Sherlock: Season Four [Blu-ray]

Episode 1 "The Six Thatchers" = 1 hour, 27 minutes, 44 seconds on PBSEpisode 1 "The Six Thatchers" = 1 hour, 31 minutes, 34 seconds on Blu-RayEpisode 2 "The Lying Detective" = 1 hour, 28 minutes, 24 seconds on PBSEpisode 2 "The Lying Detective" = 1 hour, 32 minutes, 17 seconds on Blu-RayEpisode 3 "The Final Problem" = 1 hour, 28 minutes, 20 seconds on PBSEpisode 3 "The Final Problem" = 1 hour, 32 minutes, 11 seconds on Blu-RayBlu-Ray/DVD has the uncut BBC version.My timings do not include the closing credits, which were longer on PBS Masterpiece.WARNING: EDITED VERSIONS ARE ALSO ON AMAZON VIDEOUnless there is a mistake in their listing, it would seem that Amazon Video downloads are the edited PBS versions:Episode 1 "The Six Thatchers" = "1 hour, 28 minutes" advertised on AmazonEpisode 2 "The Lying Detective" = "1 hour, 29 minutes" advertised on AmazonEpisode 3 "The Final Problem" = "1 hour, 28 minutes" advertised on AmazonSeason Four was the work of the same team that created the first three-and-a-half seasons:-- Written by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, who are responsible for eleven of the thirteen episodes of "Sherlock" broadcast since 2010.-- All supporting characters return for Season Four:---- Mark Gatiss as Mycroft Holmes---- Rupert Graves as Inspector Lestrade---- Una Stubbs as Mrs. Hudson---- Amanda Abbington as Mary Morstan Watson---- Louise Brealey as Molly Hooper---- Andrew Scott as Moriarty (he just won't stay dead - this is not really a spoiler: Moriarty never stays dead. Basil Rathbone killed him off three times to no avail).Despite this pedigree, a lot of reviewers on Amazon hated Season Four, especially "The Final Problem"This is in contrast to the three previous seasons, which were greeted with Universal Rapture.Amazon Ratings (March 2017):-- Series 1 = 95% positive, 2% negative (4,700 reviews)-- Series 2 = 97% positive, 2% negative (3,500 reviews)-- Series 3 = 92% positive, 5% negative (2,500 reviews)-- Series 4 = 65% positive, 28% negative (186 reviews)-- Abominable Bride = 83% positive, 8% negative (400 reviews)[positive = four or five stars , negative = one or two stars (not many three star reviews for Sherlock)]-- No commentary tracks, but the Blu-Ray/DVD includes ten bonus features totaling 1 hour, 49 minutes, 25 seconds.-- All four-and-a-half seasons of "Sherlock" are English SDH subtitled for the hard-of-hearing.-- The first publicity photos for Season Four show new cast members Baby Watson and Toby the Bloodhound.Despite it's title, "The Final Problem" is the only one of thirteen "Sherlock" episodes not based (at least loosely) on a Conan Doyle story.The Season Four finale veered strongly in the direction of horror/science fiction.As an elderly gentleman, I prefer my mysteries straight.Nevertheless, as mystery/horror/science fiction, it was extremely well done.No regrets about giving the fourth season five stars.OBSCURE REFERENCES:There are a lot of references to the original stories.The most obscure one ever is @ 57:01 of Episode One "The Six Thatchers":Two Norwegian fishing boats are moored at a dock.Freeze the picture and zoom in.The boats are named "Flekkete Band" and "Lovens Manke" ("The Speckled Band" and "The Lion's Mane")Movie reference: In the 1970 Billy Wilder film "The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes", a mysterious Belgian woman, Gabrielle Valladon, begs Holmes to find her missing husband.As part of the investigation, Sherlock and Gabrielle pose as husband and wife: "Mr. and Mrs. Ashdown"."Gabrielle Ashdown" is the alias on the forged passport used by Mary Watson in "The Six Thatchers".In the final scene, Holmes and Watson emerge from a building labeled "Rathbone Place".Rathbone Place is an actual street in LondonIt's been there since the Eighteenth Century, so it wasn't named after Basil.The building used in "Sherlock" is actually somewhere in Wales.Watch the bonus feature "Behind 221B The Final Problem":@ 21:45 you can see a woman gluing a "Rathbone Place" sign to the building.SPOILER - DON'T READ THIS PARAGRAPH UNTIL AFTER YOU HAVE VIEWED THE FIRST EPISODE:The second biggest controversy seems to be the death of Mary Watson in Episode One.The TV writers are getting a bum rap here:It was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's idea to kill her off.Watson met Mary Morstan (not an assassin/secret agent) in 'The Sign of Four' (published 1890).They married, and for the next several stories Watson moved out of 221B Baker Street.Readers were not happy.Conan Doyle noticed.By the time 'The Norwood Builder' was published (1903), it is revealed that Mary has passed away (off-stage) and Watson has moved back into 221B.--------------- Sherlock: Season 1 [Blu-ray ] Sherlock: Season 2 [Blu-ray ] Sherlock: Season 3 (Blu-ray) (Original UK Version) Sherlock: The Abominable Bride Sherlock: Season 4: REVIEWED ON THIS PAGESEASON FIVE?Guarded Optimism.I will let you know more when I find out more.See the first Comment (dated August 20, 2016) for the latest developments.Click on "sort by oldest"WEASELS:Six months after Season Three was released on Blu-Ray/DVD, The Season 1-3 Limited Edition Gift Set was released: Sherlock Limited Edition Gift Set (The Complete Seasons 1-3 Blu-ray/DVD Combo) In addition to tiny statues of Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman,Season Three also included commentary tracks (not on the original Season Three Blu-Ray) for "The Empty Hearse" and "His Last Vow" (with Stephen Moffat and Martin Gattis).Plus an additional bonus disc of extras from Season Three.I assumed that BBC Home Entertainment would eventually issue a separate Season Three Deluxe Edition with all the commentaries and bonus features.After three years I am still waiting.All is not lost:-- The commentary tracks (audio only) are available on-line.You can synchronize them with your home video.-- Printed transcripts are also available.See Comment One, dated August 30, 2016 (click on "Sort by oldest").Soon we will be treated to a "Season 1-4 and The Abominable Bride Gift Set".What are the odds that those weasels at BBC Home Entertainment will include new commentaries for Season Four?And will they remember to include the commentaries for Season Three in the new gift box?Aargh.

I've read, watched and look for different variations of Sherlock. Moriarty in the version is epic and set's a bar above everything I've ever encountered.Interactions with Molly make my heart hurt.Cumberbatch indifference mirrors someone with Asperger's and adds a dynamic to Sherlock you don't want to miss. If you like him in this, get imitation game or vice versa.

My favorite show if you can’t tell

Love this series.. Sherlock lovers must have

The best Sherlock.

Gave it as a gift.

Started out brilliantly with Season one. Have watched more than once. Great cast.Waited for and loved all the Sherlock seasons. I bought each of them for 5.99 each recently. Will watch again and again.

Artistic license in video reproductions of classical literature is a major factor in determining whether the work adheres to the original material. When ‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogy was released I was critical at the space given to female actresses not in Tolkien’s writing. “Sherlock” goes beyond that.While “Sherlock” uses material from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s depiction of the famous detective in an ingenious overall manner, the characters again are portrayed to roles inconsistent with the original story. We know Watson’s wife Mary died in the Canon us Sherlockian’s hold as evident. Though the lengthy addition to her life before marriage is incredulous and adds a female role not in the Canon.The ending episode is entirely fictitious by comparison. Bringing in another character, female, distorts the plot and makes her superfluous to the Canon, and “Sherlock” in particular. While the first three seasons are the most interesting films, the fourth season has a downward trend in terms of plot and accuracy. Overall I rate the series as worth watching for their performance and their writing style. Long live the Canon of the Master Detective!

Rien à redire, cette série est culte et excellente !

Poterla rivedere nella splendida qualità BD, i dietro le quinte, le interviste, il diario delle riprese del mitico Mark Gatiss (mirabile coautore della serie oltreché un ottimo Mycroft) non ha prezzo! E comunque il costo è davvero basso per l’alto valore del contenuto ! Da avere 🙂

Secuela de una excelente serie británica que cuenta con grandes estrellas e historias interesantes que mantienen a la audiencia pendientes de la trama.

Sherlock season 4 is quite interesting. Sherlock is more human (though still as obnoxious, insensitive, and infuriating to poor Watson). We get a more well rounded look at Watson and we get to see his conscience at work (his Jiminy Cricket). Mycroft cares more about human life than I expected; not such a reptile with romantic interests brewing in the background (maybe for Sherlock too). A new character is introduced, a scary character who does not understand human emotion but seems to have a bond with Sherlock. I'm looking forward to Season five. I hope they do some other Sherlock Holmes stories like, The Red headed league, The Adventure of the Cardboard Box, The Illustrious Client, and the Three Gables.

I had been a bit nervous when looking forward to seeing this fourth series of Sherlock. There had been so many bad reviews about it in advance of its final arrival in Germany. But - now that I've seen the complete series twice, all i can say is: Those reviewers have got it all wrong!I will not have spoilers in this, as there are so many better episode guides already available.As far as the acting goes - I think that Cumberbatch and Freeman are even better - much better in fact - than they've been in series 1-3 and the Christmas Special. I think all the experience with different roles, different kinds of movies and different directors has taught them quite a bit. Gatiss' performance has much improved too. I liked him and his interpretation of Mycroft from the start, but now he's even better. There is a depth of character to his Mycroft now that wasn't there before.Toby Jones and Sian Brooke in their respective roles I found perfectly casted. There is, if I'm forgiven for adding one little bit of a spoiler here - a slight chance of Mycroft finding a love interest of his own.As to the stories - I cannot for the life of me share the opinion that the scripts are "self-indulgent" or "ridiculous" or "dumb" or "ridiculous" or whatever else I'd read about them before I even got the DVD. On the contrary, I find them coherent, logical and psycologically fascinating. Especially the "blend" of bits from Doyle's original stories like "The Musgrave Ritual" or "The Dying Detective" with the modern story line is, for me, a perfect fit. This is the story that Arthur Conan Doyle should have, but has never told. How Sherlock Holmes, this bundle of contradictions, has become the man he is. How a man can be a perfect misanthrope but at the same time have enough empathy to see through the most complex emotional or psychological motives for crimes. How he can be merciless enough to humiliate and ridicule his fellow men on many occasions, but at the same time have pity on a loving couple, or on a whining hotel thief. Why he would need cocaine to drown his bouts of "boredom" - because there's more coming up in his mind once he's not busy than just some pains of dullness. How he can be a perfect solitaire when he at the same time craves a friend like John in his life.I admit the stories are told not chronologically and not in one, continuous story line. They're told in bits and pieces, like a mosaique. However, I enjoyed that incredibly because it was so very well done. It made my second round with the DVDs as enjoyable as the first. If, of some people, this is too much demanded, they might wish to look out for another show. There are enough shows that tell one coherent story in one definte line. You could even have a little nap in between and wouldn't have any trouble tuning in again afterwards. But that's not what and how Sherlock is. Arthur Conan Doyle's stories are not like that, so why would the TV series be?The production design is much darker now than it has been in series 1-3. Even darker than that of The Abominable Bride. there are, for me at least, some marvellous quotes from the last two James Bond movies. For one, there's the ancient and stately home of the Holmes family, Musgrave Hall that very much looks like Skyfall, the ancient home of the Bond family. And there are those unsolved childhood mysteries and/or the early misdeeds nobody has ever atoned for that came to haunt James Bond (in "Skyfall" and in "Spectre").All in all - the fourth series of Sherlock has the feeling of an end as well as that of a beginning to it. Here ends the story of "Becoming Sherlock Holmes" and here starts the story of "Being Sherlock Holmes". I like that especially as last year's "Mr Holmes" with Ian McKellen has told me the story of "having been Sherlock Holmes."I so very much hope that Cumberbatch and Freeman and Gatiss and all the others will still give me a fifth, a sixth, a twelfth and a twentieth series of "Sherlock". I have a feeling that I can no longer live without him.