BBC's "Sherlock" - A Review

I know "Sherlock" is one of the more popular television series on this board and I know I have talked about it on here before. However, for those of you who have yet to see it, I want to offer you some incite into what you are missing. BBC's "Sherlock" is one of the better shows to come around in the last 15 years. Each episode is about 90 minutes long with 3 episodes per season. This allows for quality rather than quantity and the formula works perfectly. Now, for the episodes.


SEASON ONE


A Study in Pink

The pilot episode. You're hooked five minutes into the show after being introduced to both Sherlock and Watson. The plot grabs you and the final twenty minutes are very intense. One of the best pilots I have seen in recent years.

Rating: 9.5/10


The Blind Banker

The second episode of "Sherlock" is more filler than anything else and is decidedly inferior to the pilot. However, the episode features strong performances by the characters and continues to develop the relationship that both Sherlock and Watson enjoy. The episode's final sequence, much like the final minutes of A Study in Pink , are very tense and rewarding.

Rating: 7.5/10


The Great Game

The season one finale. Any disappointment you might have had with episode two is erased by the awesome episode that is the finale of season one. Sherlock is challenged to a battle of wits by his arch-nemesis, Jim Moriarty. This reveals certain elements of Sherlock's character that many of us would consider unsavory. For instance, Sherlock isn't afraid to put others in danger to satisfy his lust for the chase. The final reveal of Moriarty is considered by many fans to be the episode's lowest point due to the over-the-top performance by actor Andrew Scott. However, I found his performance to be unique, engaging, and very solid.

Rating: 9/10



SEASON TWO


A Scandal in Belgravia

The first episode of season two is just as satisfying as the season one premiere. It features strong performances by Lara Pulver as the seductive Irene Adler and Mark Gatiss as Mycroft Holmes. Sherlock's personality is explored further here as the writers deal with the character's uncertainty and unfamiliarity with love and affection. Irene Adler provides Sherlock with his toughest task yet as he tries to discover her motives while also steeling his mind against her sexual advances.

Rating: 9.5/10


The Hounds of Baskerville

The most famous story of Sherlock Holmes gets the modern-day treatment in the second episode of season two. While not as strong as the season two premiere, episode two also triumphs where season one's episode two failed. For one, Baskerville is a clever retelling of that famous short story and also manages to explore Sherlock and Watson's friendship in greater depth than any episode that has come before it. The final scene of episode two sets up the season two finale nicely and gives a great end to a solid episode.

Rating: 8.5/10


The Reichenbach Fall

The magnum opus of BBC's "Sherlock" thus far. The season two finale is an emotional, roller coaster ride that will leave you on the edge of your seat for the full ninety minutes. At times you can feel the length of a typical episode of Sherlock. But not with Reichenbach . The writers here have crafted an episode of such superb quality that I can honestly say that it is one of the best episodes of any TV series I have ever seen. The emotional climax followed by the big twist leave the viewer clawing at the feet of the producers, begging for the release of season three.

Rating: 10/10