REVIEW: Sherlock, Series 2 Episode One 'A Scandal In Belgravia'

 REVIEW: Sherlock, Series 2 Episode One 'A Scandal In Belgravia'


The previous episode to Sherlock's series two opener ended on a major cliffhanger. Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Moriarty (Andrew Scott) were in something of a stand-off, with both contemplating killing the other. It was quite a tense scene to end the first series on, with no obvious way out for Sherlock and John Watson (Martin Freeman).
Which is perhaps why the resolution of said cliffhanger is probably the weakest aspect of this episode. For instead of Sherlock using his wits to escape Moriarty, Moriarty just gets a text and leaves. It's a rare mishap by writer Steven Moffat, who is usually better at reaching ingenious solutions in his scripts, but here just leaves the audience feeling somewhat underwhelmed.
Thankfully the rest of the episode is very strong. It starts off with one of the wittiest sequences in the entire show, with Sherlock and Watson going through a string of boring cases. I wish we had seen a full episode of 'The Geek interpreter', as the mystery of comics events seemingly coming to life is quite intriguing, but the others are presented very much as your run of the mill private detective cases. What's clever is how they tie in to the episode's resolution, with Mycroft's (Mark Gatiss) 'plane of the dead' connecting directly with the seemingly mundane inquiries of a kids' lost loved one, or a man who believe his ashes are not his dead aunt's as he was led to believe. It's an ingenious misdirect of something that seemed unimportant becoming important later on.
Sherlock becoming an internet celebrity thanks to John's blog is also very funny. There's some great comedy to be found from the idea of a 21st century Sherlock becoming famous for his expert solving of crimes. It's great to see this Sherlock don the famous deerstalker too, which has become synonymous with the legendary fictional detective.
If the way I describe this episode makes it sound like there's plenty of comedy, then you'd be right. This is the instalment of Sherlock where you can really feel Steven Moffat's past as a sitcom writer. Case in point: Sherlock and John at Buckingham Palace. Here, Steven Moffat uses the age-old trope of placing this oddball pairing of the socially awkward detective and ex-army doctor in an extremely posh and formal setting, where they are expected to behave and act professional. It allows for some very amusing moments, with Sherlock, having just been taken from a live stream, finding himself in this most prestigious of places wearing nothing but a white towel, and getting giddy with John over being within this place of royalty. It really shows Moffat's strong gift for finding these comedic situations to place these characters in.

Speaking of the comedic, Irene Adler (Lara Pulver) provides plenty of these light moments herself. Irene is like a toned down River Song from Doctor Who, with all of the flirting and dubious morality of the Doctor's archeologist friend, but written in a more subtle and grounded fashion. Whether she's changing Sherlock's ringtone to 'disgusting' noises or inviting Sherlock to dinner, there's never a dull moment with Irene, and Lara Pulver plays her perfectly.
It becomes clear from the off that she is also a dangerous woman, as the American CIA get involved, and even hold poor Mrs Hudson (Una Stubbs) at gunpoint over Irene. Giving Mrs Hudson a scare like that is just unforgivable. She deserves to be treated with way more respect, and the way that the CIA treat her just really makes you despise their involvement in this case. Mrs Hudson should be protected at all costs.
An interesting aspect about this episode is that Sherlock effectively falls for Irene - and yet Sherlock is the kind of antisocial character who doesn't fall for anyone. It's a compelling romance purely because we as the viewer are used to Sherlock being asexual; it must take a special sort of woman to capture his interest, after all. Irene manages to get through to him in a way Molly Hooper (Louise Brealey) never could, and it's truly fascinating to see.
Overall, 'A Scandal In Belgravia' may feature a weak resolution to the previous episode's cliffhanger, but once you get into the meat of this instalment's main narrative it is a strong story from the off. Featuring great comedy and an interesting romance for Sherlock Holmes, A Scandal In Belgravia is a story you don't want to miss. It's far from a boring case for Sherlock, that's for sure.

To have future posts delivered direct to your inbox, click the three lines at the top and register for email notifications via the 'Follow by Email' box.

What are your thoughts on the first episode of Sherlock's second series? Let me know in the comments.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

FEATURE: What Should Dancing On Ice Do Next?

FEATURE: Why Joe Warren-Plant Should Return To Dancing On Ice

REVIEW: Doctor Who - The Movie