To some extent, it was easy to predict the plot development of The Empty Hearse. The episode needed to show how Sherlock survived his fall, as well as showing how John would react to Sherlock's survival. Inevitably the two old friends would team up together again to solve a crime mystery. It was also known that John's wife to be, Mary Morstan, was going to make an appearance, so there were expectations that John would be torn between life with Mary and Sherlock.
Writer Mark Gatiss has some fun with toying with fans' expectations about the reveal of Sherlock's survival. The opening scene, which shows Sherlock surviving the fall using a bungee jump and the body of Moriarty hidden by a mask, turns out to be false. Some fans were enraged by the scene and tweeted about it before they'd even reached the end of the sequence, yet the scene was obviously fake when Sherlock started kissing Molly. The scene came from the imagination of Anderson, now guilty about his role in Sherlock's perceived demise. He has put together a fan club called "The Empty Hearse" which has formed other such theories. Another theory, showing Sherlock and Moriarty using a dummy to fool Watson before they kissed was a hoot. Fans of the series may object to these depictions of crazy fans with crazy theories, but they are pretty accurate. Showing these scenes on screen makes it clear how ridiculous they are. Some Johnlock shippers have no sense of humour. Gatiss wisely keeps the true means of Sherlock's survival until the very end. Like Anderson, fans have created so many wild theories that the truth is inevitably disappointing.
Meanwhile, in Eastern Europe, a prisoner is being recaptured by soldiers who proceed to torture him. The reveal that this prisoner is Sherlock was somewhat predictable. What was not predictable was the sudden appearance of Mycroft, disguised as a soldier, who came to bring Sherlock back to the country to deal with a threat of a terrorist attack in London.
While Sherlock has been away things have changed. Mrs Hudson lives alone. Molly has a new partner. John has of course, got a girlfriend in the form of Mary, who comes across as a likable character with a sense of humour. When Sherlock reveals himself while John is proposing to Mary, John does not take it very well. Martin Freeman successfully shows John's surprise and stress at seeing his old friend back from the dead. As the episode progresses, and the moustache inevitably gets shaved off, we see the old John return. But early on, John does not want to help Sherlock track down the terrorist plot.
With John reluctant to help, the main plot of the underground terrorist network is surprisingly put on hold while Sherlock teaming up with Molly and solving mutiple small crimes in the style of Gatiss' Series 1 work, The Great Game. Some of these are similar to the short Sherlock Holmes stories. While these scenes might be superfluous, it is good to see Molly getting to do some deduction work. It is good that the writers keep using the character. The only disadvantage is that there is no tension leading up to the terrorist attack when the characters are content to sit around. Still, at least one of the small mysteries of a man dissapearing in a train carriage starts to lead towards the main plot.
Another sub-plot emerges when John decides to go to Sherlock, but is kidnapped and hidden in a bonfire to be burned at Guy Fawkes night. It's a nice reminder of the danger that we put animals in with our bonfires. It is good to see that Mary is a particularly good in helping Sherlock, working out the skip code and following him on a motorbike to the bonfire where John is being burned.
Just as John and Sherlock reunite, the plot threads join together and the piece becomes more focused. Sherlock and John work out that the terrorist threat is underground and that a politician, Lord Moran, is planning to blow up parliament using an underground carriage which has been wired with explosives. It's very similar to V for Vendetta and almost makes me wonder whether the producers were hoping that this episode would be broadcast in November. The threat is disposed of surprisingly easily when Sherlock finds the off switch of the bomb. Some might see this as a cop out, but Sherlock uses this as an opportunity to reconcile with John.
We do, of course, get the inevitable reveal of the mysterious man who no doubt arranged John's kidnapping. The idea of a man setting traps for Sherlock and sending him texts is a tad similar to Moriarty. One hopes that the writers have found a new angle for this new mystery villain.
The Sherlock we meet in this episode is a lot more developed. He is betraying more emotion, such as his gratitude to Molly, his fear when the bomb is about to blow up and his clear longing for John to assist him. He even criticises his brother Mycroft about his lack of friends. Sherlock has come a long way since the loner of Series One. It was also nice that Sherlock liked Mary Morstan, since many fans, including myself, assumed he would hate her. It was also good to get a brief view of his parents, who turn out to be delightfully ordinary. He even shows willingness to embrace his public image when he puts on the deerstalker cap before addressing the press. It is good to see Sherlock showing a more human side.
Mycroft is also given a bit of development as we see him analyzing ordinary objects in the same meticulous manner that Sherlock likes to do. There are also hints that he might be lonely.
The majority of the story is focused on Sherlock, John, Mary and Molly, so Lestrade and Mrs Hudson get less development this time around. Lestrade is solidly played by Rupert Graves. The scene where he hugs Sherlock when they reunite show the respect of the two men. Una Stubbs continues to play Mrs Hudson well, but it might be hoped that she gets to do more than just stay as the funny old lady. Since the Underground Plot only gets developed at a late stage, we do not get to see any development of the villain, Lord Moran. That is a shame.
All in all, it seems like a disconnected story and pulls together in the end. The different threads did not choke the emotional resonance of the story. At the end of the day, this was all about reuniting Sherlock with John. The mystery was secondary to the main requirements. All in all, Mark Gatiss has done very well with this story. A better story than last Series \Hound and a promising start to the third series.
8/10
Another sub-plot emerges when John decides to go to Sherlock, but is kidnapped and hidden in a bonfire to be burned at Guy Fawkes night. It's a nice reminder of the danger that we put animals in with our bonfires. It is good to see that Mary is a particularly good in helping Sherlock, working out the skip code and following him on a motorbike to the bonfire where John is being burned.
Just as John and Sherlock reunite, the plot threads join together and the piece becomes more focused. Sherlock and John work out that the terrorist threat is underground and that a politician, Lord Moran, is planning to blow up parliament using an underground carriage which has been wired with explosives. It's very similar to V for Vendetta and almost makes me wonder whether the producers were hoping that this episode would be broadcast in November. The threat is disposed of surprisingly easily when Sherlock finds the off switch of the bomb. Some might see this as a cop out, but Sherlock uses this as an opportunity to reconcile with John.
We do, of course, get the inevitable reveal of the mysterious man who no doubt arranged John's kidnapping. The idea of a man setting traps for Sherlock and sending him texts is a tad similar to Moriarty. One hopes that the writers have found a new angle for this new mystery villain.
The Sherlock we meet in this episode is a lot more developed. He is betraying more emotion, such as his gratitude to Molly, his fear when the bomb is about to blow up and his clear longing for John to assist him. He even criticises his brother Mycroft about his lack of friends. Sherlock has come a long way since the loner of Series One. It was also nice that Sherlock liked Mary Morstan, since many fans, including myself, assumed he would hate her. It was also good to get a brief view of his parents, who turn out to be delightfully ordinary. He even shows willingness to embrace his public image when he puts on the deerstalker cap before addressing the press. It is good to see Sherlock showing a more human side.
Mycroft is also given a bit of development as we see him analyzing ordinary objects in the same meticulous manner that Sherlock likes to do. There are also hints that he might be lonely.
The majority of the story is focused on Sherlock, John, Mary and Molly, so Lestrade and Mrs Hudson get less development this time around. Lestrade is solidly played by Rupert Graves. The scene where he hugs Sherlock when they reunite show the respect of the two men. Una Stubbs continues to play Mrs Hudson well, but it might be hoped that she gets to do more than just stay as the funny old lady. Since the Underground Plot only gets developed at a late stage, we do not get to see any development of the villain, Lord Moran. That is a shame.
All in all, it seems like a disconnected story and pulls together in the end. The different threads did not choke the emotional resonance of the story. At the end of the day, this was all about reuniting Sherlock with John. The mystery was secondary to the main requirements. All in all, Mark Gatiss has done very well with this story. A better story than last Series \Hound and a promising start to the third series.
8/10
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