Sherlock series 4 bows out on an ultra-tense, heightened episode that unearths Holmes family secrets.
This review contains spoilers.
You cant reduce me to a set of influences.
But about as elegant and invincible as a National Enquirer headline.
A-to-B diagrams explaining the precise genesis of heroes and villains are likely to disappoint.
Once you know the answer, whats left to wonder about?
Namely, his little sister.
Like Hannibal the cannibal, childhood family trauma made Sherlock the man he is today.
Or rather, the man he was beforeA Study In Pinkand John Watsons friendship thawed his icy heart.
Born with a fearsome intellect outstripping that of her brothers, Eurus curiosity was unrestrained by conscience or empathy.
Afterwards Sherlock was different.
All you need is love.
All Eurus needed was love too.
That must have been some hug.
He should have tried it on Moriarty and saved everyone a lot of bother.
Up until Eurus 360, the episodes liberties taken with logic were easier to ignore.
Would a familyreallynever mention a dead child?
We could go on.)
Plausibility and logic though, are beside the point.
Clark Kent being a ludicrous disguise for Superman never stopped Superman being fun to read.
And this was fun to watch.
Fun and ultra-tense with a terrific, whooshing sense of momentum.
Director Benjamin Caron previously worked on several Derren Brown shows fitting when you think about it.
It was all handled with a minimum of visual tricks.
The action negated the need for too much visual interference; there was already enough going on.
That surely has to be the last timeSherlockpulls that trick.
It could very well be the last timeSherlockpulls any tricks.
Theres been a real sense of farewell about series four, not least in this episodes many fan-pleasing moments.
Marys video served as an epilogue for the whole show to date.
As well they might.
Then again, this isSherlock.
The dead are always back before you know it.
Readour review of the previous episode, The Lying Detective, here.
