Sherlock 2.03

In which Steve "Blind Banker" Thompson defies expectations and delivers a splendid episode. Given that the second season's weakest ep was the middle one again - written by Gatiss this time - I would be open to the theory that it's a middle episode rather than a writer thing, except that Thompsons s6 of New Who pirate episode also sucked. Still: he more than delivered with Sherlock 2.03, and I doff my deerstalker to him.

( All good fairy tales )

In conclusion: last season I didn't know whether or not I would continue with the show. After this season, I know I will!

The Good Wife 3.13 and Downton Abbey, season 1

See, I'm used to having the CIA presented as interfering baddies in shows centered around FBI agents, and the FBI presented as annoying interferers in shows centered around CIA agents, but I think The Good Wife has to be given pioneer credit for being the first show to make a recurring villain out of the U.S. Treasury.

( Bitcoin for Dummies )

In other news, I felt like enjoying some costume drama, so I got around to watching the first season of Downton Abbey. (Before anyone mentions it in the comments: yes, I've heard the second season wasn't good by fannish osmosis.) For some reason I had assumed the show to be a spoof, Blackadder style, but it wasn't, it was played straight, and a very enjoyable Edwardian soap it was, too. Later I found out that the creator, Jullian Fellowes, was the scriptwriter for Gosford Park, which figures. It does a reasonably good job of acknowledging this is a society on the brink of change - and that change is necessary - though you still get the benevolent patriarch, and the bark-is-worse-than-her-bite dowager duchess. Still, I appreciated such details as Violet's medical knowledge and the way it was used, or the season long subplot of Sybil supporting Gwen's effort to become a secretary instead of staying a housemaid all her life. And of course Anna and Mr. Bates were a pair of after my Anne and Captain Wentworth loving heart.

Working on a Watsonian level but annoying on a Doylist one if you let yourself think about it: yes, we do get two sympathetic progressive and left-leaning characters - the socialist chauffeur and Sybil - but it's still a fact that the two servants who keep pointing out "why should our lives revolve around people who hardly know our name?" and that all this part of the family talk is hogwash given the peope from upstairs can fire you at any moment are the two villains of the season. And one of them is the only gay character around (well, except for a one episode guest star).

All this being said: the characters all come across as three dimensional, villains included, and that's no mean thing given how formulaic a series covering such well-tread ground could get.