After a desperate wait, fans of the BBC series Sherlock finally saw their detective return to screen, safe and sound and as usual, a little bit late. Season three was scheduled to begin production in January 2013, but due to the unavailability of Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman who play Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, it had to be put off to March. The highly expected episode 1, however, does not look like the best they have made so far.

The biggest riddle to be solved is Sherlock’s fake death. Despite numerous theories by fans, playwright Mark Gatiss, who is also the actor for Mycroft Holmes,still did a remarkable job. As the key that connectsMoriaty’s “Great Game” to the British MI5, the fake death plays a vital role in bonding seasons two and three. Gatiss made the solution reasonable, clever, well-calculated, but not sneaky. The whole plan involves everything from the last episode of season two that people might have overlooked. It is definitely exciting to recollect the details and see how they work in alignment with the rest of the whole series.  The episode itself though, seems a bit hasty in unraveling the plot –London is facing a potentially imminent terrorist attack, which leads Mycroft to seek help from his brother Sherlock, who has just returned to the city.

The storylineis more predictable than those of the previous ones. Sherlock hasn’t lost his personal charm, nor did the crime become easier for me to solve, but when a bomb comes into play, everyone knows it is not going to explode. Predictability is a definite no-no for crime series. Also, the acting does not seem as natural as it used to be. When Watson and Holmes finally meet after two years, Holmes’ reaction appears facetious rather than sincere. If being around Watson for the past two yearsenabled him to get along with people, he really has forgotten all essence of it during his disappearance.The way Holmes treats his old mate is like, “Hey, by the way,I forgot to tell you Iwasn’t really dead,”which is bizarre anda little bit disappointing. Freeman, on the other hand, did a great job presenting his role as a stronger, more reserved and determined person.

Aside from its flaws, episode one of season three left a positive impression in general. One of my friends remarked, “It’s so disappointing that they shaped Holmes into a god-like character,” but that is what the audience would like to see. He doesn’t have to climb the wall of a high-rise with bare hands, wear iron suits that are undefeatable, or swing from building to building using a weird rope. With his amazing intelligence, Sherlock Holmescaptures the essence of the show – concise, but fascinating. His obnoxious personality, after all he has done, becomes adorable.

Another great asset, apart from the brilliant producers, playwrights and cast, were the visual effects. Director Paul McGuigan brought his film directing experience to a television canvas, creating fascinating cinematography as usual. Changes in perspective, Sherlock’s impressive “mind palace,” and floating captions all add up to the mysterious atmosphere with the grayish-blue London skyline.

Withall the material stacked up in that hour and a half, the depth is sacrificed for the breadth. Episode 1 Season 3 lacks the fascinating layers Sherlock used to have. However,for a fan who has been in love with the show since ninth grade, this new episode is certainlynot disappointing, and is still very worth the watch.