Sherlock: The Reichenbach Fall

Moriarty: “Every fairytale needs a good old fashioned villain.”

After 'The Blind Banker' and 'The Curse of the Black Spot', I was less than optimistic about Steve Thompson's chances of scripting a gripping finale. Yet as soon as I saw Watson struggling to cope with his grief in that psychiatrist's chair, I knew that I was going to love this episode. Not only did Thompson create an intriguing and ultimately compelling season conclusion, he also managed to achieve the impossible—he made me love Moriarty. Which is some achievement considering the frosty reception I gave him last season.

Sherlock: The Hounds of Baskerville

Henry: “Mr Holmes, they were the footprints of a gigantic hound.”

Mark Gatiss and 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' should have made perfect bedfellows. His childhood passion for Holmes, his extensive writing experience, and his love of classic horror, should have produced a script beyond compare. Sadly, he was cursed with the misfortune of following Stephen Moffat. Compared to 'A Scandal in Belgravia', 'The Hounds of Baskerville' was less complex, less exciting, and ultimately less rewarding. Conversely, it was beautifully filmed, contained some great dialogue, and perfectly captured the spirit of the original story. And it most definitely had chills.

Sherlock: A Scandal in Belgravia

Sherlock: “Sentiment is a chemical defect found in the losing side.”

Tonight’s episode was without doubt the most enjoyable ninety minutes of television I’ve seen in years. It took everything that worked about season one, turned the humour up to eleven, added some extra sauce (which caused ructions in the morning press), and chucked in a plot so complex, it would have left even Einstein scratching his head. Seeing the two greatest (albeit fictional) minds of the Western world jousting for intellectual superiority, was like watching Odysseus and Athena do battle. Who won? It’s hard to say—especially when the game may still be afoot.