Sherlock Season 4 Episode 1 Review: The Six Thatchers

After a long wait, fans of the popular BBC series “Sherlock” finally got the thrill of their lives when Episode 1 of Season 4 aired on New Year’s Day, January 1, 2017. Entitled “The Six Thatchers,” the episode’s main arch centered around six busts of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and why someone was out to find and destroy each and every one of them. Spoiler Alert: If you have not watched Episode 1, please be warned that this article contains spoilers.

‘Sherlock Humor’ Back

It is good to see that the show has not lost its sense of humor. From the start of the episode, where Mycroft catches Sherlock tweeting about his freedom from incarceration during a top-secret meeting with intelligence officials and they jostle like little children for Sherlock’s smartphone, to Sherlock accidentally activating Siri during the baptism of John and Mary Watson’s baby girl – some light comic relief can be found.

Sherlock himself cannot escape being the subject of the joke, when during one scene, Detective Lestrade tells John that having a newborn baby is not an entirely new experience for him because of his experience with Sherlock.

Sherlock Sharp As Ever

Sherlock remains as sharp a detective as ever. During the first part of the episode, he continues to accept cases to solve, some of which he even closes simultaneously. This of course happens in a span of months, because at the same time, a major change in John’s family happens – they have a baby girl.

Sherlock has to keep himself occupied, as he is waiting Moriarty to strike. Although Moriarty died previously, and the show’s creators are saying that he is definitely not coming back, Sherlock believes that he has planned a “posthumous revenge” and that he is the target. This after all is the reason why British intelligence allowed him to come back and covered up his crime.

Sherlock Becomes Overconfident, Breaks His Last Vow

As Sherlock and Watson, with Lestrade were solving the case of a mysterious death, Sherlock stumbles upon the case of the broken Thatcher busts. In the coming days, four more busts stolen and destroyed, with the last two ones now involving a murder. As Sherlock was able to trace the origins of the busts to a bustmaker in Tbilisi, Georgia, he is able to trace the location for the sixth bust.

While confronting the criminal who is after the sixth Thatcher, he discovers that the case is not about Moriarty or a missing Black Pearl (which he was also trying to solve) but is about someone close to him and John: Mary. In the previous seasons, viewers find out that Mary is not who she really is, but is in fact a highly-trained mercenary for hire. Sherlock and John find this out also, and Sherlock even vows to both his friends that he will protect them as long as he lives.

The villain in this episode is in fact a former member of the mercenary group that Mary was a part of and he is out to find and kill Mary because he believes that she betrayed them during their last mission. After finding this out, Mary tries to deal with it on her own by fleeing the country. Sherlock, however, was still able to track her and convince her to come back to London, where he can protect her better.

A Heartbreaking And Shocking Twist

Back in London, Sherlock asks for Mycroft’s help in finding out who betrayed Mary’s team during their final mission in Georgia. Upon discovering a surprising secret that it was in fact a quiet and unassuming secretary who was the Englishwoman on the phone, Sherlock immediately confronts her with Mary in tow.

Sherlock continued to agitate Mrs. Vivian Norbury, who eventually pulls out a gun and aims it at Sherlock. After she pulls the trigger, Mary runs in front of her friend and takes the bullet for him.

With Mary gone, John is shown grieving for his wife, and trying to take care of their baby. He also cuts ties with Sherlock, blaming him for his wife’s death.

Towards the end of the episode, Sherlock discovers a video recording of Mary who asks him to do one thing for her after she dies and that is to “save John Watson.”

When Episode 2 of “Sherlock” Season 4 airs on Sunday, January 8, fans will find out if John and Sherlock’s relationship will be mended.