Sherlock: This is The End?

Sherlock: This is The End?
(Caution: Spoilers)

I thought I'd write a quick review of Sherlock: The Final Problem since my Doctor Who reviews get quite a few reads. I have enjoyed this mystery series loosely based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's stories over all, but this last (and it seems to be the very last) episode was quite a let down on many levels.

I realize that the leads, Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, are very busy actors and very much in demand these days, but it's not that fact which was a let down for me. It was the fact that, since this was probably the very last episode for the duo as Holmes and Watson, it should have been of higher quality to match their terrific performances over the years.

What to really say about The Final Problem? It was simply... a problem for me. It didn't come across as a mystery worthy of the great detective, but a gimmicky, cheap shot at trying to hook an audience with gratuitous violence and silliness. Previous episodes were based on the classic Sherlock Holmes short stories or novellas, and they seemed to work fine with their 21st century twists. This time, there was none of the charm of Conan Doyle's original characters coming through in the writing. 

Instead, we were presented with the portrait of an adult female with mental illness that was less than flattering. Somehow she is Sherlock's older sister that he never knew he had, which, of course, is not canon. Misogynistic portrayals of women characters is a problem area for producer/co-writer Steven Moffat.  It has been written about by yours truly (see my Doctor Who reviews from a year or so back) as well several other feminists. 

Why Mr. Moffat comes across as "tone deaf" when it comes to writing female characters is a mystery in itself, but it is a consistent problem he has in most of his scripts. He views women as objects to be used to further plots, but they have few, if any, positive characteristics. Psychopathic and sadistic Euros is the winner of  "The Universe's Worst Woman of All Times Award." She has absolutely no redeeming qualities whatsoever. (Correction: My husband reminded me Euros is an excellent violin player. She does have one redeeming quality.)

Other female characters aren't depicted much better in this script. Poor Molly, who has had a crush on Sherlock all these years, is shamed by Euros's trickery and made to feel bad about her love for Sherlock. He, in turn, is ashamed of his affection towards her. How "unromantic" and "un-gallant" is that?

Shooting and drowning unarmed and tied-up hostages is Euros's idea of fun. She's supposed to be related by blood to Sherlock, Mycroft and their seemingly very gentle parents? (I guess the violin playing ability demonstrates the shared genetics?)  If we had never met Sherlock's parents before in a Christmas story and seen them as "human," maybe we could have believed they spawned a she-demon in Euros. But we have seen their parents, and they came across as "normal." So, there's no real satisfactory explanation of how Euros's psychosis came about and why Sherlock and Mycroft are not also insane. 

Five year olds don't usually become "The Bad Seed" all on their own. It takes quite a lot to drive any person to those types of behaviors. Children who are physically, mentally and sexually abused over and over again can suffer a mental break down and act out violently. Are Moffat and Gatiss in their co-authored tale implying all three of the Holmes children had a horrific and abusive childhood?

Yes, it's a real let down of a story. To be fair, I'm looking at it as a professional writer and a person with a psychology degree and some knowledge of what abuse can do to the individual. But honestly, there was nothing particularly uplifting, redeeming or even accurate in any of the character portrayals as written. This lack of logic in the story wasn't enjoyable.

I really do enjoy Benedict Cumberbatch's Sherlock Holmes, Martin Freeman's Dr. Watson and Mark Gatiss's Mycroft Holmes. They are superb actors. I was  looking forward to a better send-off for all three characters. Let's hope they have the time and energy to make at least one more positive and hopeful Holmes-like mystery so I can forget this episode as easily as Sherlock can forget his young friend whom Euros chained to the bottom of a well. 

(However did a five year old girl  managed this physical task is beyond my comprehension. Perhaps Mr. and Mrs. Holmes helped her dispatch and chain up the little boy, and they truly are monsters? Ugh.)




 

The Secret Life of a Dead-Beat Dad

To the outside world he appears to be an ordinary guy. Work. Job. Family. Car. In fact, he's probably doing better financially than most Americans these days.

But appearances can be deceiving.

You'd think any father would be pleased and proud to support his children, enabling them to develop into successful and happy human beings, and through his positive support and actions, providing them with a good role-model.

This goes beyond the call of duty for some men.

Dead-Beat Dad loves to brag about his kids, their successes at college, their studies at prestigious universities abroad... All without contributing one thin dime to their welfare.

What would a real father do if his college-aged children found themselves in desperate need? Wouldn't a loving father move heaven and earth to help his child? Wouldn't he take whatever actions were necessary to ensure his child's safety and well-being?

Dead-Beat Dad would not.

Here is one case study given for your perusal. Feel free to post your comments at the end of the blog.

Circumstance #1: Dead-Beat Dad's child is studying at a foreign university and faces eviction from lodgings.

Dead-Beat Dad's email response to child's desperate cry for help: "Nothing I can do. I'm sure it'll work out."

How would a real father respond?

Circumstance #2: A state university expects a father who claims an honor student on his federal/state taxes to contribute towards said child's college tuition.

Dead-Beat Dad's response: Dead-Beat Dad refuses to pay what the university considers to be a fair "parental contribution" based on his tax return, since the child is listed as his dependent. Honor student child makes a futile attempt to take out more student loans to cover the deficit left by him, but is told by the university that child cannot take out more student loans since child's "parent who claims child on taxes makes enough money to pay the expected parental contribution as authorized by the state." Child is forced to take out more loans from other sources that don't have nearly the same generous terms. Dead-Beat Dad adds insult to injury by refusing to help honor student pay for room and board as well.

What would a real father do in this situation?

Circumstance #3: Dead-Beat Dad forces honor student to sign a contract which sets a minuscule weekly "food budget" that can be docked by committing various "offenses" (i.e. $10 is docked for touching Dead-Beat Dad's or his friend's food in refrigerator). Child is forced to eat on as little as $5 a week because of real or imagined "offenses". Child would have starved during summer break if not for the charity of friends.

Would a father who says he loves his children subject them to such horror and degradation?

Dead-Beat Dad's Mantra?

Could you allow your child to be thrown out on the street? Dead-Beat Dad can.

Could you allow your child to stop a promising college career on your account when you have the financial means to help? Dead-Beat Dad sure can!

Could you deny your children money for food while you flaunt your own private stash in front of their noses? Dead-Beat does--and he doesn't see his actions as abusive.

Could you sleep at night knowing you were hurting your children? Shouldn't children of any age expect only love and support from their fathers? What is your take on Dead-Beat Dad?