‘THE SIX THATCHERS’
Please feel free to comment on my review.
Six Busts of Thatcher with Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock and Martin Freeman’s Watson
Let’s talk about the first episode of the fourth and final (so far) season of BBC TV’s ‘Sherlock’. And let me be straight about this. I found this episode rather depressing to watch when I saw it on Blu-ray. 😦
Now, don’t get me wrong. I appreciate it features the death of a character that people have grown to like. I respect that and it was heartbreaking to see that character get killed off due to her journey.
But the issues I have with ‘Sherlock’ as a series are heightened by the fact that each season is divided into three 90-minute long episodes whereas there could easily be more ‘Sherlock’ stories to enjoy. 😦
I would have liked it if ‘Sherlock’ had more than three episodes in each season and that the episodes themselves were multi-parters in order to appreciate the progression of some of these characters. 😐
Therefore, I could appreciate and perhaps fall in love with the ‘Sherlock’ characters as we’re meant to. But with the mixing feelings that I have about the series’ writing, it doesn’t achieve that for me. 😦
‘The Six Thatchers’ is by Mark Gatiss and it’s based on ‘The Adventure of the Six Napoleons’ by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This episode is also the first and the only one to be directed by Rachel Talalay. 🙂
Rachel Talalay has also directed ‘Doctor Who’ episodes like ‘Dark Water’/’Death In Heaven’, ‘Heaven Sent’, ‘Hell Bent’, ‘World Enough and Time’/’The Doctor Falls’ and of course ‘Twice Upon a Time’. 😀
The episode’s plot takes place after the events of ‘His Last Vow’. Apparently footage of Magnussen’s death was ‘doctored’ to make it appear that he was accidentally shot by a sniper instead of Sherlock.
Okay, I appreciate the government wanting Sherlock to come back and deal with Moriarty who’s seemingly revived from the dead, but…Sherlock’s still a murderer. Should he really be trusted here?!
Yeah, Magnussen was a bad guy, but…Sherlock’s still a murderer!!! Are the government really hasty to make a decision like that…do I need to ask that question? It’s possible with the UK government. 😀
The episode also features the return of Lindsay Duncan as Lady Smallwood from ‘His Last Vow’. There’s also Marcia Warren as Vivian Norbury, who might not be friendly and timid as she appears. 😦
Anyway, the episode has Sherlock taking on the case of finding out who’s going around and smashing six unique head statues of the former and late female Prime Minister – Margaret Thatcher.
I will admit; it’s nice to see how Sherlock interacts with John Watson and his wife Amanda Abbington as Mary when they’re starting a new family. This includes John and Mary having their baby daughter.
It was also fun to see Toby the dog make an appearance in this ‘Sherlock’ episode. I only know about Toby since he appeared in the Disney film ‘Basil the Great Mouse Detective’. I quite like that film. 😀
However, Mary’s past comes back to haunt her as she’s being hunted down by a former member of an undercover team she once belonged to called A.G.R.A. This happens to be Sacha Dhawan as Ajay.
I knew it! Sacha Dhawan’s Master from ‘Doctor Who’ is Moriarty in disguise! It’d make sense! I’m 100% behind Sacha Dhawan playing Moriarty in ‘Sherlock’ as opposed to Andrew Scott in the series! 😀
It was amusing to see Sacha Dhawan in this ‘Sherlock’ episode before playing the Master in ‘Doctor Who’ with Jodie Whittaker. He recently played Waris Hussien in ‘An Adventure In Space and Time’. 🙂
He’s also done a number of Big Finish audios of ‘Doctor Who’ over the years and he would go on to appear in a BBC TV production of ‘Dracula’ in 2020 – co-produced by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss.
The episode also features Sian Brooke as a character called Elizabeth, whom John Watson interacts with via text when meeting her on a bus. I’m not sure what her angle is in the TV series by this stage.
There’s also Una Stubbs as Mrs. Hudson, Rupert Graves as D.I. Lestrade, Mark Gatiss as Mycroft and Louise Brealey as Molly. Simon Kunz also appears as Sir Edwin, alongside Lindsay Duncan’s character.
Charles Edwards guest stars as David Welsborough whilst Amanda Root guest stars as his wife Emma. Charles Edward played Michael Gregson in the third and fourth seasons of ‘Downton Abbey’.
He was also in a ‘Downton Abbey’ Christmas Special! Like Robert Bathurst, he abandoned Lady Edith in the series. 😀 Amanda Root has also been in 1995’s ‘Persuasion’ and an episode of ‘Call the Midwife’.
It was a real shock when Mary self-sacrificed herself to save Sherlock when he was being shot at. Upset, Watson blames Sherlock for Mary’s death, since he had vowed to protect both of them in life.
It’s a really sad way to end this ‘Sherlock’ episode. I would’ve thought Mary would have lasted long enough to have a happy married life with John Watson. Dear Watson didn’t deserve this heartbreak.
On Disc 10 of the complete ‘Sherlock’ DVD/Blu-ray box set, there’s the ‘Behind 221B’ featurette on ‘The Six Thatchers’.
‘The Six Thatchers’ rating – 6/10
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