The Absolutely Breathtaking Abominable Bride.

Due to the highly irregular nature of the airing schedule of Sherlock, when we found out there was going to be a single Victorian-era episode coming out at the beginning of this year those of us who are fans of the show all did something like this:

I mean, at least, I assume we all did.  Maybe it was just me.

Anyway, I was a little nervous when I finally sat down to watch the long awaited fan fodder.  I mean, Sherlock is unimaginably brilliant, just as it is.  What was going to happen when they tinkered with the formula?  Was it going to be--could it possibly be--as good as the original?

Turns out it bloody well could, and I should have known it all along.  After all, the brilliance isn't based on a simple gimmick, it's carefully crafted through every discipline which contributes to the art of film, and the result is nothing short of a masterpiece.

Basically I'm saying that Sherlock is like the cinematic equivalent of the Sistine Chapel.

I know.  I can't believe this image actually exists, either.

The script?  It is brilliant.  The cinematography?  Gorgeous.  The special effects are carefully chosen and seamlessly interwoven.  The costumes are perfect.  The scenic design is breathtaking.  The lighting is Gothic and illusory.  And then when all of that magnificence is put together, it provides a stage on which a handful of sublimely accomplished actors give a performance that is nuanced, varied, and altogether magical.

I literally cannot say enough good things about The Abominable Bride.  And yet, I have no desire to ruin it for anyone who hasn't seen it.  So, just to be clear...

SPOILER ALERT


FOR REALSIES.  I'M ABOUT TO SPOIL THE WHOLE THING.


OKAY.  I WARNED YOU.

Let's start with a shot of the boys, looking dapper as fuck.

I think one of the biggest misconceptions about Sherlock is that it's a mystery show.  It isn't.  For certain, there is a mystery in every episode, and that mystery drives the action that takes place.  But I really think Sherlock is more of a character drama than a mystery, and it's evident in the fact that it isn't the mystery that enthralls us--it's the character and relationship of the two men who are central to the story.  That relationship is complex and deep, and it's thrilling to get a chance to see it from the inside of Sherlock's mind.  Because, after all, almost every moment of The Abominable Bride takes place in Sherlock's head, which means when we see Watson we are seeing him as he appears to Sherlock.

And, honestly, the way Sherlock sees Watson is really touching.  In Sherlock's mind, John sees and understands things that Sherlock doesn't.  Watson is the one that notices that Lestrade is frightened, not embarrassed.  He sees that Hooper is a woman when Sherlock is oblivious.  He notes the consumption Amelia Rigoletti was suffering from.  More importantly, Watson is the one who sees Sherlock's emotions, even the ones he tries to deny.  If it wasn't already clear from the rest of the episode, the scene by the falls really hammers it in:  John Watson is the emotional tether that keeps Sherlock from going over the edge of his staggering intellect.

Metaphor, thy name is Reichenbach.

It isn't just Watson that we get to examine, though.  Inside Sherlock's head we get a number of interesting tidbits about the people who surround him.  Mycroft's intellectual superiority is stated more clearly here than it ever has been.  We get shown just how much Sherlock respects and cares for Mary.  We get to see what might actually be remorse from him over his treatment of the women in his life.

In other words, we get to see the barest hint of all the emotions he keeps safely tucked away--hidden so deep inside that even in his own mind they're really only shown by the statements and actions of other people.

There's so much subtext in this episode, from the hints that this isn't really the past (we all did a double take when Mycroft said "virus in the data," right?) to the repeated mention of how the world sees Sherlock through the lens of Watson's stories (when in reality this is a story in which we get to see everything through the lens of Sherlock's memory palace).

So much subtext.

So, really, I lied when I said it wasn't a mystery.  But the mystery is the complex inner workings of Sherlock Holmes, and the clues are EVERYWHERE!!!

IT'S AMAZING!

And right about now is when I get so enthusiastic about how well done this entire thing is that I have to go calm down and have a cup of tea or something to keep from shouting in all caps for the rest of the blog.

So the story is wonderful, and the script is fantastic, and the whole damn thing is gorgeous, but what gives it wings and makes it fly are the performances of Martin Freeman and Benedict Cumberbatch.  Some divine benevolence must have given us these two actors as a duo, because they are so perfectly matched as a pair.  I adore them each for what they are, unto themselves, but when you put them together the strange alchemy of blending opposites creates sheer magic.

Sheer Magic

So, I guess what I'm saying is that I give this one two snaps up, with a twist and a kiss.  Now, for the love of god, could these actors stop being so popular, so we can have more Sherlock?