BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 » Four things I would prefer NOT to see in series 4

Regina Alexandra · January 20, 2014 6:48 pm

I would rather have Moriarty stay dead, in spite of the fact that Andrew Scott was wonderful in the role.

Less comedy more emphasis on solving well plotted mysteries.

I hope they do not resort to Uncle Sherlock as a babysitter for Watson, Jr. (I weep at the thought)

I hope Mary becomes a supporting character instead of having a prominent status.

SolarSystem · January 20, 2014 7:45 pm

Sherlock's parents - we saw them, we know them, that should suffice

silverblaze · January 20, 2014 7:49 pm

Agreed with Swanpride on the Molly thing. My other three:

Moriarty still alive;
It's revealed that Mycroft in full honesty did try to kill his brother;
Mary turns out to be an evil villain.

Though I might forgive them the Mycroft thing if they make him suffer for it.

QuiteExtraordinary · January 20, 2014 8:11 pm

Swanpride wrote:
Moriarty (or Moriarty's twin for that matter),

Sherlock in a romantic relationship (I don't think that there is really a danger but just to be sure)

Mary's death (that will most likely happen and makes me really sad)

Molly still pining after Sherlock (really, it's time for her to move on)

This.
And: Sherlock on drugs again (once is enough).

sj4iy · January 20, 2014 8:55 pm

1. The writers taking the fans' advice on how to write their show

silverblaze · January 20, 2014 9:05 pm

sj4iy wrote:
1. The writers taking the fans' advice on how to write their show

LOL True.

KeepersPrice · January 20, 2014 9:30 pm

1. A cute little baby girl named Shirley toddling around 221B
2. Sherlock kissing another female (I'm okay with Mrs. Hudson or his mother, but only those)

Sherlock Holmes · January 20, 2014 9:54 pm

1. Too much slapstick style comedy like DrunkLock. It was brilliant and hilarious, but once is enough
2. The return of the actual Moriarty having faked shooting himself in the head ><
3. Baby Watson (sorry, that sounds like I want them to kill off an unborn child but...um...yeah...I do)
4. The Other Holmes Brother. I want him to be dead. Or Billy Wiggins.

The Doctor · January 21, 2014 2:32 am

Swanpride wrote:
That's nothing I worry about, though. They thankfully never do.

I am not so sure about this one as there was quite a bit of fan-servicing in series three!

sj4iy · January 21, 2014 2:44 am

The Doctor wrote:
Swanpride wrote:
That's nothing I worry about, though. They thankfully never do.
I am not so sure about this one as there was quite a bit of fan-servicing in series three!

It wasn't 'fanservice' per se....it was "Oh god, look at the ridiculous amount of fervor this has caused...let's play around with that". They were poking fun at the ridiculousness of it all...and to be frank, it was. I fully admit to giving the matter entirely too much thought. But nothing they did was going to satisfy everyone, so they messed around with us, and I thought it was fun.

the_dancing_woman · January 21, 2014 7:02 am

Sherlock Holmes wrote:
1. Too much slapstick style comedy like DrunkLock. It was brilliant and hilarious, but once is enough
2. The return of the actual Moriarty having faked shooting himself in the head ><
3. Baby Watson (sorry, that sounds like I want them to kill off an unborn child but...um...yeah...I do)
4. The Other Holmes Brother. I want him to be dead. Or Billy Wiggins.

Same here!
I am perfectly alright with the Holmes parents, loved seeing them. But I really don't think I need another Holmes brother around.
As for the baby, no, I really don't want to see a toddler stumbling around in the living room of 221B, possibly with John and Sherlock making happy cooing noises to entertain the child, god no. I just don't think it would do the show any good at all. I want them both to be free to concentrate on their cases.
Basically I love how the Sherlock world has grown with all the people they brought in, but I really don't need baby Watson.
Also the actual Moriarty coming back: that would be just boring and repetitive, done that, been there, no more please.

The Doctor · January 22, 2014 4:42 am

the_dancing_woman wrote:
As for the baby, no, I really don't want to see a toddler stumbling around in the living room of 221B, possibly with John and Sherlock making happy cooing noises to entertain the child, god no. I just don't think it would do the show any good at all. I want them both to be free to concentrate on their cases.

Good luck with that!

As Mark Gatiss states on the DVD extras for series 3: "It’s a series about a detective; it’s not a detective series. The Story of the Week is as nothing compared to the relationship between those two characters and their increasingly large family of characters."

Thus I am considering both possible directions right now: with mary and the baby, and without.

Will we really have to wait another year to find out? lol

Whisky · January 22, 2014 6:19 am

Hmmm... what I wouldn't like to see? That's easy:

1) Babies.
2) Moriarty.
3) Babies.
4) Moriarty.

I'm amenable to anything else I think

mrshouse · January 22, 2014 8:45 am

Hmmm.....
1.) Mary
2.) agree with moriarty, loved him though
3.) Mycroft being too emotional, loved stuff like his face when saying "that would require....leg work" TGG
4.) plot being just supporting cast
5.) a bit more lestrade/donovan/ SHAVED anderson again

maybe there could be some interesting plot around a third holmes brother???

tonnaree · January 22, 2014 1:41 pm

KeepersPrice wrote:
1. A cute little baby girl named Shirley toddling around 221B
2. Sherlock kissing another female (I'm okay with Mrs. Hudson or his mother, but only those)

I would like to add my complete support of number 2.

Merry · January 27, 2014 7:47 pm

I was so disappointed with episode 2 that I just went ahead and read about ep 3, so I sort of know what happens. And it sounds a little repetitive. No vault, just like no "code" for Moriarity. Ugh.

I agree bringing Moriarity back would be a mistake. I would be ok with an elaborate ruse, like Moriarity toying with Sherlock from beyond the grave, orchastrated by one of his "network" or something like that. Any way they can have Andrew Scott in the ep without Moriarity being alive is almost ok with me. I love him in that role, but there needs to be a new bad guy or guys.

I don't get how they can keep Mary around with what I've heard goes on in ep 3. So I guess she'll die or get divorced, but either way I don't think I'll enjoy the storyline. I'm disappointed to hear that Gatiss said the story is less important than the characters. That's the beginning of the end for any show. I don't want to watch a soap opera about relationships. I want to watch a mystery with a crazy anti-hero at the center of it.

I liked the nods to the fans in Empty Hearse, but lets keep those to a minimum. If baby Watson has to come along, again a little bit goes a long way. Sherlock was funny and entertaining before the descent into slapstick that was Sign of Three, they don't need to beat us over the head with all the ridiculous fish-out-of-water ideas they can come up with. Oh look, Sherlock's drunk. Oh look, Sherlock is talking to a kid. Oh look, Sherlock is trying to have a girlfriend. Oh look, Sherlock likes to dance. Stop. Just stop.

With all their talk about how "rich" the source material is, I can't believe Gatiss and Moffat couldn't find three good mysteries to adapt, given the 2 years they had to produce them.

SusiGo · January 27, 2014 8:19 pm

I think it is a bit sad that you judge the series before you have seen all the episodes. For me HLV is one of the most moving and visually creative episodes in the whole series.
One does not have to like that the creators tried something new for series 3 but for me the end of a show comes when it gets repetitive (e.g. always one mystery per episode, one crazy anti-hero, one admiring friend and sidekick) and static. Sherlock has never been like the average 45-60 minutes 24-episode per year series. And I like them using this format to try new things even if not everything is perfect. For me there are some flaws in TEH but it is still far better than most one-mystery a week crime shows.

KeepersPrice · January 27, 2014 8:37 pm

SusiGo wrote:
I think it is a bit sad that you judge the series before you have seen all the episodes. For me HLV is one of the most moving and visually creative episodes in the whole series.
One does not have to like that the creators tried something new for series 3 but for me the end of a show comes when it gets repetitive (e.g. always one mystery per episode, one crazy anti-hero, one admiring friend and sidekick) and static. Sherlock has never been like the average 45-60 minutes 24-episode per year series. And I like them using this format to try new things even if not everything is perfect. For me there are some flaws in TEH but it is still far better than most one-mystery a week crime shows.

Yay, Susi!
If people want a formulic 'Sherlock' go watch Jeremy Britt or 'Elementary', please. I'll take the creativity and the choices that this "Sherlock" production makes every time, any day.

Merry · January 27, 2014 9:18 pm

Wow. I've never found this to be a particularly welcoming forum, but this takes the cake. I know I posted some negativity about the show, so maybe I deserve it. I guess it's not ok to prefer Seasons 1 and 2 to season 3. No worries, I won't be back.

CarlPowers · January 28, 2014 2:49 am

Merry wrote:
I guess it's not ok to prefer Seasons 1 and 2 to season 3. No worries, I won't be back.

Seems a bit extreme, but to each his own. It seems a shame 'Merry' won't be back, but that's fine.   It's all fine.

I'm it it for the long haul. I too vastly prefer Series 1 and Series 2 over this one, but I continue to be in
awe of the unexpected choices made, and quality of these shows, so I am not one to write off anything,
and look forward to what's next.   I did not give up after 'The Blind Banker' and I'm very glad for that.

Of course, I prefer *no* Mary, *no* baby, *no* more kissing of anyone, *no* pandering to fans, and
please no Moriarty back from the dead.   But I'm always fascinated by what the creators can pull off.
The amazing acting, writing, superb production values, and unexpected turns of events in their work wil
l keep me coming back. They have a vast number of stories left to mine, and
I really do want to see more.    Let the countdown to Series 4 begin!