Sherlock Review: Series 2 Episode 1 "A Scandal in Belgravia"

By: Steven Moffat

**Spoilers**
If you have not yet watched this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.



            When last we left our two heroes (Sherlock and John) they were in a deadly stand-off with one Jim Moriarty that culminated in one of the worst series finale cliffhangers of all time. Speculation ran high as we waited for Series 2. Would Moriarty back down? Would Mycroft and Lestrade come barrelling in to the rescue? Would Sherlock shoot the Semtex vest and John catapult them both into the relative safety of the pool's waters? What would happen?

            As it stands - I think that it was a genius move on the part of Moffat to resolve the conflict in such an anti-climatic and hilarious way. Nothing could ever quite live up to fan expectations and having the Bees Gees and a mysterious phone-call save our boys gave the episode plenty of time to catapult us into the new story; the story of The Woman.


Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

 - Irene Adler being updated into a Dominatrix isn't actually all that far away from the mark. The original Irene was an opera singer and, during the time period, being a woman and being a performer wasn't exactly held up in high esteem.

- I love the way they worked the iconic deerstalker into the show. I'd been wondering when it would come up...

- The Geek Interpreter, The Speckled Blond, The Adventure of the Navel Treaty, & Sherlock Holmes Baffled all made me grin like an idiot, as did the reference to the infamous tobacco ash analysis (though that could have been brought on by Sherlock in tartan plaid complete with goggles and a blowtorch!)

- Sherlock going to Buckingham buck naked (pun intended) save for a sheet...which he then nearly loses. Don't even try to pretend that that wasn't blatant fanservice!

- Sherlock and John giggling like naughty schoolboys and stealing ashtrays from the Palace. Tsk, tsk. I'm not sure who corrupted who...

- Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes are two extraordinary geniuses. One is the world's only Consulting Detective and the other practically runs the British Government (a Consulting Politician, if you will) and yet whenever they're in the room together they suddenly become a pair of squabbling toddlers. It's strange and oddly adorable.

- John's new profession is keeping peace between the Holmes brothers.

- I love the contrasts/comparisons made between Sherlock and Irene. The way they both look at pictures of each other and prepare for their meeting...although in completely different ways. Sherlock's method of preparation (and the help he asks John for) still cracks me up:

- Sherlock's first meeting with Irene (especially the bit where his mental keyboard has a little scramble) is simply brilliant. The conversation is multi-layered and I love the places where Sherlock is completely flummoxed by the intelligent and beautiful Irene.

- As always the cinematography of Sherlock is simply brilliant. I especially liked the scene with the magical appearing bed.

- Mycroft's expression at Irene's 'gift' to Sherlock is simply priceless. And Mrs. Hudson was right - that noise was rather rude...

- And I just grin like an idiot every time Mycroft tells Mrs. Hudson to shut up and Sherlock and John instantly jump all over him (metaphorically speaking). It really is quite the adorable family living there at 221B Baker Street, isn't it? This is why Sherlock is currently my favorite Sherlock Holmes adaptation...I love what they did with Mrs. Hudson!

- Also in that scene, Sherlock keeps shooting Mycroft smug looks during Mrs. Hudson's scolding as if to say "See? Mummy loves ME best!"

- I absolutely LOVE all of the violin bits in this episode. I play myself (and have for several years) and so I am just tickled pink every time that Sherlock picks up the instrument, whether it is to compose a dirge or to make sarcastic remarks at his brother. 

- Poor Molly! Clearly she thought that this Christmas party would be the perfect time to come out with her feelings towards Sherlock. Look at her! She got all dressed up and she can scarcely take her eyes off of the back of his head.

- Conversely, poor Sherlock! It is evident that he is absolutely miserable at this party (which was clearly John's idea) and not just because he is a spiritual descendant of Ebeneezer Scrooge. He is terrible in social situations and, to a certain extent, he knows it. Usually he doesn't care because The Work doesn't exactly require you to be a peach, but here Sherlock is like the proverbial fish out of water. It just makes the whole scene uncomfortable.

- Everyone always focuses on Molly whenever she asks Mycroft awkwardly how Sherlock recognized Irene from '...not her face...' - but I am infinitely more caught by Mycroft's reaction. He sort of grimaces out a polite smile, but you can see that he's wondering the same thing himself. It is both humorous and touching because he really does care about his little brother and is worried about him.

- Why did Sherlock follow John to the power station? Simple answer - he clearly noticed that the car was not one of Mycroft's and so followed to make sure his blogger would be all right. Kinda makes you feel better about all of the insults he throws at John, doesn't it?

- Saving Mrs. Hudson. I actually cheered whenever he was picking out all of the vulnerable spots on that thug. 

- He deserved it; Mrs. Hudson is awesome!

- Am I the only one who finds it hilarious that Irene slipped into the flat and decided to sleep in Sherlock's bed? She's totally vulnerable like that. It's not like she brought backup. She has literally put herself at the mercy of two men she barely personally knows. And yet she still does it without even batting an eyelid. It's not that she trusts him, it's just that she has him so well figured out that she knows he won't run to the police or his brother. By this point Irene Adler has Sherlock Holmes dancing on a string.

- There is a reason this script is so smart in the way it uses innuendo and double-talk. Take the fireside scene, as an example. Sherlock is sitting there plucking at the violin and Irene is watching him from John's chair. I do find it a bit bewildering that John went out and left Sherlock alone there with Irene...but maybe that's just another indication of how brilliant she is if she even fooled John Watson, watchdog extraordinaire.

- Anyway; Sherlock is sitting there puzzling out the Coventry Conundrum and starting to figure out how 007 ties into it all. Now take a look at Irene's face - she's becoming concerned (not panicking, because we never see Irene panic) and so she asks him if he's ever 'had' someone. That could seem like a non sequitur until you realize that Irene knows Sherlock is The Virgin...and that these sort of topics, particularly when up-close and personal, really throw him off. She completely derails his train of thought by inviting him to dinner. She is using that proposition as a tool to keep him in the dark. Just go and watch the scene again. She's playing him like that fiddle he's holding.

- Why is Mycroft so upset (moved to both drink and tears) at the news that Moriarty and therefore the terror cells know about FLight 007? Well it wasn't because of the wasted time and money. Mycroft has surely dealt with plenty of that in the past. No; this time it was because he - the inscrutable Mycroft Holmes - had been compromised. As Irene said "...unless you want to tell your masters that your biggest security link is your own little brother." Irene played with not one Holmes brother but with both - Sherlock being merely the means to an end. Mycroft is so shaken because he realizes that not only did Sherlock essentially commit treason by interpreting that code for Adler, but that he will no longer be able to protect his younger brother from the fallout of those actions due to the fact that he will be blamed for the leak.

- The final scene between Sherlock, Mycroft, and Irene is a thing of beauty to watch. So much is going on in this scene and the focus shifts from character to character so fast that you could watch it for years and still not pick up on all of the nuances. HUGE props should go to Steven Moffat and to the actors (Laura Pulver, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Mark Gatiss) for making this scene into the epic piece of complex beauty that it is.

- I absolutely adore the talk John has with Mycroft in Speedy's (not in the least because it shows that Mycroft somehow heard about John's earlier snarky comment concerning meeting in a café) and I have to thank them for the oddly-cute mental image of a big-eyed, curly-haired pirate stalking about Holmes Manor with a wooden sword.

- Sherlock is manipulated into saving Irene...she really played her cards right.

         In short, A Scandal in Belgravia is a fun, witty, romp. It was a wonderful, intense series-opener and so is a very hard act to follow. It is multi-layered and complex (more-so even than your 'average' Sherlock episode). I give this episode a 5/5. This was great television!

What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?