“[F]ounded upon the observation of trifles:” An Evening (or Two) With BBC ‘Sherlock’

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sherlock-special-675x290And that happened. 

(Spoilers from here on, FYI. You’ve been warned. Hugs and kisses!)

This is a review composed in repose, in tranquility if you will. Thankfully, I don’t make my living as an overnight critic anymore, so I can happily grant myself the luxury of viewing, contemplating (or raging, in some cases), then revisiting the work and giving it another consideration. In some ways, I think I could have written my review as I was watching “Sherlock: The Abominable Bride” on Friday night, but that wouldn’t have been a good representation of my evaluation. Here, a few days out and a second viewing under my belt, I’m ready to put fingertips to keyboard.

From the very first mention that there would be a holiday special for the BBC’s “Sherlock” and that it would be set in the Victorian era, I rolled my eyes so hard one nearly popped out, Pekinese-style. The fanfiction of your own fanfiction … to AU your own AU … and into the source material’s framework no less? The folks on Archive of Our Own are wise enough to hold fests for this sort of malarkey so that it doesn’t happen too often. (For the purposes of me, “fanfiction” is not a pejorative term. I use it in the same way I would use “derivative,” but as a netizen outside of the academic classroom, that’s how I’m going to roll.) The idea of shoving Cumberbatch into Victorian garb and slapping Donald Trump’s hairpiece on poor Martin Freeman’s stiff upper lip, while keeping them in the context of the BBC!Verse, seemed hackneyed at best and the nastiest fanservice at worst. How could time travel actually work? Please don’t even TELL me it could be a dream…

Fast forward to Friday, January 1, 2016.

I live-tweeted that night, and I live-tweeted my second viewing on Sunday, January 3, 2016, if you would like to see my raw, gut reaction in time with my eyes beholding the dastardly vision. Here we go, however, Wordsworthian style: Read More

New Year’s Day, or What is That On Watson’s Face?

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sherlock-special-675x290Dear friends,

First, happy holidays if you have been celebrating anything at all! Happy December if you have not been involved in ritualistic festivities. 😉

Now, January 1 looms, and with it, the airing of Sherlock: The Abominable Bride. Though my dearest chum ScarletSherlock will likely not participate because she has awesome plans for New Year festivities, I,  your ever-faithful Snark Master Chat, will be there to Tweet it up.

Get your bevvies and your nibbles and cuddle up for some tweet-astic good times.

For those of us in the US, the special will air on 1/1/2016 on MASTERPIECE Mystery! on PBS at 9:00 p.m. ET, and simultaneously online at pbs.org/masterpiece. #Sherlock, #Abomidible — I think we can find each other. 😀

Because many folks won’t be around for New Year’s Day, and as we’ve got lovely international friends who might enjoy some tweeting too, we’ll schedule a second round of watching and tweeting. I may never be able to not comment on whatever is perching on Mr. Freeman’s upper lip.

Cheers for a most spectacular 2016!

Chat

“Sherlock” Special Trailers and Information

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THIS IS COMPLETELY SPOILERY, SO YE BEEN WARNED!!!!!!!!!

Well, it’s almost time: the BBC “Sherlock” stand alone special is nearly upon us! Personally, my jury is still so out on this whole idea, but I hope that — worst case scenario — the costumes and setting will be spectacular. 😀 I mean, it’s still Holmes and Watson, solving crime and stuff, so … but yeah, nope. I’m in the noping phase right now.

Most Important Infomation: January 1: “Sherlock: The Abominable Bride” will air on BBC One in the U.K. and PBS in the U.S.

Many cities are offering the episode in movie theaters, so if that is your jam, be on the look out for that!

The BBC’s news release reads:

Dr John Watson, meet Mr Sherlock Holmes.

We’ve been here before – but what if this wasn’t the modern day but the late Victorian period? What if the world’s most famous consulting detective and his best friend lived in a Baker Street of steam trains, hansom cabs, top hats and frock-coats? [Chat note: THEY DO LIVE IN A WORLD OF VICTORIANA, YOU BUFOONS. YOUR TV SHOW IS THE AU HERE.]

Welcome to ‘Sherlock’ in 1895!

Some things, though, remain reassuringly the same. Friendship, adventure and especially, MURDER…Why is Thomas Ricoletti a little surprised to see his wife dressed in her old wedding gown? Because, just a few hours before, she took her own life…

Mrs Ricoletti’s ghost now appears to be prowling the streets with an unslakeable thirst for revenge. From fog-shrouded Limehouse to the bowels of a ruined church, Holmes, Watson and their friends must use all their cunning to combat an enemy seemingly from beyond the grave and the final, shocking truth about… the Abominable Bride!

For your viewing pleasure, if you have not seen these: