'Sherlock' Season 4: 'The Lying Detective' Recap

Previously on Sherlock: Sherlock and John investigate a case involving shattered busts of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. It turns out to be connected to Mary’s shady past as a killer for hire, and she ultimately ends up being killed by a bullet meant for Sherlock. John blames his best friend for his wife’s death, and is clearly transferring some anger that should be more accurately directed at himself, since he’s been having an affair. For more info, check out last week’s recap here.

“The Lying Detective” is a really great episode from a character perspective – both Sherlock and John are given some great moments, together and separately, and it actually feels as though there are consequences from last week played out in a realistic way. As a story, it’s entirely too convoluted in places and Toby Jones could probably build a house from the scenery he chews through in every one of its scenes. Oh, and the twist at the end is…weird. Perhaps it’s one of those things that we won’t be able to fully judge until the end of next week’s episode, but on first impression: it’s real weird.

This episode is loosely based on the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle episode “The Dying Detective”, in which he fakes a terminal illness to entrap Culverton Smith. If you’re at all familiar with it, some of tonight’s twists were easy to guess, but since they were largely based on character motivations rather than plot necessity for once, it’s an easy sin to forgive.