On Sunday PBS aired the second episode of Sherlock's third season, "The Sign of Three." Although not the most exciting or action-packed, it was quite possibly the funniest and most heartwarming episode to date. Spoilers follow, so if you have not seen the episode, you may not want to continue reading.
We open with a series of scenes spanning several months in which DI Lestrade (Rupert Graves) repeatedly fails to catch a group of bank robbers. When they are finally caught and Lestrade is about to arrest them, he gets a text from Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch) saying "Help me." Lestrade leaves, calling for maximum backup on the way. He arrives a Baker St. to find Sherlock at his desk trying to write a best man speech while sirens and a helicopter are heard. This scene, though predictable, captures the nature of Sherlock Holmes and sets up the rest of the episode, which takes place at the wedding reception of John Watson (Martin Freeman) and Mary Morstan (Amanda Abbington).
Almost the entire episode takes place during Sherlock's speech and includes several flashbacks to events that he discusses in the speech. These flashbacks provide the funniest moments in the episode, and some of them even provide some of the funniest moments in the series to date. The best of these comes as Sherlock recalls John's bachelor party, in which Sherlock and John had a drink at every street on which they had a case. Sherlock monitored their alcohol intake, but John secretly took a shot and slipped one in Sherlock's beer, resulting in a very drunk, very funny duo. After only two hours out, they ended up back at Baker St., where they were visited by a client who believed she had dinner with a ghost because her date never contacted her again. This entire sequence, especially Sherlock's drunken inspection of the crime scene, were hilarious, mainly because we have never seen this side of the pair before.
Cumberbatch and Freeman were both great in their drunken scenes, but they especially shined in the more emotional part of Sherlock's speech. After upsetting everyone at the reception by insulting both weddings and religion, Sherlock delivered the most heartwarming words he has ever spoken:
"The point I am trying to make is that I am the most unpleasant, rude, ignorant, and all-around obnoxious asshole that anyone could possibly have the misfortune to meet. I am dismissive of the virtuous, unaware of the beautiful, and uncomprehending in the face of the happy. So if I didn't understand I was being asked to be best man, it is because I never expected to be anybody's best friend. And certainly not the best friend of the bravest and kindest and wisest human being I have ever had the good fortune of knowing. John, I am a ridiculous man, redeemed only by the warmth and constancy of your friendship."
There is much more worth quoting, but these, I believe, are the best lines because they show that Sherlock is, in fact, aware of his flaws and that he both recognizes and appreciates John's friendship. This was a rare beautiful moment from Sherlock, and it was great to see a more friendly side to him.
The sentimentality and humor coincided at the end of the episode when Sherlock makes his "first and last vow" to John and Mary:
"Whatever it takes, whatever happens, from now on I swear I will always be there, always, for all three of you.... I'm sorry. I mean two of you. All two of you. Both of you in fact. I just miscounted. Anyway, it's time for dancing."
This accidental deduction of Mary's pregnancy and quick retraction was a nice final touch to an already humorous episode. The episode was riddled with great quotes, both funny and sentimental, but this last one is my favorite because it combines both elements.
The mystery itself in this episode was nothing too exciting, but it was handled interestingly. After reminiscing about two of his cases, an unsolved murder and the "ghost date," he realizes that someone at the reception is going to be murdered. He prolongs his speech in order to stall while he works out who is the target. He finally realizes that the two cases, though seemingly unrelated, involved the same person, a person at the reception. The killer turns out to be the photographer, while the target is John's former commanding officer. While this solution was not very shocking, it was a clever way to tie the two cases together and also allow for a focus on the John and Mary's wedding.
While I won't go so far as to say that this is my favorite episode to date (that honor goes to "The Great Game," season 1, episode 3), I will say that no other episode has made me laugh so hard or feel so touched by Sherlock Holmes. It's always nice to see Sherlock's humanity shine through his sociopathic exterior, and what better way to show that off than in a best man speech?
