Loveable Freak (Sort Of) Reviews (And Sort Of Analyzes) BBC Sherlock: "Many Happy Returns" Minisode

 

    SCREAMING! It's here! The minisode is here early!

 

 

 

  *ahem* Sorry. So, I'm going to do my best to review this beautiful little thing. You know the drill (thought the video is towards the end for those who haven't see it yet):

 

Oh, you don't know how good this feels to write a Sherlock review again...

 

  So, when we last left everyone, Sherlock was supposedly dead. This takes place an unspecified time after "The Reichenbach Fall" (we can assume it's before John grew Harold his magnificent moustache). Everyone seems to be trying to move on from Sherlock. Except, surprisingly, Anderson, who insists to Lestrade ol' Sherly's alive, solving crimes around the globe and working his way back to England. Lestrade tells the now ex-forensics specialist to let it go, and goes to deliver some things of Sherlock's he had to John. Including a DVD with an uncut birthday message for John. Feels, brilliance, and sheer amounts of excitement in the fandom ensue.

 

  Alright, let's start with the big thing here: ANDERSON STILL BELIEVES IN SHERLOCK. ANDERSON. "SYLVIA" (according to Gatiss) "SHERLOCK AND THE FANDOM'S PUNCHING BAG" ANDERSON STILL BELIEVES IN SHERLOCK HOLMES. Needless to say, at least on Twitter (yes I have a Twitter, no I won't tell you who I am), everyone's opinion has done a 180. It's sweet that, despite how cruel he and Sherlock were to each other, he still believes that he's out there. And it's impressive he's the one clever enough to notice the pattern. I kind of liked Anderson in a "lovingly make fun of him" way, but now I like him even more. Plus, we get a taste of Anderson and Lestrade's relationship. Lestrade seems genuinely concerned about Anderson's obsession with Sherlock (that cost Adnerson his job), and tells him about how they all want him back. And Anderson gets a few jabs at Lestrade.

 

  What's next? Will Donavan be portrayed as a decent person this season? Is Sherlock and Anderson's relationship going to change? Will this season be to the fandom with him what season 2 was for me with Lestrade? GAH! Excited.

 

  Also, everything to do with the DVD was pretty touching. And it was fantastic to see Martin Freeman's John and Cumberlock again. Oh, Cumberlock, I missed you. There was light humor with recording!Sherlock asking about what to do in the video, refusing to go to the birthday dinner because there's people, and insisting all John's friends hate him.

 

  Then comes the awesome part when John rhetorically tells the recording's Sherlock to come back. To which the recording says "Okay!" and says how he'll be back. Meanwhile Lestrade passes a well-dressed bystander with a newpaper, an article reading "The Game Is Back On", and smiles. This, two, rasises questions, in a good way. Is the bystander Sherlock? Or Mycroft? Is Lestrade in on the faked death now? Is it sort of like my favorite fanfic, "The Full House", in that case? GAH! I am so excited!

 

Okay, final thoughts:

• Now that we're all attached to Anderson, I'm afraid Moffat and Gatiss are going to kill him. I hope not, but if it happens, I called it...
• This is notably written by both Moffat AND Gatiss. *insert joke about it taking two writers to write a 7-minute short but one to write a 90-minute episode*
• I missed everything about this show...
• I can't pick a favorite thing, since this was only 7 minutes and it was brilliant throughout. So just watch it. In fact: here it is on YouTube:

 

                              

 

  Overall, it was a brilliant short/minisode. I loved this and it only fuels my excitement for the next season even more. I can't wait until the show officially returns on January 14th for the States (and January 1st for England...) Though I will hold off on reviewing the season until I get the DVD or Blu-Ray. I just prefer to review when I can pause it to jot down notes. That's something I disliked reviewing season 1 of Elementary the way I did 98% of the way. But I digress.

 

  Merry Christmas Eve and Merry Christmas, readers and Sherlockians. And I wish you all many happy returns...

Couldn't find a gif of the minisode wink, so here's the original Cumberlock wink...