The Master Blackmailer

Only one thing can unsettle Sherlock more than the smell of cabbage: when he knows who the perpetrator of a crime is, knows how they did it, but doesn’t know how to catch them. So he vents his frustration on Mrs. Hudson, tries disguises as craftsmen or pragmatic engagements, and ultimately becomes a silent witness to the performance of justice. All it would have taken was to hire a few drunken Irish workers from the London docks for a few pounds to deal with Milverton. Being confined to a bed for the rest of your life and sucking down food through a straw would greatly diminish your ability to be a master blackmailer, but I’m not here to advise the genius of Baker Street on how to solve a case while saving a penny. Regarding Peter Hammond's adaptation, Holmes's conclusion about this mess holds true: there are certain aspects one cannot be proud of. However, it’s not bad enough to be buried in oblivion. (01.08.2022)

Although this episode is twice as long as normal, the runtime certainly has its merits - there probably wouldn't be time for Sherlock in disguise seducing a maid (those scenes are so funny and sad at the same time that it's hard to describe), and that would be a great shame. The finale was great, again perhaps almost like a horror, but it is impossible to get rid of the impression that the central duo did not contribute much to it. (28.01.2018)