History Recap / SherlockS04E02TheLyingDetective

-->-- '''Faith Smith''' [--...or so it appears.--]

** Similarly, when John is beating the crap out of Sherlock, there's a shot where Smith looks either worried...or pleased. Another hint Sherlock isn't crazy.

* JustifiedTitle: "The Lying Detective" [[WordSaladTitle might seem to have nothing to do with the episode itself]] besides being based on the [[MythologyGag original Holmes short story]], but it is in fact in reference to Sherlock's manipulation of John, in addition to Sherlock's accusations of Culverton...which may or may not be true.

** * OohMeAccentsSlipping: John's therapist exploits this trope as part of the above revelation, switching through the accents of her disguises (the original therapist's German accent, Faith Smith's Northern Irish accent, and the bus girl's Scottish accent).

--> '''Mycroft:''' Sherlock gone rogue is a legitimate security concern. The fact that I'm his brother changes absolutely nothing. It didn't the last time, and I assure you, [realises what he just said] it won't with... with Sherlock.

* JustBetweenYouAndMe: Culverton Smith confesses to his murders before attempting to kill Sherlock, thinking no one will ever know because [[GenreSavvy he checked for recording devices in the room first]]. However he forgot about John's cane.

* VillainWithGoodPublicity: Culverton Smith. He's an entrepreneur, a philanthropist and gives to charity. He's also a serial killer who can't seem to stop confessing.

* {{Bookends}}: The ending and the starting few seconds are both of the same scene.

-->'''Smith''': Oh, Mr Holmes, I don't know if this is relevant, but we found three potential recording devices in the pockets of your coat. All your possessions were searched. Sorry!
-->'''Sherlock''': Must be something comforting about the [[RuleOfThree number three]], people always give up after three.

-->'''Mary''': Go and pick a fight with a bad guy, put yourself in harm's way. If [John] thinks you need him, I swear ... he will be there.

** Along with John and Mrs. Hudson, we see the whole of Mary's "MISS ME" video will during the climax, which is intended for Sherlock to "save John Watson" from [[HeroicBSOD his grief]] over [[Recap/SherlockS04E01TheSixThatchers her death]]. And it ''works.''
--->'''Mary''': If you're watching this, I'm probably dead [...] I'm giving you a case, Sherlock. Might be the hardest case of your career. When I'm... gone, ''if'' I'm gone, I need you to do something for me: Save John Watson [...] Don't think anyone else is going to save him, because there isn't anyone. It's up to you... But I do think you'll need a little bit of help with that, because [[NoSocialSkills you're not exactly good with people,]] so here's a few things you need to know about the man we both love... and more importantly, what you'll need to do to save him. [[DontYouDarePityMe John Watson never accepts help, not from anyone.]] But here's the thing: he never ''refuses'' it. So here's what you're going to do: you can't save John because he won't let you. [[ChronicHeroSyndrome The only way to save John is to make him save you.]] [[DyingDeclarationOfHate Go to hell]], [[HiddenDisdainReveal Sherlock]]. [[SubvertedTrope Go right into hell and make it look like you mean it.]] Go and pick a fight with a bad guy, put yourself in harm's way. If he thinks you need him, [[UndyingLoyalty I swear he will be there.]]

* RedHerring: Mycroft is asked by a colleague whether he's still in contact with Sherrinford, shortly after he mentions having a sibling who was labelled a security risk before Sherlock. The obvious assumption is that Sherrinford was the sibling (especially since Sherrinford being the name of an unmentioned eldest third Holmes brother is a very old piece of popular fanon). It's a MetaTwist, however - Mycroft ''is'' still in touch with Sherrinford, but it's the place where his sibling is locked up, not the sibling herself.

* ActingForTwo: First, the "Faith" Sherlock talked to turns out to have been the therapist. Who was ''also'' the cute redhead John flirted with. All of which were really Eurus Holmes. That's right, Acting For ''Four''.

* RealityEnsues: Turns out that Mrs. Hudson is actually rather well-off. She is after all a drug dealer's ex, and ''she owns a flat in Central London''.

* {{Irony}}: John mistakenly assumes Eurus is Sherlock's brother rather than his sister. When they first met, Sherlock made the exact same mistake about John's sister Harry.

* FailedASpotCheck: John fails to notice that his therapist and the woman he flirted with on the bus are the same person. This is justified because Eurus made sure that the two disguises looked significantly different and John had no reason to look closer.

* CliffHanger: Twofold; Sherlock puts "Faith"'s note under a blacklight and sees the words "MISS ME?", meanwhile, Eurus reveals herself to John and decides to shoot him because she's bored.

* JustBetweenYouAndMe: At the end Culverton Smith reveals his EvilPlan to Sherlock. Little does he know it's [[HiddenWire being recorded]].

Sherlock accuses a well-loved philanthropist of being a serial killer.

** And Mrs Hudson on Sherlock himself, when she pretends to be jittery while making tea and drops it - Sherlock does exactly as she planned and puts the gun he was holding down to catch the teacup. At which point she picks up the gun and points it at him ('not [her] first smackhead' as she points out).

** Sherlock planted a recording device in John's old walking stick, knowing John would make a present of it to Sherlock while he was in Culverton's hospital, allowing Culverton's confession to be recorded.

* BeneathNotice: Continuing the theme from last episode, the true villain of the piece is a woman who everyone thought was harmless. But unlike Vivian, Eurus is a master of disguise.

%%* CoolCar: Belonging to Mrs Hudson.

%%* DrivesLikeCrazy: Mrs Hudson.

* OnceMoreWithClarity: Along with John and Mrs. Hudson, we see the whole of Mary's "MISS ME" video will during the climax, which is intended for Sherlock to "save John Watson" from [[HeroicBSOD his grief]] over [[Recap/SherlockS04E01TheSixThatchers her death]]. And it ''works.''
--->'''Mary''': If you're watching this, I'm probably dead [...] I'm giving you a case, Sherlock. Might be the hardest case of your career. When I'm... gone, ''if'' I'm gone, I need you to do something for me: Save John Watson [...] Don't think anyone else is going to save him, because there isn't anyone. It's up to you... But I do think you'll need a little bit of help with that, because [[NoSocialSkills you're not exactly good with people,]] so here's a few things you need to know about the man we both love... and more importantly, what you'll need to do to save him. [[DontYouDarePityMe John Watson never accepts help, not from anyone.]] But here's the thing: he never ''refuses'' it. So here's what you're going to do: you can't save John because he won't let you. [[ChronicHeroSyndrome The only way to save John is to make him save you.]] [[DyingDeclarationOfHate Go to hell]], [[HiddenDisdainReveal Sherlock]]. [[SubvertedTrope Go right into hell and make it look like you mean it.]] Go and pick a fight with a bad guy, put yourself in harm's way. If he thinks you need him, [[UndyingLoyalty I swear he will be there.]]

* RunningGag: People thinking that Sherlock writes John's blog and completely ignoring John.

* ShipperOnDeck: John encourages Sherlock to hook up with Irene to make the most of their time together before it's too late.

** The roundels on the wallpaper in the hospital room evoke the interior of the Tardis.

* WhatTheHellHero: Mrs. Hudson chews John for his selfish attitude by cutting Sherlock out of his life, telling him if he doesn't intervene to save Sherlock from himself he'll lose his only friend and by extension Mrs. Hudson.

* RuleOfPerception: Averted. The same actress played three characters, without any obvious indications other than what the viewers might've observerd.

** Invoked by Sherlock. He lampshades the fact that people expect things to happen in threes so he hid a ''fourth'' listening device in his hospital room.

--->'''Mary''': If you're watching this, I'm probably dead [...] I'm giving you a case, Sherlock. Might be the hardest case of your career. When I'm... gone, ''if'' I'm gone, I need you to do something for me: Save John Watson [...] Don't think anyone else is going to save him, because there isn't anyone. It's up to you... But I do think you'll need a little bit of help with that, because [[NoSocialSkills you're not exactly good with people,]] so here's a few things you need to know about the man we both love... and more importantly, what you'll need to do to save him. [[DontYouDarePityMe John Watson never accepts help, not from anyone.]] But here's the thing: he never ''refuses'' it. So what here's what you're going to do: you can't save John because he won't let you. [[ChronicHeroSyndrome The only way to save John is to make him save you.]] [[DyingDeclarationOfHate Go to hell]], [[HiddenDisdainReveal Sherlock]]. [[SubvertedTrope Go right into hell and make it look like you mean it.]] Go and pick a fight with a bad guy, put yourself in harm's way. If he thinks you need him, [[UndyingLoyalty I swear he will be there.]]

*** Smith talks a lot about H.H. Holmes the notorious American serial killer and if Sherlock is related to him.

* BeneathNotice: Continuing the theme from last episode the true villain of the piece is a woman who everyone thought was harmless. But unlike Vivian, Eurus is a master of disguise.

** Sherlock on Culverton Smith, guessing he would look for recording devices on Sherlock's belongings and would think he had found them all when he found three.

* BaitAndSwitch: The opening of the episode made it seem like it was Sherlock driving the car. Later on, it's revealed that Mrs Hudson was the one driving.

--->'''Mary''': If you're watching this, I'm probably dead [...] I'm giving you a case, Sherlock. Might be the hardest case of your career. When I'm... gone, ''if'' I'm gone, I need you to do something for me: Save John Watson [...] Don't think anyone else is going to save him, because there isn't anyone. It's up to you... But I do think you'll need a little bit of help with that, because [[NoSocialSkills you're not exactly good with people,]] so here's a few things you need to know about the man we both love... and more importantly, what you'll need to do to save him. [[DontYouDarePityMe John Watson never accepts help, not from anyone.]] But here's the thing: he never ''refuses'' it. So what here's what you're going to do: you can't save John because he won't let you. The only way to save John is to make him save you. Go to hell, Sherlock. [[SubvertedTrope Go right into hell and make it look like you mean it.]]Go and pick a fight with a bad guy, put yourself in harm's way. If he thinks you need him, [[UndyingLoyalty I swear he will be there.]]

* AsideGlance: Done by Sian Brooke, through her disguise glasses, just after switching her accent from German to Yorkshire and just before revealing her character's real identity.

* FailedASpotCheck:
** Sherlock fails to notice that "Faith" is actually his sister in disguise.
** John fails to notice that his therapist and the woman he flirted with on the bus are the same person. This is justified because Eurus made sure that the two disguises looked significantly different and John had no reason to look closer.

** John finds out that [[Recap/SherlockS02E01AScandalInBelgravia Irene is alive]].