I've Totally Fallen for "The Reichenbach Fall"!

[rusty_armour]

I had all these things I wanted to say, ideas I was formulating in my mind while watching "The Reichenbach Fall". However, I was so blown away by the ending that I'm just sitting here in shock and amazement. Actually, I'm still trying to work out how the fuck Sherlock did it? How did he fake his own death when to all appearances he was dead -- and in front of witnesses, no less? I did notice that the staff of Bart's wouldn't let John get too close -- in much the same way Holmes made sure Watson wouldn't get too close to him in "The Adventure of the Dying Detective" because he knew Watson (as a doctor) would figure out that he wasn't really ill. I wonder if this is what Sherlock asked Molly to do? Help him fake his death? I thought Sherlock looked surprised and stunned when Moriarty told him he would have to commit suicide, but, then, "Richard Brook" isn't the only one who's an actor. And, after all, Sherlock and Moriarty are the same person, right?

I feel as if nothing I could write could possibly do justice to this episode, so I'll just record some of my geeky fangirl observations. Okay, the first observation isn't really Sherlockian, but just my glee over the fact that Sherlock retrieved that painting of the Reichenbach Falls from my favourite painter of all time, J.M.W. Turner! Yeah, I know. I'm sorry. However, the next moment of excitement for me was Sherlockian because Moriarty breaking into the Tower of London had to be an allusion to the Tower of London jewel heist Moriarty carried out in my second favourite Basil Rathbone film, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. For that matter, Moriarity was on trial at the beginning of that film, but he got off because Holmes didn't arrive in time with the crucial evidence. Hmm...Of course, the main source material for the episode was "The Final Problem". I loved the way Moriarty kept referring to "the final problem," which was a nice nod to canon Holmes fans. This episode also included what I believe was almost an exact quote from "The Final Problem," that famous comparison Holmes makes to Moriarty being like a spider in a web:

He sits motionless, like a spider in the centre of its web, but that web has a thousand radiations, and he knows well every quiver of each of them.

Stephen Thompson also recreates that confrontation scene between Holmes and Moriarty at Baker Street, though it plays out quite differently in "The Reichenbach Fall". Nevertheless, Moriarty's message is the same: I'm going to destroy you. And, speaking of destruction, I thought it was brilliant that Sherlock's downfall didn't involve his death but the total annihilation of his reputation. As a shameless Lestrade fan, I really enjoyed watching our poor DI fight against the seeds of doubt that had been planted in his head. I'm not sure if he entirely believed that Sherlock was involved in the kidnapping. He did try to warn Sherlock and wasn't happy about the arrest. Of course, that was nothing compared to that final conversation between Sherlock and John. It was heartbreaking to see Sherlock tearfully tell John that he was a fraud, sacrificing himself in order to save his three friends. It's fantastic that the note left at Reichenbach Falls in "The Final Problem" became a phone call here. I wonder if it was worse for John to see Sherlock "die" than it was for Watson to imagine what Holmes's "death" was like at Reichenbach Falls. Lastly, it was fabulous to see John give his own version of the "best and wisest man whom I have ever known" canon quote at the cemetary and catch that glimpse of Sherlock watching John, much as Holmes watched Watson at Reichenbach Falls after he faked his death.

I'll be waiting with bated breath until the next new episode is broadcast.

Comments

[bwblack.livejournal.com]

So much good Lestrade fodder for fic with the doubt. I tend to agree on the wasn't sure he believed Sherlock was guilty why else place the call? In fact I spec he and John work together to clear Sherlock's reputation in the interim because Lestrade will need to for any conviction on any case he's handled to be upheld and John out of devotion. Much much much good fodder for fic.

Not as much champy fun as Hounds but man that was good. Also, nice for Molly to have a moment where she genuinely is heard.

[funkyinfishnet.livejournal.com]

I was pretty destroyed by the episode. I cried and had trouble sleeping. I knew it was going to be bleak but wow, was what bleak. I hope that when Sherlock returns, the first thing John does is punch him. It would be in character. Truly epically brilliant ep, but don't think I'll be watching it when its on DVD. It was just all a bit much for emotional old me :S

[radiogaga80.livejournal.com]

My current theory is that he jumped into that truck with rubbish bags and climbed out for Watson to find him. The cyclist was set up by Mycroft to prevent Watson to get too close too soon. But there are plenty of arguments against that theory too...

(although I love the "he minimized himself and then crawled into a robotic replica of himself a la Doctor Who" theory. *g*)

[puckrobin.livejournal.com]

The Teselecta, Rusty. That's how he escaped. Sherlock inside a Sherlock-suit.

Sure, it's a rather shoddy solution to a long-term mystery, but that hasn't stopped Moffat and crew before.

[puckrobin.livejournal.com]

My theory -- before I saw any trailers for this season -- was that the death was too hard to get out of in the 21st century, and instead Sherlock would need to implicate himself in order to take Moriarty down. And it would end with both of them in prison.

[karen9.livejournal.com]

I watched this last night. Amazing episode! Thanks for the review. I didn't pick up all the allusions to the books and films, of course, being a mild fan not a "geeky fangirl" in this case!

Actually, I'm still trying to work out how the fuck Sherlock did it? It definitely looked like Sherlock lying there dead.

my favourite painter of all time, J.M.W. Turner! Mine, also!

I'm worried about Lestrade! With Sherlock supposedly a fraud won't Lestrade be sloshing around in the proverbial soup?

[alysscarlet.livejournal.com]

Thanks for pointing out all the canon geeky references!

I thought it was an excellent episode, really mind-boggling. And Moriarty was properly scary.

I don't know exactly how Sherlock did it, but it involves Molly somehow, and it was definitely rigged as Sherlock was very particular about where Watson was standing during the phone call and he couldn't see where SH landed. There was also a convenient rubbish truck going past, full of bags. The person on the pavement certainly looked very like Sherlock (pale eyes etc) but did we only see him through the dazed eyes of John who saw what he expected to see? It certainly wasn't Moriarty's body, which would have been the obvious suggestion.

On a more emotional level, I found it more difficult to believe. I know that what went on between the superior brains of Sherlock and Moriarty is very complicated, but I couldn't believe that Moriarty would ever imagine that Sherlock would sacrifice himself to save others, and that seemed a flaw in the whole plan. Sherlock thinks he is too special and superior for that. We've been told explicitly that Sherlock thinks he has no friends except John, and he didn't show any inclination to go and see Mrs Hudson when he was told she was dying. And he shows little regard for Lestrade. So why should he destroy himself for them?

So if Moriarty didn't really think that Sherlock would kill himself, what was going on? Was loss of reputation enough? I'm lost in the double-think. And had Sherlock anticipated all this with Moriarty before he went up onto the roof to meet Moriarty, and had therefore made suitable arrangements with Molly for cadavers of a suitable size and shape, cyclists to knock down John and a convenient passing rubbish truck? My mind is boggling....

Any enlightenment gratefully received!

[radiogaga80.livejournal.com]

Hey, not sure whether this actually helps but apparently we've missed something. According to Steven Moffat, "I've been online and looked at all the theories," Moffat told the Radio Times. "And there's one clue that everyone's missed."
He added: "It's something that Sherlock did that was very out of character, but which nobody has picked up on."
(my source: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s129/sherlock/news/a360733/steven-moffat-sherlock-fans-have-missed-big-clue.html)

[tazzles.livejournal.com]

I absolutely bawled my eyes out watching the end of this. For a long time after. This just broke my heart.

I look forward to seeing how they explain Sherlock's death. That bike rider who got in John's way, the way the staff wouldn't let John get too close (like you said - although they may not anyway so that they could assess and get to work resuscitating, if appropriate, and family members in the way in a serious situation can be troublesome), and the way we don't see the entire fall (if there's a mattress or awning involved, I'm going to be pissed!).

I loved Molly in this ep. How Sherlock asked her for help. How perceptive she was. And John was just fantabulous. Loved him confronting Mycroft.

I'm glad there's going to be a 3rd series. I just wish we knew how long. Probably not this year, eh?