Sometimes they can be. But sometimes you throw the formula out the window because you've run out of the requisite ingredients.

Ratings are shaped by the reaction to previous series and the strength of advertising, not the quality of content. You can't exactly spit something out before you've tasted it. I imagine any future series will see a dip in ratings due to the quality of the writing this year, unless they produce an absolute barnstormer of an episode tonight.

This should be fun:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...haracters.html

But how could you possibly be annoyed with that while the episode is on unless you're actually following the thread yourself?

Anyway yes you're right, however the thread ends up just leaving the arguments aside should improve enjoyment of the episode.

Less than 10 minutes to go now.

Silly woman.

No I don't mean not watching properly because they post during the show. At least two of the biggest critics on the thread last Sunday admitted they hadn't even tuned in to the episode and wouldn't because they don't like Moffat. That's what I mean! Not even seen a frame of it! Then I'm sorry. Whatever your preconceptions about the writers and the show you cannot really comment on it. For me anyway. But yes. Enough. Onwards!

What was it that made Sherlock realise Mary was pregnant?

Anyway, I'm turning the computer off now. Time to take the pizza out of the oven and settle down to watch. See you all later.

Another desperate money grabbing non-entity. The BBC legal team will make mincemeat out of her one hopes.

increased appetite and thinking the wine tasted funny at the wedding

I'm ready to be entertained. This series has more humour in it than the previous two IMO, and I approve.

I think I recall Gatiss mentioning that the shift in tone, they felt that they 'had to do it'.
They may have a point as they may have felt that by this point people may have become overfamiliar with the trademark style and needed to introduce some kind of break or something to prevent the show from becoming predictable and stale.
I can understand that, and I think it was a brave decision.
However I also agree with the point of view that it would work better and cause fewer flustered feathers if this was a series of 6 episodes or longer.

im all ready and waiting....tea and toast is done, im all set

god im excited

I watched that horrible horrible "wedding" episode. Definitely the worst episode ever, and perhaps worst episode of anything on telly for the past week ... Eastenders excepted.
My wife, who never watched this modern Sherlock (but loves all proper Sherlock Holmes stuff) before ... unfortunately watched this episode.
Nuff said. won/t watch any more!

* shudder *

Last week's was fine by the way ...

Hope next one is better, at least we have "The Bridge" to soothe things over.

Goodbye for now.
See you at 10pm.

Hells bells, I thought that was all about the new villain.

Lars Mikkelsen terrific already.

Is he wearing Google Goggles…?

Sorry been on another planet but it's Troels from The Killing!!!!

Ooo, skurk!

He's like a less evil Sven-Göran Eriksson.

Licking...

And Borgen too.

Nice to see him without subtitles.

No homoerotic claptrap so far at least!

She doesn't look very pregnant.

oh dear... Sherlock in the drug house...?