‘Sherlock’ Creator & Star Fires Back at Critic In Rhyme

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Sherlock Season Four premiered on New Year’s Day and despite prime Cumberbatch, the first episode was met with middling reviews, especially when you compare it to the nearly untouchable, previous three seasons.

British newspaper The Guardian panned the show for “starting to feel worryingly like we are watching villains be taken to task by a mutation named Sherlock Bond.” Critic Ralph Jones lambastes the writers for sacrificing the “brainy” aspects of Holmes in favor of more and more action.

But Sherlock co-creator Mark Gatiss, who also plays the elder Holmes brother Mycroft, fired back at Jones in rhyme. Gatiss modeled his poem on one written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in 1912, entitled “To An Undiscerning Critic,” and used the same label for his five-verse rejoinder:

Here is a critic who says with low blow
Sherlock’s no brain-box but become double-O.
Says the Baker St boy is no man of action –
whilst ignoring the stories that could have put him in traction.

The Solitary Cyclist sees boxing on show,
The Gloria Scott and The Sign of the Fo’
The Empty House too sees a mention, in time, of Mathews,
who knocked out poor Sherlock’s canine.

As for arts martial, there’s surely a clue
in the misspelled wrestle Doyle called baritsu.
In hurling Moriarty over the torrent
did Sherlock find violence strange and abhorrent?

In shooting down pygmies and Hounds from hell
Did Sherlock on Victorian niceties dwell?
When Gruner’s men got him was Holmes quite compliant
Or did he give good account for The Illustrious Client?

There’s no need to invoke in yarns that still thrill,
Her Majesty’s Secret Servant with licence to kill
From Rathbone through Brett to Cumberbatch dandy
With his fists Mr Holmes has always been handy.

And with that, we say to Mr. Gatiss, Sick burn, bro!

The Game Is On: ‘Sherlock’ Starts Filming Season Four…

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