Benedict Cumberbatch will make you cry in the ‘Sherlock’ holiday mini-episode

sherlock1

As I’m sure you’ve seen by now (I’ve watched this literally six times already), the BBC gave all of us Cumberbitches and Sherlockloonies an early Christmas present on Christmas Eve. They dropped a “mini-episode” – a seven-minute clip called “Many Happy Returns” in which we get to see Lestrade and John missing Sherlock (who they still believe is dead). Anderson is there too… and apparently, Anderson (who always hated Sherlock) has been “sacked” because he went full-fledged conspiracy nut when Sherlock “died”. You don’t get to see Cumberbatch’s lovely Sherlock-face until near the end of the video, but you do get some lovely glances at his hands, his shadowy Cumbercurls and more.

GAH. This video is almost too much for me. What’s going to happen when I see the full episode of The Empty Hearse? I’m going to explode. It will be too much for me. Speaking of… I need to ask CB how I can manage to watch the episodes at the same time as the UK. Sherlock Season 3 won’t be aired until January 19th on PBS in America. The UK gets it on New Year’s Day. Help me, CB!!!

In the meantime, watch and re-watch this lovely mini-episode. After two years of no new episodes, it’s easy to forget how well-done this series is and always has been. When John says, “I can tell you what you can do, you stop being dead.” And Sherlock (in the video) says “Okay.” I got chills. And that’s the power of the performances, plus great direction, great writing and great editing. This is the best show, I swear.

sherlock3

sherlock6

sherlock2

Photos courtesy of the BBC.

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

68 Responses to “Benedict Cumberbatch will make you cry in the ‘Sherlock’ holiday mini-episode”

Comments are Closed

We close comments on older posts to fight comment spam.

  1. Kay says:

    Anderson!! I am so intrigued! And lots of man candy in that vid! Mmm silver fox Leatrade and curlybatch!

    • LadySlippers says:

      ManCandy. Should be the new code name for any show created just for women and gay men.

      😉

    • Alexandra says:

      Watson with the grief ‘stache and Anderson with the conspiracy beard. I am confused. Wasn’t I supposed to hate Anderson? All of a sudden I’m playing for his team. And Lord have mercy, Rupert IS really hot.

  2. Megan says:

    I am beyond ready for this show! Two years I waited and this last week seems the longest.

    Just give it to me already!!

  3. T.Fanty says:

    Man alive, I forgot how hot Rupert Graves is.

    • Jaded says:

      Dear God yessssss…..my favourite fantasy husband….

    • j.eyre says:

      No – you get the floppy haired one and I get Graves – that’s the arrangement, Missy.

      • LadySlippers says:

        Girl, How many men do you ‘need’?!!!!????

      • j.eyre says:

        Oh darling, do you really want me to answer that? The word “staggering” is often applied to the answer.

      • T.Fanty says:

        Okay, so my list is: Cumby, Graves, Toby Stephens, Daniel Sunjata, Mac, Hiddles. I suggest a days of the week rotation with you, and other interested parties, with two days a week for Cumby (three when Hiddles is reconnecting with his breath and annoying me). Generally, I’ll scatter the days, but once in a while, I’d like a holiday weekend, or something.

        Sound like a plan?

        (P.S. Is it weird that slightly bloodied and confused Cumby is working better for me than on-the-floor-cheekbones Cumby?)

      • j.eyre says:

        Hmm, Well, we only need to rotate four of those so this should work out well. I am happy to take on the breathy Tommyanna and this will work well for a one day overlap with CHemboy. I can alternate on the Graves/Mac combo however fits best into your schedule while, of course, keeping Toby on Sundays – my day of worship. McGregor is fairly flexible so I can plug him in any holes in the schedule and that should leave me with one extra day to insert any Shiny Object (Shiny Object being any man or woman I see and suddenly remember I am consumed with lust for him/her.)

        (P.S. everything you do is weird)

      • Amelia says:

        T.Fanty – good to see some more Toby Stephens love around here. There’s something about that man that’s just . . . magnetic.
        And how amazing would it be to have Maggie Smith for an in-law?

      • T.Fanty says:

        Amelia,

        There’s more than a little love for Toby around my parts. He was the first actor I saw performing Shakespeare, too many years ago to count, and it’s been lust ever since. Are you as excited as I am to see Black Sails? I do love dastardly Toby more than I love Bard-y Toby.

        (P.S. Miss Eyre – you haven’t seen weird yet. Wait until you get my proposal for Hot Man Taco Tuesdays at Thornfield in the mail)

      • j.eyre says:

        Amelia – Fanty regrets ever introducing me to the wonder that is Toby Stephens (I’m sorry, whose husband did he play in Jane Eyre? Oh that’s right – MINE)

        I just saw Anna Chancellor and he in a lifestream of Private Lives with my husband. Toby was magnificent.

        (P.S. Fanty – Men and Mexican food are a natural combination. It is Anna’s Shchi Saturdays that sound to complex for a proper payoff)

      • Amelia says:

        Toby Stephens as a dastardly, bodice-ripping pirate? Hells yeah. I’m not usually one to go for the more nefarious characters – Cumberbatch’s Khan being the exception (even though I think his motivations made much more sense in places during STiD).
        Going to have to figure out which channel it’s on, though, I’ve never heard of Starz.
        Oh, I badly wanted to go and watch Private Lives, Miss Eyre, I saw the both of them on This Morning a few months ago, and their chemistry looked amazing! Hope you enjoyed it!

      • T.Fanty says:

        *MAJOR side-eye to Miss Eyre*

        I still have Eve’s shank collection, you know. Toby is the original Hot Posh Ginge and a fight to the death. Dammit. Now I’m going to spend the day referring Cumby as Poor Man’s Toby , and EsCon hates it when I do that.

        (P.S. Shchi Saturdays sounds really good. Can I come by for that? On Sundays, in honor of hearty English food, I have concocted a special version of Toad in the Hole that does involve sausage, but that’s all I can say)

      • j.eyre says:

        I did enjoy it (and in some ways, still am but its too close to Christmas to go into detail.) I saw that This Morning interview as well when I accidental entered ‘Toby Stephens’ into Google search (actually, I just entered ‘T’ ‘O’ – search history fills in the rest now.) That’s what put it on my radar and I was in the theater to watch Thor 2 (possibly for the 2nd time) when the advert for the livestream came up. So I like to say that CHemboy brought me to see Toby.

        If you ever want to truly get at Fanty, refer to Toby’s role in All Things to All Men in which he co-stars with Remora. Then suggest they had an on-site fling – honestly, she goes purple and starts screaming in a language not recognized but the UN. However, it does produce hours of entertainment imagining the mountain of verbal disdain wrapped in scathing condemnation Dame Maggie would dispense when she was presented with Remora as Toby’s intended.

        (P.S. Fanty, have a care when flipping your Toad in the Hole in an effort to contain any runny yolk)

      • T.fanty says:

        *falls to the ground, foaming at the mouth*

        Toby wouldn’t look twice at that cheap plastic Eurotrash. He’ll leave her for one of the colonies to pick up. A man raised by Dame Maggie has impeccable taste.

        And don’t you worry about my batter, my love. I’ve had no complaints.

    • LadySlippers says:

      Is he ever.

      *fans face*

  4. Maureen says:

    I love BC but I’m also excited to see Molly and Mrs. Hudson! They are my favorites.

  5. Betsy says:

    I love how everyone loves Anderson now. The actor playing him is one of Benedict’s friends.

  6. MissMary says:

    Oh, Rupert Graves… the under-sung hotness of Sherlock fandom…

  7. Beth says:

    Lestrade was super sexy in the minisode. Jan 19 can’t come soon enough. I love every single character. Best show ever.

  8. Tanguerita says:

    I love me some new Sherlock, but there is a glaring mistake in this little movie: there is not jury trial in Germany 🙂

    • SLSY says:

      From Mark Gatiss’ twitter:

      “For the pedants, I know there’s no German jury system. That’s why foreman says it’s under ‘highly unusual circumstances’!”

      https://twitter.com/Markgatiss/status/415619935189360640

      • Amelia says:

        Good ‘ol Gatiss, he’s such a scream as Mycroft.
        He also did an adaptation MR James’ “The Tractate Middoth” yesterday on BBC2 for Christmas, really interesting stuff.
        Off topic, anyone catch Doctor Who last night?

      • Felice says:

        I was at the preview and oh my goodness Mycroft will not disappoint you in the episode.

      • Amelia says:

        Ahh, was that at the BFI Centre?!
        I’m so envious! Hope it was good fun!

      • T.Fanty says:

        Was it good? And was the Q and A as excruciating as everyone said?

      • Amy Tennant says:

        @Amelia 🙂

        My coworkers: Amy, did you get anything for Christmas?
        Amy: A new Doctor…

      • Felice says:

        Yeah the BFI center. The episode was really good and I wish I could explain why it was good without spoilers lol. Q&A was just tense IMO. Fan questions were good. I think the reason why Caitlin Moran hasn’t commented isn’t because she isn’t sorry but because everyone just wants to let it go.

      • Reece says:

        @Amelia Yes and I’m still kinda PO’ed.
        Although I hope Clara actually does something now that it’s not about saying goodbye to 11. I swear that’s what the entire second half of season 7 was.

      • Amelia says:

        And not a moment too soon, Amy! Whilst I think Matt Smith is a great actor, his doctor – or rather, the writing of his doctor – has been incrementally pissing me off for the past season or two. Hopefully a new show runner will come in with Capaldi as well, and with any luck we’ll be done with the overly messy plots and deus ex machina resolutions.
        Honestly, I’m hoping for a completely new tone for the upcoming season. Something a little harsher, like during Eccleston’s tenure.
        To be honest Reece, I can’t sodding wait to see the back of Clara! She drives me up the wall. For someone who was supposed to be so important during her first season, she’s so f*cking dull as a character. Or maybe it’s just Jenna Coleman’s shoddy interpretation. I’m feeling particularly bitchy this Boxing Day! Better go do something productive to make up for it.

      • T.fanty says:

        *fingers in ears*. LALALALALALALALALALA!
        Haven’t seen it yet. Stupid Christmas. Stupid family time.

  9. Fangirl says:

    I saw this yesterday , best Christmas prezzie…. oh Sherlock !!! ( sigh )

  10. flavia_deluce says:

    Sherlock was having a seriously bad hair day when he made that video for Jawn. Bring back the Grecian bedhead!!

    (http://www.oneman.gr/keimena/diaskedash/watchlist/o-serlok-xolms-milaei-sto-oneman.2303363.html)

    Sherly’s hair should be less ‘done.’

    • LadySlippers says:

      Agreed.

      I think BC is correct in suggesting a new ‘do’ for Sherlock….

    • Katie says:

      It looks better and longer in the ep promo shots, so my guess is that his hair was still too short when they shot this.

      Can’t wait until the 1st!

      • Secret Squirrel says:

        That’s probably because Tfanty and J.eyre got into a fight over his hair and ripped most of it out. Now they will be selling locks of Cumbercurl on the internet (but really they will keep all of the curls for themselves and sell fake curls instead).

  11. amarie says:

    Can’t wait, what an excellent show! I now want to review all Anderson scenes in the previous episodes…and (sigh) Rupert Graves….my heart melted for him when I found he had played Helena B C`s younger brother in 1985`s Room with a View. Gorgeous then
    Gorgeous now!

  12. Amy Tennant says:

    I’m so glad I’m not alone in fancying me some Lestrade. My daughter, a 13-year-old Cumberkitten, thinks I’m insane.

  13. frisbeejada says:

    Cry? No, pant slightly with tongue hanging out in an unsightly manner? Yes

  14. Janet says:

    omg! thank you so much for posting.

  15. GeeMoney says:

    Love Cumby! Can’t wait for Season 3.

  16. allons-y alonso says:

    Saw this the other day and I’m getting antsy. Australia doesn’t have an air date yet!!!!! grrrrrr. I watched it again to get over my sobbing from ‘The Time of The Doctor’ last night. For God’s sakes, The Doctor regenerated before this show came back!!!!

    • LadySlippers says:

      I don’t know what’s worse — waiting for my Sherlock fix knowing if I were in the UK I could be getting my fix soon, waiting until the 19th, or not knowing when the fix is coming!!!

      Ugh! I feel for you. I know {{HUGS}} don’t quite cut it for this ‘more than three patch’ problem.

      • allons-y alonso says:

        *sobbing while reaching to hug LadySlippers*

      • Secret Squirrel says:

        Toughen up Allons-y… Us Aussies don’t cry at the drop of a curl-covering detective’s hat.

        A little birdie swung by my tree this morning and tells me Season 3 starts Wed 29th Feb in Australia on WIN. It’s ONLY 2 months away…

        *bottom lip begins to quiver and tears well up in eyes…*
        I need a hug too Ladyslippers…. Waaaaahhhhhhh…

      • allons-y alonso says:

        Secret Squirrel you have quite possibly the best screen name and avatar ever!!!. To be fair though I was crying at the drop of a time travelling bow tie, not a detective’s ear- hat/ death frisbee 😉 group hug!!!

      • Secret Squirrel says:

        All tall lean beautiful British men deserve our tears this week.

        Unfortunately I can’t find when Dr Who is coming on again (I’m not an avid followerer…er). I would say not before April/May 2014 or it would be advertised by now.

      • LadySlippers says:

        Oh my goodness. That is more than a three patch problem.

        *bottom lip trembles for her two friends*

        Someone has to stay strong right????

        *tears well up in sympathy*

        Two months? That’s horrible!!!! What did you guys ever do to warrant such horrible punishment???

        *sobs with her friends*

      • Secret Squirrel says:

        Well aside from the indigenous people, Australia was originally populated by convicts from UK sent MONTHS over the sea to hard labor camps at the end of the earth. Seems somewhere there must have been a stipulation or clause that says:
        “In the future, should pictures be able to be beamed around the world instantaneously, all Australians will still have to wait the same amount of time it takes an old snail to complete a lap of a large garden before they can view it”

        Then again, we have beautiful white sandy beaches whilst UK has pebble beaches, so I think it all balances out in the end!

  17. Lisa says:

    Man Candy is right. Am I alone in thinking John looked hotter than he ever has in this vid? Hello? Bueller?

    Ok then. I’ll take him.

  18. greenmonster says:

    It’s also quite fun to here, that some of the Jurors are not German. A few have a really hard time to pronounce “Nicht schuldig”… But that probably has something to do with the “highly unusual circumstances”

    • LadySlippers says:

      I’ll have to rewatch it and look for that. That would be funny if it were true.

      What threw me a bit was the ‘mystery man’s’ didn’t look like Cumberbatch’s… So I need/want to rewatch to confirm or deny that.

      • greenmonster says:

        Do it 🙂 The 1st, 3rd and 4th of the Jurors are not German – at least not native speaking. The 2nd is and the last one (the blonde woman) also, but some others aren’t. They sound more like “Nikt schooldig” 🙂

      • curlsunited says:

        @greenmonster: In fact I was laughing my butt off at the “nikt shooldik” when i watched the video on December 24th. Nice early Christmas present.

        Well, the German tourists in “The Blind Banker” weren’t German either …
        🙂

      • greenmonster says:

        @curlsunited: you are so right about the German tourists. I was giggeling when I watched it and thought “I know a lot of German people are bad in English (at least with the accent), but now they can’t even speak German anymore?”
        But they sure love German people and/or language in the Sherlock-series, don’t they? I think they used references, people or just german words quite often 🙂 Maybe because it sounds so mean to the untrained ear 😉

      • curlsunited says:

        @greenmonster: Maybe.

        But I was tremendously pleased and utterly delighted when Sherlock picked up the London A-Z guide and started to talk in German: “Entschuldigen Sie bitte”.

        Almost a “A Fish Called Wanda” moment 🙂
        (remember Wanda’s reaction to John Cleese’s character speaking Russian and Italian?)

    • Lempicka says:

      Yes noticed that too. Dont know why they always risk sounding stupid to native speakers in film. Cant be that hard to find a bunch of Germans in London.

      On another note: I will hit the replay button for smile and wink now.

  19. MourningTheDeathOfMusic says:

    I just finished a Sherlock marathon. The wait for a new episode all of this time has been sheer torture.

  20. Maria_spain says:

    I finished a Sherlock marathon too and its official: i am a sherlockloonie !! xD