scott, an aspiring music student and paranormal investigator, is given a mysterious red book when on his way to meet the author in Edinburgh. Shortly after their introduction, Scott builds a time-travel device that allows him to take on the personas of his past and future reincarnations. With Conan Doyle as his partner, the would-be Time Traveler Professor works to unravel the secrets of the red book, uncovering Spiritualist mysteries that stretch their bond to its breaking point.  <br />
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One of the most creative elements of the novel is the connection between reincarnation and time travel, which strengthens the scenes where Scott and Doyle dive in to other eras. Instead of remaining mere observers of history, the characters are able to fully interact with a variety of detailed milieus, including feudal Japan and an underground academy of magic in the steampunk future. Furthermore, the identities taken on by the time travelers are engaging characters on their own merits, who compel their other selves to engage in new, exciting actions.<br />
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I often found myself wishing that more scenes were centered on these characters, and particularly upon Scott’s female reincarnation, Aliskiya Lleullne, as she studies magic in her predecessor’s distant future. Her presence provoked fascinating questions about the soul, gender, and John Patrick’s treatment of women that could have been further explored in the story.<br />
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Unfortunately, the novel’s breakneck pace often reduces the amount of time the reader gets to spend with many of its compelling secondary characters, as well as creating other issues that affect the cohesion of its central storyline. In addition to its lengthy sojourns in other time periods, the narrative covers a sizable swath of the early 20th century; in just under 350 pages, the reader races from the fin de siècle to the onset of World War One.<br />
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John Patrick Scott’s journey to becoming the Time Traveler Professor is the story’s central focus in the midst of rapid time shifts, but characters and entire plots are alternately removed from or inserted into the narrative in a streamlining effort that creates more confusion than clarity. Characters who are established as key players, including the reincarnations, disappear with little explanation. Scott’s investigation into the origins of the red book—the impetus for the entire story—is put on hold for more than fifty pages as he describes his double-sided affair with a married couple in Germany, only for the focus to return to his mystical investigation without providing a definitive conclusion for the subplot that temporarily took center stage. <br />
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Furthermore, the Victorian-based characters’ relationship to their own time and setting becomes less tangible to the reader as the narrative progresses. When Scott discusses topics like psychology or sexuality with his contemporaries, the dialogue takes on the tone of 21st century academics discussing the era’s politics instead of a conversation between people actually living in the time period. These inconsistencies can sometimes make it hard for the reader to firmly understand the story’s actions as well as the purposes of its peripheral characters, and while John Patrick Scott’s arc is a unique one, I feel that his motivations and opinions could be expressed through more subtle contextual details rather than direct exposition concerning his time’s standard ideologies.<br />
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But <i>Silent Meridian</i>’s secret weapon lies in its most famous Victorian figure, for its representation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle reveals new facets about the writer that perhaps some Sherlockians have never taken into full consideration. In works of fiction and nonfiction, Conan Doyle’s embrace of Spiritualism in his later years has been either ignored or depicted with an air of disappointment. To this day, many find it difficult to admit that the man who created one of fiction’s most logical characters also believed in seances and fairies.<br />
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Yet Elizabeth Crowens manages to wonderfully synchronize Conan Doyle’s rationality with his spirituality. In his fictional efforts to explore the paranormal with John Patrick Scott, he approaches the quest as a scientist does an experiment, conducting trials alongside Scott that help him validate his beliefs. Instead of being mocked for embracing the seemingly irrational, he is celebrated here for daring to embrace unknown possibilities, creating a unique duality of character that takes him beyond the stereotypes surrounding his activities in the realm of Spiritualism. <br />
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For readers seeking a new twist on a well-known author, <i>Silent Meridian </i>should be an engaging and singular read that will challenge their perception of his place in the late Victorian era.<br />
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Elizabeth Crowen’s <i>Silent Meridian</i> is out today and can be ordered from <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/silent-meridian-time-traveler-professor-book-1-elizabeth-crowens/1123705488?ean=9781780929774" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Silent-Meridian-Time-Traveler-Professor/dp/1780929773/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1463289252&sr=8-1&keywords=silent+meridian" target="_blank">Amazon</a>, or <a href="http://www.mxpublishing.com/index.html" target="_blank">MX Publishing</a>. The official book launch/party/reading date will take place on June 8th, from 6:30-8:30 pm at New York City’s <a href="http://www.mysteriousbookshop.com/">The Mysterious Bookshop</a>.<br />
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A "chat" for The Hour of the Wolf Radio Show on WBAI, hosted by Jim Freund, will be recorded at the event and an actor portraying Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (complete with costume, makeup and accent) will be reading Sir Arthur's lines of dialogue in the reading. Keeping with the Scottish theme, Walkers Shortbread will be sponsoring the event and providing biscuits. There will also be a raffle for a bottle of Scotch whisky.<br />
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Silent Meridian — A Review

“vague memories in our souls of those misty centuries when the world was in its childhood.” [STUD] In the rise of Victorian-set fictio...

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by Unknown

The Great Detective Pikachu — The Evolution of Holmes in Japan

The Great Detective Pikachu — The Evolution of Holmes in Japan

"the Japanese system"[EMPT] The likes of Basil Rathbone, John Barrymore, Jeremy Brett, and Benedict Cumberbatch are about to...

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by Unknown

Fun in Challenging the Past — An Abominable Bride Review

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<span style="text-align: start;">"The two friends chatted...recalling once again the days of the past" [LAST]</span></h4>
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<br />[<i><b>Editor's note:</b> This is the first in a series of reviews we're publishing about ABOM today. Please be forewarned: there may be spoilers in each. And this entry marks the first contribution of Rachel Gosch, who joins <a href="http://ihose.co/ihoseteam" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">our team</a>.</i>]<i> </i><br /><br />For readers of <i>The Strand Magazine</i> in the Victorian era, the ever-growing wave of unstoppable social, economic, and technological change made the prospect of returning to a world perpetually basking in the familiar trappings of 1895 a comforting release. In the many years since, it is ironic to note that modernization remains at the core of the BBC’s <i><a amzn-ps-bm-asin="B004132HZS" class="amzn_ps_bm_tl" data-amzn-link-id="652684aa8f2525a0c9d15ede805b17a6" data-amzn-ps-bm-keyword="Sherlock" href="http://www.amazon.com/Sherlock-Season-1-Benedict-Cumberbatch/dp/B004132HZS/ref=as_li_bk_tl/?tag=thebakerstree-20&linkId=652684aa8f2525a0c9d15ede805b17a6&linkCode=ktl" id="amznPsBmLink_8662974" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sherlock</a><img alt="" border="0" height="0" id="amznPsBmPixel_8662974" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?source=bk&t=thebakerstree-20&bm-id=default&l=ktl&linkId=652684aa8f2525a0c9d15ede805b17a6&_cb=1451968274736" style="border: none !important; height: 0px !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: 0px !important;" width="0" /></i>, now arguably the most popular interpretation of Holmes in the twenty-first century so far. <br /><br />One of the most consistently amusing aspects of the show is watching writers and series creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss alter the elements of the stories for modern times. By entering the new period, storytelling is both facilitated and challenged: Moriarty becomes an even more implacable threat with the assistance of anonymous texts and suicide bombs, but his nemesis has the Internet to back up his vast deductive skill. <br /><br />For three seasons, viewers have ensconced themselves in this new reality, which made the possibility of returning to the old world in the lead-up to January’s Victorian-set <i><a amzn-ps-bm-asin="B018WIDIWI" class="amzn_ps_bm_tl" data-amzn-link-id="2c48caa418107be39b2ae23f632ad59a" data-amzn-ps-bm-keyword="The Abominable Bride" href="http://www.amazon.com/Sherlock-Abominable-Bride-Feature-Only/dp/B018WIDIWI/ref=as_li_bk_tl/?tag=thebakerstree-20&linkId=2c48caa418107be39b2ae23f632ad59a&linkCode=ktl" id="amznPsBmLink_8593054" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Abominable Bride</a><img alt="" border="0" height="0" id="amznPsBmPixel_8593054" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?source=bk&t=thebakerstree-20&bm-id=default&l=ktl&linkId=2c48caa418107be39b2ae23f632ad59a&_cb=1451971673091" style="border: none !important; height: 0px !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: 0px !important;" width="0" /></i> seem more daunting than previously imagined. How would the writers react to the removal of today’s crime-solving technology? How would Sherlock and John sound calling each other Holmes and Watson? Could Sherlock adapt to the past as well as it had done to the future?<br /><br />In this critic’s opinion, the answer to that last question is a resounding yes.<br /><br /><br />Watching this special is to witness the cast, crew, and especially the writers making merry with their original source material; you get the sense they’ve been aching to do this for years. With its ghostly titular antagonist and creepy, fog-filled sets, the show indulges its Gothic roots, a display which is welcomed after the somewhat lackluster attempt at horror in “The Hounds of Baskerville.” References both subtle and obvious are sprinkled throughout, and time-bound elements of canon get their chance to shine. Terrifically delivered performances bolster the sense of authenticity, especially in the case of Benedict Cumberbatch; toning down his Sherlock’s acerbic tendencies, he instead captures the twinkling eyes and calculated ego of Conan Doyle’s Holmes.<br /><br />Yet <i><a amzn-ps-bm-asin="B013JBJ7EG" class="amzn_ps_bm_tl" data-amzn-link-id="62e2747e6de4ce8bbcd57102bf62e6cb" data-amzn-ps-bm-keyword="The Abominable Bride" href="http://www.amazon.com/Sherlock-Abominable-Bride-Benedict-Cumberbatch/dp/B013JBJ7EG/ref=as_li_bk_tl/?tag=thebakerstree-20&linkId=62e2747e6de4ce8bbcd57102bf62e6cb&linkCode=ktl" id="amznPsBmLink_3843492" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Abominable Bride</a><img alt="" border="0" height="0" id="amznPsBmPixel_3843492" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?source=bk&t=thebakerstree-20&bm-id=default&l=ktl&linkId=62e2747e6de4ce8bbcd57102bf62e6cb&_cb=1451971656164" style="border: none !important; height: 0px !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: 0px !important;" width="0" /></i> is anything but a straight Victorian adaptation. Moffat and Gatiss’ story starts out as a typical Sherlockian whodunnit, but soon becomes a complex psychological battle, the details of which I won’t spoil here. The plot’s organization is the most difficult part of the experience; I didn’t have trouble understanding it on my first viewing, but I can definitely see how other viewers might become confused by the episode’s structure. But the idea itself is a compelling twist on the cliche that could’ve served as the impetus for the narrative’s setting. <br /><br />The creators’ love and respect for the time period is evident, but the challenging of nineteenth-century stereotypes becomes the dominating motif of the episode, particularly in its characterization of our time-traveling cast. Mycroft’s girth is no longer an amusing character tidbit; it’s a genuine threat to his health. When Watson is asked to abandon his domestic breakfast table for Baker Street, he doesn’t just leave—he bolts. In the most welcome change from canon, the women and their personal struggles are a central focus. Amanda Abbington, Una Stubbs, and especially Louise Brealey all deliver series-best performances; as a female viewer, it was a joy to see Mary questioning John’s absences (about time, after 126 years!) and Molly strutting through her mortuary with a steely glint in her eyes. <br /><br />And it is this willingness towards subversion in the midst of glorification which elevates ABOM beyond a fun one-off and transforms it into a unique statement on the benefits of adaptation. The Canon is unquestionably a landmark work, bringing the literary world wonderful characters and exciting stories as well as serving as an inspiration for a whole genre of writing. Yet there wouldn’t be hundreds of books, movies, and TV shows about Holmes if readers hadn’t thought there was more to know about their hero than what they were told by Conan Doyle. Yes, there was The Great Detective—but who was Sherlock Holmes? Why did he choose to devote himself to catching criminals? Why did he choose Watson as a companion? Can anyone answer these questions? Should anyone answer these questions?<br /><br />One of the best scenes in the special has a setup familiar to readers of the stories. As nighttime falls upon an abandoned greenhouse on a country estate, Holmes and Watson lie in hiding, peering through the thick mist towards the quiet house and waiting for a mysterious specter to reveal itself. We expect that Holmes will be brimming with anticipation, ready to spring into action at the slightest disturbance. We expect that Watson is cautious yet determined, his trusty revolver in hand. We expect Holmes to whisper some small warning alongside a witticism. There’s suddenly a shadow, a movement, a scream. And the game is afoot.<br /><br />But as the detective and the doctor anticipate the arrival of the bride, we are treated to another version of this scenario. Watson strikes up an unusual conversation. He interrogates Holmes about his past with women, bringing up the lingering effect of the woman on his friend. Holmes become visibly irritated, even mortified. They devolve into argument; as they question the influence Watson has on Holmes, the necessity of emotion, the existence of ghosts, and so on, they roll their eyes and grit their teeth. The duo is clearly frustrated by each other’s responses.<br /><br />Of course, they’re eventually interrupted by the ghostly lady’s appearance; the spat is quickly left behind as they pursue her. But for one modern moment in the Victorian era, we finally hear one full, intimate conversation between Sherlock Holmes and John Watson.<div>
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