Sherlock: The Final Problem
by Steven Moffat & Mark Gatiss; dir. Benjamin Caron (BBC, 2017)
A cheerless conclusion to a series already skirting morbidly close to the edge. The scripting remains clever, but at too-distant remove both from Conan Doyle’s stories and from the humour and energy of the first three series. Sherlock himself is greatly reduced.
Sherlock: The Lying Detective
by Steven Moffat; dir. Nick Hurran (BBC, 2017)
At once a small story (Toby Jones proving disturbingly effective as the Jimmy Savile-esque villain) and a larger, lurching, exceedingly dark character piece where the moment-to-moment excellence serves only partially to cloak the too-fast unravelling and resetting of Watson and Sherlock’s relationship.
Sherlock: The Six Thatchers
by Mark Gatiss; dir. Rachel Talalay (BBC, 2017)
The beginning of the end, as Gatiss and Company run out of easily adaptable source material and instead take Sherlock in new, more darkly improbable directions. The Six Thatchers works in the little moments but is overly frenetic, fast-compressing major character arcs.
Sherlock: The Abominable Bride
by Mark Gatiss & Steven Moffat; dir. Douglas Mackinnon (BBC, 2016)
Cleverly executed, presenting initially as a standalone special then morphing into a bridge between series. Gatiss and Moffat indulge in some social commentary while poking gentle fun at the original Sherlock Holmes canon. Cumberbatch and Freeman (especially) revel in the old-fashioned characterisation.
Sherlock: The Sign of Three
by Stephen Thompson, Steven Moffat & Mark Gatiss; dir. Colm McCarthy (BBC, 2014)
Possibly the funniest of all Sherlock episodes, albeit skewed beyond the pale towards character development and adapting little of its plot from Conan Doyle’s stories. While Benedict Cumberbatch brings Sherlock’s misanthropy painfully centre-stage, Martin Freeman and Amanda Abbington are more humanly sublime.
Sherlock: His Last Vow
by Steven Moffat; dir. Nick Hurran (BBC, 2014)
Another inspired reworking of the source material. Lars Mikkelsen turns Magnussen into one of television’s more memorable one-off villains. Amanda Abbington employs consummate restraint in selling Mary’s character development, her inner turmoil matched only by Martin Freeman’s at his subtle, expressive best.
Sherlock: The Empty Hearse
by Mark Gatiss; dir. Jeremy Lovering (BBC, 2014)
A fun, clever episode but one mostly devoted to reintegrating Sherlock after the Series Two cliffhanger. (The titular mystery takes barely any screen time.) Sherlock’s scenes with Mycroft are a highlight. Amanda Abbington, playing Mary, proves a welcome addition to the cast.
Sherlock: The Reichenbach Fall
by Stephen Thompson; dir. Toby Haynes (BBC, 2012)
Another clever (if frenetic) script, reworking Conan Doyle’s ‘The Final Problem’ and cramming a whole series of character arcs into one episode. While Andrew Scott (Moriarty) positively steals the show, Rupert Graves (Lestrade) proves subtly effective, grounding the mad turn of events.
Sherlock: The Hounds of Baskerville
by Mark Gatiss; dir. Paul McGuigan (BBC, 2012)
Gatiss takes Sherlock’s modernisation to a new level. The script is a bit raw on this occasion, yet nonetheless constitutes a masterful adaptation of what in Conan Doyle’s original is an atmospheric but undemanding story. Martin Freeman once again adds subtle touches.
Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia
by Steven Moffat; dir. Paul McGuigan (BBC, 2012)
Sherlock finally hits its stride. The characters are more measured and Moffat delivers a complex, clever script encompassing subtle allusions (Mycroft’s alleged ‘power complex’), bold reworkings (Irene Adler as dominatrix) and overt, rumbustious outbreaks of comedy (most notably the ‘punch me’ scene!).