BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / The Sign of Three - Review (with tiny Spoilers!)

**Posted by SolarSystem** January 3, 2014 12:07 pm

Just found this review on cumberbatchweb:

http://cumberbatchweb.tumblr.com/post/72077247695/the-sign-of-three-spoiler-free-review-spoiler

Considering what a lot of us know now about TEH, especially about the comedy in the episode and the way in which Sherlock behaved, I'm not really sure if I'm looking forward to TSoT or not after reading this... "It is the funniest episode to date"...? I'm not sure I want it to be funnier than TEH, enough fun for one series.
And: "It’s the most un-Sherlock Sherlock episode there’s ever been with (as already revealed by Steven Moffat) no cases for a good 40 minutes" - oh God, so it will be a soap opera for 50 minutes...?

But then... "Fans get something they’ve been waiting years for" - could be lots of things, I know, but I'm pretty curious now...

**Posted by gently69** January 3, 2014 12:13 pm

Oh oh...that's really... after the reactions to TEH... we will see

**Posted by stoertebeker** January 3, 2014 12:18 pm

Oh dear, I see my worst fears become reality .

But the one thing we've been waiting for years now? Maybe we get at least John and Sherlock hugging. But I'm afraid that won't still make up for a soap opera episode. Well, we'll see. My hopes lie on HLV.

Last edited by stoertebeker (January 3, 2014 12:20 pm)

**Posted by SilverMoonDragonB** January 3, 2014 12:33 pm

I'm actually quite intrigued by that! Pleasently. I don't see it becoming a Soap Opera at all...those are horribly written (imo) and are nothing but high-strung emotional moments, not to mention not well filmed at all, The Empty Hearse wasn't like that (I didn't think so anyway) and even if what the review of TSoT says is true, it still doesn't sound like that to me. I'm looking forward to seeing a new or slightly different aspect of Sherlock, after all, as much as we love the mystery and cases (they are the backbone of Sherlock afterall, no question) that isn't all life is nor is it all that is a part of their lives and the show, so to me it'll be neat to see all the other stuff play a bigger part. Humour doesn't bother me at all, so long as it isn't gratutious. Again, I don't think it was so in The Empty Hearse and considering the writers, I'm confident I'll feel the same way about TSoT. Honestly, if what little we know about His Last Vow is any indication, the characters need some good times before...well, whatever Charles is up to becomes an immediate prescence in their lives.
The things I am most intrigued about are;

1) Theres a completely unexpected moment with Sherlock that is destined to launch a million gifs

(What will it be???? What will it be????)

2) Fans get something they’ve been waiting years for

(Hug???? Hug???? Hug??? Oh please let it be a hug between Sherlock and John!!!!!)

3) The entire episode is a bright, light, candy floss concotion with a bittersweet ending that ends on just the teeniest foreboding note as we find out what Sherlock’s vow is.

(We find out what Sherlock's vow is...so, does that mean His Last Vow does indeed refer to Sherlock? If so, I am really interested in finding out what it is)

4) The stag do and Sherlock's wedding speech.

(I don't think I have to say how curious I am about those xD)

Last edited by SilverMoonDragonB (January 3, 2014 12:35 pm)

**Posted by the_dancing_woman** January 3, 2014 12:41 pm

Ok, I just discovered this review too.
Shoot me, but I am really looking forward to this episode, the wedding should be a big, lovely and wonderful event! It would have been odd to squeeze it in between two cases this opportunity for the writers and for us to have a massive amount of fun with John, Sherlock, Mary and all of the other regulars.
I want to see John and Sherlock having some fun together as friends after the hiatus. I really want to see them renew, deepen and strengthen their bonds because, guys, I really grow to be afraid of episode 3. I have this slight hunch that all of this light hearted fun and joy is the build-up for something massive that is coming, and it bodes ill. It feels a bit like Moffat and Gatiss want us to fly high, so we can fall deep
Maybe it's just me, but I think the third episode will leave us all truly upset and I really think we will get all the thrilling and suspenseful moments that we crave, and yes, of course I also want to see some real action and drama, but something in the back of my mind keeps saying "be careful what you wish for" *gulps*

**Posted by SilverMoonDragonB** January 3, 2014 12:46 pm

the_dancing_woman wrote:
Ok, I just discovered this review too.
Shoot me, but I am really looking forward to this episode, the wedding should be a big, lovely and wonderful event! It would have been odd to squeeze it in between two cases this opportunity for the writers and for us to have a massive amount of fun with John, Sherlock, Mary and all of the other regulars.
I want to see John and Sherlock having some fun together as friends after the hiatus. I really want to see them renew, deepen and strengthen their bonds because, guys, I really grow to be afraid of episode 3. I have this slight hunch that all of this light hearted fun and joy is the build-up for something massive that is coming, and it bodes ill. It feels a bit like Moffat and Gatiss want us to fly high, so we can fall deep
Maybe it's just me, but I think the third episode will leave us all truly upset and I really think we will get all the thrilling and suspenseful moments that we crave, and yes, of course I also want to see some real action and drama, but something in the back of my mind keeps saying "be careful what you wish for" *gulps*

Yes! I deeply concur with everything you said, both about TSoT and HLV...that latter one has me chewing my nails already! It does feel like there is an ominous cloud on the horizon...we'll get all this relationship bonding, emotional moments, a bit of sunshine, and then BAM! ...Angst, brokenhearted fans, and flooding tears city

**Posted by SolarSystem** January 3, 2014 1:41 pm

the_dancing_woman wrote:
I want to see John and Sherlock having some fun together as friends after the hiatus. I really want to see them renew, deepen and strengthen their bonds because, guys, I really grow to be afraid of episode 3. I have this slight hunch that all of this light hearted fun and joy is the build-up for something massive that is coming, and it bodes ill. It feels a bit like Moffat and Gatiss want us to fly high, so we can fall deep

Good point. I definitely want to see the things you've mentioned, too. And I hope they will find the right tone as well as the right amount of fun for that (because in my opinion this could have been done better in TEH...). I want to gush, I want to swoon, I want to adore the boys... and I want a tiny feeling of Johnlock, if that's possible.
Because you're probably right, HLV will most certainly change eveything, it will be very different and dark and not much fun at all.

**Posted by sj4iy** January 3, 2014 4:01 pm

I think we need the character moments. We need to see John and Sherlock become best friends again, and we need to learn more about Mary. TEH had more character moments than I thought it would, but let's face it- the stars of that episode are the solutions to the fall and the action sequences. Now it's time to balance it out again and give some time to the characters.

**Posted by stoertebeker** January 3, 2014 4:15 pm

By the way, where did cumberbatchweb got their information from? Was there a press airing or something like that for the other episodes?

**Posted by SusiGo** January 3, 2014 4:47 pm

Cumberbatchweb has been able to watch episode 2 as were other chosen media. But they do not know HLV.

**Posted by stoertebeker** January 3, 2014 5:07 pm

Oh, there is a review on Sherlockology also:
http://www.sherlockology.com/news/2014/1/3/sign-of-three-review-030114

Well it doesn't sound that bad, after all.

**Posted by SilverMoonDragonB** January 3, 2014 5:18 pm

stoertebeker wrote:
Oh, there is a review on Sherlockology also:
http://www.sherlockology.com/news/2014/1/3/sign-of-three-review-030114

Well it doesn't sound that bad, after all.

It sounds fantastic to me! Can't wait to see it!!!

**Posted by besleybean** January 3, 2014 5:20 pm

Might almost make the wedding worthwhile(sigh).
Think I know what the ' modern intervention thing' is gonna be..

**Posted by SolarSystem** January 3, 2014 5:40 pm

"The warmest, funniest episode of Sherlock in existence, The Sign of Three sees the series stepping quite boldly into broader comedic tones and more emotional themes."

Oh yes, I want it warm and funny (elegantly funny, please!) and more emotional...! I hope the episode can live up to this really promising review.

**Posted by tobeornot221b** January 3, 2014 5:51 pm

SolarSystem wrote:
I hope the episode can live up to this really promising review.

tbh I can't understand that preview-review hype - why do we need previewers to provide a positive or a negative attitude to episodes we haven't seen yet? What is this? Why do we need to have them anyway? Why can't we just watch and talk about them afterwards? Why do we need someone to tell us in advance what we should feel about things we haven't yet experienced?
As for me: I'm very much looking forward to Sunday.
No preview review will stop me from doing so.

**Posted by miriel68** January 3, 2014 9:58 pm

I just found yet another (almost) spoiler-free review which looks very promising. I was kind of nervous about the comedy line they seem to be going here, as well, but now I begin to relax. I think we will still miss it, once the third episode comes and destroys us all again...

http://www.cultbox.co.uk/reviews/episodes/8833-sherlock-the-sign-of-three-spoiler-free-review

**Posted by SusiGo** January 3, 2014 10:17 pm

Wow, this sounds really amazing.

**Posted by SolarSystem** January 3, 2014 10:41 pm

Agreed! Sunday may come...!

**Posted by silverblaze** January 3, 2014 11:14 pm

Well, at least we will know now what Stephen Thompson was about. I don't mind a change of tone, they need to experiment and stay fresh.

Reminds me, in the commentaries of TGG someone quotes McGuigan about a shot of Baker street that he didn't want to make it look like East Enders. He refused to take the shot until he discovered a reflection on a car roof to make it interesting. Well, in TEH there's a shot of 'Baker street' that is also desperately not trying to look like East Enders. (It's not a reflection, but a weird angle upwards with lots of sky.) Lovering doesn't like soap opera either. And neither does the Moftisson, surely Thomson won't suddenly forget his writing skills.

the_dancing_woman wrote:
I want to see John and Sherlock having some fun together as friends after the hiatus. I really want to see them renew, deepen and strengthen their bonds because, guys, I really grow to be afraid of episode 3. I have this slight hunch that all of this light hearted fun and joy is the build-up for something massive that is coming, and it bodes ill. It feels a bit like Moffat and Gatiss want us to fly high, so we can fall deep
Maybe it's just me, but I think the third episode will leave us all truly upset and I really think we will get all the thrilling and suspenseful moments that we crave, and yes, of course I also want to see some real action and drama, but something in the back of my mind keeps saying "be careful what you wish for" *gulps*

Well, you know who wrote the last episode, don't you? Be afraid. Be very afraid.

**Posted by LoveIsAViciousMotivator** January 3, 2014 11:26 pm

the_dancing_woman wrote:
Ok, I just discovered this review too.
Shoot me, but I am really looking forward to this episode, the wedding should be a big, lovely and wonderful event! It would have been odd to squeeze it in between two cases this opportunity for the writers and for us to have a massive amount of fun with John, Sherlock, Mary and all of the other regulars.
I want to see John and Sherlock having some fun together as friends after the hiatus. I really want to see them renew, deepen and strengthen their bonds because, guys, I really grow to be afraid of episode 3. I have this slight hunch that all of this light hearted fun and joy is the build-up for something massive that is coming, and it bodes ill. It feels a bit like Moffat and Gatiss want us to fly high, so we can fall deep
Maybe it's just me, but I think the third episode will leave us all truly upset and I really think we will get all the thrilling and suspenseful moments that we crave, and yes, of course I also want to see some real action and drama, but something in the back of my mind keeps saying "be careful what you wish for" *gulps*

I'm thinking the same thing. All this weird lightheartedness and goofiness is just preparing us for the last episode.

Guys.

Someone is going to get screwed. o.o And I think it is Sherlock.