This review contains spoilers , click expand to view . Season 2 of Sherlock picks up right where it left off. Moriarty and Sherlock have each other at gunpoint when, all of a sudden, 'Staying Alive' starts playing?? It's Moriarty's phone, and it turns out he has to go. Uh...



While this isn't exactly the follow-up I was hoping from The Great Game, I have to admit that it was one laugh-out-loud moment. It's smart humour too; can you imagine Andrew Scott's Moriarty having a different ringtone? I do hope that phone call comes back into play, since it seemed nothing but an easy and comedic way out, but given Morality's fate this Season, things are looking bleak.



After a slightly disappointing opening, A Scandal in Belgravia, does a great job as an individual arc. I say individual arc but I really hope Lara Pulver's character, Irene Adler returns. As a skilled dominatrix, she uses her sexual powers to get into Sherlock's head. After Irene's - um - interesting first impression, they ensue in physiological warfare that comes dangerously close to flirtation (although Sherlock would never admit it).



If Sherlock could care about any woman, it'd be Irene. She's a clever character, and although she used her wits initially to attack Sherlock, she was ultimately a tool in Moriarty's game. Sherlock obviously grew quite fond of her, saving he life by the episode's end. And this from a high-functioning sociopath.



One thing that DID bug me about this episode was a sexist/homophobic undertone. Irene is supposedly a lesbian but she falls head-over-heels in love with Sherlock. Seriously? I do think this relationship has legs and hope Irene returns in the future but I'm hugely confused by Steven Moffat's decision to make her a lesbian. Or maybe I shouldn't be surprised since Moffat's reportedly quite the misogynist.



The Hounds of Bakersville is a weaker entry, in my opinion. It's at least marginally better than Season 1's The Blind Banker but like that episode, it feels stretched too thin over its 90 minute runtime. Not a whole lot to talk about here, just good old Sherlock and Watson case busting.



If you think think this is starting to sound like a Sherlock bashing session, then fear not: The Reichenbach fall is one of those TV episodes that make you want to just stand up and applaud once you're through. The intensity is dialled up a notch as Moriarty seeks to absolutely destroy Sherlock's life.



Moriarty, realizing Sherlock's friends are easier target, sets up elaborate traps for Sherlock to walk through, continually eating away at his stellar reputation. Moriarty lies without flinching, convincing people he was nothing more than an actor that Sherlock hired because he was bored, and that he has a code that can give a man all the power in the world. Almost getting himself imprisoned was just part of his plan to ruin Sherlock too. Moriarty wasn't pulling any punches.



Moriarty does his best but Sherlock ends up victorious in the end, somehow staging his own suicide, while Moriarty actually did the same. how exactly Sherlock survived the fall is unclear and was a major talking point during the show's hiatus.



And I haven't even talked about Watson. Things were complicated between him and Sherlock but Freeman's last few scenes were very emotionally touching. Sherlock may have been arrogant but he was Watson's friend.



Sherlock Season 2 is everything Season 1 promised to be. With season 3 airing soon in America, let's hope that another two years don't go by without this excellent series. … Expand