Premiere Particulars: Sherlock

Though I still have another month-and-a-half or so before any of my spring shows start to pop up (namely Hannibal, Bates Motel, and Game of Thrones), Sherlock—dear, sweet, wonderful Sherlock—finally had its season three premiere in the U.S. after an excruciating two-year hiatus. For those of you who are new followers, you’ll come to realize the depth of my obsession with this show (and you can read my review of its first two seasons here). It’s just soooo good. If you’ve seen it, you probably understand. But enough yammering. Did the season three premiere deliver? Here are the particulars.

What I liked:

• Sherlock and John. I’ve said it before, and I’ll probably say it 1,000 more times: Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman are phenomenal in their roles, and they have fantastic chemistry. Best bromance on television by a landslide. (P.S. Have you watched this video of Cumberbatch reading R. Kelly lyrics yet?)
• The reunion. After a dramatic season finale in which Sherlock fakes his own death, he drops in on John to let him know that he has, in fact, been alive for the past two years. It’s emotional, hilarious, and actually quite drawn out whenever John reacts, reacts some more, and…erm…reacts again. You’ll see what I mean by “reacts.”
• Mary. Played by Freeman’s real-life partner, Amanda Abbington, Mary is John’s new love interest, and she seems to fit in perfectly. She’s sweet and clever, she really seems to care for John, and, best of all, she completely supports the bromance. I think I’m gonna like this gal.
• The Moriarty cameo. Yes, there’s one in there, and it is brilliant and hilarious. However, it’ll also make you miss Andrew Scott like crazy.
• The brotherly banter. I’ve already established that Cumberbatch and Freeman have excellent chemistry, but so do Cumberbatch and Mark Gatiss, who plays Sherlock’s brother, Mycroft. Their relationship is played up a bit in this episode, and it’s quite wonderful. Fun fact: Gatiss also wrote this episode, which is yet another reason to adore him.
• We meet Sherlock’s parents, and they are not what you’d expect. Also, they are played by Cumberbatch’s real-life parents, which could very well be the cutest casting choice ever.

What I didn’t like:

• One of the opening scenes is a little over-the-top. I’ll try not to ruin too much, but it involves running through the Russian wilds and a brief torture scene (don’t worry—it’s PG). Don’t get me wrong, I still loved it, but for a moment I had to pause and go, “Really?”
• When Sherlock reappears after a two-year absence, John is, needless to say, conflicted. However, by the end of the episode, this frustration has all but evaporated. I could understand how some of it goes away, but it seems like a good heart-to-heart talk should’ve been squeezed in to make this change more believable. But maybe that’s just the fangirl in me wanting more bromantic bro time.
• So, big surprise—the mystery is solved and the day is saved by the end of the episode, but the conclusion seems a little too easy. Again, I won’t spoil anything, but if you’ve seen the episode, you probably understand what I mean.
• Several scenarios play out showing how Sherlock might have survived his “death.” One of these is very over-the-top, but epic. Another is obviously a fake, but a glorious nod to Sherlock fan fiction. And then there’s one more—one that Sherlock himself shares. The latter seems to be the true story of his survival, but it’s shared in a way that still leaves a question mark, which is kind of maddening for fans.

I couldn’t resist this picture. Just couldn’t.

The Potential: As always, the potential for this season of Sherlock is off the charts. The actors are perfect in their roles, the script is fantastically clever, the humor is amped up, and the pure, addictive fun is undeniable. The premiere episode may have a few minor issues, but by no means does that deter this fan. It’s a new chapter for Sherlock, y’all, and it’s off to a great start.

My Grade: A

So for those of you who caught the premiere, what did you think? Will it be another great season? And for any of my U.K. readers who’ve seen all of season three…were you happy with it? Are you already having Sherlock withdrawals and in need of season four? Here’s hoping the wait for the next season won’t be quite so lengthy this time…Anyway, I hope you are all having a fantastic day so far! More on the way for Resolutions 2014 very soon! 😀