Oh yes, I completely agree, Besleybean.  And I can very much see why people might not like TFP, or S4 in general - it was very different to what came before.   I'm sure there are people who loved S2 and weren't so keen on S3, for the same reason.  The changes in direction are not suit all of us, and that's not a fault of either us, or the reviewers, or the team. 

My issue isn't so much with the review, but with it being seen as a balanced review.  I do agree that where it's really good, as was said up-thread, is pointing out things people didn't like about the episode/series.  And it's also a good read!

I'm really tempted to go through it, bit by bit, but after my extended question-answering on the JL debate thread, people might have had enough! 

I think the article is balanced and fair because it's not merely raining praise or abuse like the rest of them seem to do. The author actually tried to get to the root of that odd feeling of "is that it?!"

Maybe he wasn't quite correct about a couple of detailes, but then, this would be a casual viewer's perspective, right? Some things need a second or a third viewing to be pieced together, but the show used to be very enjoyable without actually digging for things you desperately want to enjoy.

I envy those of us who like the finale without reservations. Those of us who don't, maybe find consolation and closure thanks to such concrit articles that are, sadly, few and far in between.

Liberty wrote:

I'm really tempted to go through it, bit by bit, but after my extended question-answering on the JL debate thread, people might have had enough! 

Rushed to the JL thread only to find it devoid of any "extended question-answering"! I've slept for like 20 hours this weekend so I thought I missed that long-ish post you'd been threatening us with, but alas! *sniffles*

I know and I already expressed my appreciation of them all.
I hoped she had a new reason to be so reticent

Yes, I meant those endless questions - and thanks very much for being kind about them!  I did have a long post planned but things keep getting in the way this weekend, and the conversation has kind of moved on.  But I might still get round to it. 

Anyway, no, I don't think the article is abusive or overly praising.   But I had another quick look, and I see about six points that the writer praises and about forty points that the writer criticises.    So it's not balanced, really. 

And as I've said, a lot of it seems to be based on a personal view of the characters that doesn't really tally with what we're presented with (so no wonder it didn't feel right for the writer), and not necessarily with what other viewers think either.  Who thinks of John as "staid", for instance?

And the questions - we're actually shown what Sherlock's recurring dream is, Sherlock knows his friend was drowned because Eurus calls him drowned, etc.