BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / Two stupid plot devices

**Posted by vaticancameos** September 27, 2013 10:46 pm

This would have been a much better episode if not for two poorly thought out elements:

1) Bluebell should never have "ended up" with Kirsty, and there was no reason for her to die. Stapleton is portrayed as somewhat more intelligent than the other staff at Baskerville, yet she purposely took a rabbit from a research facility to give to her daughter. Purposely we know, because as Sherlock said, animals can't escape "unless they have help". Then when the rabbit turned out to be glow-in-the-dark (who would have thought?), the doctor decided to... kill it? Instead of just taking it back to the lab and replacing it with a similar one from a shop? Kirsty might not even have noticed the difference, except for the fact that the new rabbit didn't glow. Not to mention if Stapleton really wanted to give her daughter a rabbit she could have bought an ordinary one in the first place rather than risk her job taking one from work.

2) Top secret chemical experiment groups don't make t-shirts for all the scientists to wear around town on their days-off.

**Posted by The Doctor** September 28, 2013 6:44 am

"top secret chemical experiment groups don't make t-shirts for all the scientists to wear around town on their days-off"

I am pretty sure an extended image online search (including social media sites) will prove you wrong but I cannot follow this up for you for the time being...

**Posted by sj4iy** September 28, 2013 11:40 am

The original stories often required a leap of the imagination, too. Nothing is ever so perfect that it can escape criticism. I had no problem with the Bluebell storyline, it seemed plausible to me. The HOUND part was a little more of a stretch, but then I give Gatiss a ton of credit for writing this extremely popular story in a new and fresh way, as well as making it a great horror movie.

**Posted by tobeornot221b** September 28, 2013 5:12 pm

We must not make the mistake of disassembling those "poorly thought out elements" according to rational-logical facts.

I agree, it isn't probable that members of a top secret project group would be wearing respective T-shirts while murdering unwanted confidants.
But Frankland's T-shirt is purely due to the plot imo
Without it, there wouldn't have been Henry's fragments of memory "Liberty, In". And in order to solve this puzzle, there wouldn't have been the need to show Sherlock's mind palace.
So – I won't complain about this garment. Not at all.

Same with Kirsty and Bluebell. Far-fetched, but serves the plot and provides for some wonderful comedic elements. Remember that domestic scene at the beginning. A bored and annoyed Sherlock fusses over "A rabbit, John!" If Bluebell hadn't been glowing in the dark and then disappeared, little Kirsty hadn't written to the famous detective for help, finally giving Sherlock the opportunity to discover the links between Bluebelle and Baskerville.

Last edited by tobeornot221b (September 28, 2013 5:12 pm)

**Posted by Sherlock Holmes** September 28, 2013 6:32 pm

Also, the fact that Barrymore has a beard. That wouldn't be allowed in the army.

**Posted by Davina** September 29, 2013 9:55 pm

Definitely not allowed in the Army or the Air Force.

**Posted by stoertebeker** September 30, 2013 7:03 pm

Was it mentioned that Bluebell is dead? As I recall, Stapleton just said, that poor Bluebell has to go. Maybe she just brought it back to the lab?
I don't mind little logical gaps. There were mistakes in other episodes too, which where much more obvious than these.
I love HoB, it's one of my favorites, it's a bit spooky and very funny without becoming silly.

**Posted by vaticancameos** October 2, 2013 4:09 am

I love that they managed to get a Mr Selden in there