Formula 1: Malaysia GP Overview

Alonso was the surprise victor in Malaysia

Fernando Alonso and Ferrari put a torrid pre-season behind them to claim victory at Sunday's rain-hit Malaysia Grand Prix.

Three weeks ago, if anyone had told Fernando Alonso that two races into the new season he would have a win under his belt and the lead in the championship, he surely would have laughed and dismissed the idea. How quickly things change.

A flawless drive from the determined Spaniard through the rain and the spray handed him the full 25 points for the race win. He didn't have it all his own way however. Sauber's Sergio Perez put in the best drive of his career so far, to push Alonso all the way to the finish. Closing the Ferrari down at the rate of nearly a second a lap, Perez was right behind Alonso before running wide at Turn 14 and missing his chance to seal the deal and take the win. Alonso admitted that the win is no reflection of the car's overall performance; there is still a lot of work to do at Maranello to get the car up to the likes of Mclaren and Red Bull.

Further back, Pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton put in a solid, if uninspiring, performance. Unlucky to be held up in the pitlane by Felipe Massa, Hamilton lost the lead and fell back to fourth. He couldn't keep pace with Alonso and Perez in the changeable conditions, the intermediate tyres on his Mclaren not giving him the grip and confidence in the car. He ended the race third for the second successive weekend. Expect Lewis to do better in China; he has won twice there, 2008 and 2011, and he also narrowly missed out on the win in both 2007 and 2010. He'll be determined to take his first win of the year in Shanghai, a circuit he excels at.

A lack of grip also befell his team-mate Jenson Button. Button threw away his chance of a decent finish by making an ill-advised lunge up the inside of Narain Karthikeyan into Turn 9. The 2009 World Champion lost his front wing and had to pit for repairs, dropping him out of contention all together. He recovered to finish a lowly 14th.

Bruno Senna was a revelation in Malaysia, recovering from a poor start and carving his way through the field to finish a career best sixth. The Force India's of Di Resta and Hulkenberg did well to both finish in the points as did Toro Rosso's Jean-Eric Vergne. Senna's team-mate Maldonado was unlucky not to make the finish again; a technical fault on the penultimate lap robbed him of a points finish.

Sebastian Vettel had a disappointing afternoon after sustaining a puncture near the end of the race. He had been fourth, but ended the race a distant 11th. Mercedes had another afternoon to forget, as did Lotus' Romain Grosjean. Another DNF is not a great way to start his first full season of Formula One.

Overall, the Malaysia Grand Prix for 2012 didn't tell us much regarding the pecking order for the year. The mixed-conditions allowed dismal cars like the Ferrari to flourish and excellent cars like the Mclaren to flounder. We'll have to wait until China on the 15th of April to find out more.

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Film Review: The Hunger Games

Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games

The latest teen-reading series to hit the big screen, The Hunger Games brings the futuristic dystopia of Suzanne Collins' Panem to life in edgy and gripping fashion. Adapting any novel is hard enough but director Gary Ross has triumphed in crafting a film that should please both the legions of die-hard fans as well as newcomers to the books. Jennifer Lawrence, of Winter's Bone and X-Men First Class fame, gives an impressive performance as protagonist Katniss Everdeen in her first leading role.

An elegant opening sequence establishes the premise of the Hunger Games in the a quick 90 seconds and fleshes out the back story enough for non-readers of the series, such as myself, to pick it up. The premise is one that is not overly original, but it isn't one that is overused or exhausted. Divided into 12 districts, the dystopian  Panem is a world of contrast between the rich and the poor, over-indulgence and abject poverty. This contrast between Katniss' threadbare home in District 12 and the exuberant Capitol, a metropolis that exerts power over the land and where the Hunger Games are held, is striking. 

Whilst parallels to the Twilight series have been made due to Collins' teen audience, the Hunger Games seems to have a lot more to say than Stephanie Meyer's vamp vs. wolf romp. Themes of class, power, life, death and youth and innocence are all prevalent here and it makes for a much more satisfying story. Katniss' fight for survival both at home and in the Games defiantly holds a lot more emotional weight and gravity.

One such scene is a stand-out; midway through the Games, the loss of a friend gets the audience's dabbing at their tear-ducts with the king-size Kleenex. The film doesn't hold back the brutality and severity of the Games with the characters fate never seeming certain. The violent action scenes are dispersed with fast, rapid and shaky camera movement in order to shy away from too much blood, the film is aimed at a teenage audience after all, but this doesn't detract from the cruel nature of the Games too much. Wes Bentley as the all-controlling Seneca (winner of this year's most lavish beard) is done well and shows the helplessness of the film's leads at times; both Katniss and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) are forever having to adapt to the changes in the game.

A strong supporting cast does add a welcome sprinkle of humour however, albeit in a dark and twisting way. Stanley Tucci steals almost every scene he is in as TV Show host Caesar, but there is always the nagging scene of foreboding hanging overhead. The premise of a live televised deathmatch is all too similar to our own reality television saturated lives. Youngster Willow Shields as Primrose is also mightily impressive with the limited screen-time she is allocated.

A thrilling and thought-provoking piece that outshines most literary adaptations of the last 10 years, the Hunger Games has matched the hype that surrounded it. Whilst not perfect, it does provide a impressive launching pad for both the undoubted oncoming sequels and Jennifer Lawrence's future prospects. 

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Formula 1: Australian GP Overview

Jenson Button got his 2012 season off to an almost flawless start by winning last Sunday's Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park. 

After qualifying on the front row behind pole-sitter, Lewis Hamilton, Jenson took full advantage of his team-mates slow start to dive ahead into the first corner. From there Jenson was relatively untroubled for the majority of the race, as he put in a cool, collected and calm drive to rack up his 13th career victory and his 3rd around Albert Park. 

It was impressive display from the 2009 World Champion who was almost dripping with confidence before and after the race. He well and truly put his team-mate in the shade as well as doing well to outclass the Red Bulls of Vettel and Webber. 

The two Red Bulls did well to salvage 2nd (for Vettel) and 4th (for Webber) after their slightly unnerving qualifying. Sebastian Vettel in particular was impressive to finish ahead of Lewis Hamilton, who was unlucky to come out of the pits behind Vettel when the Safety Car was deployed.

Mercedes didn't capitalise on their good qualifying with a 12th for Rosberg and a DNF for Schumacher. Lotus also had a mixed barrel with Grosjean being punted off at Turn 13 by Maldonado but Raikkonen doing well to finish 7th on his Formula 1 return.

Despite Alonso coming home 5th, it can be said that Ferrari won't have fond memories of Australia this year. A car that looks unlikely to trouble the top 3 for a while and a under-performing Felipe Massa, if Melbourne is anything to go by, it could be a long year for the Scuderia.

It was also a bitter-sweet moment for Williams when Maldonado put it in the wall on the final lap: his drive so far had been so full of promise but it was all thrown away. Coupled with Senna's incident with Massa and it was also a day to forget at Williams.

It bodes well for both Jenson and Mclaren going into the long season ahead: both him and the car look hugely competitive. By no means does this mean that the two will go unchallenged; on the contrary, if Sunday's race proved anything, it's that this season will be closely fought.

Red Bull, Mclaren, Lotus, Mercedes and maybe Ferrari look most likely to take the share of wins this year with Williams, Sauber and Toro Rosso not too far behind. The mid-field all seem to be fairly close as well; I expect Force India to be added to this mix as the season goes on. This could all be set to change in the coming week however; this Sunday's Malaysian Grand Prix will offer a greatly different challenge to the tight Melbourne circuit. Hopefully, we will get an even clearer barometer of the pecking order after the race in Sepang. 

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Voice of Reason #3: Online Gaming Outrage

Infinity Ward's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

With our media landscape being increasingly dominated by social media and the compulsion to share with sites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube growing with each passing week, the gaming industry has also been acknowledging the importance of on-line social content in recent years. 

Multiplayer has gone from being an entertaining and pleasing add-on to being considered a necessity. Labelled as the future of gaming, more and more focus is being given to developing games that offer the best online experience for gamers. Blockbuster games such as the latest instalment in the Call of Duty franchise, Modern Warfare 3 (pictured above) have had such a profound impact upon the way online gaming is orchestrated that millions disregard the traditional singleplayer content of games, the storyline or narrative, and instead measure a games success upon it's online content and experience. But is this the way forward for the industry? A sign of things to come?

It would seem so. Once-profoundly singleplayer experiences such as the Mass Effect, Uncharted and Dead Space series' have felt the need to integrate an online multiplayer mode in order to meet the needs of the market. I can't help but feel however that it will appear to have all been in vain. Just chucking in a deathmatch or capture the flag mode isn't going to topple established multiplayer communities like those found in Call of Duty, Battlefield or Gears Of War. Now this isn't a rant that is badmouthing Call of Duty, it's a complete modern day phenomenon, selling millions upon millions in it's first 24 hours.

Batman: Arkham City

I'm simply saying that developers are giving too much credit to online multiplayer. Is it really necessary for every game on the market? I'd like to think not. Numerous games have hit the shelves in the last 12 months that prove the worth of just a strong, entertaining singleplayer mode. L.A. Noire, Batman: Arkham City (pictured above) and most notably Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim are all intricately crafted and genuinely gripping games that have been hugely successful and critically acclaimed. On the other side, games like Battlefield 3 have shown that when too much precedence is given to online multiplayer, the singleplayer modes will suffer. 

How is it that everyone has become so engrossed with online multiplayer that offline modes have become so seemingly sidelined? Is it that the incessant repetition and maze-like maps are so entertaining that the industry has all but disregarded the future of singleplayer? I can see the social appeals of online gaming; a place to meet and make friends, share in the fun of the game, that, I am okay with.

It's when people forget the brilliance that goes into crafting a encompassing story such as those in solely singleplayer games like Arkham City and Skyrim. In my mind, online multiplayer games simply don't stack up, no matter how many additional map packs or DLC's a developer releases. It's just new mazes for their rats to run.

Here's hoping the multiplayer gaming isn't the only future the industry has; it'll be a very boring one for me if it is.

  

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Top 5: The Simpsons Episodes

No explanation needed, it's The Simpsons.

When a TV show hits has been going as long as The Simpsons has, you know it is something special. As clichéd as it sounds, The Simpsons has been one of the defining shows of the last two decades, completely altering and owning the Zeitgeist and pop culture in the process. When the show's 500th episode, "At Long Last Leave" airs in Australia on Wednesday, the show will have reached a very special landmark. 

So, in order to mark the date, I've been mulling over the show's extensive back-catalogue, stretching all the way back to 1989 and picking what I feel are some of the Simpsons greatest moments. Check it out and let me know what you think...

1) You Only Move Twice (Season 8, Episode 2)

A hilarious homage to classic Sean Connery Bond movies like Goldfiner, Thunderball and You Only Move Twice, this episodes premise, where the Simpsons move to idyllic village Cyprus Creek when Homer is recruited by "evil" corporation Globex is brilliant. Also "Bond villan" Hank Scorpio is simply genius.  "Homer, which is your least favouraite country, Italy or France?" quips Scorpio as he adjusts a giant laser cannon.  "France" retorts Homer. "Heh heh heh nobody ever says Italy."

 Also, who can forget the classic hammock conversation or the poor kids in Bart's remedial class. Entirely biased decision, but You Only Move Twice is my favourite Simpsons episode.

2) And Maggie Makes Three (Season 6, Episode 13)

A very touching and sweet episode, And Maggie Makes Three showed us all that the Simpsons wasn't always about the funny. Don't get me wrong, this episode still has the laugh-out-loud moments but it also manages to be incredibly emotional, as Homer recounts the story of how Maggie was born. 

Having quit his mundane job at the nuclear plant, Homer's life seems to be on the up, now working at the bowling-alley. However, when new baby Maggie is born, Homer has to sacrifice this all to get his old job back so he can support the family. It's a fantastic mix of gags and story-telling.

3) Homer Goes To College (Season 5, Episode 3)

At the other end of the spectrum is this Season 5 cracker; Homer Goes To College. Jammed-full of college stereotypes and hilarious pranks, this episode sees Homer sent back to college in order to pass a nuclear physics class and keep his job at the power plant (and instead spends his time chasing squirrels and then hitting the college dean with his car and putting him in hospital. Yes, really)

This episode didn't spawn just one instantly memorable quotes: it spawned three. Playing with a pigs tail, Homer squeals with delight, "Curly, straight, curly, straight!" and then later on plans to roll said pig "up in a carpet and throw him off a bridge!" Classic stuff which has stayed with me for years. And who can forget Homer singing "I am so smart, I am so smart. S-M-R-T. I mean, S-M-A-R-T"? 

4) Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo (Season 10, Episode 23)

In my mind the best "the Simpsons go abroad" episode, Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo sees the yellow-tinged quartet make the trip to Japan. From getting locked in jail (for wrestling the Japanese Emperor no less) and eating traditional Japanese cuisine at Americatown, the trip goes from bad to worse when the family are forced to appear on a sadistic Japanese game show (The Happy Smile Super Challenge Family Wish Show) to win plane tickets home after going broke. Star Trek legend George Takei guest appears as the show's host.

A host of jokes and references to all things Japanese, from haiku's to Pokemon, shows that nothing is off limits for The Simpsons.

4) King-Size Homer (Season 7, Episode 7)

Another classic episode, King-Size Homer sees Homer undertake the challenge of becoming 300 pounds; just so he can be classified as 'disabled' and be allowed to work from home and get out of doing exercise classes at work.

Sporting a blue and pink muumuu (because he wouldn't want to look like a werido), Homer has to save Springfield from a huge nuclear fallout after he leaves a toy bird in charge of his computer.

And the worst... The Principal and the Pauper (Season 9, Episode 2)

How do you upset millions of fans in the course of just half an hour? Change a well-loved and fleshed-out character's entire back-story that's how. Principal Skinner, a regular appearing character on the show since its inception suddenly got a complete rework in this episode, throwing away something built up over eight years for the sake of one controversial episode.

Claiming that Skinner has been an imposter all this time (really named Armain Tamzarian) whilst the 'real' Principal Skinner (voiced by Martin Sheen) has been locked away in a Vietnamese POW camp, the episode upset a lot of fans and worst of all; the "fake" Skinner stayed on and the plot-line was hardly ever spoken of again. Just plain lazy and insulting. 

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Formula 1 2012 Season Preview #2

Nico Hulkenberg's Force India - Sutton Images

Welcome to Part 2 of my Formula One 2012 Season preview. If you missed it, you can find Part 1 here. Part 2 covers the remaining seven teams; Force India, Sauber, SRT, Williams, Caterham, HRT and Marussia. How have they fared in testing and what can we expect from them this season?

Sahara Force India F1 Team (Paul di Resta/Nico Hulkenberg) 

If pre-season testing is anything to go by, Force India should be in for an interesting season. Their 2011 year was relatively successful, with sixth place finishes in Silverstone and Singapore. Dropping Adrian Sutil in favour of Nico Hulkenberg for 2012, the Indian squad have targeted to be inside the top five teams at the end of the year. This will mean beating a manufacturer team such as Lotus or Mercedes however, and will be no mean feat.

Keeping Scot Paul di Resta was also a no-brainer as the former DTM Champion has talent and maturity beyond his years. He will be a valuable asset to a team that has set themselves high targets for the coming season.

Sauber F1 Team (Kamui Kobayashi/Sergio Perez) 

Sauber have an unchanged driver pairing for 2012, and for good reason. Stability and consistency will serve the team well as they develop and nurture the talent of their two young drivers, Kobayashi and Perez. Their 2012 car may not be the most  pleasing to the eye, but it has been quick and relatively consistent during pre-season testing. Kobayashi and Perez should continue to grow over the course of the year and hopefully extract some impressive finishes.

It will be an especially important season for young Mexican Perez, who is widely tipped to be Felipe Massa's replacement at Ferrari in 2013. 

Scuderia Toro Rosso (Daniel Riccardo/Jean-Eric Vergne)

Surprising a lot of people by ditching both Sebastian Buemi and Jaime Alguesuari in favour of Riccardo and Vergne after 2011, Toro Rosso are in for a season of exploration and development. Riccardo has just 11 races to his name and Vergne is new for this year, meaning that Toro Rosso has the least experienced line-up of anyone on the grid.

Making any predictions about where they are in comparison to teams such as Sauber and Williams is difficult to call given the apparent closeness of the midfield.

Williams F1 Team (Pastor Maldonado/Bruno Senna)

Much like Toro Rosso, Williams also have a relatively inexperienced pair of drivers. Maldonado is starting his second season in F1, whilst Senna will be starting his first full year at a team after brief stints with HRT and Lotus Renault in 2010 and 2011. Williams endured a torrid time last year, scoring only 5 points. If pre-season testing is anything to go by, then Williams should have improved on last year's car. Also, using Renault engines instead of Cosworth will be a benefit.

Not having the experience of Rubens Barrichello will hinder the team technically but it makes sense for the team to turn over a new sheet by nurturing new talent such as Maldonado and Senna. They are by no means secure however, with Finn Valtteri Bottas ready to step into the race-seat if they fail to perform. 

Caterham F1 Team (Heikki Kovalainen/Vitaly Petrov)

Caterham appear to have built a car fully capable of beginning to challenge the more established teams such as Williams and Toro Rosso. Kovalainen and Petrov are a solid line-up and will hopefully begin to score the odd point or two by the middle of the year. Anything less this year for Caterham will be a disappointment. 

HRT F1 Team (Pedro de la Rosa/Narain Karthikeyan)

HRT have yet to take part in pre-season testing and this doesn't bode so well for the year ahead. Failing two crash tests has set them back quite a way and it will be frustrating for de la Rosa and Karthikeyan to have lost the chance to test the car before Melbourne. De la Rosa was a surprise choice but a logical one. He has years of experience at teams such as Arrows, Jaguar, McLaren and Sauber and this will serve the team well.

Marussia F1 Team (Timo Glock/Charles Pic)

Marussia have also missed their chance at testing in Barcelona and will arrive in Melbourne with little to no knowledge of how their car will perform. Now in his third year for the team, Timo Glock has talent going to waste and it must be frustrating for a driver of his experience and talent. Second driver, Charles Pic, fills Jerome D'Ambrosio's vacated seat. 

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Formula 1 2012 Season Preview #1

Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel - Sutton Images

The start of the Formula 1 season is only a few weeks away, with the first race taking place in Australia on March 18th. All of the teams have been working day in day out at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona to prepare their cars and drivers for the first race in just two weeks time.

So who can we expect to be competitive when the racing starts in Melbourne? Which teams or drivers have the upper-hand? Who looks in to be in the best shape? Let's start by outlining last year's top five outfits, Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes and Lotus. I'll be covering the rest of the teams in a subsequent blog post in the next few days. 

Red Bull Racing (Sebastian Vettel/Mark Webber)

Once again highly expected to be the team to beat this season, Red Bull Racing have retained their highly successful driver pairing of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber. The two drivers have been team-mates since 2009. Vettel, who won 12 races last season and is chasing his third straight driver's title, will also be the man to beat. The young German was near faultless in 2011 and as a result has never been held in higher regard by this peers. 

Webber on the other hand, suffered a surprisingly mediocre 2011 season, only picking up one win, at the final race in Brazil. He may have finished third in the standings (higher than ex-champions Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton) but he was well and truly shown up by his team-mate.

The good news for Red Bull is that they have come away from pre-season testing looking to the best. Whilst the margin to teams like Mclaren isn't as wide as 2011, the Adrian Newey-designed RB8 looks to be both quick and reliable. A few hiccups on the final days were frustrating for Vettel but that aside, Red Bull look competitive. Can the Austrian outfit take they're third straight drivers and constructors championships in 2011?

Mclaren-Mercedes (Jenson Button/Lewis Hamilton)

This time last season, the Woking based squad were in big trouble. Some appalling pre-season testing had seen their car languish at the bottom of the time sheets and plagued with reliability issues. The team managed to turn their fortunes around in time for the first race in Melbourne, but 2011 saw them forever playing catch-up to Red Bull. They racked up six wins last year, three apiece for Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button but were rarely a match for Red Bull. They have retained both drivers for this season, in what is probably the strongest line-up on the grid. 

Jenson Button drove a fantastic campaign last season, even better than when he won the world championship in 2009. He finished runner-up to Vettel and impressed many with his cool, calm and collected drives in Canada, Hungary, Italy and Japan.

On the flipside, 2008 World Champion Lewis Hamilton endured an incident-packed year in 2011. It was a roller-coaster season for the Briton; moments of brilliance in China and Germany were put in the shade by controversial moments in Monaco, Hungary, Belgium, Singapore and India. Hamilton has professed that he can put 2011 behind him and rediscover his electric form in 2012; he is still widely considered to be the fastest on the grid, he now just has to show it.

Mclaren have now just claimed one title since 1999, Hamilton's championship win in 2008. Expectations are high so anything other than titles this year will be a disappointment.

Scuderia Ferrari (Fernando Alonso/Felipe Massa)

Ferrari were hopeful they could continue their relatively positive 2010 season into championship glory in 2011; they were however, well off the pace and only took one win all season, at the rain-hit British Grand Prix.

It was a disappointing year for Ferrari. Their car was outshone by Red Bull and Mclaren and their drivers suffered because of it. Alonso may have put in impressive performances in Britain, Germany and Italy but another title-less year for the Spaniard must be frustrating. Felipe Massa struggled in 2011, an ongoing feud with Lewis Hamilton overshadowing the year. 2012 is make or break for Massa. There is every chance the team will drop him in favour of someone like Sergio Perez in 2013 if he disappoints again this year.

Pre-season testing has not gone spectacularly well for Ferrari. Their new car, the F2012, is unpredictable and they have not the progress other teams like Red Bull, Mclaren and Lotus have. I can't see Ferrari troubling the top-step of the podium at the start of the year, possibly all year, unless rapid development is made soon.

Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team (Nico Rosberg/Michael Schumacher)

Fourth for the second year in a row in 2011, Mercedes had a troubling 2011 season. Failing to make it onto the podium all year, Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher have got to move forward this year.

Lead by Ross Brawn, the German outfit need to start consistently challenging for the podium and then race wins in order to move up the order. Rosberg has been unlucky not to clinch that first win since joining Mercedes (think Korea 2010) whilst Schumacher has begun to discover the form he is well known for. 

This is a close one to call, but I'm going to say Rosberg will have the edge over his team-mate again in 2012.  Schumacher, at 43 years old, is simply the wrong side of 40 to still be competitive in Formula 1. The new car looks like an improvement on last year's and will hopefully progress as the season goes on. Keep your eyes peeled for Mercedes. 

Lotus F1 Team (Kimi Raikkonen/Romain Grosjean)

Lotus have replaced both of their drivers for the 2012 season; 2007 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen replaces Vitaly Petrov (who is off to Caterham) and Romain Grosjean replaces Bruno Senna (off to Williams). Pre-season testing has been promising for Lotus and they look very competitive in time for Melbourne. They have topped the time-sheets on multiple occasions and they seem revitalised and energised with Raikkonen at the wheel. 

Kimi Raikkonen is the big-name driver the team has sought since losing Robert Kubica to injury in 2011. He is undoubtedly quick and supposedly has the motivation to perform. He will hopefully thrive at Lotus in 2012. Romian Grosjean is an interesting decision for second driver given the other free drivers the team could of snapped up (Jamie Alguesuari, Adrian Sutil, Bruno Senna). He won last year GP2 series and has been quick so far in testing. There is no doubt in my mind however, that if he fails to perform the team won't hesitate to drop him at the end of the year. 

Check back in soon for my summary of the rest of the teams! 

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Verdict: Sherlock - The Reichenbach Fall

"I may be on the side of angels, but don't for one second think I am one of them"

This review contains spoilers

Completing a trilogy of ninety-minute episodes, The Reichenbach Fall began with a ominous flash-forward to an emotional Watson (Martin Freeman) recovering with the fallout of past events. Before rewinding to three months previous, he manages to choke out the words "My friend, Sherlock Holmes, is dead".

This scene pretty much sets the scene for what is to come; a gripping and emotional-laden mystery punctuated with some genuinely shocking twists and tear-jerking moments. Based upon Conan Doyle's book "The Final Problem", this season finale sees Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch), squaring up against his nemesis Jim Moriarty (Andrew Scott) for the second time.

Initially introduced in the final episode of last season, the intense rivalry between the two has now already been establised and this allows for writers Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat to launch straight into proceedings. In the opening half an hour, Moriarty launches a series of high-profile robberies the include the Tower of London and the Bank of England. I felt this first part took a while to get going, but once Moriarty's 'final problem' begins to unfold, it really kicks up a gear or six. 

The way in which those around Sherlock (such as Inspector LeStrade) are turned against him and made to doubt him is done brilliantly, in such a way that even the audience begins to question the Detective. Is he solving these crimes or orchestrating them? As always, there are enough red-herrings to keep the audience guessing and participate in, but never enough to give it away or ruin the surprise.Whilst those familar with Conan Doyle folklore will be more astute to the cliffhanger than other's, the ending is still genuinely gripping stuff. Both brutal and touching, the episode's final ten minutes are brilliantly acted by both Cumberbatch and Freeman. It's a genuinely tear-jerking moment and in my experience that's a rare thing for television shows to achieve.

Andrew Scott also is seriously affecting as Moriarty, as he seemingly channels Heath Ledger's Joker and becomes the man "who just wants to watch the world burn". The way in which Moriarty brings about Sherlock's fall from grace through the tabloids is not just cleverly executed but also appropriate given the current spotlight on the British newspapers and media in the Leveson inquiry. In addition to this, the final third of the episode where Sherlock and Moriarty try to out manoeuvre one another through lies and deceit is brilliantly written. And then just when you think Sherlock has the upper-hand on his nemesis comes that cliffhanger...

Overall, this second season of Sherlock certainty didn't disappoint and has really set the bar even higher. It's now up to the duo of Gatiss and Moffat to better it for the already confirmed third series (most likely to arrive next year, with the Cumberbatch and Freeman off appearing in major Hollywood films such as The Hobbit and Star Trek affecting shoot schedules). The wait and withdrawal symptoms won't bother me however. I'm sure it'll be worth it!

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