Mycroft and Sherlock: The Empty Birdcage

There is a killer on the loose in England, and a distant relative of the Queen is the latest victim. When Mycroft Holmes is recruited to catch the murderer, he finds himself nervously relying on his brother’s growing obsession with detective work in order to solve the case. You see, Mycroft’s attention is elsewhere, as he has promised the woman he loves (and cannot be with) that he will find her missing fiance. Can the Holmes brothers solve their respective cases in time to prevent two fiendish plots from unfolding?

Rebounding after an underwhelming second effort in Mycroft and Sherlock, the team of Waterhouse and Abdul-Jabbar deliver a satisfying one-two punch in The Empty Birdcage, allowing the veil of Mycroft to slip a little further (indulging the audience’s connection with the character) as Sherlock continues to develop as a detective and a person before our eyes.

The duo somehow manage to make Sherlock both an engaging character and a very annoying one, as his social niceties are virtually nonexistent. They also exhibit equal brilliance in their continuing efforts to humanize the always elusive Mycroft, taking us into the elder brother’s thoughts and worries, not only for his own health, but that of his brother and his closest friend. This Mycroft is not only far more intriguing than previous versions, but one you can’t help but root for.