Written By: Steven Moffat
Directed By: Nick Hurran
The Story: Sherlock Holmes goes up against the man he hates the most, the notorious and powerful blackmailer Charles Augustus Magnussen.
The Verdict: Writer Steven Moffat said months ago in interviews how this episode of SHERLOCK would leave viewers “as frustrated as they ever were”. Watching HIS LAST VOW, it’s easy to see why. On one hand, we have a brilliant, if slightly less complex, episode of SHERLOCK; still as dazzling and absolutely riveting as everything that preceded it this year. On the other hand, it’s a wee bit disappointing, a victim of its own hype.
The main problem here is the plot. There’s plenty of it, but for the most part, apart from the one reveal, it’s all rather predictable. The moment the episode opens with Magnussen using his ‘Sherlock Vision’ to scan his victims, it’s pretty much a given that he stores everything in his head, mind-palace style. The moment he reveals this to Sherlock and John, it’s clear that the only way to stop him is for one of our heroes to kill him. OK, we didn’t see the reveal of Mary as a badass killer with a chequered past coming (how awesome was that moment?!), but once the reveals done and dusted, it’s kind of for certain that Magnussen has dirt on her and that’s why she’s turned rogue.
However, the predictability of the plot doesn’t mark the episode as a failure. Far from it. For the most part, it’s a brilliantly put together piece of entertainment, with great performances from the entire cast, particularly Martin Freeman, who excels in this Watson centric finale, much how Series Two ended with a Sherlock focused dénouement. And praise for Lars Mikkelsen, who is simply marvellous as the despicable Magnussen, a villain at the complete opposite end of the evil spectrum compared to Moriarty, a perfectly restrained and devious screen presence who elicits menace with just a simple smile. The fact that he buys the farm so quickly is disappointing to say the least.
And thus we reach my main issue with the episode – Moriarty! Do we really need him back? Don’t get me wrong, I loved the character, I loved what Andrew Scott and the writers did with the character over the first two seasons. But bringing him back from the dead suggests that the writers have no confidence in the show without having him in it. It’s a desperate ploy failing TV Shows employ when ratings are a-tumbling, but this is SHERLOCK, a popular primetime show that excels when it does something different and experimental. When you spend an entire episode introducing a villain so utterly hateful and enjoyable to watch, it’s a bit of a letdown when you kill him off and then follow this with the return of a previous villain we’d already had our fill of.
Maybe I’ll be proven wrong, but for now I’m not sold on a rematch between Sherlock and Moriarty – it was done, it was finished, it was wrapped up in a neat little bow. Getting the old toys back out of the box only means they’ll break easier. Time will tell of course, but for now, I’m not that pumped for Season Four. Let’s give it a week, maybe.
Massive niggles aside though, HIS LAST VOW still impresses, even if it’s not as intricate or as exciting as previous finales. Frustrating for viewers, yes! But entertaining? Absolutely.
Best Bit: The reveal of Mary is a textbook bit of plot twisting, and the following sequence of Sherlock trying to save himself from death via gunshot wound is a perfectly pieced together montage, emotional and powerful and completely insane. I sense many puppies will be named Redbeard in the months to come…
All in the Family: Steven Moffat’s son Louis plays young Sherlock throughout the episode. Most parents usually just give their kids pocket money for doing some household chores…
Predictions: Is Moriarty really back? Or is this a new player, someone keen to use the deceased mastermind as a face to hide behind? Perhaps it’s maybe even an apprentice of his? Well, there’s only one way to find out…let the long agonizing wait begin.
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