In today’s complex smartphone tweet this, like that society, it can be difficult to know what is good for your children and what isn’t. Spinach? I think we can all agree that’s good for your children. The works of Arthur Conan Doyle? Who knows!
And while a lot of parents prefer to research a film or a TV show before they expose their kids to it, I prefer to jump right in. That way, it’s a new experience for everyone and I can judge the impact on my son by his reaction while he’s sitting right next to me.
So just as we did with Downton Abbey, I sat down with my little miracle baby to watch Series 3 of Sherlock, which is now out on DVD and Blu-ray.
[Ed. Note: I realise that, at three-years-old, my son may no longer technically be a baby as far as the government’s concerned. But I’m not the government. (Yet.) So to me, he’ll always be my little miracle baby.]
Now, if you haven’t yet experienced this show, I suggest you start from the beginning with Series 1, because it keeps getting better. Benedict Cumberbatch is particularly great and I think he’s done his best work in Series 3, which my son and I thoroughly enjoyed.
Our review…
[Ed. Note 2: In our discussion of this series, my son and I have worked very hard not to reveal any crucial plot details, often referred to as “spoilers”. He may only be three, but the boy takes spoilers very seriously. Maybe even a bit too seriously.]
Me: When we last left Sherlock, he had jumped off a building.
My Little Miracle Baby: Spoiler alert!
Me: That’s not a spoiler alert. It happened in the previous series.
MLMB: So you just spoiled the ending of the previous series.
Me: But we can’t talk about Series 3 without talking about what happened at the end of Series 2.
MLMB: Can’t? Or won’t.
Me: Um…
MLMB: Check. Mate.
Me: I love the way Sherlock looks at things and then all the words come up on the screen, showing what he’s deduced.
MLMB: Yeah, that’s great, but it’s like, hey newsflash, Hollywood! I can’t read!
Me: Well, I think a lot of the people watching this show can read. Plus, I don’t think they make this in Hollywood.
MLMB: Where do they make it?
Me: England.
MLMB: What’s the difference? Boom!
MLMB: There’s something about this woman I just don’t trust.
Me: Why?
MLMB: Look at the way she just stands in the background, looking all blurry and suspicious.
Me: I think the camera is just focusing on Watson.
MLMB: Camera?
Me: Well, none of this is actually happening. There aren’t people in the TV.
MLMB: I know that!
Beat.
MLMB: So there won’t be a Q&A afterwards with the people in the TV?
Me: I doubt it.
MLMB: Fair enough. I’m sure they’re busy.
Me: I’ve got a feeling this wedding is going to effect Sherlock and Watson’s relationship.
MLMB: And I’ve got a feeling you just… spoiler alert!
Me: Listen, all this information is already all over the Internet. The series aired on TV. The DVDs are already on sale. People know this stuff.
MLMB: And now they also know that you’re a spoilerer. Happy?
Me: I’m starting to think this was a bad idea.
MLMB: Me too. Let’s watch Cars.
Me: No, we’re watching this.
MLMB: Cars 2?
Me: No.
MLMB: Cars 3?
Me: There is no Cars 3.
MLMB: Spoiler alert!
MLMB: Is this what your stag night was like?
Me: Well…
MLMB: Spoiler alert!
Me: It happened years ago, I think it’s okay. And I didn’t really have a stag night. And in my country, we call it a bachelor party.
MLMB: What country is that?
Me: The United States of America.
MLMB: Never heard of it. Also? Spoiler alert.
MLMB: Spoiler alert!
Me: I haven’t said anything.
MLMB: I thought you were about to say something about this woman and Jim Watson.
Me: But that’s what we’re supposed to be doing! Also… I think it’s John Watson.
MLMB: Spoiler alert!
Me: That’s not a spoiler! The character’s name is John Watson.
MLMB: Why am I calling him Jim?
Me: I don’t know.
MLMB: Maybe I’m confusing him with that other famous character from the works of Arthur Conan Doyle – Jim Carrey.
Me: Wow. Incredible ending to the series. So suspenseful. I can’t wait for Series 4.
MLMB: You know what I can’t wait for?
Me: What?
MLMB: Spoiler alert.
Me: Listen, this is a review. We have to talk about something in the show so people will want to watch it.
MLMB: But people aren’t going to watch the show if you’ve spoiled it for them.
Me: And they’re not going to want to read this if you keep saying spoiler alert.
MLMB: I see. And so we are at an impasse, much like the one between Sherlock and Moriarty.
Beat.
Me: Spoiler alert?
MLMB: You better believe it.
Then we laughed until bedtime…
…
But enough about us. What did you and your kids think of Sherlock, Series 3?
[Photos courtesy of Roadshow Entertainment]