Yes, Molly slapping Sherlock in the lab was the only bit I really disliked. If Sherlock had hit Molly like that, or John hit Mary after discovering the truth about her, the uproar would be horrendous. But apparently it's fine for a women to be violent to a man and they should just take it.

And yet, I have no problem with Sherlock killing Magnussen. Or even John attacking Sherlock in the first episode. I am aware of the double standard......I'm working on it.

Other than that I really enjoyed the episode and this series, and I do like the inclusion of Sherlock's parents and Mary. Controversial views I know!

I don't really see why anyone should be called thick, they may be poor reviewers, but they are not automatically stupid. Maybe they just really like it? They don't have to pull everything to pieces to critique it. No drama is totally realistic, and I don't feel Sherlock has ever tried to be totally realistic either. I'm not saying it can't go too far, if Moriarty turns up alive next series then that really is questionable. The only way I see it happening is if the whole scene on the rooftop never actually happened, even then it's hard to get out of.

Of the things you listed, I don't see many of them as examples of the shows lack of realism. Holmes getting into the office is about the only one I would count. The others are narrative and character decisions that you do not agree with, I think there is a slight difference between lack of realism, as in, are these things possible in the real world, and people not liking or accepting the narrative (which is totally fine by the way).

Instead of saying, Sherlock shooting CAM is unrealistic, I would question whether the action fits Sherlock's character or his motivation, because one person shooting another happens quite often and is not unrealistic. So the things you listed as flaws are just that, flaws, though perhaps not in the way that you say they are.

The way i see it (agreed it is a bit of an intellectual shortcut to allow me to to continue liking it):
-series 1 and 2 are like that, with basis in reality (not to everyone satisfaction but more than series 3). But i hope we all agree, it was a 'what if...'
What if Sherlock Holmes lived in today's world. Ok, exciting.
-i see series 3 also as a 'what if...'
What if Sherlock had relations with more people than Watson; it's now a team http://imgur.com/KcJ8xVE
When you throw in personal relations, it becomes even more difficult to clockwork the plot, as we said earlier with the two sexes understanding each other

In fact it's many 'what if..'
What if Sherlock had social relations.
What if he was more humorous.
What if he made more mistakes, how would he react.
What if we make the show more fantasy (the glow in the matchbox for exemple).

Sure it's not the direction many here would have taken but so far, all the details that don't fit and i love to discuss, doesn't make me like it less.
Just in a different way

Oh I loved the scenes with Benedict's parents, too.

Maybe my list included things it shouldn't have, but the gist is still true - certainly Mary getting into the office and CAM having no security at the end were very unrealistic as were the motivations and reactions of the characters at times. But while I disagree with you, it is good that someone has come back and countered the claims I made in a measured way, rather than the usual "you didn't understand it" or "you're just a rabid Moffat hater" reply so thank you for that (and hope that doesn't sound patronising!)

I suppose with Mary and Janine being close friends Mary could have stolen her key card to gain entrance?
Before beating her unconscious

Lol, not at all , that's nice of you to say. I think Mary getting in is maybe a plot hole? Did she climb up the side of the building? I'm assuming she has the training to do so. I need to rewatch the episode, but I thought CAM didn't bother with security because he saw himself as untouchable, he can blackmail his way out of anything, and he technically has nothing to protect because it is all in his head.

As much as I enjoyed the episode, I'm not sure I like the whole Sherlock shooting CAM plotline, I know why he did it, but I feel like there could have been a better way to resolve it. It does remind me of The Final Curtain, which was when Poirot came up against a person who never actually killed anyone, he just planted the seed in peoples minds and manipulated them until they commited murder themselves. Poirot couldn't prove anything, so there was only one way for him to get rid of him. That didn't sit well with me either, but the two stories are very similar.

I agree with you regarding Poirot, especially after he had been so disgusted when others did basically the same thing in "Murder on the Orient Express"!

Very true, I was up all night going through the videos on You Tube and Mrs Hudson is definitely not an exotic dancer.

From the johnwatson blog I deduce it to be just over a year - the Empty Hearse is November, the wedding the following August and of course, um, Christmas in December.

He wasn't disgusted in the book, he approved of their actions and helped arrange the cover up.

Mary getting into the office doesn't bother me at all - she had someone with access, she's an assassin, not beyond her means.

Janine letting Sherlock in, but then being sorted by Mary, along with the security man - not stretching anything to breaking point either, coincidence in the timing is the stuff of drama, and life, come to that.

Cam having no security at the end I don't see as a problem either. Cam misjudged Sherlock completely, he was expecting the powers that be to descending pretty quickly, and he saw himself as invulnerable.

He could have had security in the building but told them to stay away, or just observe. His arrogance at the end was very important.

I can also understand all the motivations without breaking my brain, although Mary shooting Sherlock in order to buy time is the hardest.

It's all fine, a few stretchy points but nothing hopeless in my opinion.

That's an odd decision by the series makers. They knew they would make The Final Curtain, and what happens in it, but they still had Poirot act in a way that is at odds with what he does in his final case. I don't understand adaptations sometimes.

Hi all,
Just wanted to ask a quick question, why wasn't Sherlock listed as one of John's pressure points (apologies if he was and I missed this) - I thought it just said Mary and his sister?

I think I'll have to, to be honest. I'm not sure what I'll replace it with. "Smauged", perhaps.

Very good question.
I focused so much on Sherlock's i forgot Watson's.
It can't be an error. Perhaps to show Magnussen misjudged Watson and therefore can make mistakes.

That's interesting. If we assume Magnusson read Watson right....I don't know what to say to that. I'll have to sleep on that one.

I didn't like Molly slapping him like that either, and it was out of character for her.
I didn't like John headbutting him either - I thought it was a step too far.
I suppose I've still got double standards though because I'm sort of OK with Sherlock killing CAM!

Aww, bless the Daily Mail *rolleyes*

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...wing-bias.html

I'm thinking about that too.

And no hug between them, and John seeming not to realise that Sherlock was going to his death, or was being stoic, or unbelieving about it.

It's almost as if John now accepts that Sherlock might/will die, he's done it before after all, he can't do anything worse than has already happened.

Ergo, Sherlock is no longer a weakness for John?

His explanation to Anderson is now looking more unlikely than ever, considering the fact that Moriarty is still alive.
He was telling porkies all along, and I don't have any problem with that; it's not a narrative inconsistency. He was simply lying, so Moriarty being alive is perfectly plausible.

This last episode however WAS packed with loads of narrative plot holes. I won't list them all because other posters have done so already, but I was about 3/4 through the episode when I thought "Oh come on guys, you might as well introduce the Tardis now."

I hugely enjoyed the first two episodes of series 3, but it's all getting a bit James Bondy now.

(And Mary is definitely evil to the core.)

Not at all :- It was a Mycroft sanctioned hit.

We were told that Mycroft has one of the most powerful jobs in Britain and is one of (if not the) most powerful man.

We know that Magnussen has something on Mycroft, that like Magnussen's other targets, Mycroft couldn't afford to become knowledge - the information that Mycroft has used Magnussen in the past for nefarious government schemes.

Sherlock had already discovered that Magnussen had all the information in his head (from the odd meeting in the "hospital" canteen / cafe whee he took off Magnussen's glasses to discover know Google Glass like link. - h realised them that Magnussen had a mind palace much like Sherlock's that we encountered earlier in the programme. When they are standing outside Appledore Sherlock shouts to the helicopter - did you get all that - it was in his head.

Now, all is hidden in the conversation that Sherlock and Mycroft had, at their parents at Christmas while standing in the garden smoking. All inference and meaningful change of subject.

Mycroft starts by telling Sherlock he is glad he has given up on the Magnussen business. Sherlock asks "Are you?"

Pause Mycroft then asks Sherlock just how much he wants to get Magnussen. Sherlock replies that Magnussen preys on peoples secrets.

Mycroft says he doesn't do too much damage to anyone important (possibly inferring himself) but is useful (meaning that Magnussen has been used for nefarious purposes on behalf of the government) - a businessman (can be bought and paid for)and concludes "not a dragon for you to slay"

" A dragon slayer, is that what you think of me?"

"I have for you a job offer I should like you to decline"

Mycroft then details the assignment that would lead to Sherlock's death in approximately six months.

Sherlock asks why Mycroft doesn't want him to take it.

Mycroft "It's tempting, but, on balance you have more utility closer to home"

Sherlock "Utility, how do I have utility?"

Mycroft "Here be dragons"

Well well, on second viewing, I have spotted a clue. It's to do with the memory stick. Anyone else spot it?

Strange isn't it? It's been niggling at me for a while so thought I'd ask. I wasn't sure if it implied Mary had taken Sherlock's place as John's weakness because for the previous two years John thought Sherlock was dead and learnt to cope without him. But that's quite sad if it is the case. Also thought the final goodbye scene was odd considering John's previous reaction to a life without Sherlock - unless he has indeed learnt to cope without him.

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