Sherlock "The Abominable Bride" Review

WARNING: This review contains SPOILERS for the episode "The Abominable Bride" of BBC's Sherlock

While we won't be getting an entire season of Sherlock this year, our appetites were at least partially stayed by this Christmas Special which aired last night on BBC One and PBS. This one-off episode takes our favorite duo of detectives back in time to 1895, where they must solve a case that, on the surface, is an utterly impossible feat. But, this is Sherlock Holmes, so of course he must look beyond the surface level and get to the bottom of it. This was a stunning return for BBC's hit show that assures us Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss have not lost their touch. This is the Sherlock we know and love.

Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman remain perfect for their roles as Sherlock Holmes and John Watson respectively. I'm convinced there is no pair that could play the two characters as well as these two do on a consistent basis. They work wonders together, and it's no different here. It seems the two year absence has not worn away their immaculate chemistry. Their interactions are fast, funny, and occasionally quite touching, exactly what we've come to expect from the boys of Baker Street.

"The Abominable Bride" centers around the case of Emelia Ricoletti, a dying woman who seemingly goes insane, firing a pistol at pedestrians walking along the street before shooting herself in the head. However, later that evening, her husband impossibly encounters her on the street before she shoots him dead with a shotgun. Scotland Yard is thrown into a panic and must turn to the one and only Sherlock Holmes to solve the case of a crazed bride back from the dead.

Right off the bat, the 19th century setting was a delightful change of pace. Victorian London proved an engrossing time and place for this special episode, hearkening back to the original Arthur Conan Doyle stories. And all the updates on the show's established formula that were made to fit the time period were a joy to watch. I was afraid the 1800s setting would be a distraction from the rest of the show when I initially heard about this Christmas Special; however, the sweeping cityscapes and beautiful portraits of the streets of 19th century England only helped to improve the viewing experience.

The script for this episdoe was exceptionally penned by Gatiss and Moffat, who deliver more of the scathing, unflinchingly brilliant dialogue and twisty plotlines that the series has become known for. There has been no drop in quality from the last season to this special, which was relieving for me. The episode also delved into the emotional threads that have been explored in past seasons, such as the relationship between Holmes and Watson and the reasoning behind Sherlock's emotionless, seemingly uncaring view of the world. A really well-written episode that is right on par with the rest of the show.

The big twist that comes around two-thirds into "The Abominable Bride" was actually quite well-done, tying itself into the end of season 3 very well. The twist, of course, is that the entire episode up to that point had taken place inside Sherlock's mind palace, and he was actually trying to solve the case from 1895 in order to discover how Moriarty has returned from shooting himself in the head, just as Mrs. Ricoletti had done over a century prior. Holmes is still sitting on the plane that we see him in at the end of the conclusion to the last season, contemplating how his arch nemesis has come back. It was a really interesting twist that ties into the rest of the show quite nicely and provides some more significance to this one-off special.

But the revelation that this was all happening in Sherlock's mind did not cheapen the experience. The parts in Victorian London were still interesting and entertaining, and provided an engaging stage for Sherlock to explore his mind palace by way of a narrative. The conclusion to the Abominable Bride case was simple and rather predictable and not quite the mind-blowing twist that may have been hoped for, but it was ultimately not even the point of the episode. The point was to explore Sherlock's psyche even further and set up the return of Moriarty, which this episode did outstandingly well.

"The Abominable Bride" was a suspenseful, well-acted, and thoroughly satisfying return for Sherlock, one that has me very excited for the advent of season 4. While that may still be a year away, this Christmas Special has wet my appetite enough to satisfy me for a while, and has me confident that the show and its writers and performers are still firing on all cylinders. While some have cited its Inception-like narrative structure to be confusing and uninteresting, I was deeply invested in every minute of this Christmas Special, and highly recommend it to all Sherlockians and casual fans. It was a fascinating descent into the labyrinth that is the mind of Sherlock Holmes - on cocaine, no less.

A+