So, the BBC's monumental Sherlock series has been wound up after its fourth season (expect spoilers below). There are some indications that they might continue the plot at some point but many are speculating that this might be the final outing for our favourite detective and doctor duo.
I'm sad to see it go. The quality was a bit uneven and you could generally expect a dud episode in every series ('The Lying Detective' was the duffer this season by my reckoning). Nevertheless, when it was good it was really good and the writing and characterisation remained excellent throughout.
While there was plenty going on, the main revelation this series was the existence of Sherlock and Mycroft's sister Eurus. This reveal could have been trite and tacky. The existence of an unknown, evil sibling is such a staple of gothic Victorian tales that it tends to only be used as parody or pastiche nowadays. However, there was little to fear on this occasion as Sian Brooke did a fantastic job of bringing the creepy yet intelligent Eurus to life. The standout moment of the series for me was when she reached through the 'glass' in her prison to take Sherlock's hand.
It was a shame that they went the 'Saw' route for the final episode. While it suits the sensationalist style of the show the whole malevolent control thing is overdone and rarely achieves anything more than allowing the writers to put their characters through a more unpleasant repertoire of challenges.
Still congratulations to the writers and the BBC for sticking with such a vibrant and witty project. Mark Gatiss ridiculing the Guardian in verse for accusing him of turning Sherlock into Bond stands as a fitting memorial to the clear enjoyment and passion of all involved.*
* Further respect for the man if he decided to put the 'action hero-esque' grenade scene in 'The Final Problem' after receiving this criticism.
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