WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!
The Six Thatchers
So first and foremost.. OMG three years!! THREE YEARS!!! Oh what sweet music to the ears that voice with that attitude is, anyone who says they didn’t miss him is probably lying or doesn’t watch Sherlock and has never heard of Sherlock or the BBC or Dr Who or TELEVISION! Excuse me.. sorry, sorry that was out of line. I shall try to contain myself for the remainder of the review but no real promises.
Overall it was a great episode to come back with and might I add slightly shocking too but I shall get to that. The episode loosely follows the original “The Six Napoleons” in the sense that the story of the busts is incorporated as part of a much larger story line revolving around A.G.R.A and Mary. We find out that A.G.R.A was a crew of four freelance hit men/women two of which the identity remains secret, I don’t know if this was on purpose or just because it didn’t matter. They were all supposed to be dead but Mary survived and so did Ajay, so who is to say that the other two didn’t!? But I guess that won’t really matter anymore seeing as Mary is dead and I don’t think they will be bringing her back, only Sherlock can pull that off!
The Appointment in Samarra is mentioned many times throughout the episode. It tells a tale of almost self fulfilling prophecy which feels like foreshadowing as to Sherlocks destiny. There is also mention of intuition and predestination which may seem uncharacteristic of a highly functioning sociopath. There will always be danger when one is Sherlock Holmes and I think we will come to see that as the series progresses (I say progresses like we have 22 episodes to look forward to but you know what I mean). John throws in a sly but well meaning comment that carries heavy weight with it when Sherlock is sat at the table with his microscope and they are discussing OCD antics of the criminal. He looks to Sherlock saying “They obsess over one thing and can’t let it go” poking at the fact that Sherlock is waiting for Moriarty to continue the game almost like he would think less of him if he didn’t and in that sense I guess he thinks highly of Moriarty as he is expecting something to happen. But it has not occurred to Sherlock that Moriarty could have set up that message to just mess with his head as one final play on his part.
They had some cleverly inserted references that certainly deserve an honourable mention. The first being one from Mycroft “I’m not prone to outbursts of brotherly compassion. You know what happened to the other one” This has been circulating for a while and the fact that they reminded and reiterated it at the beginning of this season surely means we will find out more about this! The second was a little more casual as the crew sifts through the usual cases. John says “Sherlock?” to which Sherlock replies “It’s never twins!”!! Is this a direct response to those who are theorising that Moriarty has a twin! Or is it reverse psychology to make us think it’s not twins. But surely .. It can’t be twins. Back to the drawing board dammit!
My last but certainly not least important talking point is the link between Sherlocks sadness/dark side and water. Hear me out. We first see it when he sees the “shrine” for Maggie.T . He completely zones out, you see the dark blue water and you feel and hear the depth to which he falls to in that moment, this moment of intuition that he links to Moriarty. The second time we see this happen is when he is in his brothers office, he becomes quite serious and similar effects are used when he states that “something’s coming” again he means something linked to Moriarty. The third time wasn’t exactly a state of mind but more an environment. The final showdown with Mrs.Norbury takes place in the London Aquarium where there is the blue depth of the waters all around them and predator sharks circle them in their little tunnel of air. It becomes the scene of Marys murder, someone who he had vowed to protect. A moment in his life that pushes him to get counselling. And the final time we see this is at the end of the episode where he is walking through London and is contemplating on how death awaits us all in Samarra and whether Samarra can be avoided.
We get a little glimpse of next weeks episode. Mary telling Sherlock to go to hell on the CD that was revealed after her death but in what context as she has also told Sherlock to save John. I know I haven’t touched on what John had been up to in this episode but I want to give him the benefit of the doubt maybe all isn’t what it seems, let’s watch another episode at least before we start making any quick and harsh accusations. We also come to see another villain take his rightful place on the show, as one can never have too many villains eh? I wonder what John wrote on that piece of paper that he gave to Molly to give to Sherlock. I wonder when John will forgive him? And I wonder why John is so angry with Sherlock! None of it is his fault, technically her past came to bite her in the ass. Sherlock is only human there’s only so much he can protect them and himself from. So many questions, so few episodes and not enough time in the world so to prevent this from becoming a maddeningly long review, I shall call it a day here. But I can say I am most certainly looking forward to the rest of the season!
Sleeping Geeks 