sherlock holmes – Houghton STAR

Sherlock Series Three Disappoints

After a two-year hiatus, Sherlock returned to television at the beginning of this year to the jubilant delight of thousands of fans around the world. For those unaware, Sherlock is a retelling of the classic stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in a contemporary setting. It provided the stage on which Benedict Cumberbatch, playing the titular character, burst into international acclaim, and it has not done poorly for the reputation of Martin Freeman in the role of deuteragonist John Watson, either. Written by Stephen Moffat (of Doctor Who) and Mark Gatiss, the show has thus far displayed a great ability to adapt Doyle’s original stories to a modern setting.

The third season had a tall order to meet. The dazzling success of the first two ended in the heights of mystery, as fans everywhere were left wondering how Sherlock had survived his apparent death while deceiving even Watson. We all loved that ending, and looked forward to learning the explanation, as well as witnessing Sherlock’s return to his beloved London.

Any writers would have been challenged to deliver on fans’ expectations, and unfortunately, Moffat and Gatiss didn’t quite manage it. Compared to the prior two seasons, the third one has thus far been a relatively unremarkable example of television. Catering to the curiosity of the fans, Gatiss spent the majority of the first episode, The Empty Hearse, focusing on Watson’s reaction to Sherlock’s return. As one of those curious fans, I was absolutely delighted by the emotion and concurrent humour involved with said reaction, but given the brevity of the episode, it was surely a mismanagement of time. It would have been business-as-usual in a show which featured seasons of normal length, but Sherlock only has three episodes per season, and I felt as though this writing decision cost them. Because the episode focused so much on Sherlock’s return, the drama of the actual case—in which Sherlock is to prevent a terrorist bombing of parliament à la Guy Fawkes—is hurried and unfinished. We never learned enough about the antagonist to actual fear that he might succeed, and by the end of the episode he still felt like an empty threat. Consequently, the resolution rang hollow as well.

The second episode,The Sign of Three, was slightly reminiscent of The Reichenbach Fall (the 2nd series finale) in its coverage of multiple cases which Sherlock hadn’t been able to solve. While it only seemed right that the writers should deliver handsomely on the wedding of John Watson, this episode again felt unfulfilling. The majority of it was retrospective, delivered in the form of history’s most awkward wedding speech, and it felt quite taxing by the time Sherlock wound to a close. Despite the fact that they tied all of the cases together at the ending and Sherlock was able to prevent a death during the reception itself, the entire episode still seemed as though Moffat and Gatiss had drawn inspiration from Michael Scott of The Office. While entertaining, it seemed out of place in Sherlock. Overall, the second episode was very disappointing. Most of the episode meandered without a clear antagonist to anchor it, and when he did show up it was without much hubbub or recognition. He was less engaging than a monster from Scooby-Doo, and the episode suffered for it. In most shows, I would call this a “filler” episode, making it a real shame that they wasted both the Wedding of John Watson and Sherlock’s first Best-Man speech on it.

Between the meandering and unfocused script of the second episode, and a first episode which, with its spectacled man and ominous music at the end, might well have been written to fulfill a checklist of “How to Introduce a Scary Villain,” the season has been much less enjoyable than the preceding two, and has felt much less engaging. That is not to say that it is a selection of terrible episodes, because it really still is far superior to most other contemporary television shows. Rather, in the third season, Gatiss and Moffat failed to meet the high bar which they themselves raised impossibly high in their first two seasons. They put in a very good effort, though, and so I recommend that everyone who has not yet seen the season put the popcorn on and watch it ASAP—so long as you don’t hold it to the same standards as you might the first two seasons.

Although the Willard J. Houghton Library may be a familiar place for most students, often the reference desk goes unnoticed even though it is adjacent to the computers by the entrance.

While the reference desk is barren, this absence of clutter is in direct contrast to the immense knowledge which each librarian can access. In addition to being reference librarians, David Stevick oversees the library, Glen Avery works with Houghton’s instructional technology such as Moodle, Brad Wilber heads up reference as a whole, and Betty Bunt specializes in cataloguing. Yes, they are quite busy, but each puts student needs first when at the reference desk.

When you attempt to do research on the Internet, “the whole realm of knowledge may confront you,” Stevick said. Therefore, it is necessary to “separate the chaff” of information, finding the best resources one can. Avery said when he is searching for information a student needs, “I become Sherlock Holmes and try to find resources the student can use for that paper.” Indeed, Wilber said one quality he would like to instill in students is persistence in finding resources. “Seek quality,” Avery said, “no matter what you do and in the resources you seek. Never give that up. Never say, ‘This is good enough.’”

Reference Librarian

In order to aid students in finding materials, Wilber said reference librarians accept requests in person, by email, and even by text message. “If there are new ways of reference,” Wilber said, the library “jumps on board.” He also mentioned that librarians will follow up by email with students who initially come into the library for help, establishing a relationship where Wilber said “we get to see the same student through the process” to see how he or she is doing with the project or paper. In addition to searching for information, the reference librarians provide students with skills such as narrowing the focus of one’s paper. Avery said he helps his clients hone in on their topic. Whereas one might say one would like to work on the topic of war, Avery said his job is “to find materials a student is passionate about,” bringing the topic down to a more manageable one on the Japanese internment during World War II, to name one possibility.

In selecting an area to study, Avery said one might find a “void, what’s not been written”; while one may need to modify one’s topic, Avery said he hopes to encourage students to fill that void. However, not all voids can be filled. Wilber mentioned that, at a previous reference position, he received several requests he couldn’t fulfill, much to the disappointment of someone looking for a photograph of Julius Caesar and another trying to locate a sound-recording of dinosaurs.

As part of being a reference librarian, Stevick said one must have an M.A. in Library Science. In his own case, Stevick noted that he was a Humanities major when he attended Houghton in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. This has especially prepared him for his work since he received a broad introduction into many subjects; therefore, “things ring a bell quickly,” he said, allowing him to direct students to appropriate topics and databases. Gesturing to a number of photos taken around the world including Machu Picchu and notable European landmarks, Avery said “travelling extensively and experiencing life in its various aspects” has made him a better librarian.

There are so many “subjects, questions and people to meet,” Wilber said, talking about how he enjoys being “exposed to all of the disciplines the college is teaching.” And yet, the reference librarians love working with students just as much: Avery said that “when a student comes a sits down beside me, that makes my day.” Students do not recognize “how eager we are to be of service,” Wilber said. Many times students will wander over to the desk and say “’I’m sorry to bother you,’” Wilber said. “No! That’s what we want to do and like to do.”