Episode: "The Further Adventures"
Directed by: Christine Moore
Written by: Robert Doherty & Jason Tracey
Air date: May 23, 2019
Case of The Week
First of all, I really enjoyed the beginning of the episode with a nice reference to "The Adventure of the Six Napoleons". Sadly, I can't say I know most of Sherlock Holmes' stories, at least not yet, but this one certainly rings a bell. The main case, on the other hand, with the acid attack was quite a brutal way to start the season. Not only extremely painful but such a devastating result achieved within seconds. It was hard not to feel for the victim here and even worse to realize that she ended her own life following the attack. To be perfectly honest, I did not think of the doctor as the person responsible. In hindsight, it makes all the sense in the world, but I'm glad it wasn't as obvious as many of the cases may seem after years of watching many procedural TV shows. The twist with the mother was also cleverly done and it was a memorable scene overall. "I've never had anyone killed before, but I don't think I'm above it." Also, during the case we were introduced to DCI Athelney Jones. She's certainly not a great fan of Americans, which is quite clear after seeing her interactions with Watson, but she did seem rather good at her job and I'd be interested to learn more about her.
The Character Focus
Nothing quite like home. I have to start this part with saying it was great to see Sherlock Holmes back in London. I've always been enjoying the show but it also felt disconnected from the original story with its New York setting. It simply feels right to have Holmes and Watson at Baker Street 221B (and 221A), working with Scotland Yard and solving crimes together. It appears that Sherlock feels the same way, as he points out to Joan during the hour, unfortunately the same can't be said about Watson. When Joan decided to join Sherlock in London at the end of last season we didn't really get to see how she made that choice and just how much she was really giving up with this move. Personally, I can't quite imagine leaving my whole life behind and moving to a strange new place just like that. And it looks like the consequences of her choice are starting to weigh heavily on her in this premiere... It's wonderful to see Kitty again, her storyline and her relationship with Holmes were among my favorites during the show's run. Archie's a lovely kid and it's heartwarming to see this happiness around Kitty, especially knowing about everything she's been through. She is yet another reason for me to be glad about the detective duo living in London now. However, she's also the person who truly notices how much Joan struggles with her new home. It's good to have a friend like that, who helps Sherlock realize the reality of the situation.
Meanwhile, back in New York, Bell looks like he's ready to move on to a new place of work but with only a few days left at the 11th Precinct he decides it's about time to confront Captain Gregson about the circumstances of Sherlock and Joan's sudden move. Marcus is now aware of what truly happened on the day of Michael Rowan's death. Being such a good detective he found out who the real killer was and feels absolutely terrible with this knowledge and the secrecy surrounding it. When he realizes how guilty Gregson feels he can no longer stay silent and asks his friend and mentor to make things right with Holmes and Watson. Where do I start with Captain Gregson? I have to admit, after the events of season six finale I feel very disappointed in his character. While I do understand his need to protect his daughter I can't quite justify his behavior towards Sherlock in their last confrontation and everything that happened after. I did like how Marcus pointed out to him that his friends were always there for him and yet Gregson has chosen to act as if they never existed in the first place. I do appreciate that Captain was ready to reach out to Holmes, which is why that ending really took me by surprise. I certainly hope that Gregson will survive and after all the great moments he's had on the show, we can still expect him and Sherlock to try to mend their broken relationship. For now, this attack certainly seems like a good way to attempt to bring Holmes and Watson back to New York.
To quickly summarize, it was a good season premiere. The episode flew by quickly for me. The case was rather interesting and I'm glad we got to spend a bit more time with the main characters and their personal struggles. I'm excited to see where we're going next. Also, with season seven being the last I'm hoping we'll get a chance to see some other familiar faces. Fingers crossed.
1. Beppo: "Who are you?"
Sherlock: "I'm the man who's going to bring you to justice."
2. DCI Jones: "When you don't shoot the suspect, you can actually send him to prison."
Joan: "Once again, just because I'm American does not mean I love guns."
Jones: "Right. And I suppose you don't call football soccer either."
3. Jones: "If we go another day without an arrest, they'll get Elton John to rewrite the lyrics to "Candle in the Wind" again."
4. Joan: "That's [sulfuric acid] one way to get rid of fingerprints."
Sherlock: "I'd call it an abundance of caution."
What did you think about "The Further Adventures"? Any favorite scenes or quotes? Feel free to let us know in the comments. Check out the press release for the next episode here. As always, thanks for reading!
