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

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.