It would be funny if Mycroft was Porlock.
I still think it's Sherlock the man from Porlock interrupted Samual Taylor Coleridge writing the poem Kubla Khan - the one that's just a dream.So it's a bit of a nickname for an annoying unwanted person.
I think the reference to an agent of Moriarty was from a Rathbone film too.
Also was Porlock the gossip man in Granada?

Last edited by Mothonthemantel (January 6, 2017 1:27 am)

Ok, I know I'm late to join the discussion, but it really took me some time to bring myself to rewatch this episode again. My first impression was that I hated it, something felt really off and a lot of things didn't make any sense. Yesterday I finally rewatched it  and now I have to admit that it's actually much better than I gave it credit for in the beginning.

There are still some things that extremely bug me, especially A.G.R.A. carrying around USB sticks with top secret information on dangerous missions doesn't make sens to me at all. But I'm ready to try and purposely overlook those weaknesses now.

John's "texting-affair" really bugged me too, at first, and I thought it was very much out of character for him. But meanwhile I have changed my mind about that. John must have felt quite left out, pushed aside by Sherlock and Mary lately: Sherlock seemed prefer working with Mary to working with John and Mary was constantly buisy with Rosie and involving herself in Sherlock's cases . So I think it made sense that John actually enjoyed the attention  he got from that pretty young lady on the bus, given that he was feeling quite neglegted by his wife and best friend.

As far as John blaming Sherlock for Mary's death is concerned, I think it's understandable. Not justified, but understandable. If it wasn't for Sherlock's texts, Mary wouldn't have been in the aquarium (and yes, I think he meant to invite Mary to come there as well, not just John; he must have known John would tell her where to go to see "the curtain rise"). Sherlock was the one ultimately being responsable for Mary being there at the aquarium and getting shot, although he had assured them just recently that they would be perfectly safe in London. Of course John (and of course Mary, too) had to know in advance that they could get into a dangerous situation at the aquarium. You always have to assume danger when Sherlock is on a mission and John has always loved the thrill of that. So of course John had to blame himself at least as much as Sherlock for letting Mary go to the Aquarium . But it's understandable that John, in his massive grief, finds it easier to project all his own, massive guilt - about letting Mary go to the Aquarium and liking another woman - on Sherlock instead of owning up to it himself.

It also made sense to me that Sherlock blames himself for Mary's death. He miscalculated the situation, he didn't think Mary would be in danger and most imporantly - he didn't count on her sacrificing herself for him. So yes, Sherlock is human, he makes mistakes, which is understandable for anyone else. But in his mind, this must feel like a massive failure.

After watching the episode a second time, I have to admit that there were a lot of things to love about it. All the scenes with Mycroft were pure gold and in spite of the episode being quite dark, there was also a lot of humour in it. So I think by the end of Season 4 I'm even going to like or even love the episode and already now I have to admit I don't think it's the worst "Sherlock" episode any more. After all, the second time around I found myself enjoying it much more than "TBB", for example.


 

Love it.