Well then. Short version. Not dead. Bit mean, springing it on you like that, I know. Could have given you a heart attack, probably still will. In my defense it was very funny. okay it's not a great defense

So, last night I got to see the season premiere of sherlock.  I've been really careful  about avoiding spoilers for this season. Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that last season ended with Sherlock jumping to his apparent death, goaded on by his obsessive enemy Moreiry to commit suicide to save all those he held dear from being murdered. It was a gut wrenching scene, and one hell of a cliffhanger.  Of course, everyone know he didn't die (This show IS called Sherlock,  not Watson), but how he survived that fall had fun coming up  with all sorts of  theories ..

 This season open with one of those theories being retold by a very haggard Anderson to the detective DI Lestrade. If your remember from last two seasons him and Donovan were among Sherlock most vocal opponents, and instrumental in( although unknowingly at the time) in Sherlock jumping from that building. Apparently, 2 years later Sherlock name has since been cleared and declared innocent, and it obvious that the guilt of knowing has eaten away at it Anderson.  He's apparently lost his job , and now spends his time following every theory Sherlock is alive.. He's even runs a club dedicated to coming up with theory's on how Sherlock survived the fall.  Some of them are pretty stupid, boarding more on fan porn than solid theories.  But he KNOW Sherlock must still be alive. Of course he's right, 

And what of John? Well, he's had a rough go of it by all accounts, going so far as to cut off most contact of him and Sherlock s former friends. But he ready to move on.. Or at least he's telling himself that. A visit to his former landlady Miss Hudson is nicely moving, and illustrate how hard it was for John to get over the whole ordeal. He come to tell her he's getting married. He moving on, and leaving the past behind. 

Of course,  his past is about to pop up like a freaking diabolical ghost in a funny coat. Sherlock isn't in England  No, he off in some hell hole, dismantling Moriarty emperor.. But he is need in the real world, and he brother decides it time to bring him home. Yes, his brother knows he's alive, as do a handful of others.  Sherlock ovuiles can not wait to get back to life in London and old friends. This is a nice touch of Sherlock "growing" IN the first episode I really doubt that Sherlock would have cared if he came back or not.  But this Sherlock not only can't wait to interact with the lesser folk again, he gets in a couple of sharp jabs at his brother about not having a social life.  Plus, the new Sherlock has developed a... sence of humor.  His idea of a great way to tell  John he alive is to sneak in to the restraint that he's dinning at that dressed as a writer and sneak up on him.   He so fucking excited he don't ever bother to do his usual analyzing of the sitions.... cause he totally misses that John don't recognize him because he's so nervous about asking his girlfriend Mary Morstan to marry him.  But he's persistent  (He REALLY want to tell John how he faked his death), and finally John recognizes him.  It doesn't quite go as Sherlock hoped though, and John flips his lid (Which it probably a really healthy reaction) Like, punches him flip out.  Sherlock then spends the rest of the evening trying to mend thing disastrously  Now... it interesting.. . the whole thing is played for laughs, but John is dead serious the whole time.  He's HURT.  They don't part on the best of terms, but in a nice touch, Mary Morstan comes to the rescue.  Her and Sherlock some how to have bounded over their dislike of Johns new mustache, and she seems to like Sherlock, despite the fact he's basically an ass.   

Now, there's a whole subplot involving a bomb under the subway and Parliament, and terrorist, but really that not the center of the story. 

I really like that Sherlock has finally found his soul or what ever.  He not the uncaring prick with terrible timing. He is the caring prick with terrible timing.  He tries to make up with Molly Hooper, he is genuinely happy to see Lestrade, Hell he even plays Anderson a visit, and while he scolds him, he don't heap the insults he use to on him.   He wants to be friends again with John, but surprisingly he seems ready to accept  that John IS hurt, and might not want him around for a while, in fact, he respects John space.... Until someone trying to kill him, and then he takes Mary on a frantic motorbike run to save him. This is obviously part of the set up for who the next villain will be, as why John was attacked remains unresolved. 

So... what do I think? I really liked it, but....  At time I felt it had too many in nod to the fans of Sherlock. All the crazy theories that are floated, some of the sceneries, are direct nods theories and ideas floated by fans over the last two years.  I don't want the mary sue, I want sherlock.   And,, I dislike the "How Sherlock Survived" explanation.  Still... It;s nice to get away from the dark tone the last  season had.   I hope they can keep the tone light without getting too silly.