‘THE SIGN OF THREE’
Please feel free to comment on my review.
Martin Freeman’s Watson’s Wedding and Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock is the Best Man
I was hoping the ‘Sherlock’ series would get better for me after watching ‘The Empty Hearse’. But oh dear me! This episode ‘The Sign of Three’ reminded me of how overrated Steven Moffat’s writing is.
For one thing, ‘The Sign of Three’ is an episode by three writers – Steven Moffat, Mark Gatiss and Steve Thompson. And it clearly shows in terms of the tones this episode seems to be going for here.
This is of course the second episode of Series 3 of ‘Sherlock’ and it focuses mostly on Watson’s wedding to Amanda Abbington as Mary Morstan. I’ll give credit; I like how it focuses on a wedding. 🙂
But it’s clear to me that there are too many storylines going on in this episode. It’s like there are three distinct stories by three different writers trying to balance out and I don’t think they all work. 🙁
It would make sense if Sherlock as the best man was telling a story one at a time to everyone when he’s making his best man’s speech at Watson’s wedding. It all builds up to the reveal of a murderer!
Sadly, with the fast-editing occurring throughout the episode, it just felt like a jumbled mess. This episode is directed by Colm McCarthy, and he provides his first and only contribution to ‘Sherlock’. 😐
I also feel Sherlock’s best man speech went on for too long. He’s very awkward throughout it. I don’t know why Watson would consider Sherlock to be his best friend in that regard to be his best man. 😐
I also want to stress out a point that occurs at the start of the episode. Rupert Graves as D.I. Lestrade and Vinette Robinson as Sgt. Donovan conduct a crime case involving the Waters family. 😐
Now the progression of Lestrade and Donovan solving their case should be straight-forward in terms of linear chronology. But it’s not helped by the captions that are bound to confuse people watching it.
It starts from ‘Eighteen months ago’ to ‘Twelve months ago’ to ‘Six months ago’ to ‘Three months ago’ to ‘Yesterday’! WHAT TIME IS IT?!!! Shouldn’t the linear chronology go on something like this?
It should be ‘Eighteen months ago’ to ‘Six months later’ to ‘Another six months later’ to ‘Three months later’ to ‘Present day’. I had to use a notepad and a calculator to work out the chronology. 😐
I know that sounds nitpicky on my part, but I have a problem with how Steven Moffat details time progressing in the certain stories he writes. Why can’t he make it clearer for the audiences who are watching?
If someone read ‘Eighteen months ago’ to ‘Twelve months ago’, there’s bound to be confusion as to thinking the second scene took place a long while ago before the first scene occurred in the episode.
Also, Lestrade is rather mean to his car when he’s kicking ones of its wheels in anger after failing to catch out the Waters family. He even shoves Donovan to one side, as he wants to get into his car. Rude! 😀
Another niggle I have is that the Waters family crime case featured in the episode’s opening scene doesn’t get referred to again. It’s not even in the next episode, so what was the point of that scene?
Oh and the reason why Sherlock texted Lestrade for his help in the opening scene was because he needed help for his best man’s speech. Maybe Sherlock shouldn’t have sounded urgent in his text!!!
Also, well done, Sherlock and Watson, for being ‘professional’ following your stag night and being drunk in handling a client who came to you late at night! Those scenes were embarrassing to watch.
By the way, who comes late at night to ask for Sherlock’s help? Surely Alice Lowe as Tessa should have noticed Sherlock and Watson were plastered. She should’ve returned later or gone to someone else.
The episode’s cast also includes Una Stubbs as Mrs. Hudson, Mark Gatiss as Mycroft Holmes and Louise Brealey as Molly. 😀 And there’s Alistair Petrie as James Sholto and Yasmine Akram as Janine.
There’s a brief cameo of Lara Pulver as Irene Adler, who appeared in ‘A Scandal in Belgravia’. And this is her last appearance in the series. Huh! I would’ve thought she’d have a larger role in this episode.
There’s also Alfred Enoch as Bainbridge; Jalaal Hartley as Mayfly Man, the photographer and Jonathan Small; and Ed Birch as Tom. I’m amazed the actors perform wonders in these episodes. 😀
Despite me not liking ‘The Sign of Three’, I quite like the trio of Sherlock, Watson and Mary formed. Mary seems to understand Sherlock and Watson, as she forms a nice balance between the two here.
‘The Sign of Three’ rating – 4/10
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