FEATURE: Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Ted

Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Cordelia and Xander got the smoochies on during the showdown with I-Am-The-Bug-Man from the Order of Taraka, Jenny is still reeling a little from everything that went on in The Dark Age and Buffy's identity as the Slayer still remains a secret from her mum Joyce.

Ted finds Buffy having to deal with the fact that Joyce is in a relationship with a man named, you guessed it, Ted. He gives her the wiggins but everyone else seems entranced by him; he cooks a mean mini pizza and gives Willow free software for her computer. When Ted threatens her during a game of mini-golf, Buffy employs the gang to do a bit of snooping. However, Ted does some snooping of his own leading to a showdown with Buffy which doesn't end so well for Ted. Well, until it turns out he's actually an android serial killer with a penchant for his wives.

The last time Buffy attempted a technological episode, it was the laughable I Robot, You Jane which has not aged well at all in the eyes of this discerning viewer. Ted on the other hand feels like a completely different episode to the one I watched when I was younger. This was always an instalment I skipped (along with Bad Eggs - next week's offering) because I just didn't think it was very good; I didn't like the premise, there was a lack of fighting and Ted just irritated the hell out of me and not in the way he was supposed to.

Now, however, I beg to differ (I will never use that phrase again. It gives me the creeps). I actually think this may be one of the scariest episodes Buffy has ever produced, a domestic nightmare with, until the end, very little to actually fight. Rather than make this a lesser episode, as I thought before, it actually makes it far more tense and makes the fight between Buffy and Ted seem all the more important. 

First let's look at the character of Ted; seemingly perfect human being who makes great food, works really well at his job and seems to love the hell out of Joyce. In reality, he's a serial killing robot and, because this is Buffy, he's a woman-hating serial killing robot with domestic violence tendencies. John Ritter's performance is so perfect as Ted that I can actually feel my skin crawl as I'm writing about him. His turns of phrase, his benign facial expressions and the tension that runs through his body when Buffy and Joyce start to stand up to him is measured brilliantly; he's a figure it is so easy to hate and that is where the episode's power lies. Also, I have to mention SMG's reaction expressions in this episode, which beat those of What's My Line by a country mile.

Like many other episodes in this season, Ted is a metaphorical glance at the life of a teenager through the eyes of monsters. Here, Buffy is forced to confront an evil that might be entirely human and might become her stepfather. She feels powerless because no one else can see quite what she does thanks to her Slayer sense. When she thinks she killed Ted, her world is rocked (just as it will be when Faith dispatches the Deputy Mayor in Season Three) because Buffy's moral code does not allow for the harming of humans, even those she doesn't happen to like a whole bunch.

The domestic violence angle lends an interesting dynamic to that problem. Does the fact that Ted hit her first and threatened her further make it ok that she strikes back? Well, prior to the robot discovery, no not really. Buffy really goes for him and uses her abnormal strength against him, something which she only does with humans in extreme situations (like when Larry attempts to grope her or attack Xander). It adds another dimension to Buffy's tenure as the Slayer - she's very good at killing demons but will never use her powers against another human unless she has to. It's this moral dilemma that will make Faith so tricky to deal with next season.

And elsewhere in the episode, for balance, Xander and Cordelia are carrying on in secret and Giles and Jenny rekindle their relationship with some smoochies in the library (boy am I dreading Surprise).

A complete 180 on this episode then; Ted may not be full of action, but as a slow-burning domestic thriller involved robots, it's pretty damn good.

Quote of the Week: Xander - "Can we say over-reaction?"     
                                Buffy - "Can we say sucking chest wound?"

Let's Get Trivial: Both John Ritter and Sarah Michelle Gellar were horrendously ill when filming their fight scene, which might also explain why the climactic fight is more Indiana-Jones-esque and involves just a couple of whacks with a frying pan.

Demonology 101: Ted may be the first human robot hybrid on the show, but he certainly won't be the last and it will become an interesting exploration of similar themes to this episode later in the series.

- Becky

You can read Becky's look at the What's My Line two-parter here.

Follow @AssortedBuffery on Twitter
Or like our Facebook page

TV REVIEW: The Musketeers - Friends and Enemies and Sleight of Hand

To say I'm a fan of men who swash their buckles (matron) is something of an understatement. I was raised watching The Princess Bride, Errol Flynn films were standard weekend film affairs and 'fencing' with my brother was occurring so often it became a liability to both ourselves and my mother's ornament collection. Richard Lester's The Three Musketeers remains, to this day, one of my favourite Sunday afternoon films and I'm unashamed about my enduring love for the Brat Pack Three Musketeers with Kiefer Sutherland, Charlie Sheen and Oliver Platt. So when it was announced that dear old BBC were planning their own adaptation of The Three Musketeers, I was practically giddy. 

And then Atlantis happened. It was terrible from the word go and didn't get much better. I gave up on it and I so very rarely give up on anything. It had little respect for the myths it was gleefully mashing together in its weird melting pot, spitting them back out again in random references and flourishes that made no sense. As the air date for The Musketeers drew closer, my enthusiasm waned despite being encouraged by the casting announcements, particularly Peter Capaldi, Mr Isaac from Heroes and Tom Burke (one of those actors who seems to crop up and be fantastic in anything - check out Third Star with Benedict Cumberbatch for example). When I sat down to the first episode, I am afraid to say I turned on the television fully expecting to not like what was about to unfold.

Thankfully, I was wrong.

Described as an interpretation rather than an adaptation, The Musketeers quickly covers its back in terms of fidelity to its source material, opting for something that is very much in the spirit of Dumas' work rather than following it to the letter. Certain familiar narrative beats are there; D'Artagnan's early meeting with Milady, the Cardinal's dastardly plotting to remain influential to the king and the three introductory duels with the titular musketeers, here brilliantly re-imagined to see D'Artagnan take them all on at once. Largely though, the plot featuring a case of purposeful mistaken identity is Hodges' own and though it doesn't ensure that we're swept up in the peril of the story (it would be a brave adaptation to kill off Athos so early), it serves as an excellent re-introduction to these characters.

Cleverly, the first episode doesn't waste its time in getting everyone acquainted and grants each character an early scene that typifies their character; D'Artagnan (Luke Pasqualino) goes charging off to avenge his father, Athos (Tom Burke) is hungover yet still manages to swagger around the Parisian streets looking like a 17th century rock star, Porthos (Howard Charles) is gambling and Aramis (Santiago Cabrera) is in bed with a woman. Naturally. However, any adaptation of Dumas' characters are nothing without their adversaries. Peter Capaldi makes a suitably imperious Cardinal Richlieu, treading the fine line between cold villainy and pantomime nefariousness (a cross then between Charlton Heston's portrayal and the scenery-chewing Tim Curry version). Milady (Maimie McCoy) is also suitably enigmatic, though not enough that it is an insult to the audience watching; her relationship with Athos is quickly established if not stated outright and I'm sure will build nicely into the remainder of the series.

The decision to hit the ground running and barely pause for breath an intelligent move for an audience that has been saturated with adaptations in the past few years. The plot progresses with an easy confidence, akin to the swaggering of its characters. One liners are dropped freely, dastardly plotting occurs in candlelit corridors and everyone seems to have that 'yes, we know we're sexy' glint in their eyes. Most of all though, it had such a sense of fun that it was difficult not to get swept up in. The chemistry between the central four is pitched perfectly, particularly the comedy duo of Porthos and Aramis (both Cabrera and Charles look set to steal this series).

The momentum was maintained for the second episode too and has me cautiously optimistic about the remaining instalments. Beginning with an amusing play on the Musketeers' oft repeated motto, Sleight of Hand followed D'Artagnan on his first mission for the Musketeers, infiltrating a prison to get close to Vadim (a wonderful Jason Flemyng) in order to discover what he plans to do with a tonne of gunpowder he's just swiped. So far, so Guy Fawkes, but Vadim unfolds into an interesting antagonist, one who isn't governed by a code of honour that his companions of the Musketeers recognise; he's simply a thief which makes him easily misinterpreted.

The sense of humour was once again in place and reminded me of the Lester Musketeers with some of the scenes throughout the second episode. The scene with Athos, Aramis and Suzette was nicely witty whilst Pasqualino got to demonstrate some slapstick skill as D'Artagnan comically ran around trying to put out all of the fuses instead of just running away. It shows a keen understanding of character, this sequence; D'Artagnan isn't one to run away from a fight he thinks he can, even if the rest of us know otherwise. The final moments of the episode demonstrated this as he ran off after Vadim and confronted him in a brilliantly realised candlelit fight.

There are, of course, a few significant departures from the material to be expected. The biggest so far appears to be a hinted relationship between Aramis and the Queen. Though neither character is famous for their fidelity in relationships, they've never been linked before. It does make a little sense to keep the stakes high for our central characters and with several more episodes to go, it's perhaps too early to introduce a figure like Buckingham into the mix just yet. It might upset some of the purists, but I remain cautiously optimistic that the show will know how to handle it.

A promising start then for the King's men and despite myself, I actually can't wait for the next episode. All for one and all that.

- Becky

Follow @AssortedBuffery on Twitter
Or like our Facebook page

FEATURE: Buffy the Vampire Slayer - What's My Line (Parts One & Two)

Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer: A vampire stole a mysterious volume from Giles' library and immediately passed it on to Spike earlier in the season, tensions have been mounting between Cordelia and Xander and oh yeah, Buffy died.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing sometimes isn't it? Throughout this series re-watch, I've had some great moments; spotted things I'd not seen before, references that had previously passed me by, or little character moments that mean more to me than they did on the first few watches. It's largely been a positive experience, but there are also those moments, fleeting or otherwise, that expose flaws in the Buffy DNA that had passed me by before, one such episode being Reptile Boy earlier this season. The What's My Line two-parter manages to encompass both positive and negative aspects when revisiting this episode.

First of all, the summary: What's My Line finds Buffy contemplating her future as Sunnydale High hosts a careers fair whilst Willow finally meets Oz and Xander and Cordelia continue their sparring. All is not good in Sunnydale however (when is it ever?) as Spike and Dru unlock a ritual to restore Dru's health but it involves chaining up Angel half naked in a church. Obviously. To distract Buffy, Spike brings in the Order of Taraka, a nice collection of assassins with a variety of skillsets. When she is set upon by a mysterious female fighter, Buffy assumes her to be an assassin, but she reveals herself to be Kendra, another vampire slayer activated when Buffy 'died' in last season's Prophecy Girl.

First up, let's start with the positives; What's My Line is a cracking two parter that sets in stone some of the most important foundations for later seasons, particularly the third (with Faith) and the seventh (with the Potentials). It's also the episode where Buffy finally starts to confront her duty as the Slayer, rather than trying to run away from it and complain about it all the time. She sees Kendra as offering her a way out of the life, a chance to let her step forward so Buffy can have a normal life. However, by the end of the episode, working with Kendra shows her that actually, she's pretty damn good at her job and enjoys it at least a little bit. It's an important development for the character and though the tension continues between the role of the Slayer and Buffy's regular world persona, it is in What's My Line that she starts to get a little less whiney about the whole deal.

One of the major strengths of these episodes is the dialogue which (aside from the horrendously awkward Kendra moments which we'll get to later) sparkles with a ready wit and keeps the pace zipping along. It's the first episode with Marti Noxon in the writer's chair (along with Howard Gordon) who goes on to become one of the most consistently good writers in the Buffy dialogue bank. She gets to introduce another big character in Oz, though we've already seen him, with some brilliant deadpan one-liners and give our main characters some nicely witty exchanges. A particular favourite is Buffy's 'OK, a regular kid and her cradle-robbing-creature-of-the-night boyfriend'. It was a struggle to pick any one line as I usually do below, but I went for one I quote most often and is definitely the most difficult to get into a general conversation. 

And so we come to the negatives which, in my lesser experienced days, I had glossed over simply because I wasn't quite tuned into them. Buffy as a show has always had a bit of a race problem, something which has been recognised and written about by more expert people than I. That I hadn't noticed how overtly problematic Kendra's introduction was says a huge amount about the insidious way in which race is presented in Buffy; it's normalised to the point where it took me countless watches of this two parter to really pick up on. Some viewers may not even see it as a problem, but now I've clocked on to it, What's My Line became quite uncomfortable to watch in places. It has been written about elsewhere and I particularly recommend Kent Ono's 'To Be a Vampire on Buffy' which is available to read here; he only focuses on the first three seasons of the show (those that had aired at the time of writing) but produces a really interesting analysis of the way in which race is presented.

Kendra's accent has been singled out for ridicule from the moment the episodes first aired and it is a terrible accent, a weird mash-up of Jamaican patois and whatever the producers were telling Bianca Lawson to do at the time (she too hated the accent). However, it is more how characters interact with her that becomes increasingly problematic. Upon Buffy's introduction to her, she describes a truce as 'no kicko, no fighto' in response to Kendra's accent, despite her clearly being perfectly capable of speaking English. Buffy goes on to mock her continually throughout the second part, even imitating her accent at one point for no apparent reason. Giles treats her with a patronising tone and Xander reduces her to a blubbering servant, incapable of getting a word out without stammering uncontrollably or making eye contact.

Within the show, this is attributed to Kendra's training; she has been brought up from day one to be a Slayer and isn't allowed to have friends or interact with boys. Unlike Buffy who has been granted a fair amount of freedom (despite her complaining), Kendra has been restricted throughout. However, when looked at within the context of Kendra's race, this behaviour, in contrast to the enlightened Californian blond, white Slayer, looks primitive and barbaric and most importantly, is treated as such. It's certainly eye-opening to watch these episodes in that context and suddenly, I find myself not liking this two-parter as much as I thought I would. 

Returning to the duality of hindsight that I opened with, What's My Line becomes a curiously mixed bag; on the one hand, it is an absolute joy to hear some of this dialogue again, to see Oz and Willow interact for the very first time, to see the Order of Taraka get bigged up something rotten by everyone involved and then all get dispatched rather easily by the Scoobies. On the other hand, it brings one of Buffy's major problems into the limelight and somehow, seeing the treatment of Kendra for what it is means that I don't think I shall appreciate these episodes on the same level again which really is a shame.

Quote of the Week: Oz - "I mock you with my monkey pants" (It had to be this. Just had to be)

Let's Get Trivial: This is the first time that the main characters are referred to as the Scooby Gang, by Xander as he is breaking into Buffy's house with Cordelia.

Inventive Kill: Two for the price of one this week - Buffy slits the first assassin's throat with a handy swing on some hockey nets and her ice skate blade. Willow bags her first vampire kill in a tag team effort with Giles.

Demonology 101: Spike was originally supposed to be killed off in this episode but James Marsters and the character proved so popular with audiences that he was written back into the season, going on to become one of the show's most memorable figures.

- Becky

PS. I will one day get these posts out on time. I promise.

You can read Becky's look back at The Dark Age here.

Follow @AssortedBuffery on Twitter
Or like our Facebook page.

TV REVIEW: Sherlock - His Last Vow

It's been one week since the swishy-coated detective and partner last graced our screens and we're all missing him already. In lieu of a full, in-depth review, we have decided to take you through our conversation following last week's finale, a glimpse at our thoughts if you will. As ever, there are spoilers (and if you have avoided any until now, please accept a generous round of applause).

Becky: If people were worried that Sherlock was becoming too light and fluffy, then surely they must have had their fears eased with this deliciously dark episode, as twisty turny as a twisty turny thing. There were plenty of things I sort of expected (Mary) and plenty of things I didn't (yes, Jim, I did miss you). But overall, what struck me most about this episode was how well the first two in the series built up to it. The time taken to really cement the relationship between John and Sherlock, as well as the addition of Mary, ensured that the second any one of them found themselves in jeopardy, I was a bit of a wreck. 

Jen: Personally I always enjoy a little bit of light and fluffy, but I do understand that this isn't necessarily what one would traditionally either expect or want from a modern re-imagining of a classic detective drama about a clever man incapable of normal social interaction, so in that sense this final episode did rather bring us back on track. Albeit at the eleventh hour. Totally agree about the development of Mary and John's relationship, although I have to admit I was just the teensiest bit disappointed that she didn't go totally rogue and become the villain of the series. But maybe I have just have a dark imagination? Speaking of both dark imaginations and villains, beyond delighted to see the return of Moriarty. He's my favourite, ever.

B: I'm fairly certain that it won't be Moriarty we see back though. Sherlock's resurrection (however it happened) was no mean feat and I'm not sure even Moffat and Gatiss could make lightening strike twice. Perhaps a mastermind using Moriarty to bring Sherlock back into the fold? Speaking of masterminds, how damn cool was Charles Augustus Magnusson? Talk about your skincrawlingly dastardly villain. I'm honestly not sure which was worse; the licking of the face or the flicking of the face? I would have loved to have seen more of him, he was wonderfully intimidating and seemed like such a good foil for Sherlock. I loved that they each had their own version of a mind palace but used them in ways befitting their status.

J: It will be Moriarty, Becky. It will. That is what I am telling and myself and will continue to do so. Agree that lightning doesn't usually strike twice, however I think now that they've brought Sherlock himself back to life, almost anything could happen. Didn't Moriarty keep popping back to life in the books or have I misremembered that? Magnusson was indeed creepy. He was just so rude! That was the main thing I took away from him. Also, that I would like a mind palace. I LOVED the parts when Sherlock was dead, and re-living all the useful bits of information from previous conversations and scenes. 

B: Moriarty dies at the Reichenbach Falls so there's no real precedent for bringing him back. 

Yes the mind palace with Sherlock was such a great piece of film-making, not only dramatically, but technically too; it worked just as well as the onscreen graphics for Sherlock's deducting. I also loved how he used people around him and it added another dimension to the character. He may not be able to show how much he admires them very well in reality, but they all occupy a special place in his head ready to save his life when he needs them. That being said, he also managed to re-assert his utter bastard status with poor Janine. I did that horrible nervous  laugh when he proposed through the camera with that terrifying grin.

J: Is the fact that I love him not enough of a reason? But yes fair enough.

I actually really liked Janine, I particularly enjoyed the way she got her own back on him with her kiss and tell stories to the press, and the way Sherlock reacted to it with something not unlike admiration. I much preferred her to The Woman, in fact I'd quite like to see her again, but I'm not too sure we will. Definitely a great character episode all in all, with a bit more in the way of a sleuth plot than we've seen recently. 

B: I did like that final scene with Janine, the pair had a really nice chemistry. And yes, the character beats worked very well along side the sleuthy aspect. Martin Freeman in particular has been just fantastic this series and broke my heart on more than one occasion. Cumberbatch does get the more demonstrative role, but Freeman puts in a hell of a lot of work as the more reserved half and their relationship felt so much deeper this series than it has I think before, primarily because we have spent so much time with them for the first couple of episodes.

Final verdicts then?

J: Final verdicts, hmm. I think a strong and satisfying end to a great series, one which really stretched the characters and took the show to new emotional levels. My prevailing thought however, is that yes, I did miss Jim, and I think Sherlock did, too. 

B: If it is him (and I'm still not so sure), then it's going to have to be one hell of an explanation to bring him back. But yes, I agree, it's been a different series to the previous too, no doubt, but it's moved everything in a very interesting direction and I can't wait to see what happens next.

- Jen and Becky

You can read Jen's review of The Sign of Three here and Becky's look at The Empty Hearse here.

Follow @AssortedBuffery on Twitter

Or like our Facebook page.

FEATURE: Buffy the Vampire Slayer - The Dark Age

Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer: An old friend of Giles', Ethan Rayne, has already shown up and caused chaos on Halloween, leaving an ominous note. 'Be seeing you'.

Oh it's been a while hasn't it? I do apologise for the considerable gap between posts, but it's been a mad couple of months for me. Who knew applying for things would be so much work? Anyway, we are back, we are enthusiastic and we are raring to go. And what better way to kick it all back off again than with one of the best episodes of the (rather excellent anyway) second season run.

The Dark Age finds Giles front and centre as one of his friends from university arrives at the library looking a bit/a lot perturbed. It turns out that a demon they once summoned from the nethers has arrived back in town to take them one by one. Philip (friend at the library) is being pursued by the considerably worse for wear Deirdre, who turns into a puddle of blue goo before the credits hit. Each of Giles' friends share the Mark of Eyghon (said) demon and now all but he and the returning Ethan Rayne are dead. A confrontation with the demon leads to it possessing Jenny Calendar and with Giles out of commission, it's up to the gang to work out how to solve this week's feature creature.

Anthony Head has been the quiet stalwart of the cast so far, only really getting one chance to display any major depth to Giles during Halloween when he kicks the crap out of Ethan. There was a nice interplay there, hinting at something lurking in Giles' past that he isn't keen to see let out. An inner demon, literally speaking, is a really effective way to get under the character's skin and see him unable to make the clear-headed decisions he's usually known for as both he and the woman he loves with are pursued by the demon. It's also the first major insight into the 'hates the world ticking time bomb' Giles that we will later see more of in the sublime Band Candy.

It's also an important episode for Buffy's development. In the second season's theme of growing up, this is the moment in which you realise your parents aren't so dull or boring as you might think, that they too had a life before they started taking care of you and one day, you are actually going to have to fend for yourself. Giles' parental figure hasn't really been challenged in Buffy's eyes just yet, but here she is forced to confront his past as a hard-drinking, black magic performing bad guy whilst also having to solve the mystery herself. It's a big step for their relationship, one which is never quite as smooth as people tend to remember; there's an inbuilt reliance between the two of them on them staying within their roles, the slightly wayward daughter and the stern but fair father. When that balance is rocked, sparks fly.

The chemistry between Head and Gellar has always been one of the best elements of Buffy, perfectly capturing that surrogate father/daughter dynamic and one in which the audience invests a huge amount. I still remember feeling the same sense of betrayal writ over Buffy's face when Giles answers the door all drunk and dismissive. However, it's a necessary moment in their relationship, one that won't really be put to the test in the same way until later seasons, and both actors handle it brilliantly. It also proves to be a stronger relationship than either of them realise as Buffy defies him at every turn to try and save his life, jeopardising hers regularly in the process.

Elsewhere, it's one of the first major Scooby moments for Cordelia as she jumps into help Giles in his hour of need because she cares. Always skirting around the inner circle, Cordy seems to join in out of a genuine, if not vocalised, desire to help and it's at this point that she starts becoming more actively involved in the Slayerettes. Note in particular, the chemistry with Xander at this point; it's the classic "we hate each other so obviously we're going to kiss at some point." We also get another hint to Angel's dark side as the demon in him is just dying for a fight, and gets one, when Willow figures out that Eyghon will jump into the nearest dead person.

It's another good 'un as we draw ever closer to where the season really takes a plummet in the light and fluffy stakes. Next week, it's careers advice...

Quote of the Week: Giles - Wonderful. You work on your muscle tone while my brain dribbles out of my ears...

Let's Get Trivial: Sarah Michelle Gellar's stunt double does some odd grunting in this episode. Speaking of which, SMG'S stunt double is Sophia Crawford, who was also the stunt double for the Pink Ranger. Go go 90s kids.

- Becky

You can go all the way back to read Becky's look at previous episode, Lie to Me, right here.

Follow @AssortedBuffery on Twitter
Or like our Facebook page

TV REVIEW: Sherlock - The Sign of Three

Do you want the good news or the bad news first? Bad, right. Well the bad news is that, currently resting on the far side of episode 2 as we are, we only have one episode in the current series of Sherlock left. I know, I can’t believe it either. The good news though, is that if episode 3 is even half as good as episode 2, it’ll be an absolute corker.

The Sign of Three saw Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch) face a case he never thought possible- the curious case of the unwritten best man’s speech. Having sort of proposed to Mary (Amanda Abbington) in the previous episode, albeit dramatically diverted at the time by the re-appearance of his supposedly dead best friend, John Watson (Martin Freeman)’s wedding day has now arrived. This has left a desperate Sherlock in the tricky situation of having to not only write an entire speech in which he must emotionally connect with a room full of tissue ready wedding guests, but, crucially, this is a situation in which he must act normal, and not like a ‘high functioning sociopath’ for an entire day. Premise established, the episode proceeds to use said speech as a vehicle for well -timed flashbacks on the adventures of groom and best man, from the stag do to an invisible man to a womanising ghost. As the speech trundles on, taking us from laughter to tears in minutes, so too do the stories of the different cases, until Sherlock’s dramatic and somewhat inevitable conclusion that a crime, a murder no less, has been planned for this very day, in this very room.

For now, however, back to the speech. Despite the fact that the speech itself transpired to be nothing short of a masterpiece, touchingly delivered and utterly true to the relationship of the three characters involved, Sherlock’s speech making skills are met with, at best, concern. Perhaps well founded given his previous behaviour towards any member of the opposite sex John has shown an interest in. Mrs Hudson Sherlock’s long suffering landlady, played with a splendid warmth and simplicity, as ever, by Una Stubbs, finds the concept of Sherlock talking about a subject other than grisly homicide in front of so many rapt, normal people so hilarious that she can’t get passed the idea of him reading out the telegrams without breaking down in fits of laughter so over the top she sounds like a woodland bird being poked with something hot and pointy, to paraphrase. Sherlock himself isn’t entirely thrilled with the situation either, with even Watson failing to notice how ‘terrified’ the detective clearly is.

Happily, it falls to the tremendously likeable Mary to save the day, as she cunningly plays the boys off against each other in order for them both to be re-assured that the wedding, and indeed life after it will all end happily, with both feeling all the while feeling comfortably superior that they are doing the other one a favour. A woman who can outsmart Sherlock and Watson to boot without having to take her dressing gown off? Nice. Very nice. In fact nice is exactly what Mary is. As I said a moment ago she really is very likeable. Not so much fortuitous as utterly crucial to the longevity of the series, the success of her character has clearly been meticulously discussed and planned to the nth degree. The requirements were probably something along the lines of, firstly, a character strong enough to hold her own when talking to the infamous sociopath as well as being a person in her own right, and finally not to mention somebody John Watson would want to marry. That’s a lot to achieve in the form of just one fiancée. Fortunately, the writing team, and indeed Amanda Abbington herself, more than achieve this.

I think it’s fair to say that her real life marriage to Martin Freeman goes some way towards making their on screen relationship work, too. The two have a warmth, ease and sense of fun about them on screen through which they manage to create that rare thing in TV partnerships – actual genuine seeming chemistry. Given how hand and glove-like Cumberbatch and Freeman’s performances fit each other, the latter’s relationship with his now wife really had to be absolutely spot on in order to have a chance at working. A fantastic performance here, too from Benedict Cumberbatch, who, whilst allowing us to see a more fragile, silly and ultimately more human side of the socially awkward sleuth remained 100% true to the man himself, even in this most uncharacteristic of situations.

The more detective-like elements of the episode were down played in favour of Sherlock’s old enemy, ‘sentiment’, which may well have angered some die-hard puzzle-solving fans, but for me there was just the right amount of background mystery and intrigue. It was as fascinating and mind-boggling as ever, but didn’t get in the way of either the hilarity of the stag-do flashbacks, in which we were treated to the rare and totally brilliant sight of a drunken Sherlock, nor the poignancy of the day itself and Sherlock’s heart felt congratulations and tributes to the happy couple.

It was the perfect, perfect mix of jokes, tears, laughter and excitement.  Just any wedding speech should be – although most don’t wind up with an attempted murder.

But then, that’s what you get when you pick Sherlock Holmes as your best man.

Jen

Follow @AssortedBuffery on Twitter
Or like our Facebook page.

You can read my own blog here or follow me on twitter here

TV REVIEW: Sherlock - The Empty Hearse

It's been two years since The Reichenbach Fall, but Sherlock has finally returned with a suitably witty and emotional first episode.

Sherlock (the character) has always swaggered about, confident in his own abilities and with a trademark, if often unintentional, biting wit. They are qualities that Sherlock the show has exhibited from its first episode; even A Study in Pink had an inbuilt confidence in its concept and execution thanks to Paul McGuigan's direction. The Empty Hearse was the most self-assured episode to date with Mark Gatiss' script revelling the impact of Sherlock's return and those around him, uniting them all into the big reveal one at a time.

In terms of the wider plot, Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch) has almost singlehandedly dismantled Moriarty's criminal network whilst being 'dead' only to find himself faced with his brother Mycroft (Mark Gatiss) in a jail cell. It turns out that there is a terror cell planning an imminent attack on London and Sherlock is required to help foil it. Returning to London, Sherlock is surprised to discover that not only has John Watson (Martin Freeman) moved on, but he is about to get engaged and has, shock horror, moved out of 221B. They are soon forced back together in the name of Mycroft's case, a seasonal plot to blow up Parliament, and the gang are once again reunited.

That confidence that I mentioned earlier permeated every aspect of The Empty Hearse, a fine return for everyone involved. Mark Gatiss' script was one of the wittiest yet, granted Cumberbatch and Freeman some truly brilliant lines. The editing was also nothing short of spectacular, particularly in the cross-cutting for Sherlock and Watson's respective scenes with clients and patients. It gave the episode a quick pace and a knowing air that never fell into arrogance, played with enough humour to keep it light whilst also allowing the more emotional moments to rise to the surface.

The restaurant scene was so beautifully played from the very beginning, not only allowing Benedict Cumberbatch to wheel out his comedy French accent, previously utilised to great effect in the radio series Cabin Pressure (and thus my customary plug for that show is worked in), but also for Martin Freeman to follow up that graveside speech with some of the best reactionary acting in the business. The balance between the comedy and the drama of the situation was perfectly pitched, allowing for the emotional resonance of John's reaction to hit the spot whilst the violent reactions, the changing locations and moustache-related running jokes to re-establish their relationship and the chemistry between the two actors.

It wasn't all about Watson though as Sherlock goes round, alerting his colleagues to his return. A particular favourite was his reunion with Lestrade which featured the best reaction, second only to Watson's. Rupert Graves is one of the unsung heroes of this series, absolutely sublime as the put-upon inspector who always finds himself a little sidelined. Elsewhere, Molly (Louise Brealey) as Sherlock's new sidekick allowed for some of the quieter moments of the episode as Gatiss rattled through seemingly as many textual references as he could. However, it was the expanded relationship with Mycroft that resonated most from the great visual joke of them playing Operation to the clear affection/antagonisation that they share.

These reunions also served to show how the two years on his own have taken their toll on Sherlock himself, as well as those around him. Throughout the series, he has displayed the lack of understanding when it comes to human relationships and does so here, incredulous when he discovers that John is no longer waiting for him to return. However, the fake Jack the Ripper scene has Sherlock hearing John's reactions to his comments and actions; there's a realisation here that he actually needs John by his side. Molly serves as a decent foil for a day, but that relationship isn't one based on challenging Sherlock, but adoring him (despite Molly's insistence that she has moved on). Likewise, in the final confrontation between Sherlock and John, he demonstrated his true reliance on John, but this being Sherlock, it couldn't be said in a genuine fashion, it had to be performed whilst he had the upper hand in knowing the bomb wouldn't go off.

The episode was easily the funniest it has been and acted almost as a love letter to the fans who had been kept waiting by the various delays in production. Anderson acted as the audience within the episode, the Sherlock fan with endless theories as to how he did it, pouring over angles of descent, Derren Brown and acts of derring do like flying through windows and kissing Molly. It was an affectionate nod to the endless, obsessive theorising that we've all gone through since The Reichenbach Fall (yours truly included) and, whilst it could have easily been a snarky swipe at all of us, it was clearly done with the greatest of appreciation. Fan fiction references even snuck in there with the scene with Moriarty on the roof which nodded towards the Moriarty-Sherlock shippers and allowed the brilliant Andrew Scott to return to the role, if only briefly.

Not having a definitive method of escape proved to be a masterstroke, allowing each and every member of the audience to cling on to their own personal theory or see it referenced in Anderson's group. It was probably the only way of dealing with the hype surrounding Sherlock's demise in a satisfying way and somehow, not actually knowing how he did it doesn't seem so awful, it just seems fitting for the character. If anything, the focus on Sherlock's return left the sub-plot about the terrorist attack a little underdone when compared to the rest of the episode, but The Empty Hearse was always going to be about re-establishing the central relationship, rather than having a complicated mystery to solve.

It certainly wasn't the strongest Sherlock episode in terms of driving the plot forward; the parliamentary explosion narrative seemed a little superfluous until the climactic scene in the underground train car. It served its purpose in getting John and Sherlock to be honest with each other in an extreme situation, but just felt a little underdone. The aspect I did like about it though was that it had Sherlock reaching for the most complicated answers when faced with the disappearing passenger or the underground network, only for it to be a ridiculously simple answer that he'd missed. Perhaps we might get slightly simpler mysteries in future, or at least ones whose explanations are a little more understandable.

Bringing Sherlock and Watson back after two years was always going to be a tough ask, but Gatiss managed it with aplomb, a fitting reunion for everyone and one which clearly has a huge amount of love for its audience. It's so good to have them back and with a new antagonist on the horizon too.

- Becky

Follow @AssortedBuffery on Twitter

Or like our Facebook page.