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Reviews
Sherlock: His Last Vow (2014)
Disappointing and self congratulatory
The first series of Sherlock was brilliant, the second series nearly matched it and this third series started off well enough.................but then went downhill rapidly.
The problem for me sees to be that writers have become rather self-indulgent and self-congratulatory. The aim of the script seems to be to show the viewer how clever the writer is (and to give the impression that the writer is more clever than the viewer) rather than to actually provide entertainment.
Sherlock stories don't need to be run at break-neck speeds, with more plot twists than a spiral of DNA. They should be given time to develop and tease rather than rush from A to B at a million miles and hour. The comic book style editing doesn't help either, it just increases the likelihood of an epileptic seizure.
Where has the whimsical, wry humour gone? The thoughtful interplay between the characters? The careful plot development? Lost in the belief that modern television audiences don't have the patience to enjoy something that builds to a crescendo rather than starting with a big bang and then attempting to hold your attention by turning Sherlock into some sort of pseudo action hero.
Not good - the writers have lost the plot! 3/10 - must do better in future.
Shooting the Past (1999)
Staggeringly good viewing
Many people will argue that there is no such thing as "perfect television" - but if they believe that, then they have not seen "Shooting The Past". Watching this drama again, over a decade since it was first shown, it is clear that it has lost none of its power and remains a supreme example of television drama at its very best.
Imagine trying to interest a production company in a drama about the impending closure of a photographic library and you would imagine that it would be the classic "hard sell". However, if that drama was written and directed by Steven Poliakoff, performed by a small, tight-knit cast of truly talented actors and interwoven by Adrian Johnston's haunting, compelling soundtrack and you have a very different beast. The storyline sounds dull and dusty but the people involved in creating this masterpiece are all at the top of their game and the end result is remarkable.
The pace is generally slow and thoughtful, with the underlying passion of the characters for "their" photographs shot through by a surprising degree of sexual chemistry and the expected eccentricity of the archivists. But don't be fooled by the genteel, academic atmosphere - this drama builds to a crescendo that draws you in, makes your heart pound and leaves you breathless.