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

[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*