Film Review: Hansel & Gretel - Witch Hunters

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

                 This is a very interesting film. After the disappointment of Jack the Giant Slayer and Mirror, Mirror I went in with very low expectations. As a result I was favourably surprised - but I wouldn't call the film anywhere close to stellar.

Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- The characters were almost all very enjoyable to watch and I personally felt that the brother-sister relationship between Hansel and Gretel was portrayed quite well. Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton have some great chemistry together and they played both the action/angst and dark comedy moments to perfection.

- I really liked the design of the opening credits with the flames and the newspaper clippings. It certainly got me excited for the movie as well as neatly gave out the back-story of what happened to the two siblings post-candy house. All too often nowadays a film will be lazy with the opening credits. But these, on the other hand, were almost as exciting to watch as the movie itself.

- I liked that this was a continuation to the Hansel and Gretel tale. One of the reasons I even watched this film, despite my low expectations was because that this particular story was my favourite fairy tale as a child (right up there with Puss in Boots and Jack the Giant Killer) and the trailer looked like it would be an interesting new take on my beloved bedtime story. Well it certainly was that!

- I LOVED the design of the witches in the story, especially at the great meeting of the coven towards the climax of the film. It was also very interesting that the story really stresses the idea that the witches are not evil because they are ugly but ugly because they are evil. Hansel talks about the way the dark magic eats away at the body and festers in the soul - quite a vivid description and a view that we don't really see explored in this fashion too often in film today.

- The weapons that the siblings use are also quite interesting and they made for quite a few awesome action sequences along with a few jokes in the vein of black humour that this movie is rife with. I enjoy a few dark jokes now and then, so the humour of this movie really appealed to me. The action sequences are great and, yes there is a bit of gore, but it's not in-your-face blood and guts and never exceeds what is shown during a single episode of Torchwood or Supernatural so even my relatively squeamish self sat though the entire experience without looking away in disgust once. It was (if you can ever apply this word to the subject) tastefully done.

- One thing that you have to understand going into this movie is what you should be expecting. It isn't a high epic or a magical quest...it's just a fantasy action flick with plenty of dark humour.

- The script feels half-finished and in dire need of some editing. It's not that it is full of plot holes or stupid contrivances, no, the problem here is that sometimes the story doesn't really focus all that well (like wasting time on the over-the-top sheriff subplot or that implied sex scene between Hansel and the White Witch). Those were elements that didn't really contribute anything to the plot and so slowed the entire story down quite a bit and at times even took me out of the experience as I groaned in frustration that we were bunny-trailing...again!

- In this story all of the sex and swearing elements really took me out of the universe. It is quite jarring to be watching a bunch of characters dressed in 'old-world' costumes and spouting out slightly archaic dialogue and then one of them suddenly cuts loose with a stream of vulgar and rather modern curses, particularly whenever people would never have used such language in a given situation in real life during that time period (like in front of a woman). As for the sexual content - which is fairly subtle and not shown on screen - my primary complaint here is that it really had nothing to do with the story. It was just kinda there for the sake of having two characters hook up. It didn't advance the plot and it didn't thicken the intrigue. I really feel that the movie could have benefited from less of it. It wasn't necessary and I hate it when writers add such things to an otherwise enjoyable story, just for the sake of having them in there.

- The sheriff of the town is annoying - and stupid - and unrealistic even for this universe of witches and candy houses.

- Edward the troll. Excuse me while I have a good laugh over this one...okay, I'm done. What didn't I like about Edward? Well, aside from the fact that he looks like Wreck-It Ralph's slightly uglier cousin, I just feel that he was a bit underdeveloped. I know, I know - he's a troll. But they could have made him a bit less of a random occurrence and I would both have not felt like his big choices came out of nowhere and I might have felt a bit of remorse whenever he 'died'. The troll from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone had more of a personality!

- There was so much wasted potential with this story! They took an interesting angle and gave Hansel diabetes as a result of all the candy that witch stuffed him with as a child. It's never named, but as he has to give himself injections every so many hours because of a sugar overdose anyone with half a brain could figure out what his condition is. But it's just kind of there, sitting in the script like a half-formed idea that never fully took shape but was so clever they couldn't bear to cut it out. Too bad because this could really have made the final confrontation more suspenseful and interesting.

- I am complaining a lot, but there really wasn't much of anything that really got my eye twitching. Usually how upset errors leave me is directly proportional to how much I care about the film in general and I honestly say that, while I enjoyed this one, it certainly wasn't something that I feel passionately about. Probably the only thing that makes my blood pressure start to rise is the aforementioned unfinished feeling to the script - the feeling that makes you believe that with just one or two more rewrites this film could have been something great.

- I did enjoy it, though. This is definitely something that is good for a bit of mindless action-filled fun and worth at least a second watch.

             Overall this is an enjoyable film if you have a couple of hours to kill and nothing better to do. It is a little bit cheesy, a lot melodramatic, and packed full of action and dark humour. I had fun watching it and I feel that it is something every fairytale geek should see at least once...despite all of the problems Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters ranks at about a 2/5



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

Sherlock Review: Series 3 Episode 1 "The Empty Hearse"

By: Mark Gatiss

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


            Okay. So if by this point you have not yet seen the wildly-anticipated first episode of Sherlock's third series, then I'm going to assume that you either have no access to electricity or you just don't care. In either case, this post shouldn't affect you in any way, so let's go ahead and dive in - spoilers and all.

           Two years ago Sherlock Holmes fell to his apparent death from the top of St. Bart's hospital...leaving behind his beloved landlady, Mrs Hudson; his connection to the police, DI Greg Lestrade; and his only friend, John Watson. The Reichenbach Fall is an episode that can move even the hardest of hearts to tears and the twist at the ending sent the fandom into a fervor. Within hours various networking sites exploded with gifs, screenshots, and Reichenbach Theories. These theories basically took over the Sherlock fandom for the next two years and ranged from Sherlock chucking down Moriarty's corpse and drugging John with the Baskerville drug to Molly pulling a Friar Lawrence and drugging Sherlock into death-like oblivion, reviving him later after Mycroft had identified the body and had his 'What have I done?' moment. And right at the zenith of all this fervor is where this new series finds us, for as time went by the craziness and speculation only grew stronger.


Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- When this episode opened I was a bit upset. I couldn't believe that they were going to address the whole Fall mystery right at the beginning. But about the time the bungee cord showed up, my fears were quickly placated and a smile slowly stole over my face, and I must confess whenever Sherlock gave Molly a big ol' kiss I practically spat my drink all over the screen. I have to agree with Lestrade's rather colorful rating of this theory...the Mission Impossible mask and Darren Brown would have suspended my disbelief just a little too much.

- Somehow Anderson has gone from humorously annoying chew toy to adorable madman within the space of one minisode. I don't understand.

- Some people have accused Gatiss of letting the fans do his work for him...they have complained that this episode contained WAY too much fanservice and winks to the fourth wall. Uh, with all due respect, I would like to disagree and argue that it would actually have been a worse choice to ignore all of the hiatus fervour. In case people haven't noticed, each episode of Sherlock tends to centre around a different genre. A Scandal in Belgravia was romance, The Blind Banker was straight-up crime drama, and The Empty Hearse is satire. We should view this episode as a loving tribute to the fanbase, gently mocking some of the more strange aspects of it.

- It's rather funny that Mycroft is just sitting in that chair with his feet propped up. Did Sherlock know he was there the whole time?

- I have to say that the reunion scene was everything I could ever have hoped for.  Having Sherlock interrupt John's proposal was just cruel, if hilarious, and I laughed while watching the scene where he goes about pick-pocketing various guests in order to put together the most ridiculous of disguises.

- The sad thing is, Sherlock honestly doesn't realise just how much he hurt John. He's been working for two years towards this reunion, anxiously awaiting the day when he can be reunited with his blogger, and so it honestly never occurs to him that John hasn't been doing the same. He is so excited to see John again that he completely forgets that John might not be so overjoyed to learn that Sherlock was lying. It is heartbreaking to see his face whenever John struggles to keep his composure and Sherlock immediately starts wildly back-pedalling, panicking and cracking awkward jokes because he doesn't know what else to do.

- He still deserved that punch, though.

- I think I am in love with Mary Morstan. No, really, I am. I have to admit I was nervous about the introduction of her character because all too often characters like Mary are introduced simply for the sake of being a love interest to remind us that the two lead characters aren't really gay. And, given the sheer amount of references to that age-old debate, I was honestly afraid that poor Mary would be reduced to being a beard. Shame on me for doubting the show that has presented us with two amazing female characters (Molly and Irene) and a couple of decent supporting cast members (Sarah, Sally, and Louis) not to mention the incredible Mrs. Hudson! Mary is everything I could have wished for and more.

- Oh...and to all of you who feared she would come between our two heroes, may I just present this adorable scene?

 

- That is what is so wonderful about Mary. She understands that John and Sherlock are pretty much a package deal and she supports her husband-to-be's relationship with his rather odd and socially awkward best friend. She is the one who pushes John into reconciling with Sherlock.

- And we got a hug for Sherlock at long last.

- The reunion with Mrs. Hudson bears mentioning for three reasons:

1. Because it is the first time in the episode that we hear Sherlock's iconic theme play full-force (because he's finally returned to home at Baker Street).
2. Because Mrs. Hudson is there in her flowered apron and purple rubber gloves, all set to brain the intruder with her soapy frying pan.
3. Because several key plot elements are introduced in this scene, via the radio broadcast. 

- Sherlock and Mycroft are playing Operation. I think I'll just let the utter absurdity of that statement just sink in for a moment...

- The old man who is a patient of John's and 'runs a little shop' is a direct reference to The Adventures of the Empty House where Holmes reintroduces himself to Watson, disguised as an aged bookshop keeper.

- How I Did It by Jack The Ripper...where have I heard something like that before?

- So John is on his way to reconcile with Sherlock and is kidnapped (drugged with a paralytic, actually) and eventually ends up inside of one of the Guy Fawkes bonfires (more foreshadowing) that have been hinted at throughout the episode.

- Sherlock diving into a bonfire to save John was a great moment. He just fought Moriarty's network for two whole years so that he could keep John safe and go back home. Naturally he's going to be beside himself whenever that goal he worked so hard towards is in danger of being snatched away. 

- Love Sherlock's parents!

- The whole Guy Fawkes plot was a bit of a weak rip-off from V for Vendetta but that doesn't really matter because, like A Study in Pink, the plot was simply a setting for the characters to act in. This was about reintroducing Sherlock and John and dealing with the issues that had sprouted from The Reichenbach Fall. Episodes like this you really have to look at what the end purpose was, rather than single elements or else you will miss the whole point and come away feeling annoyed.

- By the end of things Sherlock is absolutely desperate to fix things with John. You could even argue that he almost engineers the whole Tube car expedition just to give him a chance to have that talk with his blogger...but things got a bit out of hand. There's been a lot of squawking about the way Sherlock so callously tricks John, but I feel that there are three ways you can look at this:

1. He had honestly not known how to shut the bomb off until that moment and was just trying to save face.
2. He was totally clueless and thought that making this final joke would get him back into John's good graces (He learns from John, remember, and how does our good doctor diffuse awkward moments?)
3. He knew that there were things John needed to say (that they both needed to say) but because they are British males they just can't say them under normal circumstances, so he crafted a scenario where they could without looking like total pansies.

Or you could tell me that it was just Sherlock being an incredibly insensitive jerk and I'd probably believe you too. I'm honestly surprised that John didn't punch him again.

- The story Sherlock told Anderson is a lie. Some elements might be true (although we know that Sherlock keeps changing the story based on how badly those around him react) but it doesn't all line up with what we were shown in The Reichenbach Fall. I guess we'll probably never know.

- Anderson goes a bit loopy, leaving it ambiguous as to whether Sherlock was there and just messing with his favorite chew toy or our dear Forensic Scientist just hallucinated the whole deal. I will leave you to draw your own conclusions.

                  So what did I think? Personally I had a lot of fun with this episode. It gave us everything we wanted and more, all packaged up in a package of satire that acknowledged both the fanbase and the fact that Sherlock itself is a glorified fanfiction. They dealt with the emotional fallout and brought our characters back together. Mary is awesome, Mrs. Hudson is amazing, Molly is wonderful, Lestrade is perfect, Mycroft is cool, John is awesome, and Sherlock is...well...Sherlock. It was a love letter to the fans that tore out of the starting gates at full-tilt and never paused for breath even once, yet somehow managed to not feel rushed. I give The Empty Hearse a 5/5.

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

Merlin Review: Series 1 Episode 3 "The Mark of Nimueh"

By: Julian Jones

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

           Oh my - only three episodes in and we've already reached the plague story? They're burning through their range of plots awful fast, aren't they?

Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- Why exactly is Miss Big Bad Evil Blue Eyes sitting on top of a fissure leading to Camelot's water supply and yet only just creating an enchantment to do them all in? And for that matter, why bother with an enchantment? Why not just use a fast-acting poison?

- I laughed so hard whenever Gwen gave Merlin that flower. I just knew that somehow the payoff would be painful or embarrassing for our dear wizard. I didn't realize that it was going to be both!

- As usual, one of the good things about this episode is the interplay between the characters. The story is pathetic, the logic twisted and relying on stupidity, and the special effects terrible...but the clashing personalities and banter push things forward.

- Against all the odds not one of our heroes succumbs to the disease (my money had been on Uther) and we don't have any sad montages of characters brooding by their bedside.

- Merlin's comment about going about wearing a pointy hat got a chuckle out of me. Also, now whenever the magic reveal finally does happen, Arthur can't go about moping that Merlin never told him. Because Merlin did and no one believed him.

- Gotta love how fast he jumped to his manservant's defense, though. Presumably it has now been months since the events of the first two episodes and he does care, no matter how much he pretends not to.

- Is this villain going to do anything beyond skulking in caverns with her scrying bowl?

- At least they're finally going to burn a witch instead of beheading her...uh...it. I can't believe that, third episode, and Gwen is already in danger, though.

- Loved the bit with the four elements talk. I just wish it had been explored a bit better. That was fascinating. Will it ever come back to play?

- Morgana manipulating Arthur is always fun, even if it does make the Once and Future King look like a doofus.

- The CGI on the afanc looks pretty bad. Good thing it was kept primarily in the shadows.

- I also should very much like to know why neither Morgana nor Arthur were even slightly suspicious about that wind that whipped through the tunnels at just the right moment. Yeah, yeah at this point Merlin's magic has to be kept a secret...but making characters act conveniently oblivious or stupid is not the way to do it. C'mon, writers! You can do better than that!


- Wait a minute...I know that they destroyed the afanc and all that (yada, yada, yada) but how did that give Gwen a get-out-of-jail-free card? Somehow I don't see Uther letting her go out of the goodness of his heart. He's far more likely to burn her as an accomplice.

- And plot convenience again! Gaius only just at the end recalls about Nimueh in time to make a foreboding statement.


           


               All in all this was a fairly enjoyable (if frustratingly predictable) 40 minutes of television. It is definitely worth watching the first time, thanks to the performances of the cast, and certainly is fun. Don't miss it as you go on your quest through Camelot as it does set up some important elements for later on in the series. The Mark of Nimueh is a 3/5.

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

NuWho Review: Series 3 Episode 2 "The Shakespeare Code"

By: Gareth Roberts

**Spoilers**

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

               Shakespeare! Magic! Time Travel! Potter References! SQUEE!

         Sorry, sorry - I'm just completely in love with and extremely excited about this episode. I wasn't entirely certain about it whenever I was initially going in (this is one of those episodes that it seems everybody complains about) but it was easily one of the most entertaining 45 odd minutes of television that I have ever wasted my life on. Normally I sort of rail against Who-By-The-Book episodes (such as The Idiot's Lantern) simply because they are boring and rather predictable, but this one somehow manages to be predictable while also being enjoyable. My money is on the fact that it is charming (no pun intended) and explores a famous literary figure in a fun new way. The Unquiet Dead was a similar episode in that it played out pretty much like I had predicted, with a few minor twists, but was still enjoyable because it focused more on being tongue-in-cheek and building up characters than just advancing the plot. 

Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- That opening...loving parody of Romeo & Juliet, much? 

- I'm not certain if The Doctor's comment that he failed his TARDIS Driving Test is true or just a witty quip, but I wouldn't be surprised if that was how it happened. He did have to steal her, after all.

- Martha is clearly a smart one, quizzing The Doctor about the Butterfly Effect and the Grandfather Conundrum.

- Love the bits where The Doctor is expounding on how London never changes. 

- Also love how Martha isn't disgusted by the refuse and filth of Elizabethan London. As she puts it, "I've seen worse, working late nights at the A&E." Doctor, open your eyes and look around. She's smart, resourceful, and not easily disturbed or disgusted: she's a keeper!

- Shakespeare's (I'm going to call him 'Billy') introduction is such a nice bit of irony that it never fails to make me laugh!

- Love's Labours Won is an actual 'lost' play. I love it whenever the show sinks their teeth into one of history's mysteries and 'solves' it for us.

- The Doctor's psychic paper didn't work on Billy. I'm not quite sure if I buy that the genius was that much of a genius (although, in all fairness, he didn't try that trick on Charles Dickens) but it goes by so fast that it's hardly a detriment.

- It is also rather funny the way The Doctor keeps dropping famous quotes around Billy and the writer shamelessly tries to plagiarize them. Isn't that what we all do? There's nothing new under the sun, after all.

- The Doctor carries alternative toothbrushes in his suit now. I guess alternative toothbrushes are cool? No, wait, sorry...wrong regeneration!

- Martha's reaction to The Doctor's rather naive (if you can relate such a word to him) assertion that they can just share the bed is priceless...and probably the only moment of the whole 'unrequited love affair' she has with him that I find believable or palatable. 

- And then The Doctor has to kill the comfortable mood by being incredibly insensitive. Look, Doctor,  I get that you're missing Rose and I appreciate the writers not just blowing off a companion's leave-taking, but that was just rude.

- I enjoyed his admission that he cried during Harry Potter book 7, though. Seeing as how this episode aired before the release date of The Deathly Hallows, I must wonder if Ms. Rowling herself gave them a tip-off or if they're just that good at predicting things...

- The death of King Henry VIII (sorry - the magistrate) was disturbing and reminded me of something from a Supernatural episode.

- The trip to the insane asylum was disturbing.

- One thing that makes this episode work so much is that it doesn't take itself too seriously. Some stories (like The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit or The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances) can get away with being serious. But usually where Doctor Who excels is with the slightly more tongue-in-cheek stories (School Reunion, The Christmas Invasion, The Unquiet Dead, etc.) where things are campy, they know it's campy, and they just enjoy the heck out of the campiness. The witches from this episode are a prime example of this - over the top, sporting fake noses made of rubber, and cackling out every cliché in the book with such glee that you just have to join in. This is almost a parody and that is why it is so much fun to watch.

- I'm not entirely certain if I buy the whole 'words vs. numbers' science spiel The Doctor rambles out. We used numbers to split the atom, true, but not by screaming them at a test tube of material. The comparison might work a bit better if we were talking about the 'power of the written word'. Points to them for trying to explain away magic, but it falls just a bit short of logic.

- Then again...so does most of Doctor Who, so maybe I can forgive them.

- Martha helped Billy Shakespeare save the world through the invoking of Expelliarmus. The geek in me nearly died when that happened!

- The 'neck-brace' The Doctor rigs up for Billy got another chuckle out of me. Now he doesn't look all that different to his portraits!

- And of course I squealed whenever it is revealed that Billy's 'dark lady' was Martha Jones. That was a nice nod.

- This gem of an episode also sees the start of the Elizabeth I/Doctor running gag that will continue right up to the 50th Anniversary episode. To be fair, I don't blame her for being a bit ticked off at him. He did chicken out on their honeymoon, after all.

             The Shakespeare Code is a fun, funny romp through the past. It is full of Easter Eggs for the geeky treasure hunter and presents some wonderful jokes for the casual viewer. The episode is campy and knows it, fully exploiting the rather absurd premise and never taking itself too seriously. I can think of easily a dozen other episodes from Who alone that could have benefited from a bit of that spirit. This is a rewatchable adventure, though it is predictable, and only gets better with repeated viewings. I give The Shakespeare Code a 5/5.

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

Sherlock Review: Series 2 Episode 3 "The Reichenbach Fall"

By: Stephen Thompson

**Spoilers**

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

                  It is time, ladies and gentlemen, for me to bravely plunge back into what may well be one of the most emotionally-ruining and speculation-fueling episodes of television ever put forth. Certainly it has dominated the thoughts and interviews of everyone involved as there were two years between this episode and the resolution.

Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- As soon as I saw the title for this one I began to feel uneasy. There is too much Doyle canon filed away in this brain of mine for me not to recognize the significance of 'Reichenbach'...but I still held out the foolish hope that things would be diverted another way.

- Like I said: foolish hope. As soon as I saw John Watson trying desperately to hold it together in his therapist's office I knew how this was going to turn out. But that didn't mean that the entire episode was spoiled for me; oh no - I knew what was going to happen but I didn't know the how or why. Opening with John Watson giving away the ending of the tale actually works quite well from a story-telling point of view as it only serves to dramatically enforce the sense of impending doom that runs rampant throughout this episode. Brilliant, that's all it is - if a bit cruel.

- "The press will turn, Sherlock, they always do - and when they do, they'll turn on you." Oh poor John, if only you knew just how prophetic your words will prove to be.

- It is also interesting (especially in light of recent episodes) to observe that Sherlock seems honestly confused as to why John would care about his welfare and downfall, outside of the times of plenty. Remember his minor breakdown in Baskerville...and observe that, while he clearly regards John as his friend, he still doesn't exactly know if John considers him to be the same. It simply has never occurred to him that anyone could like him like that.

- Moriarty robbing the Tower, the Bank of England, and Pentonville set to that particular piece of classical music (extra points to the individual who can name it) is really a scene to remember. Andrew Scott clearly had such a good time with this role and can you blame him?

- I also find it hilarious that he jauntily dons the Crown Jewels and sits there cool as a cucumber, waiting to be arrested.

- The trial is funny and difficult to watch. Sherlock really is a show-off and you can just see John face-palming up in the gallery.

- Kitty Riley. As I was watching this episode with my mother, she made the observations that Sherlock's words "You repel me" were exceedingly and brutally cruel, almost to the point of being out-of-character even for this interpretation of the detective. But I disagree. While this is a scene that shows a harsher side of Sherlock than we have seen previously, it is important to look at the context in which it happens. She accosts Sherlock in the men's room and pretty much is harassing him (whether we look at the way she unbuttons her shirt or her constant invasion of his personal space) all throughout the conversation. But Sherlock nobly ignores all of this, finishing his wash and heading for the door. It is only whenever Kitty threatens to write something sordid about the relationship between Sherlock and John that Sherlock turns the full force of his no doubt pent-up ire towards her, cutting her down inch by inch.

- The tea party between The Consultant Criminal and The Consultant Detective is one of the highlights of the episode. Just as in Sherlock's encounter with Jeff Hope (the killer cabbie) everything is completely made up of psychological tension. These two men are being completely civil with each other - but at the same time they are needling and pushing at each other, a prime example being the fact that Moriarty intentionally takes the chair Sherlock wasn't offering or the fact that Sherlock gives Moriarty his teacup with the handle pointed the wrong way. In lesser figures these could be taken as mere flukes or examples of boorishness...but in Holmes and Moriarty they are deliberate and purposeful.

- Another interesting fact is that Sherlock clearly knows Moriarty is coming over and takes time to prepare tea in his finest china before the criminal mastermind shows up. The scene where Moriarty is coming up the stairs to the beautiful sound of Holmes' violin is taken straight from a Basil Rathbone movie, The Woman in Green.

- I smelled a rat as soon as the kidnapping case was introduced and my heart sunk as Sherlock insulted Anderson and proceeded to re-enact the most probably kidnapping scenario with tangible glee. John's gentle admonishment of Sherlock to 'maybe not do the smiling' was a relief.

- It is quite funny (and a bit sad) that whenever Sherlock is told not to be himself he immediately turns down his coat collar.

- Okay, so a (hopefully) quick note on Sally Donovan. Following the airing of this episode a HUGE tidal wave of fan hatred surged forth for her character. She is, of course, the copper whom we see from John's (and therefore Sherlock's) POV in the series and so is not portrayed in a particularly flattering light. That is, until this episode. Here we see a very competent Detective Sergeant working at full tilt to help find a couple of kidnapped and probably dying kids. There is a sense of urgency about Sally, as with everyone involved, and it is clear that she is both dedicated to her job and compassionate to the childrens' plight. So I don't cry 'foul' whenever Sally and Philip start to formulate doubts about Sherlock. They've always believed that he is a little bit off - that he enjoys the gory side of crime-solving a bit too much and one day will cross the line to deal with his massive boredom. They know he's a genius, and that's why they fear him. So it is perfectly logical that Donovan would begin to suspect Sherlock whenever Claudette screamed. Whether or not she liked him, that immediately made him into a suspect.

- It is also heartwarming (and a bit alarming) that Lestrade deliberately refuses to understand what Donovan is insinuating about Sherlock.

- Few things have creeped me out more than Moriarty's tale in the cab.

- Also there is a call back to ASiP in that Sherlock doesn't notice Moriarty is the cabbie because "Nobody ever thinks about the cabbie. We're just the back of an head."

- The fascinating thing about this Series 2 is the way that each episode subtly foreshadows the next. And I'm not talking about the Series One arc of Moriarty cropping up here and there, although that happens, I'm talking about central themes or prominent dialogues that lead the saga ever forward. Last episode it was Henry Knight and the idea that the only reason he wasn't murdered was because dead men get listened to. "He had to do more than kill you - he had to discredit every word you ever said." Now fast forward to this episode and consider what Moriarty does to Sherlock against the backdrop of that quote. See the brilliance?

- Emphasis on how you can't kill an idea.

- Can I just stop for a moment just now and say that I absolutely adore the scene where John chins the Chief Superintendent and is slammed up against a police car with Sherlock, all the while cracking wry jokes about who will post their bail now? Presumably Mrs. Hudson would do it...

- That only makes it funnier whenever Sherlock then does his part to get the two of them out of things, swiping a gun in the process and (in his own, odd way) helping John out by making him a hostage rather than an accomplice in the whole thing.

- Lestrade's reaction is funny to watch. And I don't mean 'ha ha' funny...I mean legitimately interesting and slightly odd. While the Superintendent (bloody nose and all) and all the coppers are petrified that the 'mad genius' and 'psychopathic vigilante' is waving a gun about, Lestrade is standing by his car performing the epic facepalm of epic facepalms. Sherlock pulling stunts like this is old news to him and he seems more exasperated and 'how are we going to explain away this one?' rather than alarmed or angry.

- It is also telling that Sherlock doesn't make his escape until after he is arrested. If he was really going to just do what Moriarty wanted and become a fugitive he could easily have taken off whenever Lestrade called to warn the duo of the warrant. In his own, 'sociopathic' way Sherlock is taking care of Lestrade as it is beyond doubt that the DI would have lost his job if Sherlock had run and the phone-call had been discovered.

- One thing about this episode is that once the pacing starts, it just keeps on pressing ahead and going ever faster as it tightens the noose until finally it stops short and you lean back in your chair, realizing suddenly that you are mentally exhausted.

- To be honest, I would say that the most frightening scene in Sherlock to date is the meeting with Moriarty/Richard Brook in Kitty Riley's flat. This is pure psychological thriller material...and it is brilliantly done. Andrew Scott and Benedict Cumberbatch are amazing in the scene and Martin Freeman simply shines as he scan's Richard's acting credentials and angrily demands to know what the trick is. Just another example of why Sherlock is such an exemplary show.

- The confrontation with Mycroft is both infuriating and heartbreaking.

- And then we come to the scene in St. Bart's...the bit with Sherlock finally telling Molly that she's always counted, really, and that he needs her help. This is not an instance of Sherlock flattering. We have seen hints of it throughout the series' thus far, but Sherlock being Sherlock has never directly addressed or expressed such a sentiment before.

- Everything about the episode from there on out is depressing. It is a relentless downward spiral that drags you under with it.

- On the subject of crying...I was fine until John tried to check Sherlock's wrist for a pulse. Then the waterworks started in earnest!

             Going into this episode I was even more hesitant than with The Hounds of Baskerville, though in this case it had little to do with the story and everything to do with the writer. Stephen Thompson has some decent work to his name. He wrote the Series 1 episode The Blind Banker which was, despite the fact that it recycled nearly every crime-drama cliché in the book, still an enjoyable romp with the Baker Street duo and he is also responsible for the nothing-new-to-see-here The Curse of the Black Spot which is something I consider worthy of placing on a guilty pleasure list. So I was nervous about his dealing with the series finale. But I have to say that this episode exceeded my expectations and Thompson more than delivered. The Reichenbach Fall is complex and innovative and very emotional. It hits all the points that it needs to, and yet never feels like a dramatized check-list. I give this episode a 5/5 and say that Series 3 has a VERY tough act to follow!



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

Merlin Review: Series 1 Episode 2 "Valiant"

By: Howard Overman

**Spoilers**

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

         There are only two kinds of visitors to Camelot: charismatic, diabolical villains intent on staging some sort of coup or decent, simple folk being somehow influenced by the first. Once you have this figured out then suddenly the bizarre, plot hole-riddled universe of Merlin somehow begins to have structure. Unfortunately the structure is more like 'formula' than 'order'...and that is where today's episode falls.

Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- The opening with Sir Valiant purchasing the shield is yawn-worthy. I knew right away what was going to happen to hapless Mundungus...ahem...the merchant and I wasn't mistaken. I hate it when three minutes into the episode I can already predict how things are going to go!

- Arthur is using Merlin to train for the tournament. Hmmm. Somehow I think that that explanation is absolutely nonsense. No way could 'training' with someone like Merlin prepare you to fight the best knights of the realm! I think it was just Arthur being his usual passive-aggressive, pratty self.

- Merlin's snark more than makes up for the abuse, though. He gives as good as he gets.

- What would Gaius have done if Merlin was caught at this point?

- The tournament makes me giggle. It is SO melodramatic and abuses the slow-motion trick to the max!

- Uther Pendragon is officially an out-of-touch jerk. "I trust that you will make me proud." Wow. Way to give your son an inferiority/hero complex, Lord King!

- I don't understand why Valiant felt the need to have his shield bite that knight. He was already down and staying down. Is it just something in the villain's code? Besides, didn't Valiant take into account the fact that the Court Physician would be able to diagnose a snakebite?

- Merlin and Arthur finally have some bonding time over how much of a 'creep' Valiant is. I concur.

- Lady Morgana and Prince Arthur really can't spend time in each other's company without fighting, can they?

- Okay, so why is Prince Arthur already trusting Merlin? This is only episode two of the first series and Arthur has only known Merlin for a couple of days. It is HIGHLY unlikely that he would go from beating Merlin over the head with whatever comes to hand to risking his dignity and sense of honor due to a wild accusation from said 'idiot' manservant. I get that maybe they were trying to tone down the 'bullying prat' aspect of Arthur's personality, but this happened much too fast to be believable...even by Merlin standards.

- Why are they teasing an 'Arthur is going to die' this early in the series? We all know that there are eleven more episodes to get through (complete with Arthur's name in the descriptions/summaries) so that just kills the tension completely. Dull.

- I miss the good old days when Merlin's magical skills and struggles actually made some sense!

- I refuse to think that Valiant is such a fool that he would really kill the Prince of Camelot and think that, even under the Knight's Code, it would go over well. Then again, he did defeat a knight via the use of slithering reptiles and an obvious evidence trail...

- Those snakes look barely more menacing than the tennis balls that are used during the pre-CGI filming process. Might I advise a switch to Stop-Motion?

- Jumping back a bit, I do like the scene where Morgana helps Arthur on with his armor and basically demonstrates that for all of their bickering, they really are like brother and sister.

- Didn't Merlin know that telling Gaius not to go into his room would mean that the older gentlemen would immediately go and look?

- I would really like to see the story of how Merlin got that dog statue back to the courtyard (and how he managed to nick it in the first place). That certainly sounds more interesting than the Valiant-Arthur conflict that was so predictable.

- Please explain to me how it is that no-one in that crowd spotted Merlin slinking about and waving his arm suspiciously just before the snakes popped out? I mean - I know that Camelotians are some of the most conveniently-oblivious people in the world...but 'cmon! There was a guard standing less than five feet away and Merlin was SHOUTING!



             In short this episode is tedious, predictable, clunky, and boring. It is not even saved by the comedic banter that Merlin thrives on. 1/5

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

Sherlock Review: Series 2 Episode 2 "The Hounds of Baskerville"

By: Mark Gatiss

**Spoilers**

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

                  Is it any wonder that Mark Gatiss was chosen as the writer to tackle this famous story, what with his self-professed love of all things horror and gothic? The Hound of the Baskervilles is probably the most famous of the Sherlock Holmes stories...and it is, to date, the one that has been adapted the most. Going into this episode I was both excited and nervous...and not just because of the monstrous hound. I was excited because everything Sherlock had done to the stories thus far had been wonderful (even the minor misstep that was The Blind Banker) and I couldn't wait to see the way they would take on this, the most iconic and well-known story of them all. But I was also nervous for those very same reasons because taking this particular story out of its original setting and 'messing' with it as Gatiss and Moffat are wont to do could go one of two ways. It could either be spectacular and live up to the wonderful promise of the rest of the show or it could bomb and fail so, so hard. So which course did it take?

Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- I wasn't quite convinced by the pre-credits sequence of this episode, probably because that doe-eyed pooch just looked too kind and cuddly to frighten anyone...even a traumatised eight-year-old.

- The sequence directly after the credits generally leaves me in a shaking mess of giggles by the end of it. Everything is perfect - from the bobble-head dogs to the bloodstained harpoon (and detective) and John Watson's reaction to it all, the comedic timing, music, and visuals are absolutely hilarious.

- I would pay money to see that Cluedo game!

- Along those lines, if you look closely at the sitting room of 221B you can see the Cluedo board pinned to the wall with a knife.

- Little Kirsty's note to Sherlock is absolutely adorable; very pert and determined. 

- Sherlock is going through withdrawal and boredom BAD! We're not certain exactly what he's detoxing from (it could be anything from a 7% slip-up to having fallen off the nicotine patch bandwagon due to Mycroft's Christmas present) but the fact that he is pointing a harpoon at and lashing out at Mrs. Hudson tells us that he is desperate and miserable.

- Also, Sherlock's attempts at 'covert secondhand smoking' are absolutely HILARIOUS, as is John's valiant efforts to pretend it isn't happening (not to mention the nonplussed expression on Henry Knight's face). 

- "Mr. Holmes, they were the footprints of a gigantic Hound!" Some things just can't be left out - and a line like that is one of them. Congratulations to Mr. Gatiss for including these things like the footprints, the fog, and the poster that looks like the cover of the original edition of ACD's novel...

- Who didn't love Captain John Watson pulling rank to get them a full-tour of the government facility that is even more secretive than Porton Down? 

- Even whenever the alarm goes off (and he thinks that he's going to be arrested just because his flatmate wanted to investigate a rabbit) he keeps his cool and tries to bluff their way out of it. 

- The Hounds of Baskerville is probably the story to cling the closest to the original canon - even moreso than A Study in Pink - and I really think that was wise, simply because it is such an icon. That being said, I love the way they've updated the fear of ghosts and the supernatural, transforming it instead to our paranoia about government conspiracy and genetic experimentation/mutation. That was a brilliant move and one that served the story very well.

- Interactions between Henry Knight and the sleuthing duo are always fun to watch. He is nervous and clearly suffering from psychological issues, but is eager to please and help. John is trying hard to be reassuring and efficient, while Sherlock is just having the time of his life on this case and doesn't bother to even make an attempt at hiding his glee.

- That is, until he sees the Hound himself. What we get then is the great Sherlock Holmes experiencing a full-own nervous breakdown complicated by a panic attack.

- Little wonder, really, when you consider that all Sherlock really has is his mind. We know, from past evidences, that his self-esteem is pretty much non-existent, for all that he is an arrogant sod. He deduced with one glance at Molly Hooper's Christmas attire that she had a new boy 'friend' and was hoping to impress this man with a gift, but couldn't possibly conceive that the gift might be for him until he actually read the tag. He doesn't think much of himself, not really, and the reactions of those around him to his clumsy social skills only cement that 'conclusion' in his mind. There's clear evidence, so of course it must be true. That is why he is so honestly bewildered whenever John's reaction to his first deduction is admiration rather than anger. So if Sherlock knows that everyone hates him and that he has virtually nothing, of course he would cling to the one thing that makes him special: his mind. He is a genius whose only form of self-defence is attack and who finds his identity in his intellect. Naturally the thought that he might be losing that razor-sharp grip on reality is deeply terrifying.

- John's reaction, though understandable and justified, doesn't help matters any. Sherlock is frightened that he is losing his mind - and John replies in a tone that probably seemed patronising to his friend that Sherlock is just getting 'a little worked up'. Let me tell you - little is more frustrating when you are in distress than pity and patronisation (i.e. being told what you already know). Is it any wonder then that Sherlock snaps back and launches into what may be the most impressive and lengthy deduction in the entire series?

- Mark Gatiss says that when he wrote that monstrous monologue he actually penned in an apology to Benedict Cumberbatch in the script margin.

- Remember the line that made us all flinch? The moment where Sherlock snarls at John that he doesn't have any friends? There's a perfectly logical explanation for that one too. Jumping ahead in the story for a moment, remember what the gas in the fog does? It takes your greatest fears and amplifies or twists them in your mind. Now consider what Sherlock is probably afraid of...well there's the fear of losing his mind, naturally, but I would hazard a guess that losing John as his friend would be pretty high up there too. At this point Sherlock is doubting his logic, his judgement, and his very mind. Probably he is also doubting as to whether or not his perception of John's affection for him was as off as what he had thought about Molly. Remember that at this point in the series, John has never actually verbally referred to Sherlock as a 'friend' in anything less than a sarcastic comment...therefore it is actually not that illogical to assume that Sherlock would begin to fear that maybe their friendship is one-sided (he refers to John as his friend all the time, but John has actually corrected him on occasion) and we can infer from that that, in a way, Sherlock is just waiting for the shoe to drop and for John to get disgusted and move out. That in and of itself makes some of his behavior a bit more understandable; he's testing John to see how far he can push before he risks losing his friend. He probably doesn't understand what friendship is all about (just look at his relationship with his brother) and thinks he has to bribe John to keep him happy and living at 221B. 

- "Sherlock Holmes's PA...well, live-in PA" That was uncalled for, Dr. Franklin!

- Sherlock's clumsy attempts to apologize to John always get a smile out of me. Especially when you realize that, as he's complimenting the doctor, he's using words that John has said to him. Either he considers that the highest form of praise or we can literally say that John Watson is teaching him how to be civil!

- Love the inclusion of Lestrade. But I'm a fan of his, so I'm always happy to see our DI. Is it wrong that I snigger at the fact that Sherlock Holmes doesn't know Greg's first name? As one YouTuber put it: That was the moment when Sherlock began to wonder if Mrs. Hudson's first name isn't really 'Mrs.'!

- Oh, can't you just IMAGINE how that conversation must have gone?!?

- Also, don't you find it epic and a bit creepy that Mycroft Holmes is such a bigwig that he can call up Baskerville (the place that doesn't even get inspected by the government) and say "You know the two civilians who broke in here the other day? Yeah - it's my little brother and his best friend/partner in crime and you're going to let them back in to poke about and experiment. In fact, you're going to vacate the place while they do it. Thank you, goodbye."

- John is far braver than I would be if I was locked in a room with a gigantic, blood-thirsty Hound!

- Love the way Sherlock asks John if he is all right and if he can walk...sort of like a reminder that this event might have triggered John's PTSD. Also, Doctor Stapleton loaning these two weirdos her lab and fussing over John's 'peaky' appearance is rather heart-warming. Helps us to reconcile the 'mother' with the 'scientist'.

- Okay, okay. So maybe the manner in which Sherlock figures out the Major's password is a bit unrealistic (not to mention the fact that it is highly unlikely that such a high-security password would contain no capital or number requirements) but the sequence where he unlocks the information and it scrolls across the screen and his face is still pretty cool looking.

- I have to say that I love the progression of Henry's character. He is not a wimp, and he is not milk-toasty. Something terrible happened in his childhood and it is haunting him even now...exacerbated and worsened by the H.O.U.N.D. drug. This drug drove its original test subjects to madness and homicide, and it even makes Henry - while in a hallucination - shoot at his therapist, Louise. But Henry is such a good man that, when he realizes what he's done, he draws the (completely wrong) conclusion that it would be better to end himself before he hurt someone. This was clearly a result of the drug emphasising his depression and fear...but the fact that he aimed the gun at himself rather than other people speaks words about his character. He would rather die than kill someone innocent.

- I just realised - John is probably the toughest person on this show. Aside from Henry (who has been tortured into being suicidal) John is the member of the investigative trio who has been dosed with the highest concentration of H.O.U.N.D. - between the lab and the hollow. And yet he is the one to keep his head even when Sherlock and Lestrade are starting to freak out.

- Sherlock, in particular, has a lovely character moment where he sees Moriarty in the fog and is more terrified than when he first saw the dog and thought he was losing it.

 - As soon as Doctor Franklin opened his big mouth I knew he was the villain so there wasn't much of a surprise there. 

- Sherlock gets John a cup of (non-drugged) coffee the next morning and confesses about how while John was running about the lab in a panic, Sherlock was sitting high and dry in the security station (feet propped up and everything) running the sound effects for an experiment as to what effect the drug could have on an 'average' mind. John should be flattered...he's been upgraded from a common idiot to someone of average intellect. Coming from Sherlock Holmes, that's practically like being handed a Nobel Prize for Sheer Intelligence.

- The final scene, with Moriarty being released from governmental custody (presumably the 'attention' Mycroft promised him in the end of the last episode), is creepier than anything else in this story...and that's including the fog, the hound, and Franklin's disgustingly wide grin.

                  The Hound of the Baskervilles was not quite as intriguing and rewatchable as A Scandal in Belgravia, but it is as about perfect an update of ACD's iconic novel as I think we're ever going to get. It was dark and full of atmosphere...not to mention a couple of jump-scares that still take me by surprise. I give this episode an 4/5 and steel myself for The Reichenbach Fall!

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

Anderson, Don't Talk Out Loud - You Lower The IQ Of The Whole Street

            Philip Anderson is quite possibly the most under-appreciated character in the entire Sherlock cast. Granted a lot of the hatred is probably going to die down now that The Empty Hearse has begun to air, but I have a feeling that it will be slow to disappear completely.

              Anderson has been our whipping boy for years - portrayed as a bumbling, immoral, velociraptor-obsessed moron who needs a map and both hands to find his own backside. But that is truly unfair and not at all based in fact. Let us start at the beginning, shall we?

              We first meet Anderson in A Study in Pink, the very first Sherlock episode to ever air. We meet him as Sherlock approaches a crime scene, having just breezed past the rather bitter-sounding Sally Donovan, and Anderson - still removing his sterile gloves - warns Sherlock that *gasp* he doesn't want the crime scene contaminated. Wow. What a jerk! It is little wonder then that Sherlock immediately lashes back verbally and airs the dirty laundry out for all to see (including John, a civilian and relative stranger) that Anderson and Donovan are having an affair. Truly this was a justified and proportionally appropriate response to the audacity of being reminded to not disturb anything on an official crime scene.

            Oh who am I kidding? Of course it wasn't! Witty and shockingly hilarious as Sherlock's comments are, he is the one who was out of line just there - not Anderson. Sherlock is in no position to be antagonizing the police. He is an interloper being let into the crime scene because they think he might be of some help to them and because Lestrade probably knows that this is the only way to keep him off of the drugs. These officers are bending the rules and turning a blind eye to their DI outright breaking them in order to accommodate Sherlock. For all his bluster about how the Yarders need him and would come crawling back, it is really Sherlock who is dependent on NSY for the work his brain so desperately needs. So Anderson is perfectly within his rights to ask this amateur who is known for barging into crime scenes without the proper protection (and thus making the poor forensics techs have to factor out his DNA from any tests) to be careful about contamination. Strike one is in favor of Anderson.

           The next time we see Sherlock and Anderson interact it is over the 'Rache' plot point that put such a smile on my face the first time I saw it. Again, Sherlock's snark is extremely witty and hilarious...but once again he is the one who is out line, not Anderson. All Anderson did was make a comment (an extremely logical comment, coming from someone who isn't a super genius) and he suddenly has the door shut in his face.

               I'll admit that this scene gets a chuckle out of me every time, no matter how mean it is, and I understand that this is just used to show how very rude and disconnected from the world Sherlock Holmes is. But that's just the thing; it's showing us Sherlock's shortcomings rather than maligning Anderson. The series is sort of written from John Watson's POV and, because he meets Anderson through Sherlock's eyes, he sees the poor Forensic Officer as an idiot too. Of course Anderson is an idiot...but so is everyone when they're standing next to Sherlock Holmes. That doesn't mean he's a fool the rest of the time. Clearly he must have some intelligence if he's gotten to where he is now. Strike two is also in favor of Anderson.

           As to Anderson's affair with Sally Donovan I'll just say that, while he was undoubtedly wrong to ever get involved with her in that way, Sherlock was infinitely more wrong to announce their little affair to all of Anderson's colleagues and John Watson. That was a private matter and one that you can certainly understand why it happened. Sally and Philip both work on a homicide squad. They see terrible things while on the job and interact with the scum from the bottom of humankind's refuse bucket on a regular basis. There are some things that you just can't properly discuss with someone who hasn't gone through them with you, so it is little wonder that Anderson gravitated from his wife (who herself seems to do an awful lot of travelling) and sort of fell into the arms of Sally Donovan. That doesn't make it right, but we can understand why they did it. And shame on Sherlock for blabbing his big mouth about their mistake to all within earshot!
       
             The third time we get to see Sherlock and Anderson in a scene together is the drugs bust at 221B where Donovan finds the truly disgusting jar of eyeballs in the microwave and Sherlock finally figures out what 'Rachel' means. This is another scene that I have to say I find perversely amusing. I am a lover of witty snark, so naturally I giggle as Sherlock ruthlessly rips Anderson to metaphorical shreds. But this scene is also interesting as it is the first time that we see Anderson really make a stab at jabbing Sherlock back verbally. He calls him a psychopath and that leads to another famous quote and...well...let's just say that I don't honestly think either Donovan or Anderson really think that Sherlock murdered Jennifer Wilson. Yeah they both think he's unstable and a nuisance - but as much as they believe he's a psychopath who may one day finally go over the brink, this whole thing seems to be more like a snowballed, vicious running gag between the three of them. Sherlock's acerbic and cruel and the other two give him back nearly as good as they get. It's almost like a nasty, mutual game that they all play...and it is always instigated by Sherlock.

               This is the first time that we see Anderson get involved in the wordplay. Before he just took Sherlock's insults like a man and went on with his job. But now everything is coming to a head, people are tired, Sherlock is grumpy, and probably no one's had anything but dreadful cafeteria food for hours. Anderson in particular has had an awful day. Not only did he spend the night before with the co-worker he is definitely NOT married to (a fact he may or may not be feeling guilt over) but then that arrogant, know-it-all, Sherlock Holmes, has to show up to his crime scene and verbally dress him down and embarrass him, not only in front of his colleagues, but also in front of some new guy who probably shouldn't even be there in the first place. Then that jerk waltzes onto the crime scene unprotected and practically sniffs the corpse, probably contaminating it with personal germs, before rudely shoving Anderson out the door and turning to the civilian, possibly-unqualified stranger for a medical opinion. This is after insulting Anderson's DI and the entire Metropolitan Police Force and generally making himself a reputation of being abrasive for probably years before.

           Then Sherlock takes off running, shouting about a serial killer and some babbled information that doesn't make sense to anyone outside of the chaotic, probably unbalanced mess that is this liability's brain before rushing off to do goodness knows what and possibly get himself killed or caught (which would, I might add, lead to an investigation much like the one in The Reichenbach Fall and end up with Lestrade, Donovan, and Anderson being suspended and shunned at the very least). Is it any wonder then that he was a bit short-tempered and likely to sound less intelligent than usual simply because that irritability would compel him to speak before properly thinking? I'm not saying he was right...I'm just saying that this scene can't be taken as evidence that Anderson is a narrow-minded, idiotic fool.

             No, Sherlock, he doesn't. Much as I love that line, Anderson doesn't lower the IQ any more than your arrogance and lack of ability to see the forest for the trees does. Grow up! We're at strike three in favor of Anderson and we haven't even gotten past the first episode.

             We don't see Anderson again until the press conference from The Reichenbach Fall where he, along with Donovan, gifts Sherlock with the iconic deerstalker as a friendly little joke. (It really was meant that way, even if Sherlock was less than impressed.) He and Donovan also work tirelessly on the kidnapped children case, enduring Sherlock's smug carelessness without even a comment in the race to save the kids' lives. And yet we have Sherlock telling Anderson that he has just performed a brilliant impression of an idiot (a comment that was, in context, completely unnecessary) simply because he had the stupidity to speak aloud a thought that might not have been on the same level as Sherlock's own.

             Again - I understand that this is just the way Sherlock works and I'm not trying to disparage him any more than he deserves, I'm just trying to show the way Sherlock's (and therefore John's) perception of Anderson has colored our realization of the character.

              Even in going to the Chief Commissioner Anderson (and, of course, Donovan) was in the right. Really when you think about it - if Anderson had wanted Sherlock off of his crime scenes so badly he could have gone to the higher-ups at any point over the five or so years that Lestrade has worked with the Consulting Detective. Even whenever he and Donovan finally 'blabbed' they still were loyal to their DI. If he went down, they went down. Besides; it was the morally right thing for them to do. They had a suspicion (and in a case like that everything has to be duly examined) and Lestrade wouldn't do anything about it after Sherlock refused to come in for the customary questioning, so they did the right thing by taking it up to the next authority level. Yes Moriarty played them and yes they might not have been so suspicious if they hadn't already somewhat mistrusting of Sherlock, but in the end they did the right thing both legally and morally. Sally and Philip should feel no guilt...Sherlock brought it on himself, he really did.

            As to Anderson in The Empty Hearse, (and I should probably put a big **SPOILERS!** warning right here) we don't really know what happened to him after the events of TRF. Doubtlessly Lestrade was suspended for a while as all of his cases were reopened and thoroughly examined again...something I'm certain made him very popular with the other DI's...and that would have turned Donovan and Anderson's jobs upside down for a while. During this time something lit a spark in Anderson. Maybe he noticed something odd about Richard Brook (we know from ASiP that he knows something about German) or maybe he just honestly felt guilt about causing the death of an unofficial co-worker with whom he had a bit of a vitriolic buddies thing going, but whatever is was he set about trying to clear Sherlock's name and prove that the detective faked his death, resulting in him losing his rather plummy job and joining a Sherlock Holmes fanclub.

          That is where Series 3 finds Anderson and, so far, that is what he has been doing - being the silent support behind John Watson's Warriors (or The Empty Hearse Society) and cheering for Sherlock all the way. So much as I enjoy Anderson put-downs and absolutely adore Sherlock coming up with new witty ways to insult his intelligence, I have to say that I think we've all misjudged Philip Anderson a bit. He's not an idiot and he's not a villain. I can't wait to see what they do with his character in the rest of Series 3!