There’s a shocking number of people who still haven’t managed to see, or even hear about, BBC’s Sherlock. Now that the series has come to it’s end (for now), it’s time to reflect on it’s good and great moments throughout the years. Hopefully, we’ll get a chance to get some people to check out the absolutely stunning series. Let’s get started.

Note: The original list had 11 and 10 swapped, but upon reviewing the Six Thatchers, I realized that episode was actually quite a bit worse than I previously thought.

Also, a shout out to the 3 YEARS between season 3 and 4. Thanks a lot BBC.

13. The Abominable Bride (Special)

While Sherlock’s “worst” moments are still highly enjoyable, the special had to come in last. It was refreshing, which helped with the huge break between seasons 3 and 4, but it took the show out of it’s established time period. A massive part of the appeal of the modern Sherlock show is, well, the modern part.

The abominable bride still had some fascinating moments, certainly Moriarty’s return being one, but it simply does not match up to its competition.

Another lowlight for me was the finale. That, coupled with the constant warping between time periods, and that the entire episode was a drugged up dream concocted by Sherlock made it feel almost like a waste.

12. The Blind Banker (S1:E2)

The position of this episode may fall in part to the fact that it followed up one of the shows best moments with “A Study in Pink”, (spoiler alert, you won’t see that one on the list for a while) but it committed one of the cardinal sins of television – being forgettable.

Following my first experience with Sherlock I was ecstatic to continue and see what adventures and mysteries were in store, only to be slightly let down by the second episode of the first season. It wasn’t bad by any means – none of Sherlock is – but it was just not as spectacular. I honestly can’t remember all that much about it, which is why it places so low on the list.

11. The Six Thatchers (S4:E1)

Following a three year hiatus, fans were desperate to see the continuation of the series, and unfortunately it was somewhat disappointing. Again, to reiterate, it is by no means a bad piece of television, it just is not remotely up to the standard of the remaining episodes. I will say, for me personally, this is the last episode on this list where I felt disappointed. The remaining 9 picks are all close in vying for the top spot.

Mary’s death at the end didn’t feel earned or particularly impactful, especially because it was Sherlock’s own arrogance that was partially responsible. Additionally, John’s “infidelity” was simply a distraction from what made the show fun to watch – the mysteries.

10. Hounds of Baskerville (S2:E2)

It’s a shame that one of Sherlock Holmes most iconic cases was somewhat underwhelming. Most of this comes down to the predictability of the case – something that wasn’t as fun to decode.

What I mean by that is, in many of the Sherlock episodes, viewers spend a long time trying to piece together the mystery. And then, when it finally clicks, if it does, it is a cathartic experience. A perfect example, is again, back to the first episode of the show. The discovery that it was a taxi driver made perfect sense, and could logically happen. The pieces of the mystery were all available to the viewer.

Some sort of gassed drug was my first guess concerning the Hounds of Baskerville, right after the episode started, and it wasn’t particularly enjoyable to find out that I was right.

Now, let’s move on to where the show really took off for me.

9. The Final Problem (S4:E3)

Although many didn’t particularly love this episode, and I understand why, it felt like a thrilling journey that concluded the series effectively. Although there were some weaker moments, like the unnecessary call to Molly to add artificial drama to a show that already had plenty, it was overall an exciting journey.

Some found the darkness and “Saw”-like nature of the episode to not particularly fit in with the rest of the series, but when you consider the preceding episode, it is not too far off. The previous episode had similarly dark moments, albeit slightly less morbid, but the series was undoubtedly supposed to be leading up to this climax.

It is perfectly reasonable to dislike this episode, but it worked for me. Perhaps that’s partially due to my affinity for horror movies, which it clearly took inspiration from.

Additionally, it is also worth noting the parallels with batman in this episode. This is an understandable critique, though Batman was largely inspired by Sherlock Holmes in the first place, so borrowing back and forth would likely occur inherently due to the overlaps of the characters.

8. The Empty Hearse (S3:E1)

This is where Sherlock’s humor began to take a front seat for a large part of the episodes, and I’d be lying if said it didn’t work wonders for me. Seeing Benedict Cumberbatch dress up as a waiter and attempt his best french accent was a sight I didn’t think I needed to see, but was quickly assured that I did.

There’s honestly not much to say about this episode. Overall, it’s a middle of the pack episode with a moderately interesting mystery, and Sherlock being Sherlock.

I will say, after the novelty of the joke Sherlock is playing on John at the end faded, it did somewhat rub me the wrong way. Sherlock seemed to be unnecessarily cruel there, where he normally is unfeeling. He typically does not actively seek to upset those around him for fun.

7. His Last Vow (S3:E3)

One of the worst decisions in the history of television was killing off the character of Moriarty so early in the series. Because of this, most villains fell somewhat flat in comparison. One of the few exceptions to this was Magnussen, who genuinely felt like a worthy adversary for our hero. He was nearly an intellectual equal, and felt cool and calculated, in contrast to the psychotic nature of Moriarty.

What was most effective about him was that he was the antithesis of the caricature Bond-esque villain with a cat in his lap that he pets with purposely evil strokes. He is simply a businessman with power as his goal. He isn’t maniacal, he isn’t intentionally malicious. His motivations are clear, and it makes for an engaging battle between two minds.

6. The Great Game (S1:E3)

The first episode that made Sherlock feel like a large scale epic rather than just about Sherlock and his adventures is the one that brought Moriarty to the forefront. I’m sure it’s not a shock to many of you that most of the episodes near the top of the list feature Moriarty as a focal point.

Andrew Scott as Moriarty and Benedict Cumberbatch may be two of the best casting choices in television. Both of them together create some of the most engaging and intriguing moments between a “hero” and “villain” ever put to the small screen. It isn’t just a battle between good and evil, but between two geniuses. This only works with superb dialogue to convince the audience of their intelligence, which it certainly does in this episode. Future Sherlock episodes actually used this episode as a blueprint of how to create an engaging episode, and it’s self-evident why.

It would’ve been so easy for the Moriarty character to devolve into a cringe-inducing nightmare for the series, because any character that is as over the top as the picture above can go wrong. Luckily, the creators struck gold with the casting, direction, and writing.

5. A Study in Pink (S1:E1)

A near flawless introduction to the series, a study in pink manages to do everything it needed to and more. I remember being introduced to the series, and being skeptical. Past adaptations of Sherlock Holmes hadn’t gone particularly well, and with it being in modern times I expected it to lose the charm of the original story. I was instantly proven wrong, with one of the best pilot episodes in television.

Intimate conflict is personally much more engaging, and after constant bombardment of world-ending scenarios from modern-day comic book adaptations, the one on one battle between the taxi driver and Sherlock was a breath of fresh air. I was on the edge of my seat from about halfway through the episode to the very end.

This episode was also the first to introduce the iconic editing and directing from the series. The slick utilization of text and direction together to bring us along through Sherlock’s mental processes gave us insight beyond what was initially possible in Sherlock adaptations.

It also gave ample backstory to the meetup between John Watson and Sherlock without dragging its feet. It managed to get to the action relatively quickly, while not feeling rushed. I can’t think of a way that this episode could have been a better kickoff to the series, and it still only reaches number 5. That should tell you all you need to know about the remaining 4 episodes.

4. A Scandal in Belgravia (S2:E1)

A fan favorite, this episode took the editing and direction mentioned in the previous entry and took it to the next level. The scene shown above depicts a marvelous journey into the mind of the detective, where he brings his…well…his love interest along with him. I know that isn’t exactly how the relationship works, but I only have a couple hundred words to communicate here. I’m sure you all know what I mean.

Anyways, he brings Irene Adler along through his mental imagery of the crime scene mentioned earlier in the episode. It is visually spectacular and builds upon both of the characters marvelously.

Additionally, “the woman” as she is referred to as in the show, created such a large buzz that fans begged for her return as far down the line as season 4. It is rare that a character has that large of an impact on an audience.

Finally, the conclusion of this episode was one of the most epic finales of all of the episodes, and it all happens while the characters are sitting on couches. They simply are talking, but the power struggle between Sherlock and Irene is tangible. When the answer to the locked phone ended up being “I am Sherlocked” I was so taken aback that I actually used that as a username for a decent amount of time online.

3. The Lying Detective (S4:E2)

After the somewhat disappointing premier of season 4, I wasn’t too excited for the future of the show. I had seen interviews where the creators mentioned it was going to be different, and darker, and while I had liked that in concept, it didn’t feel like it was going to pan out effectively. I’m glad to say I was horribly wrong, at least concerning this episode.

This is one of the absolute pinnacles of the entire series. The villain is the second best behind Moriarty, though, obviously nobody would be able to top him. He is cunning, gross, and intriguing.

This, compiled with the fact that this episode probably has the best visual storytelling of the entire show makes it a standout. Check out this video to see more on the detail put into mere minutes of filming.

And, if that wasn’t enough, this has my personal favorite twist in any Sherlock episode. It was right in front of us the entire time, yet I would wager that none of us noticed. A flawless episode, and one I will gladly return to regularly.

2. The Sign of Three (S3:E2)

This may come as a shock, but the scene shown above is actually my favorite moment in the entire Sherlock series. It is emblematic of everything the Sherlock character is. He spent the entire day being the center of attention – giving the best man speech, then adapting to crime solving mode. He saved lives, solved crimes, and even was a good friend to John and Mary.

However, even with all of that said, what does he have to show for it? He knows he doesn’t fit in at the party. He can’t genuinely celebrate the marriage with the rest of the characters because he is internally dreading the loss of his friend. He is earnestly happy for John and his future, but no matter how much Sherlock tries to fit in, he will always be a loner.

Additionally, the way the scene is shot, with the music fading into the background – the purple lit windows contrasting with his black silhouette – it is all I could have ever wanted in a Sherlock episode.

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The reality is that the episodes don’t have to be grand, or large scale, as we’ve mentioned previously. They simply have to be unique and show Sherlock for who he is, and I can’t think of a episode that does this better.

On top of all of this, it is likely the funniest episode, and the most uniquely designed. There isn’t another episode in the series that is structured remotely similarly, with most of the episode taking place at John’s wedding.

That doesn’t mean it lacks mystery however, quite the contrary. It goes into a slew of cases while Sherlock is giving his speech, all of which are enthralling from start to finish. Truly, this is my personal favorite episode, and if it weren’t for the overwhelming fan support for one other episode, it would be my number 1.

1. The Reichenbach Fall (S2:E3)

The reichenbach fall is the climax of the entire series, and a fan favorite. Is there much else I could say?

Yeah, the ending is fantastic, the editing is superb, and the acting is irrefutably phenomenal. There isn’t much to say about this one that hasn’t been said before. The show is elevated to it’s most dire state imaginable, with Sherlock appearing to end his own life, along with Moriarty. The only part of this episode that remotely left a bad taste in my mouth was viewing future Sherlock episodes and realizing that Moriarty’s death was final. It was so shocking and brutal when it first appeared, but I assumed there was a trick hidden somewhere. Unfortunately, there wasn’t.

It made for a great episode, but it may have detracted from future ones. That doesn’t take away from the masterpiece that this episode is, however.

Well, hope you all liked my list. What do you guys think? Let me know below!