‘THE ABOMINABLE BRIDE’
Please feel free to comment on my review.
Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock and Martin Freeman’s Watson in Victorian times
‘The Abominable Bride’ is the New Year’s Day Special shown on the 1st of January 2016 between Series 3 shown in 2014 and Series 4 shown in 2017. In many respects, this special has its potential. 🙂
It presents an intriguing take on the ‘Sherlock’ series that’s been established in modern times with Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock and Martin Freeman’s Dr. Watson. By taking the two back in time!
Or more accurately, by putting them in an alternative timeline where Benedict’s Sherlock and Martin’s Watson are in Victorian London – the original setting for the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle stories.
‘The Abominable Bride’ has more ‘Sherlock Holmesy’ elements from the original stories compared to what’s in the ‘Sherlock’ series being set in modern times. I actually enjoyed seeing it in the special. 🙂
With that said however, the special doesn’t hold up together very well. This is particularly in the second act, when we jump back and forth from Victorian times to modern day times in the special. 😦
This is a shame, as this special could have worked if Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss tightened the story to make it clearer for the audience to receive. It’s often the frustration I have with this series. 😦
After we’re given a recap of what’s been going on in the first three seasons of ‘Sherlock’, we’re given the Victorian alternative take on Sherlock and Watson’s first meeting. It matches to ‘A Study in Pink’.
Then we move forward to where Sherlock and Watson are investigating a crime case involving a bride who shot herself in the head and rose from the grave to kill her husband, making her a ghost. 🙂
Now here’s the thing. The Victorian story of Sherlock and Watson solving the case of ‘the abominable bride’ takes place inside Sherlock’s mind. Yep, it’s the mind palace thing all over again. 😐
I have issues with Sherlock having a mind palace in the ‘Sherlock’ series, but at least I can understand why Sherlock has his mind palace since he’s meant to be super-clever when he solves crime cases. 🙂
The idea of Sherlock going into his mind palace to experience him and Watson solving ‘the abominable bride’ case is to understand how Moriarty managed to cheat his death at Series 3’s end.
Now this connection to ‘the abominable bride’s cheating death would’ve been fine if Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss established that is what’s going on here. That it would explain how Moriarty is alive.
But the execution of the connection between ‘the abominable bride’ and Moriarty cheating death is muddled in the telling. There were times I got lost in the plot’s execution when watching the special.
I enjoyed Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman’s performances as Sherlock and Watson in Victorian times. Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock would have suited so well to the Victorian period.
As opposed to the modern day period this series is usually set in! I also like how confident Martin Freeman’s Watson is in Victorian times. He seems more confident then than in modern day times. 😀
I also enjoyed Sherlock donning the deer-stalker hat in the special as well as Watson donning the bushy moustache. If there are more ‘Sherlock’ episodes set in Victorian times, I would watch them. 🙂
I equally enjoyed the Victorian takes on the characters featured in the ‘Sherlock’ series like Una Stubbs as Mrs. Hudson and Rupert Graves as Inspector Lestrade. Mark Gatiss as Mycroft is overweight. 😀
Andrew Scott also returns to play Professor Moriarty in the special. And yes, in Victorian times, he’s a professor as opposed to not seeming to be a professor in modern times. This is so peculiar indeed.
Louise Brealey returns as Molly Hooper. It was amusing to see Molly dressed up as a man with a moustache in the morgue. 🙂 Amanda Abbington also returns as Mary Watson, John Watson’s wife. 🙂
There’s also Jonathan Aris as Anderson. Yasmine Akram (who was in ‘The Sign of Three’ and ‘His Last Vow’) makes another return as Janine Donlevy. There’s an intriguing reveal regarding her character.
The guest cast also includes Catherine McCormack as Lady Carmichael and Tim McInnerny as Sir Eustace Carmichael. I’ve seen Tim McInnery in ‘Blackadder’, seen and heard him in ‘Doctor Who’, and seen him in ‘101’ and ‘102 Dalmatians’. 🙂
Natasha O’Keeffe guest stars as Emelia Ricoletti, the titular ‘abominable bride’. There’s also Stephanie Hyam as Jane, a maid at Watson’s house (I believe). Her character also has a twist here.
Stephanie Hyam later played Heather in Series 10 of ‘Doctor Who’. I found the scene featuring Tim Barlow as Wilder doing sign language with Sherlock and Watson at Mycroft’s club very funny here. 🙂
I also like how this special has echoes of ‘The Five Orange Pips’ story, which was also featured in the film ‘The House of Fear’ with Basil Rathbone. Overall, I found ‘The Abominable Bride’ quite decent. 🙂
On Disc 8 of the complete ‘Sherlock’ DVD/Blu-ray box set, there’s ‘Mark Gatiss: A Study in Sherlock’, the eight-part ‘Creating the Look’ documentary, Mark Gatiss’ production diary, a writers interview with Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, and a ‘Sherlockology Q&A’.
‘The Abominable Bride’ rating – 7/10
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