Sherlock - Recap: The Best Man Holiday
Recap and review of Sherlock - Season 3 Episode 2 - The Sign of Three:
This was probably the strangest episode of Sherlock out of the eight that have aired over the last four years (gotta count that pesky two-year break). "The Sign of Three" ventures to be a character study interspersed with bits and pieces of plot, and it's a solid organizational principle, in theory. But the execution leaves a lot to be desired, at least until the final third of the episode. Basically, this is a meandering story that is loosely held together by the wedding reception of Watson (Martin Freeman) and Mary (Amanda Abbington), in which we learn about a pair of cases that, while initially appearing to be random and disconnected, ultimately end up being crucially intertwined.
Credit: BBC
The plot itself isn't as propulsive as one might expect, but thankfully, the character work more than compensates for this, as Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch) is depicted as far more emotionally vulnerable than he's ever been. Granted, the show has always been of the mind that Sherlock needs Watson as much as Watson needs him, but "The Sign of Three" proposes that Sherlock is the needier of the two, precisely because of how solitary he's been. Sherlock is a genius, but he's fundamentally damaged by his experiences and by his sheltered, insular nature. While "The Sign of Three" is perhaps Sherlock's first significant step in becoming someone who can find comfort and joy in aspects of life that exist outside of his career, it seems Sherlock is destined to forever be a man in need of something, whether it's a thrill, a good case, or his best friend.
Credit: BBC
Much of the episode centers on Sherlock's hilarious, borderline disastrous Best Man speech at John's wedding reception, as Sherlock had trouble coming up with anything to say, and ultimately ended up rambling about a pair of cases they worked together. It's a silly storyline conceit, on its face, but it reveals a lot about Sherlock and John's friendship: we see John ask Sherlock to be his Best Man, and Sherlock simply can't fathom that John would ever ask him, since he never imagined he would ever be considered somebody's best friend. The moment is a particularly touching one, all the more so for how the episode seems to then go out of its way to cast doubt on the certainty of Sherlock and John's continued partnership: Mrs. Hudson (Una Stubbs) warns Sherlock that marriage changes people, and implies that John won't be around nearly as frequently as he once was, owing to his new responsibilities as a husband; later, Mycroft (Mark Gatiss) basically tells Sherlock the same thing, warning him that he's closer to losing John than he realizes. Sherlock's realization that John had (and has) a life outside of him is further illustrated by the arrival of John's former commander, Major James Sholto (Alistair Petrie). John is particularly thrilled and appreciative of Sholto's attendance, knowing that the scarred Major has made it a point to avoid public life. He's lived in seclusion ever since he came under fire in the media following the death of his unit during a mission in Afghanistan, of which he was the sole survivor. Sholto is a reclusive sort, but it's upon his presence that the entire plot ultimately turns. But more on that in a bit.
Credit: BBC
The actual dedication bits of Sherlock's Best Man speech are terrific, as Benedict Cumberbatch conveys Sherlock's awkwardness and vulnerability. It's so painfully gorgeous that I've taken the liberty of transcribing it:
"The point I'm trying to make is that I am the most unpleasant, rude, ignorant, and all-around obnoxious arsehole 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 unhappy. So if I didn't understand I was being asked to be best man, it is because I never expected to be anyone's best friend. Certainly not the best friend to 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. But as I'm apparently your best friend, I cannot congratulate you on your choice of companion. Actually, now I can. Mary, when I say you deserve this man, it is the highest compliment of which I am capable. John, you have endured war, and injury, and tragic loss. So sorry again about that last one. So know this: today you sit between the woman you have made your wife and the man you have saved. In short, the two people who love you most in all this world. And I know I speak for Mary as well when I say we will never let you down, and we have a lifetime ahead to prove that."
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Naturally, transcription does pale service to the weight of Cumberbatch's delivery, as he imbues the words with a character of unexpected warmth that can't really be described. In short, it's my favorite moment of this season so far, and it didn't have anything to do with a tawdry case or a salacious plot twist. It was essentially a character-reaffirming moment, a solidification of the bond between Sherlock and John, just in case we didn't realize what these two men meant to one another before.
But there's a lot more to get to beyond all this, as there are two cases to tackle, recounted during Sherlock's speech: in "The Bloody Guardsman", a palace guardsman named Bainbridge (Alfie Enoch) contacts Holmes after noticing a stalker (in the guise of a photographer) following him from outside the palace on multiple occasions. No sooner do Sherlock and John arrive to meet with Bainbridge than it's discovered that the guardsman has apparently been murdered as the result of a stabbing. However, no weapon is in evidence, nor has any obvious escape been made. It's as if Bainbridge had been stabbed by a phantom. Sherlock is eager to get on with solving the murder, but John wants to inspect the body first, and it ends up being a fortuitous choice: Bainbridge still has a pulse. In calling an ambulance and tending to Bainbridge's wounds, John essentially saves the young man's life, which serves to illustrate Sherlock's point in telling the story: "Should any of you require the services of either of us, I will solve your murder. But it takes John Watson to save your life."
Credit: BBC
Of course, it pains Sherlock to admit that they actually never solved who stabbed Bainbridge or how, but he's quick to cover up the embarrassment with the tale of another case in which John's presence proved crucial. "The Mayfly Man" tells the story of Tessa (Alice Lowe), a woman who'd met a man for dinner at his apartment, only to find the apartment vacated days later, along with word that the man was reported as having died weeks earlier. The case seems fairly routine, and in the beginning, it mostly is, save for the moments detailing John's bachelor party the night previous, in which he and Sherlock get so ripping drunk that Holmes ends up vomiting on the carpet of the allegedly dead man. Once sober, Sherlock concludes that the supposedly-dead man in question was likely a bored husband who took the identities of recently deceased men in order to carry on affairs with women in their unoccupied apartments. But it isn't until Sherlock makes his wedding toast and speaks Watson's middle name that he remembers that Tessa knew it as well, which is uncharacteristic since John doesn't use his middle name in public (or in private, really).
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This sets Sherlock on a deductive roll, as he comes to realize that the women The Mayfly Man seduced all worked for Major Sholto in some form or fashion, meaning that whomever courted these women did so in order to find Sholto and learn when the notoriously reclusive Major would be in public again. And with this, Sherlock not only realizes that the killer is at the reception, but also that the case of The Bloody Guardsman is connected to the attempt on Major Sholto's life, as Sherlock concludes that Bainbridge was stabbed using the belt buckle of his military uniform, in which was embedded a small blade. In effect, the killer set it up so Bainbridge would ultimately stab himself, with the wound not taking effect until the belt was loosened. Compounding this terrifying realization is the knowledge that, more than likely, the killer has already stabbed Sholto via his belt -- the Major will bleed out and die the moment he takes it off. And so Sholto despairs and decides he's going to kill himself by undoing his belt. However, Sherlock is able to dissuade him by telling him that John doesn't deserve to lose a friend at his own wedding. Sholto ultimately relents and agrees to receiving medical attention. The Major presumably survives the attack, and it doesn't take much longer for Sherlock to identify the killer: Jonathan Small (Jalaal Hartley), the wedding photographer, also known as The Mayfly Man. His motive for the attempted killing? Small's brother was part of Sholto's unit on that fateful day in Afghanistan, and constructed the belt-stabbing as a discreet form of revenge against Sholto, using Bainbridge as practice.
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The storyline itself is well and good, but it's all window-dressing for Sherlock's increasing emotional vulnerability. It isn't simply that he has a fear of losing John, but that he's also developed a bit of a thing for Mary's Maid of Honor, Janine (Yasmine Akram). He feigns disinterest in her beyond simple curiosity at her cleverness, but he seems to appreciate, in many ways, her apparent infatuation with him. More than in most episodes, Sherlock seems to make a show of his intelligence here, not through his deduction-heavy Best Man speech, but also in playing a violin piece he composed for John and Mary (absolutely gorgeous, to boot). At some level, one would presume Sherlock loves the attention, but it also bespeaks a deeper need for validation from his friends and loved ones, and from people like Janine, with whom he could potentially make a meaningful connection. While the episode rounds to a close with an encouraging revelation in which Sherlock deduces that Mary is pregnant ("increased appetite, change in taste perception, and sickness in the morning, the signs of three"), the episode ultimately ends on a bittersweet note. Janine takes Sherlock's disinterest at face value and finds somebody else, while Sherlock feels like a third wheel in John and Mary's happy union and chooses to leave the reception altogether, escaping into the night and back into his own solitude. It's a devastating close, but one that Cumberbatch nails, as we see Sherlock's sudden, warmly human moment of happiness melt away upon the realization that he might not actually fit in this blissful picture of normalcy.
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"The Sign of Three" is a powerful episode that could have been even stronger if its structure hadn't been so all-over-the-place. Of course, Sherlock's structure has always been prone to leaps in chronology and absurd narrative detours, so I probably shouldn't be all that surprised here. But only about half of this episode really worked for me. Thankfully, the parts that worked did so in a big way, as Benedict Cumberbatch continues to deliver A+ work in illustrating a more fundamentally human Sherlock than before.