It was perfest.
Flawless.
I actually think that the first ep of 2nd season of Sherlock was flawless. Yeah, shoot me. Even if the tagged-on ending was a little bit over the top, the rest made up for it.
Camera work was, as always, incredible, beautiful takes, scenes buttonned up to the top.
Jim and his entirely fitting ringtone stole the show for meXD This is the best cop-out I've ever seen. I know people expected drama and explosions, but I wouldn't change a bit. This is Jim to the T - changable, just as he's warned. Dramatic to a fault. Easily distracted. Terrifying. My favourite psycho at work. Why wouldn't he let them go? It's all in the game after all.
Sherlock and John fell into that calm (as much as possible) domescity and now work as real equals. No more John tagging after Sherlock as an amazed spectator - he stands on his own now and it empowers him greatly.
I heard an opinion that him teaming up with Mycroft made him sort of a 'lapdog' but I can't disagree more. What I see here is a natural conclusion of Season 1. John bought Sherlock with the whole inventory - violin, mess and an overprotective older brother. And an awarness that the younger Holmes is a piece of work. I don't see John doing Mycroft's bidding - they're working as a team now, as much as John and Sherlock work as a team. John, Mrs Hudson and Mycroft created this kind of a safety net around Sherlock that really saves him in this episode - where most of what he thought about himself gets turned upside down. They know he's naive in some ways and needs looking after.
Mycroft in this ep charmed me. That powerful, lonely man who tries to keep all ends together. And the bro-relations he's got with Sherlock are marvelous.
"
Have you ever wondered if there's something wrong with us?"
I have a feeling that boys are not the same in this aspect - Sherlock is unable to feel some things. Mycroft might have 'made' himself immune on purpose.
And Irene. Oh God, Irene! She was marvelous! I didn't expect her to be so good. Shrewd and strong, but still human, still afraid and feeling. And gay - which is amazing when her convo with John comes about. Arguably the best part of the whole ep. Sherlock is loved, because he's Sherlock, not because he's a man. Marvelous.
And, she obviously ships them boysXD Which is fine in my opinion.
Can't wait for the second ep, see what Gatiss has in store for us. And I slightly dread the third one, but I hope that Thompson will pick up his game with the season finali.