Sherlock Episodes Ranked

[shadowfireflame]

I like this Digital Spy article ranking the Sherlock episodes from the author's least favorite to favorite. While I slightly disagree with her rankings of the middle episodes, her explanations are right on for what worked and what didn't in each one.

Recognizing that all the episodes have some fantastic moments and that ranking them is ultimately futile (as I feel that each builds on the previous), it's still pretty fun. Here's my list and, briefly, what I loved and didn't:

• #9: "The Blind Banker" (episode #2, written by Steve Thompson)—I liked the relationship parts, but the China element just does not work.


• #8: "The Hounds of Baskerville" (episode #5, written by Mark Gatiss)—I still am not sure how to successfully do a modern adaptation of a giant dog with fluorescent paint on it. But I loved the idea of Sherlock, John, and Lestrade taking a little vacation on the moor!


• #7: "The Great Game" (episode #3, written by Mark Gatiss)—too much frenetic running around. Improves drastically with Moriarty's entrance, though.


• #6: "His Last Vow" (episode #9, written by Steven Moffat)—Magnussen is fantastic, but damn, this was unnecessarily complicated. I hope our questions about Mary will eventually be answered!


• #5: "A Scandal in Belgravia" (episode #4, written by Steven Moffat)—I adore the character moments, but something about the solution still doesn't quite sit right.


• #4: "The Empty Hearse" (episode #7, written by Mark Gatiss)—hysterical, unexpected, and so rewatchable. Made me love Mary so much. I still don't like the tube carriage scene, though.


• #3: "The Sign of Three" (episode #8, written by all three writers)—I think this episode may actually be perfect. And two words: stag night.


• #2: "A Study in Pink" (episode #1, written by Steven Moffat)—Could there be a better way to introduce a character than looking up at him, upside down, from the inside of a body bag? This episode sold me forever on this show and everyone involved with it.


• #1: "The Reichenbach Fall" (episode #6, written by Steve Thompson)—this brilliant, twisty episode riveted me instantly and then kept me speculating over hundreds of re-watches for two years, guys. Watching Sherlock deal with the noose slowly tightening around his neck as everything he has worked for crumbles is so heartbreaking.

How would you rank them? :)

Comments

[andrea-deer.livejournal.com]

That is interesting! :D But my ranking would be different, I think. Though in my case I'd have to more warn that I complain about something in all of those episodes XD But let me try! :D

#9 Blind Banker - I loved Dimmocks and Sarah, but the case/plot part of the episode was just bad and boring.

#8 A Scandal in Belgravia - I like the beginning, but then it went bad in my opinion. I still hate what they've done with Irene's character, her motivations and most of all the final confrontation, no, thank you.

#7 The Hounds of Baskerville - too boring, too filled with conspiracy theories. I liked Lestrade and Mycroft on this, so there is that.

#6 The Sign of Three - Points for Mary, showing us that Sally still exists, and of course - Janine. Minus points for making the case secondary plot to relationship plot, wasting Lestrade's character once again, once again telling the story jumping from one point to another, I'm in general not fond of editing in season 3. Oh, but very shallow bonus points for Mycroft training.

#5 The Empty Hearse - I was going to make it number six to be honest. I don't like telling story all over the place without actually saying anything. I don't like the waste of Sebastian Moran's character. The whole bomb idea with a switch off and the whole scene no, just no. Points for awesome Mary, Molly, Lestrade and Mycroft. The reason for moving this episode higher in ranking and probably the only reason I was excited for this season: Anderson.

#4 His Last Vow - Too complicated. Story told all over the place. Magnussen in the end being painfully easy to win over. Everyone suddenly developing morals, when it's Sherlock behind the trigger and not John. (Or Mycroft.) You know I'm not sure why this episode is so high up. Okay, good points: MARY. Anderson & Molly. Mycroft & Lestrade (worth all the points). Jim. I don'te care how fake it is, I was talking every 5 minutes through this episode that I miss Moriarty and he suddenly asks if I did miss him, it was beautiful.

#3 The Reichenbach Fall - Moriarty is brilliant in this one. Also Sally. Molly. Lestrade. And Mycroft once you know what the heck he he is doing. Main minus: Not comparable to the cliff-hanger of the previous episode.

#2 The Great Game - Moriarty. Flirting with Sherlock and being a crazy ass psycho. Molly. Cliff hanger to end all cliff hangers.

#1 Study In Pink - Mycroft, Anthea, Lestrade. John and Sherlock just meeting. I always have a sentiment for first episodes and I'm willing to forgive them more, that probably plays in here as well, but yeah. Also the cabbie, Jefferson Hope, I actually liked him and felt bad for him.

(I can't keep my complains short, sorry xD)

[shadowfireflame.livejournal.com]

Ooh, thanks for sharing your ranking. It's hard, isn't it, because every episode has at least one crowning moment of awesome.

I'm convinced that we haven't seen the last of Sebastian Moran (there's also that theory that Mary has basically taken over his role as a sniper for Moriarty, which would be fascinating).

Also, did you feel a kind of Molly/Lestrade vibe from "The Sign of Three"? They were sitting pretty close together, weren't they? I admit it, I like Mycroft/Lestrade but am also starting to ship the Molly/Lestrade. :)

[andrea-deer.livejournal.com]

For some reason I can't stand Lestrade/Molly! And it's not that there's anything specific about it that puts me off immadiately, no, it didn't work on me, but I was intrigued by it's growing popularity, so I checked a few fics. I admit the fics were good, but I still couldn't see the ship. *shrugs*

Of course I'm not being like "bad ship, go away", because that's just silly in general. And in this case especially so as I'm mostly "I can see why would people enjoy that, but I simply cannot". I'm not sure how I would feel about it becoming more canon though. I admit part of it is my helpless undying hope for mystrade (I KNOW), but in general it would have this feel of "oh, we have those two left and people like them, we should pair them up". At least for me, of course.

I admit that after thinking about it, in simplest terms, he seems too old for her. I don't care so much for the age of it, but he has this mature, old, bitter cop air about him. And while I believe he is still great fun and I love him dearly, he just doesn't work for me with Molly who enjoys her child-like joys, even if I don't consider her immature at all.

Personally, when it comes to known in canon possible partners for Molly, I would be over joyed if Dimmock came back. (And not only because hoping for Sally would be too hopeless. ;))

[shadowfireflame.livejournal.com]

Ah, fair enough. I'd like to see Dimmock return as well!

I think maybe the writers were surprised by how beloved and popular Molly was, but I've really liked how she's grown as a character throughout the series. And I like that Christmas party scene in "Belgravia" when she takes off her coat and Lestrade is like, "Whoa!" Hee! Regardless, maybe they will just stay friends. I will be happy either way! :)

[drinkingcocoa.livejournal.com]

Ooh, fun.

9. TBB is the worst for me not because of the racism or the damsel in distress sexism, but for the cringeworthy dialogue. JOHN: "Why did they die, Sherlock?" SHERLOCK: "Only the cipher can tell us." Argh! Someone should have edited those lines out!

8. TEH. I don't want to rate it so low. AA's sparkling Mary enchants me. Looking at this list, I think I don't really rank these 1-9. It's more that TBB is in one category, "everything Steven Moffat writes" is in another category, and everything else is in the category of "I love it almost as much."

7. TRF. More cringeworthy dialogue. "Burnt to a crisp." No, seriously? Is nobody line-editing this dialogue??? I love Steve Thompson, I really truly love him, but somebody please! *cries*

6. TGG. So much Lestradey goodness.

5. TSoT. Ouch, the Johnlockary scene saving Major Sholto. I cried out of love.

4. HoB. My OT3 is John/Sherlock/Lestrade, and this is it. I love the color palette of the episode. I love beautiful Dr. Mortimer. I love the matter-of-fact queerness.

3. HLV. That whole scene in the empty house. Gasp-worthy. Every time.

2. ASiP. Delicious and instantly addictive. The reason why almost all of us are in this fandom.

1. ASiB. Perfection. Wrings my heart over and over. It hurts. Oh, that music. The loneliness and the love, all the love stories in so many different ways.

[shadowfireflame.livejournal.com]

I think "I cried out of love" is basically my overarching reaction to everything Sherlock. :)

It's so hard to rank them in any way because it's not really the episodes I love so much as the characters and relationships. I love everybody. (And the delicious John/Sherlock/Lestrade!!)

Thanks for sharing your list! :)

[daasgrrl.livejournal.com]

Your attention to dialogue is hilarious and awesome. That looks so terrible on the page, but I have to say the actors always sold it so well I've never noticed! Going to have to agree with you on Moffatt, too.

[drinkingcocoa.livejournal.com]

Generally, yes. But if you watch that passage from TBB that I mentioned, it's SOOO cheesy, MF and BC must have just committed themselves wholesale to filming something B-grade and cheesy. As for the gingerbread line, I don't know how BC convinced himself that Sherlock Holmes would utter something so cliched with such conviction, but he sure did sell that! *wince*

Episode rankings part 1 (aka episodes I basically love)

[rachelindeed.livejournal.com]

This is particularly interesting because it looks like we all have such different preferences and reactions :) Woot, it's a wide world! I'm going to start with my favorites and count down, because the episodes that I dislike I unfortunately dislike strongly, and better to start with love <3 <3

#1 - A Study in Pink. I think it's a masterpiece of writing and performance. Also, John is my favorite character and I find it by far his best episode. I love the beautiful, bold adaptation which so perfectly catches the best spirit of who these characters can be and I love seeing their friendship begin. I love the whole look of the episode, so fresh and beautifully shot. And that scene between Mycroft and John in the car park legitimately gives me (delightful!) chills. "You're not haunted by the war, Doctor Watson. You miss it. Welcome back."

#2 - The Reichenbach Fall. Beautiful performances, incredible emotion. Just a completely successful heart-wringer of an episode. I'm afraid to watch it again now that "The Empty Hearse" has established that Sherlock and Mycroft planned the whole thing long in advance and were never really threatened by Moriarty or the snipers and that Sherlock was emotionally conning John on that rooftop and had no good reason to lie to him about being dead for two years afterwards, but in its time it was unrivalled television and it gave me years of heartfelt emotion. I'll always love it, whatever problems I have with the explanations that were made about its plot or characterizations afterward.

#3 - The Great Game. Has some truly great scenes (the "I've disappointed you" argument, the pool scene, the Van Buren Supernova deduction). I think it has the best and most intriguing mysteries the series has ever done, all the better because Sherlock is allowed to solve them incredibly quickly. In all the other episodes they have to drag out the mystery longer (as a result I have at times solved it before Sherlock) and also there are usually some elements that don't hold together very well, but I thought in this episode the plots held up and the countdown in hostages kept it all tied together so it wasn't just random, but rather successfully built to the climax.

#4 - The Sign of Three - I adore this episode, it's so lovable and sweet, and Sherlock's best man speech was epic in the best sense. I don't think the mystery holds up terribly well if you stop and think about it (I can't believe they wouldn't feel being stabbed just because their belts are snug), but the plot isn't really the point in this one. A feel-good triumph! It's only damaged in retrospect by what we later learn about the extent to which Mary is taking advantage of John by marrying him without being honest with him or letting him make his own choice as to whether he can love the person she really is, and also the extent to which we now know she will betray the beautiful and generous friendship Sherlock extends to her here. So, a bit of a bummer in retrospect but lovely at the time and certainly very lovely as regards all that is expressed between Sherlock and John.

Episode rankings part two (the problematic ones)

[rachelindeed.livejournal.com]

#5 - Hounds of Baskerville. It's rather silly, but good fun all around. And I find the sequence where John is locked in the lab genuinely creepy. The mystery really doesn't hold together very well in this one, and also I guessed about the mist = fear gas about half an hour before Sherlock got there (I thought they must be trying to fool us by sneaking in The Devil's Foot when we'd been led to expect Baskerville, but in the commentary they don't mention a word about it. Maybe they just accidentally stumbled into a plot about a drug which is introduced into the atmosphere to cause uncontrollable fear and then named the spot where it's used The Devil's Place (Dewer's Hollow). But that's quite a coincidence). Anyhow, it's fun and I enjoy it.

#6 - Scandal in Belgravia. It's elegant, and has some nicely written scenes. But I really didn't like what they did with Irene. In canon she wins Holmes's respect for her cleverness and audacity, her blackmail is genuinely for protection rather than profit and it points to the disturbing and unjust power disparity between what a male monarch can get away with in society as opposed to his mistress, and Holmes tells the King of Bohemia to his face that in terms of character Irene is far superior to him. In the BBC version she blackmails people for profit and goes so far as to ally herself with Moriarty and help terrorists to bomb planes; also, just like Magnussen, she uses Sherlock to get blackmail leverage on Mycroft. I did not share either Sherlock's fascination or his attraction to her.

#7 - The Blind Banker. This one is probably the most objectionable episode objectively speaking because of its problematic portrayal of Asian characters. But it's not my personal least favorite episode because I care most about the main characters and it doesn't do them any damage.

#8 - The Empty Hearse. I thought it was a terrible mistake to play John's grief so seriously and then to have Sherlock mock it and make light of it at every turn, and then to resolve their conflict by having Sherlock manipulate John into believing he was about to die. Putting a person through a mock execution in order to emotionally crack them is simply never, ever acceptable. I wouldn't have believed that they could write a conclusion to the Reichenbach story in which I would not feel happy watching these characters back together, but I did not feel happy during any John-Sherlock scene in this episode. In fairness, I should add that the Sherlock-Mycroft and Sherlock-Molly scenes were very lovely.

#9 - His Last Vow. I find Mary's actions and the excuses which the script provides for them so disturbing that I can't rewatch the episode. I'm genuinely scared that my inability to invest in future John/Mary may seriously damage my future enjoyment of the series. I'm incredibly bummed about this, because I came into Series 3 expecting to love Mary, and I do in fact find Amanda wonderfully charismatic. I just cannot get past the character as written, and am hoping to forget, forget, forget this episode. But hey, it just won 7 Emmy awards, so what do I know? :)

That's just my totally idiosyncratic and regrettably grumpy take on things, but it's fantastic to see all the love expressed in people's lists and it's awesome that even episodes that don't work for me do work so well for others! And my problems with particular episodes have not at all soured me on the actual writers/actors/producers etc, who all seem very talented and thoroughly lovely people.

Re: Episode rankings part two (the problematic ones)

[shadowfireflame.livejournal.com]

"You're not haunted by the war, Doctor Watson. You miss it."

This! The first, like, 10 times I heard this line, I always gasped, "Ohhhh!" Because then everything falls into place and you see how perfectly he and Sherlock fit together. Delightful chills is right!

But it's not my personal least favorite episode because I care most about the main characters and it doesn't do them any damage.

And that Sebastian Wilkes moment of Sherlock looking sad about being hated at school--that is legitimately one of my favorites. And Sherlock continues to help Sebastian and calls him "Seb" in the bathroom, and he just wants to be loved and appreciated and--oh, it's so good.

After Empty Hearse and Sign of Three, I loved Mary and really could have watched an OT3 series of them just solving crimes together. After she shot Sherlock, though, I can't feel the same way about her. Nor do I think we're supposed to still like her...? So in a sense "What will happen with Mary (and possibly Moriarty)" is the cliffhanger of this series, I guess. But it kills me to have to wait so long to find out, lol!!!

Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. I can't get enough of talking about this show! :)

Re: Episode rankings part two (the problematic ones)

[rachelindeed.livejournal.com]

Nor do I think we're supposed to still like her...? So in a sense "What will happen with Mary (and possibly Moriarty)" is the cliffhanger of this series, I guess.

See, I think we are supposed to like her and that the explanations of her behavior and motives given in HLV are the only ones we will ever get. I'd be happy to be wrong, though! Only time will tell :)

I always enjoy hearing your speculation and reactions and your wonderful enthusiasm and love for the show! Thanks for being so welcoming and for your always interesting thoughts!

Re: Episode rankings part two (the problematic ones)

[shadowfireflame.livejournal.com]

See, I think we are supposed to like her and that the explanations of her behavior and motives given in HLV are the only ones we will ever get.

Oh no, I do hope that's not right--no matter how good of a shot you are, shooting someone in the chest is always a risky proposition!! But as you say, only time will tell! :)

[daasgrrl.livejournal.com]

This was so fun - I hope you don't mind that I've posted my own in my journal (with a link to you, of course!) :)

[marta-bee.livejournal.com]

I want to get back to you on this because I think it needs some thought. But what I found so interesting was that our priorities were different. For instance I think TBB and THOB worked for me much better than a lot of series three stuff, but that may be because of what I was expecting out of series three and the show in general. It's different priorities of course, which is perfectly fine. It was nice being reminded that my priorities and the way I view the show aren't actually the only valid ones, or interesting ones.

[shadowfireflame.livejournal.com]

Yay, I look forward to hearing your thoughts! :)

[daasgrrl.livejournal.com]

I just realised I didn't even comment on your rankings - how rude! I'm kind of pleased that you didn't think that much of Baskerville either - it was probably a good adaptation for what it was, but it's hard when you don't much like it in the first place! I suspect you're right about Mycroft, too ;D

I think the thing with Reichenbach, conversely, is that you're dealing with such a powerful storyline that it's almost impossible to separate writing from content. I suspect I like the way Moffat thinks, questionable as that might be, whereas Gatiss' writing bears similar hallmarks to his novels - dry and funny, but sometimes bordering on the absurd, which imo doesn't always suit the tone of Sherlock, or at least not my preferred one *g*