Originally I didn't think I had an awful lot to say about Sherlock. It returned, it was brilliant, but there seemed to be nothing to really delve into as far as discussion points went. Oh, don't get me wrong, I saw that big cliffhanger as plainly as you did, and yes, I know what you're thinking 'What about the other big thing that happened?!' and all I can say to you is, yes it's all very interesting. But nothing really reached out and grabbed me. Until... Until I started pondering one of the smaller details, that could be laying roots for much greater things, but doesn't seem to be getting all that much discussion. In fact, few people I've talked to even noticed it - So maybe it's all in my head. But by the end of this blog, it's going to be in your head too, so I'd consider that a job well done for today!
As a warning, this blog is going to contain spoilers for series three of Sherlock. I don't know how I can make this any more clear for you, but for my American friends, my friends who have not quite yet caught up, or anybody else who hasn't jumped on the Sherlock bandwagon but may want too in the future and doesn't want to be spoiled? Well, this has spoilers in it. Sorry, it's unavoidable, but please! Do, feel free to come back when you're all caught up! These words aren't going anywhere, I promise.
As an apology to those people, I offer you this fun (and spoiler free!) little video where Sherlock meets the Doctor. It definitely put a smile on my face when I first saw it, and is very well made, although the way Smith and Cumberbatch's faces and mouths move may haunt your dreams for months.
You're welcome.
Now then, with that out of the way, let's get down to business. The one thing that series three of Sherlock brought to my mind was a very simple question, that doesn't have any kind of simple answer. That question?
Is Mycroft Holmes dying?
This may seem like it's rather left field to some of you, but something is most definitely up with Mycroft in the third series. The most obvious indicator is that we're seeing a lot more of him, but at the same time this doesn't mean an awful lot on it's own. If there's one unifying theme in this series, it's family and friendship and how the two are almost interchangeable. John and Mary are as much Sherlock's family as Mycroft and his parents, perhaps even more so, and having Mycroft be more prominent in the episodes is a good way to highlight his differing relationships with both. It also could be argued that this series placed character building above the cases, and that Mycroft's increased presence was a way of fleshing him out in the same way other characters were fleshed out. Not to mention the climax of the third episode depended on the audience believing that Sherlock was indeed Mycroft's pressure point, with the whole series working hard to present and highlight the chain that Magnusson talks about to us before he even makes an appearance. Mary influences John, John influences Sherlock, and Sherlock... Well, you get the picture.
But let's shift focus a bit and look at Mycroft's motivation in the series. His one, main goal throughout (aside from his usual, national terrorism and homeland security goals) is making sure that Sherlock is exactly where he belongs. In Baker Street, in London, protecting Queen and Country from whatever may crop up under the surface. He brings Sherlock home after two years of globe trotting dismantling Moriarty's criminal network for exactly this reason, and throughout the series we see Mycroft chastising his brother for being an impulsive child - Both in person, and in his head. Who is it that sits in judgement in Sherlock's courtroom scenario, demanding he concentrate and focus on the facts of the murder at John's wedding? Who is it that pulls him away from the minor detail of the gun and tells him to open his eyes and see what's obviously in front (well, in this case behind) him? Who is it that warns him off Magnusson because he knows that a confrontation between the two couldn't go any other way than how it did? Sherlock might read people like a book, but Magnusson understands them like a clockmaker, he was never going to win in a conventional sense. That look of abject disappointment on Mycroft's face, coupled with Sherlock pictured as a child after he shot him, was perfect. And for one final question, who is it that turned that plane around as soon as a hint of Moriarty appeared?
It's very clear that Mycroft wants Sherlock in Baker Street and is going to great lengths to keep him there. I even wonder if the terrorist threat he called Sherlock back to deal with was really beyond Mycroft's scope to take care of at all. It didn't seem a terribly complicated case in the end. He's also constantly pushing, both in Sherlock's head and otherwise, for the Great Detective to grow up. To be better. To take responsibility. The question I ask in response is, why? He never seemed particularly bothered before. In fact, he seemed happy to let his brother loaf around and do what he liked, on the one provision he didn't get in the way. Could it be that Mycroft isn't going to be around much longer, and needs somebody of his own calibre to protect his city, his country, while he's gone? That he needs Sherlock, because he's not going to be around much longer to do what needs to be done himself?
Still pretty flimsy, huh? Okay then, let's get physical! Throughout the series we see that Mycroft has not only taken up exercising, but can also no longer handle his cigarettes. That first one isn't all too alarming, Sherlock doesn't seem surprised to find his brother exercising although from his remarks about it could be deduced that Mycroft doesn't do it often.The other thing though, although Sherlock passes it off on him smoking cigarettes with too much tar and just being stubborn about it, is where things for me get interesting and really got my mind racing. It seems to be a very deliberate, if a little blink and you'll miss it, sign of physical decline. Of course, we could also just assume that Mycroft is getting out of shape. I believe, in the books he was a rather large, unwieldy man - Bloated from being behind a desk for too long. This could just be a suggestion that Mycroft in the series is going that way (and I am all about Mark Gatiss in a fat suit!) or a cheeky nod to his character in the books from Gatiss and Moffat.
However, there's also an emotional element going on here. We see Mycroft spending more time with his parents, taking them to see Les Mis in London and of course, coming around for Christmas. Naturally it's torture for him, but it's torture he's putting himself through when (in one case, at least!) his brother is choosing not too. Not to mention his very open display of affection towards his brother, when he tells Sherlock that he loves him. Again, this could just be set up for Magnusson's pressure point, but it does seem far too sledgehammer subtle for that. We know how fond Sherlock and Mycroft are of each other. They belittle each other, they fight, Sherlock thinks of all the people he knows Mycroft is the easiest to murder, but isn't that the definition of brotherly love? If you haven't pondered murdering your siblings at least once in your lifetime, I daresay you don't have a healthy relationship with them.
So if all this is true, why hasn't Sherlock noticed? Well, I daresay he has. We've been in Sherlock's head a lot in this series, and while many people in his life populate it, one keeps coming up again and again. Mycroft. He's very dominant in his thoughts, and while that could just be down to the fact that Mycroft is as close to an equal as Sherlock has, it could also be that he realises something is going on and is either in denial or simply is choosing not to make a big deal of it because... Well, he practically choked on his cigarette at Mycroft even admitting that he loves his brother, how well do you think emotions are generally dealt with in that family?
Given all these subtle and unsubtle nods, I can't help but think that something is up with Mycroft. Perhaps he's not dying, which I'd be quite pleased with because I love Gatiss' take on the character, but something is going on. I wouldn't be terribly surprised if Mycroft orchestrated the 'return' of Moriarty for the same ends as bringing his brother back to London in the first place. All we saw was a .gif with some writing photoshopped onto it, anybody on Tumblr can and does do that, but who has the power and skill to hack the country's media network? Moriarty, obviously. One of his generals Sherlock missed, possibly. Perhaps even the 'true' Moriarty who used the current one we know and love as a cover all along (the descriptions of Moriarty the victims gave in series 1 didn't match up with what we eventually got, afterall. But then again, it's more likely Moriarty used a cover when talking to them to keep Sherlock off the trail, revealing his bouncy, flamboyant self later) possible but unlikely! Taking away the criminal element and the possibility of it being a new player altogether, that leaves The Woman and... Mycroft.
As cool as the set up for the return of Moriarty actually being a preface for the grand return of Irene Adler would be, there's something about a dying Mycroft, faking Moriarty's return to save his brother from banishment because... Well, he's the only one he trusts to carry on his work and keep the country safe, and also, on another level - He's his brother and he loves him that I find incredibly touching and at the moment, rather more plausible than Moriarty coming back from blowing his brains out on a rooftop. I suppose we'll have to wait and see, but for the moment - I'm calling it. Sherlock series 4 or 5, a big bombshell is going to be dropped about Mycroft. At the moment, the only thing that eludes me (despite the case I've made for his death above), is what?
No comments:
Post a Comment