Reviews

At the Queen's Court, Edmund dislikes Sir Walter Raleigh stealing his spotlight and decides to upstage him by going on a voyage to the dangerous, treacherous Cape of Good Hope.

I've never found "Potato" to be a favorite episode. It feels a little bit on the mundane side. The plot is too straightforward as it doesn't have the kind of set-up as well as twists and turns that are usually a part of what make a BA episode great. Even Edmund isn't given enough insults and one-liners on this occasion. Also, I never felt that Walter Raleigh's scenes were all that funny (even though I grant that it is probably the point since his attempts at humor in it are suppose to be lame).

However, it still has enough laughs in it to make it worthwhile. Tom Baker (best known for playing Doctor Who though here he is rather unrecognizable) steals most of it as the insane Captain Redbeard Rum. You can't help but crack up as he delivers his lines starting with the words "You have a woman's…." The final scene at end where our characters return from the journey is really funny too, where they bring back gifts that shall we say include a beard, a boomerang, and a "fine wine."

So it is the weakest episode in BlackAdder II but it certainly isn't a waste of time, either.

In this first episode of "BlackAdder The Third", Rowan Atkinson returns as Mr. E. Blackadder who is Butler to the thick-headed Prince Regent (Hugh Laurie, in what is by far his funniest performance), the son of Mad King George. Tony Robinson is also back too as the lovably stupid Baldrick. Here, Blackadder must be political schemer as the Prince faces the threat of being bankrupted by William Pitt the Younger in an upcoming vote.

Just as everyone has already stated, it is a wonderful first episode. Its script is immensely funny and full of delicious political satire. Illustrates how people can play dirty to win in a poor region or in this case "a rotten borough" or that they could have such idiotic candidates like the one from the "Standing at the Back Dressed Stupidly and Looking Stupid Party." The scene where both the Prince and Blackadder make fun of William Pitt is cracks me up every time and how can you not laugh when you here the words "Sod Off."

"Dish and Dishonesty" makes for one of best episodes in this third series as well as one of the better episodes in the entire "BlackAdder" series overall.

After, an unsuccessful first series, the BBC had reluctantly agreed to a second one and we should be glad that they did. Set during the Elizabethan times, the show changes for the better as Ben Elton replaces Rowan Atkinson as co-writer alongside Richard Curtis. From here, a great deal of the jokes comes from the one-liners, as the humor now veers towards being more droll and sarcastic. We also see a change in Blackadder himself, as he is no longer the sniveling, cowardly schemer that he was in the first series but rather a slick, blissfully nasty S.O.B. that we would come to know and love. Altogether, these changes would help turn the show into one of the funniest British sitcoms of all time.

In "BlackAdder II", we also see the return of Blackadder's sidekick's Percy and Baldrick, played by Tim McInnerny and Tony Robinson. However, this time Baldrick is now an imbecile just like Percy. You could say he has been "dumbed down" for the better, as he now becomes the perfect comic foil for Blackadder. Also among the supporting cast this time is Miranda Richardson, who is superb as the childish, execution-happy Queen Elizabeth. Also, Patsy Byrne, who is also a delight as Nursie. Not to mention, Stephen Fry as the grave Lord Melchett. Fry, along with Hugh Laurie, would later go onto becoming a regular for the rest of the BlackAdder sequels that follow.

"Bells" is the first episode of this second series. The plot uses the cross-dressing elements of Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night." A girl disguises herself as a boy to seek a fortune in London and falls in love with her employer, Edmund Blackadder. However, when he finds that he is getting to close for comfort with his supposed "man-servant" and he becomes confused over what to do about it.

The episode is immensely funny. The entire scene in beginning with Blackadder, Percy, Baldrick, and the arrows has pitch perfect comedic timing. Blackadder has some of his most witty lines here too ("This is *the* Jane Herrington? Jane "bury-me-in-a-Y-shaped-coffin" Herrington"), in fact just by him saying the word "Bob" it makes you laugh. The hilarity continues as we are later introduced to The Leech Doctor and followed then by "The Wise Woman." Let's not forget the ending with Lord Flashheart, played by the late, great Rik Mayall. A truly zany character that upstages everyone when he appears on screen.

All in all, "Bells" makes for a fine first episode for the second series, which marks a turning point where the show would only get funnier from here.

"Beer" is one of the funniest and most chaotic of BlackAdder episodes.

To begin with, there are plenty of great Blackadder/ Baldrick exchanges. Tony Robinson is in top form here. I particularly love the moment where Blackadder tells Baldrick to get the door only to do so by literally taking the door off its hinges. I also found the gag with Baldrick's mouse and cat trap masks to be priceless as is the entire "thingy"-shaped turnip, which is used throughout the episode.

However, the main attraction is Blackadder's task of having to do both his drinking contest with Melchett while discussing his inheritance with his puritan relatives at the same time. The result ends up being a hysterical mess. Miriam Margoyles, who was very entertaining as the Spanish Infanta in the first series, returns delivering an excellent comedic performance as the fire and brimstone Lady Whiteadder. You can't help but laugh every time she utters the words "wicked child". The whole "Great Booze Up" is a memorable moment too. Not to mention, the parts at the end where Blackadder is finally drunk, which had me laughing pretty hard ("Percy, the devil farts in my face once more").

The episode does seem to go all over the place with its script and yet it has you laughing your head off all the same. It is true that the humor also borders on being juvenile and tasteless but then again this is BlackAdder that we're talking about here. The humor in this sitcom has never been what you would call "proper" and wouldn't be funny if it were.

After the Lord High Executioner dies by accidentally signing his own death warrant, Edmund is appointed to the position. However, things go completely awry for him when he decides to move up the execution of Lord Farrow from Wednesday to Monday.

This episode is extremely funny as well as cleverly scripted. The opening scene is complete gold with Edmund's attempts to teach Baldrick adding while commenting on Percy's new ruff ("You look like a bird who swallowed a plate"). We also get to meet a jailer and a last meal cook who both happen to be called "Ploppy." From then on, it is one great comic twist after another. The whole scene where Edmund has to pose as Lord Farrow while wearing a bag over his head is utterly hysterical. Not only is Rowan Atkinson is in great form during this part but Tim McInnerny's Percy also shines, particularly in his conversations with Lady Farrow such as when he suspects her of being gloater.

"Head" is smashing episode and has all the classical ingredients that make "BlackAdder" great. You certainly can't go wrong with it!

Only Roman Polanski could do an adaptation of William Shakespeare's unflinching play that is so vivid, so atmospheric, and so masterful. It's a stunning film that creates images and a general world that lingers with you as it goes above and beyond with the epic nature of the story.

This really captures what Scotland must have actually been like during the medieval times. Whether it is the style of combat, the ways in which people were killed or slaughtered, the type of dress or attire that they wore, the appearance of how the castles were, or just how people slept, it is very rich and brutally frank in its details. The photography by Gilbert Taylor is both dreamy and pristine while the sets, props, and costumes are outstanding. There is gore and nudity as many have stated but it is never gratuitous (if it had it would have degenerated it into pure X-rated fare). What this film captures is genuine realism. However, this does not detract from the strength of Shakespeare's story. On the contrary, its style if nothing else, only enhances the overall narrative and drama. It is a visualization that is pretty compelling.

Being that it is done on film instead of stage, it also allows Polanski to add things to it that were suggested or mentioned in the play but never shown. This includes the capture and execution of the Thane of Cawdor or the murder of King Duncan, just to give a couple examples. We also see his surreal side in scenes such as "the Dagger of the Mind", the appearance of Banquo's ghost, or when the witches show Macbeth what they see from their masters. Another great technique he employs is that the soliloquies of Lord and Lady Macbeth are done as voice narration as if it is inner dialog they have with themselves in their own mind. The film is very much a directorial piece while still remaining faithful to Shakespeare.

Jon Finch is excellent in the lead. His Macbeth is one who becomes more and more sick with each violent deed developing a foolish sense of arrogance. This is one version where you feel that the bloody usurper gets what he deserves. Yet Polanski shows the true ugly nature of many other characters too. Lady Macbeth (Franseca Annis in a superb performance) is depicted as a woman who is gradually losing her mind rather the one who manipulates Macbeth's actions. Even the supposed hero of the story, Macduff, revenge on Macbeth is thuggish and workaday as if that is all he cared about. Polanski gives us a world of delusional savages. The inability to connect in any meaningful way with the characters is actually what makes it powerful. It approaches things from the point of view of Macbeth, a film on the level of an idiot's tale "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing," It is a draining and unflinching experience as a result.

If you are a movie buff or someone who has any interest in Shakespeare at all, you will not be disappointed. This definitive celluloid version of "The Scottish Play" has yet to be surpassed and probably never will.

Out of all the settings in the BlackAdder series, this one had by far the boldest. It was really different to have it set in a war. Yet by doing so it creates the sordidness, and barbarity of the medieval times. More than any other war in history, World War I had captured that. Despite its grim subject matter, "BlackAdder Goes Forth" makes for an excellent war comedy and a satisfying end to a great series.

This time the gang is all here. All major cast members that have appeared before in previous BlackAdder series are together. In this final installment, Rowan Atkinson is Captain Edmund BlackAdder along with him is Tony Robinson as Private Baldrick and Lieutenant George played by the delightful Hugh Laurie. We also see Stephen Fry again as Melchett and Tim McInnerny makes his return as Captain Darling, a last name that makes for a constant running gag.

The fine tradition of both sardonic and situation humor continues here. All the performances are superb. Fry in particular is an absolute hoot as General Melchett and Tony Robinson is at his best with Baldrick at his most stupid. All of the episodes are extremely funny. "Corporal Punishment" and "Major Star" are top notch but "Private Plane" is my favorite as Major Flashheart steals the show. However, it is the last episode, "Goodbyee", that is the most special as it is both hysterical and haunting.

Underneath all the laughs in Richard Curtis and Ben Elton's scripting lies a biting anti-war message. When put into perspective WWI was nothing more than a folly between nations that cost many lives. This series really highlights the propaganda that had been spread, the ridiculousness of the warfare, and how upper class twits who call themselves "Generals" sent young men to their deaths. The final episode was so sublime because it was able to convey this so well.

All in all, it is a fine end to one of the greatest British TV shows of all time. The BlackAdder series proves that comedy need not be bland, dumb, or formulaic, like so many of today's American sitcoms, but audacious, witty, and sophisticated.

"BlackAdder The Third" isn't as highly regarded as other entries but it perhaps my personal favorite. It was this one that got me interested in the entire "BlackAdder" series to begin with. Not to mention that it is a fine showcase for two comedic talents, Rowan Atkinson and Hugh Laurie. It manages to be witty, cleverly written, wonderfully acted, and just first-class all around.

Set during the Regency Period, Rowan Atkinson returns as Mr. E. Blackadder Esquire who is Butler to Prince Regent, the son of Mad King George. Many complain about not seeing Tim McInnerny's Percy but I think Hugh Laurie's delightfully dumb Prince of Wales more than makes up for it. We also get to see Tony Robinson's Baldrick again as his loyal and "mousebrained" sidekick who happens to be the dogsbody of the house.

The writing team of Richard Curtis and Ben Elton continue their mastery of great sarcastic humor. The dialog remains razor sharp as it is full of one-liners every minute. The situations are also immensely funny too such as Baldrick getting elected as lord of a rotten borough, an important dictionary accidentally thrown in the fireplace, or when Blackadder rescues the Scarlet Pimpernel. I especially laughed hard when two thespian actors have wart off evil spirits every time they hear the word "Macbeth". The supporting actors that appear in the episodes are also a lot of fun such as Robbie Coltrane as Dr. Johnson and Stephen Fry as the Duke of Wellington (Fry played Melchett in BlackAdder II). Favorite episodes were "Dish and Dishonesty," "Sense and Senility," and "Dual and Duality."

With the strongest plots and the strongest laughs, "Black Adder The Third" is no doubt one of the most hysterical period pieces ever made as well as another shining example of how the "BlackAdder" series remains a masterpiece in British Comedy.

Season Three of "Sherlock" didn't go so well for me. The first episode was a mixed bag yet the second one had managed to be light-hearted and enjoyable. However, this third one failed to deliver. Each season of this series is always about building up to the finale where we finally get to meet "the big villain," so ultimately if the last episode disappoints then the whole season does. Not only down did this one let me down big time but has made me question the new direction that the series is now going in.

It started off well but got worse and worse with plot developments that were downright ludicrous. First, came the ridiculous revelation about Mary's secret past as a spy and an assassin, which ruined my opinion of her as she was character that I was just beginning to like. Second, C.A.M.'s "Mind Palace" explanation was pretty dumb as he simply "just knows everything" and that we are actually supposed to accept this. This ends up being a very serious plot hole. Finally, you have the climactic moment where Sherlock takes matters into his own hands where he grabs John's gun and kills C.A.M.. This struck me as a rather pedestrian thing to do for a detective who is known for using brains over Braun to outwit his enemies. In general, everything gets way out of hand as if the makers were trying to do too much too fast.

This episode was not without a couple positive points. I did love the scene in the beginning where John finds Sherlock at a drug house and has to carpool him along with two other people. The dream sequence where Sherlock has to desperately deduce how to survive after being shot was really cool as it felt so surreal. Also, Lars Mikkelson delivered an excellent performance as Charles Augustus Magnussen despite the fact that he was ill-conceived and underdeveloped as a villain. Just when we were getting a sense of how powerful he was, he got taken out. (Magnussen was based on the character called Charles Augustus Milverton known as "The Master Blackmailer" in Conan Doyle's original story.)

Everybody does seem to be talking about the episode's final minutes, which suggests that Moriarty is returning. I find that I'm of two minds about this. On one hand, I really enjoy Andrew Scott's Moriarty and think that his comeback could help restore the show to its former glory. All of the best episodes in this series had featured him. On other hand, I also feel that sometimes dead needs to be dead. Personally, I thought he went out in a great way at the end of "The Reichenbach Fall." It may be an act of desperation when a show decides to revisit a villain to please the fans. It is certainly going to be as difficult if not more so for the makers to come up with an equally plausible explanation as to how he survived just like Sherlock did.

After watching this season finale, I have lost a good deal of emotional and personal investment in this series. This season seemed to be more about the characters and matters of national security than giving us actual deduction, sleuthing, or crime solving. I know that the series co-creator Steven Moffat has said that it is "a show about a detective than a detective show." Yet Sherlock is starting to become less like a detective and more like a superhero trying to save the world. It also seems to be going in a direction where it is a work in progress to a bigger story that hasn't been told yet. However, we must remember that Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories were written as independent and self-contained adventures and not as an ongoing saga. Call me old-fashioned but I prefer the former format over the latter. I do plan on seeing Season Four because of the brilliance of the first two seasons and the fact it still has great potential in its concept. That said, I have to say that "Sherlock" has indeed jumped the shark for me and I hope it doesn't continue to deviate from what I usually like about it.

An elderly man sets up a young doctor to do posh practice as long as he gets a cut of the pay. However, things go very awry when he is haunted by strangers that seem to have entered his house. The story is decent enough but is nothing really exciting or remarkable. I think what I enjoyed most was Brett performance as Sherlock Holmes in this episode. Here he has many fine moments with him finding clues at the scene of Blessington's murder or when he leaves a mess for Mrs. Hudson to clean up while he's going through papers. I certainly agree that it is worth watching at the very least for the barber shop scene at the beginning and maybe even the closing credits where Holmes annoys Watson with his violin practice. Certainly one to be seen for the acting and the humor if nothing else.

This series had a curse of the middle episode in each season being the weakest. Yet, "The Sign of Three" happens to break this tradition and manages to be the best episode of the third season of "Sherlock." It is by far most light hearted of episodes in the show but it is also the most structurally unique. It manages to be jarring, funny, baffling, and clever all at once. It further underlines how everything in this whole season looks and feels unlike anything we had seen before.

In faithfulness to the original Holmes canon, John Watson marries Mary Morstan in this episode with its plot revolving around Sherlock trying to solve two unsolved cases while giving his best man speech at John and Mary's wedding. The first case involves the very strange death of a royal guardsmen. The second involves a missing man who has gone on many dates, has had many vacated apartments, and has been reported dead many times. Both of these bizarre cases ultimately end up being connected to the wedding.

It manages to be a combination of comedy, mystery, and personal relationships. It provides flashbacks prior to the wedding, which is when Holmes and Watson first started working on the cases. I found the whole part where Sherlock and John get drunk together during their stag night to be pretty funny. It also gives you an idea of how Holmes imagines things in his mind particularly when he follows a process of elimination regarding the women that the missing "mayfly man" dated. The loose ends to both of the mysteries are neatly tied up at the end.

Some may find this episode to be dull and self-indulgent, while others may find it to be amusing and wonderfully diverting. I'm in the latter camp. I certainly give credit to the makers for trying something different even if it might not be to everyone's liking. I found myself both amused and intrigued from start to finish. I also enjoyed the performances by everyone too. The final scene is certainly poignant as it shows that although Holmes gave his last vow for his closest friend, he still is a man who will always be alone deep inside.

This episode of "Sherlock" was certainly the most heavily anticipated. Everyone was left wondering as to How Sherlock Holmes staged his fall off the roof of St. Barthlomew's hospital in his epic encounter with Moriarty at the end of Season Two. After launching millions theories online from fans, this is the one that explains what we all wanted to know. Yet, "The Empty Hearse" turns out to be a rather uneven experience and ultimately a hit or miss affair.

Was I disappointed? I would say both Yes and No.

I found myself satisfied with how Sherlock staged his death. It was actually very close in some ways to how I thought it would be. I knew that Molly would play a role and that there had to be a body double of Sherlock. What I didn't expect was that people on the street would have a role in staging it. I also didn't expect that it would be all part of a larger plan by him and Mycroft to not only take down Moriarty but also eliminate the rest of his worldwide criminal network. Many might be upset that this is a more straightforward explanation rather than something that would leave you stunned. Still, I give the show credit for coming up with a plausible solution out of what seemed like an impossible scenario.

I also appreciated the way they showed how Sherlock and John reunited. In the original story that this was influenced on, "The Empty House", Watson is both shocked and joyed when he sees Holmes again. Here it is much different with Watson being shocked but also angry with Holmes. In real life many of us would probably be too. How would you feel if your closest friend faked their own death, disappeared for two years, and never told you. Add the fact that everybody else knew about it except you. Predictably, Watson does get over it and is glad to see him back again.

However, I had serious problems with the fact that the entire terrorist bombing subplot in this episode was poorly done. Holmes doesn't use much of his deductive powers to figure it out. You could say that the London Underground employee solves it because he's the one that remembered about station that had never been opened. It also didn't explain what the actual motivation of the man committing it was. There was no real pay off at the end and it felt like it was a big joke on us that a bomb would even have an on-off switch.

There was another part in it that I really didn't like. Where Sherlock gets on a motorcycle in a rush to save John. I thought it was a bit much. It came across as if Holmes was some kind of super hero who was "coming to the rescue." I realize that Holmes has a close bond with Watson and would do anything to save him. Yet, that whole scene still seemed rather hokey at least to me.

"The Empty Hearse" is an episode with so many ups and downs that I'm ambivalent about it as a whole. Still, the acting is superb as usual and the dialog remains sharp. It also brings in a new character, Mary Morstan (wonderfully played by Amanda Abbington), with whom Watson has been with during Sherlock's two year absence and plans on marrying. It also sets the stage not just for the next episode but also the final one in the season as we see a preview of its villain, Charles Augustus Magnussen.

As Sherlock Holmes rises in fame, His arch-nemesis Moriarty makes a triumphant return as he commits a series of robberies all at the same time knowing he would be caught. In court, he is acquitted to everyone's surprise (after he secretly threatened the families of the jurors from TV inside their hotel rooms). Yet this is only just the beginning as he later starts a collision course that damages Sherlock's reputation turning the entire city against him.

This powerful season two finale is inspired by "The Final Problem" (it gives a subtle nod to it as Holmes recovers the "Reichenbach Falls" painting at the beginning of the episode) as that story's ending also involved a deadly, end-all confrontation between Holmes and Moriarty. The episode is riveting from beginning to end and like the actions of our villain it is masterfully plotted. Steve Thompson's script is brilliant with every element falling sensibly it place. As things begin to unravel it becomes pretty intense with an ending that leaves many questions unanswered.

Moriarty in this series is portrayed not as a Professor in charge of a vast criminal empire but rather an insanely clever man. He reminds you of The Joker from 'The Dark Knight". Like Heath Ledger, Andrew Scott's performance is a truly one-of-a kind effort that only he could pull off. In his mannerisms, he comes across as if he is a person with a very extreme ADHD. There is childishness to him. He just loves to play games with both Holmes's wits and his mind. However, even he finds him to be boring as he is in his words, "On the side of the angels." The Sherlock vs. Moriarty dynamic at work here is a battle between a high-functioning sociopath representing good and a high-functioning psychopath representing evil.

There is fine character development between Sherlock and John in this too. In the episode, we the human side of Holmes as he is vulnerable as well as humbled by what he is ultimately faced with. There is a key moment where Holmes is actually in tears. Holmes and Watson's close friendship is also solidified as Watson continues to trust and stand by Sherlock even when the public starts to believe that he is a fraud. Both Cumberbatch and Freeman give perhaps their best performances.

Season Two of "Sherlock" took the series to a whole new level. With stories that were colorful as well as epic (in fact they are almost movie-like). "The Reichenbach Fall" is no exception as it leaves the viewer wanting more. I certainly look forward to what the show's creators have in store in the third season and to see if they are able to top themselves.

A series of murders with mysterious symbols start showing up throughout London. The victims include a banker and a journalist. As Holmes and Watson investigate they discover that the symbols are part of a Chinese numerical. Eventually, the case leads to a smuggling ring operated by a crime syndicate called The Black Lotus.

This episode influenced by the short story called "The Dancing Men" as it too revolves around obtuse symbols that happen to be a hidden message. The story here is watchable enough but it bogs itself down into clichés and typical Asian stereotypes with the episode's female villain having her thugs that wear oriental costumes, know martial arts, and throw knives. The climax seems like it could have come from a typical Hollywood action film. Then again, I have never been a big fan of stories in which Sherlock Holmes is battling gangsters. I much prefer mysteries where Holmes dealing with the bizarre or the macabre.

Still, it's not all bad. There is a lot of wonderful Sherlock and John camaraderie particularly when Holmes annoys Watson by getting into apartment buildings through the back balcony and never letting him in when he searches the rooms looking for clues. I also think that Sarah made for a lovely girlfriend for Watson but oddly the makers of the series got rid of her.

So "The Blind Banker" isn't horrible but it is still without a doubt the weakest episode in this series so far.

The first episode of season two of "Sherlock" is captivating. Not too long after Sherlock gets out of Moriarty's grasp by sheer luck, he is hired by the government to recover compromising photos that implicate a member of the royal family. These photos are in the possession a devious woman named Irene Adler. Adler is a dominatrix that is known in many circles as "The Woman." At first Holmes thinks the job is going to be a lot of fun but he finds himself to be overwhelmed in ways he has never been before.

This episode by far is one of the best written so far. Its story is wonderfully complex with all the right elements of intrigue, melodrama, and charm. The original Conan Doyle short story that featured the character of Irene Adler, "A Scandal in Bohemia" was also about photos that implicated royalty but this goes into something much darker and deeper. As the plot unfolds it involves CIA agents, terror cells, as well as cracking codes. The one element that keeps you guessing is what the ultimate pass code is that unlocks Adler's phone, which contains all her secret information. The twists and turns are endless but throughout it is all sentimental. This is very much a romantic piece leaving one with a feeling of exhilaration.

Laura Polver gives a sexy and devilish performance as Holmes's mysterious muse. Both her and Benedict Cumberbatch have lovely chemistry. The most memorable scene is when she first appears to Sherlock Holmes and is completely naked with Holmes being completely unable to deduce anything from her. Another element this episode happens to provide is character development. One wonders if there is a romantic attachment between the two of them. Personally, I think Adler had the hots for Sherlock but his fascination and care for her is based more on deep admiration rather sexual interest.

"A Scandal in Belgravia" is 90 minutes of Great TV. The acting, storytelling, and directing are fabulous. Starting with this episode, "Sherlock" goes from being a merely good series to becoming an amazing one.

Haunted by his time in Afghanistan, an army doctor named John Watson tries to adapt to living as a civilian. He decides to move into a flat in London and comes across a most remarkable roommate, a consulting detective named Sherlock Holmes. A quirky man with an astonishing ability draw facts by the observing the littlest of details. As a friendship between them begins to develop, a series of related multiple suicides by poisoning start to raise suspicions.

This first episode is inspired by the first Sherlock Holmes story that Arthur Conan Doyle wrote called "A Study in Scarlet." Like the original story, it does a wonderful job at introducing the two main characters. Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman have superb chemistry and make for an outstanding modern-day Holmes and Watson. This one also introduces the typical characters that are well known to the Holmes canon like Inspect Lestrade (Rupert Graves), Sherlock's brother Mycroft, and his motherly housekeeper Mrs. Hudson. Worth noting too is that it makes first reference to Moriarty.

Its story is intriguing with a satisfying denouement. I'm not going to play spoiler but lets just say the culprit is someone nobody would ever expect. There is also plenty humor particularly in moments where Holmes ridicules the police for their ignorance if not incompetence. My favorite quote is when he says " Anderson, don't talk loud. You lower the IQ of the entire street."

All in all it makes for a fine opening to the series

In this season one finale, Sherlock Holmes constantly finds himself in a race against time. A mysterious Moriarty comes up with case after a case for Holmes to solve as he threatens to kill people that are strapped with explosives. Along the way, Mycroft wants Holmes to find the missing Bruce-Partington missile plans after the body of his associate ended up on the railroad tracks. In episode's climax, Holmes gets into a confrontational showdown with Moriarty.

The plot is compelling from start to finish. Like most episodes, it moves at a lighting pace that also helps capture the fast-paced world of London. "The Great Game" earns its title as plays like a series of puzzles creating plenty of suspense as well as intrigue. It is like a series of cliffhanger serials rolled into one (add the fact that it ends on a cliffhanger). Not to mention that it has nice Sherlock and John camaraderie as well as lots of chases, punches, and explosions.

We also get to see Moriarty for the first time, played with brilliance by Andrew Scott. This Moriarty isn't a Professor but rather just a cunning psychopath. In his mannerisms, he comes across as if he is someone that has extreme ADHD as he enjoys playing games with Holmes. There is a rather frightening childishness to him. He is a criminal mastermind of the twisted kind. Think of him like The Riddler or The Joker to Sherlock Holmes's Batman.

This last episode of the first season marks a high point for the series as the show would only get better and better after this.