Loveable Freak Reviews Sherlock (BBC) - "The Hounds of Baskerville"

 

 

  Yay! After the disappointing "A Scandal in Belgravia", came my second favorite episode overall (and favorite this season): "The Hounds of Baskerville"!

 

"I ain't afraid of no hound!" (Yes, I HAD to make the joke...)

 

   Henry Knight goes to Sherlock for help. When he was a little boy, he saw his father killed by a "monstrous hound". He believes it's still out there, so Sherlock and John drive out to Dartmoor. Is the beast from the local millitary research outpost, Baskerville? And why does Henry call it a "hound"? Emotions, revelations, character development, fear, and foreshadowing for the finale ensue.

 

   Before I begin gushing, may I just say some things about this DVD I forgot to say in the "Belgravia" review? First of all, I'm happy that this DVD has an ad for the DVD of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, like Shadows had for the season 2 DVD. ^_^ Also, I have to wonder why they had to use the creepy promo picture of Moriarty on the cover, out of all the possible pictures to use.

 

GAH! KILL IT! KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!!!

   Anyway, back to the actual episode. This one was, of course, written by Mark Gatiss. Gatiss is probably my favorite writer on Sherlock so far, mostly because he's proven to be the most consistent on the show. Moffat wrote my favorite "A Study in Pink", but I feel he didn't do as well as he could have with Irene Adler on "Belgravia". And of course Thompson wrote the worst episode, "The Blind Banker", but wrote a good episode with "The Riechenbach Fall". Gatiss, however, has written two episodes I thought were good and I liked. Heck, I kind of wish he'd write more for Sherlock than Doctor Who (he's not so consistently good (to me) there.)

 

  The whole mystery is a pretty good one. And it has a pretty good twist. I'm actually going to try not to spoil it, but just in case it or any others slip through my gushing:

...I need a new gif of River, this one's getting old...

  Anyway, there are also some other shocking reveals as well as the one to the mystery, like: OH MY GOSH, CUMBERLOCK CAN DRIVE! And Lestrade's name isn't, in fact, "Detective Inspector"; it's Greg! (Though, I'm still calling him Lestrade, it's what I'm used to and that's an awesome last name (as most last names from the Canon can be. Kind of like how I don't call Moriarty "Jim" because a villain named "Jim" is too weird and "Moriarty" is cooler...) And, in the end scene/foreshadowing, we find out that Moriarty has become the Sherlock Fandom waiting for season 3!

 

  But, joking aside, I really like this episode. First of all, Sherlock gets more of his humanizing exploration of emotions he started last episode, as he feels fear and doubt for the first time. And it is amazing. Cumberbatch just absolutely sold it with his performance. Seriously, just look at the scene where Sherlock's breaking down in the pub and tell me why 1) this man didn't get a BAFTA for his role yet, 2) why they didn't send this or the other episodes to the Emmys instead of "Belgravia", when this surely would have got him one, and 3) why he shouldn't get a Golden Globe January 13th. (I'd post it, but I can't find the whole scene on YouTube and I don't want to post five clips all together and take up space.)

 

  Plus, we have Sherlock apologizing again, this time to John, in his own way. It's heartwarming.

 

  And John gets some good moments, too. He gets to do a little deduction of his own. Granted, he's wrong again, but I'll give him this: he was rather clever with the "UMQRA" red herring. I think I forget sometimes (with how noticeable the other two Watsons currently out there are about it) that Freeman's John is rather clever, too. And I feel bad about not giving him enough credit in that regard. And I think, while last season showed "John the doctor" more, this one's more "John the soldier." 

 

Yes, please!

 

  And, as I feel the need to do, I must talk about Mycroft and Lestrade, here. Mycroft only has two brief appearances here. But I absolutely adore this annoyed face he has when he finds out Sherlock's impersonating him in Baskerville. To me, it's almost like he saying, "Oh, not again, Sherlock..." And Lestrade joins in around the end. He gets to be/feel awesome, too. And I think this was the episode I decided "I really like Lestrade! Even if he has the marksmanship of a Stormtrooper! :P"

 

  Oh, and did I mention that Mycroft sent Lestrade out to Baskerville to keep an eye on our favorite duo? Now I'm curious how they know each other. Are they almost bros or just acquaintances? When did they cross paths, "A Study in Pink" (the only time they were relatively close to each other we've seen in-show) or another time? Will we get to finally see them interact next season? (Fingers crossed for the latter.) And is it strange I kind of wish John and Mycroft would've had this conversation next episode on the matter, as a joke/call back?:

 

...Maybe I spend too much time with the fandom...

  And, as one last gush, I really thought the graphics were top notch this episode. They're usually good, but this episode stands out to me. Especially when Sherlock goes into his "mind palace". And, I usually don't bring up "atmosphere", but this one did have a nice, creepy atmosphere to go with the creepy concept. Well done on that part, Gatiss!

 

  All right, last minute thoughts:

 

•  There are too many good scenes to count here, again. Just watch this episode, it's amazing.
•  The canon nods, besides the many nods to the source material adapted: The Hound of the Baskervilles, we have a mention of Sherlock using a harpoon on a dead pig to solve a case, Sherlock saying he needs something "7% stronger" (the 7% solution of cocaine, anyone?), a little something from another story (I'm still trying not to spoil this one), and Sherlock saying someone (here, Lestrade) looks "brown as a nut", I believe. And of course, we get the "Whatever remains" line! :D
• "It's an experiment" is probably the best justification for anything ever, next to "FOR SCIENCE!" 

  Overall, this is a spectacular episode! It's fantastic! It is amazing! It is brilliant! It's a good episode. Again, it's up there with "Pink" as far as quality goes.

  ...Just in time for the writers to rip the fandom's heart out with "The Reichenbach Fall"! Next time, I wrap up the Sherlock reviews until season 3 ever arrives...