Just finished watching “A Scandal in Belgravia,” the first episode of Sherlock series 2. It is so, so good, and would be so, so ruined by spoilers that I will say no more about it, except:
- It’s pretty much ruined the Doctor Who Christmas special for me. Apart from some feminist grumblings I quite enjoyed “The Doctor, the Widow, and the Wardrobe,” but only because I’d forgotten how good Moffat can be when he’s at the top of his game. “Scandal” just blows “Widow” out of the water; it’s a thousand times better. (Exactly a thousand; I measured it with my agathometer.)
- It’s preemptively ruined Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows for me also. “Scandal” is the Sherlock Holmes movie of the present season; whatever the theatrical movie is like, it can’t hope to measure up.
- One of the best moments in the episode is also a Doctor Who reference. But those who know only the 21st century version of Doctor Who won’t get it. (There’s also a Wrath of Khan reference.)
On the down side: given how persnickety Sherlock was about grammar in the opening scene of last season’s “Great Game,” it’s a bit incongruous that he says “you sent John and I” in “Scandal.”
How did you see the Episode?
I saw it here. I enjoyed it as well. I loved the portrayal of the CIA goons and how Sherlock doesn’t seem interested in appeals to “Queen and country”. I thought it was also very funny. A great mix.
What was the Who reference? I completely missed it in my state of awe at the sheer amazingness of the episode.
The last complete sentence in the episode was a catchphrase of the 2nd Doctor’s.
This was so fabulous, that I am happy to ignore it’s few flaws, simply because of how it was gleefully pandering not just to me as a Sherlockian, but Moffateer, Whovian, Trekkie, Bond-fan, Batman and Catwoman fan, insister that the Irene/Sherlock dynamic was always pure, beautiful switchy sadomasochism, favoriter of Scandal in the canon, and hater of the CIA, and… Yeah, this was basically pandering to me in every possible way. Rest of TV needs to follow suit, cause it’s really slacking.