BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 » List your favourite episodes in order

Sherlock Holmes · May 19, 2012 9:51 am

I know what you mean...sometimes you feel like Moriarty's this like fun over the top villain who says crazy things, but then he has these moments when you're like "WOAHHH! Wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of this guy..."

Irene Adler · May 19, 2012 10:00 am

Sherlock Holmes wrote:
I know what you mean...sometimes you feel like Moriarty's this like fun over the top villain who says crazy things, but then he has these moments when you're like "WOAHHH! Wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of this guy..."

Exactly this

Ellen5000 · May 19, 2012 10:42 am

Irene_Adler wrote:
Of course. The swimming pool scene is the greatest part of that episode. I wish I could watch it again for the first time. That moment when he shouts "that's what people DO!!" froze my blood...

The first time I watched it When he said this I Jumped, and seriously suprised

Molly Hooper · May 19, 2012 11:21 am

I couldn't believe that 'Jim from IT' was really a Bloodthirsty-Consulting-Criminal-Psycho-maniac!

Ellen5000 · May 19, 2012 11:33 am

Me neither but poor molly

Molly Hooper · May 19, 2012 12:11 pm

Yeah, she's not that good at relationships!

Ellen5000 · May 19, 2012 12:24 pm

yeah but she knows all the good looking ones

tobeornot221b · May 19, 2012 12:34 pm

...who aren't very much alive currently...
(that is to say no alternative to her job)

Molly Hooper · May 19, 2012 1:04 pm

At least with cadavers you don't have to worry about saying the wrong thing!

Ellen5000 · May 19, 2012 1:36 pm

did molly and Moriarty actually go on dates its hard to imagine when you see him as the criminal mastermind that he is

Molly Hooper · May 19, 2012 2:11 pm

Yeah, they went on dates! They watched Glee 2gether!!

Ellen5000 · May 19, 2012 2:20 pm

Ha Ha I seriously cant imagine that I wonder how differently he acted around her

anyway...

Last edited by Ellen5000 (May 19, 2012 2:21 pm)

Sammy · May 19, 2012 9:17 pm

I think Moriarty was just GREAT in the swimming pool scene. I have to say I didn't recognize him as Jim from IT first because I totally forgot about that guy, haha..
But in just a few seconds he became on of my favourite villains of all time! Gotta love the crazy ones.
He has just such a... present.
I remember having to stop the swimming pool scene all the time because I couldn't cope the awesomeness and just had to listen to some of the stuff he said again (and because I didn't want it to end so quickly, he).
And, as you mentioned - "That's what people DO!" was just woah. Startled me quite a bit.
Watched the episode again today ;)

Britigander · May 24, 2012 3:47 am

sammy wrote:
And, as you mentioned - "That's what people DO!" was just woah. Startled me quite a bit.

Beware of these words! Every time some one says (eg on the news) 'People have died' I feel this incredible urge to quote this reposte. And adapted versions for '..have died' or 'People have...', which is not always appropriate.
Perhaps I watched this scene slightly too many times?

Meanwhile back at the Ordering of Episodes, here are mine, despite protestations from the librarians in my brain that there are several equally valid but different (oh,except for last place) ways of defining favourite and therefore episode order.

1. Pilot version of SIP
2. Fall and Hounds
4. The Woman
5. Official version of SIP
6. The Pool but also what came before that
7. Pass the cliche-bag please, Banker

This is based on how I feel during/after watching/recalling the episodes and not necessarily on the many rational/consciously percieved values that these episodes have. I find suffering such as injustice/grief but particularly people very distressed as they're going to be blown up by baddies, extremely hard to watch and hear at some deep emotional level and basically have to fast forward through these bits or feel awful for days. Weird because in emergencies and so forth I am very calm, and can often do things that other people are squeamish about (pick up spiders et al).

1. I didn't see The Pilot version of SIP for ages as I was so grateful at having the actual episodes I completely didn't look for anything else on the disks. Then I did and OMG, it felt so life-like, internally consistent and convincing, I couldn't watch any of the real episodes for over a week! I've only ever watched it twice so as not to remind myself. I accept the decision from TPTB that it had to be done differently. Its their job to know what's going to work.

7. m0r has said everything I could possibly say to justify my decision about this position for this episode and far more succinctly. But, of course I have to add ;) that yes, there are still many great moments, pivotal moments, funny moments, ideas etc but the basic premise of the case is not my cup of cliche, let alone a whole teapotful. It was, indeed, embarrassing.

4. The Woman was a close 4th to the joint seconds, for the same major reason. At first I liked the ending but the more I see it, the more I don't because I don't quite understand why, let alone how. Was it because she was/is quite 'clever'? I should check learned discussions on this website, I'm sure.

5. I realise that the woman police person character who doesn't like SHerlock in the official SIP is key if one analyses plot arcs etc but somehow the vindictive (and too unprofessional for a police person IMHO, though I know this is fiction and I haven't met that many police persons) attitude of this character jars dreadfully (far more even than any of the greatly improving but still somewhat cringeworthy visual violin 'playing'!). But the ending is utterly superb, great feel-good.

6. Moriarty is played brilliantly and the last scene to the Great Game is a great climax and I've watched it a lot of times. I just can't take the suffering scenes is all, even interspersed with humour of hairless cats and security guard outfits.

2. Fall and Hounds are equal second because although in one case (Fall) it was very distressing in a very real way, and in the other (Hounds) it was just hilariously unreal, in each case the episode felt consistent within itself. In Hounds, the Watson Huff felt part of the very very gradual 'education' of Sherlock to what effect he has on people and whether that's what he really wants. The baddy got blown up but didn't suffer unduly in the process (oh dear, does that sound calous?) and Henry was saved in the end from his nightmares. Its superficiality relative to the final scene and next episode are the nutrionally unbalanced Kendal mint cake eaten sitting in the sunshine before climbing the slippery mountain as the storm breaks. I am so impressed by the writing/direction of the Fall as, however tough it was to keep watching, I never quite turned down the sound/planted a big spider solitaire window over it on my computer. Molly came into her own and Martin Freeman did superb acting...*sniff*...in time the Fall will be second on my list, just not quite yet.

Sorry for such a long post.

Tantalus · May 25, 2012 4:20 pm

1. A Study in Pink--All great stories need a great beginning, and this one doesn't fail. I went into this new series as an inveterate devotee to the original canon, with an appreciation for the nuanced but clever portrayal of Holmes by Jeremy Brett. I honestly didn't belive Sherlock would work outside of Victorian England, and didn't believe any writer could equal the work of Conan Doyle. I was mistaken.

2. The Reichenbach Fall--I consider this adaptation the redemption of Moriarty. I was not pleased with his portrayal in ASiP, feeling he was too much clown/weirdo/touched-in-the-head to make him believable. This episode fleshed out his genious in so many ways, and made the character into the real threat that he needed to be. And who can say enough about Martin Freeman's performance here (and throughout the series)?

3. The Great Game--Like watching several episodes all bunched into one. Tons of "The Science of Deduction" on display.

4. The Hounds of Baskerville--Since the original story is one of my favorites, I was quite eager to see this adaptation, and Moftiss did not disappoint. The story wasn't without its shortcomings, but the overall feel (right down to the moor, craggy tors, etc.) was spot-on.

5. A Scandal in Belgravia--There was so much that I loved about this episode, that I hate to rank it so far down the list. Sherlock is brilliant, Irene Adler's mental prowess is formidable, and the Holmes/Watson relationship is developed quite nicely. Three detractions: 1) I simply did not care for the portrayal of Irene Adler as a dominatrix--is that really the best use of her amazing intellect and verve?, 2) Mycroft seems just a little, dare I say it, stupid and helpless throughout this episode, and 3) The ending is lame. Period.

6. The Blind Banker-- I must say, though, that I still enjoy this episode. Least of the six? Certainly. But there are some great moments, and I could watch the beautiful Gemma Chan all day long. I'll never forgive them for killing her off.

Last edited by Tantalus (May 25, 2012 4:26 pm)

Smoggy_London_Air · May 28, 2012 2:07 am

Wow. So hard but so easy.

1. A Study in Pink
2. The Reichenbach Fall
3. The Great Game
4. A Scandal in Belgravia
5. The Blind Banker
6. The Hounds of Baskerville

Pink I can just watch over and over and over again. It agitates my little sister so much. She's always going "NOT THIS AGAIN?!?" and my reply is always that same. "Yes this, again." I thought that episode was just the epitome of what 21st century Sherlock should be. Beautiful flim, flat, Sherlock's reaction to Lestrade's consultation, the parallels with the novel. It's just fantastic.

Sentimental Pulse · June 4, 2012 1:45 am

1.) Scandal in Belgravia

I am a romantic at heart and the chemistry and romantic dance between Sherlock and Irene is legendary. Hope we get to see more. The bedsheet scene with Sherlock and Watson laughing at Buckingham Palace is my favorite scene in the series so far Love the guys being guys irreverence .

2.) Reichenbach Fall

No one does lovable psychotic like Andrew Scott. He is so awesomely over the top in every scene I can't stop smiling. Awesome cliffhanger. Cried at Watson's grave scene, Sherlock's tender moment with Molly (I'm a girl, I am allowed) and laughed when Watson punched police honcho in the nose and got thrown in back of paddywagon.

3. Study in Pink

Great intro to the series introducing the two main characters. Creepy cab driver was great. Didn't like that he claimed to Sherlock the he did not make anyone commit suicide but then he needed a gun to make them play his game.

4.) The Hound of the Baskervilles

Loved the creepy mist on the moors and the special effects of the dog. Also loved Sherlock's self doubt Watson making him work to apologoze after he said he had no friends.

5.) The Great Game

The pace of this show made me winded just watching it

6. The Blind Banker

Loved Sherlock inviting himself along on the date and the rescue scene backstage at the circus

horserider99 · October 9, 2012 3:49 am

1. Phone
2. Pool
3.Bank
4. Dog
5. Fall
6.Woman

Jammeez · October 9, 2012 12:18 pm

Scandal
Fall
Game
Pink
Hounds
Blind

Like so many, I had a little trouble putting them in order, and the only one that is perfect in last place in The Blind Banker. I like what someone said about Blind being good as little vignettes about Sherlock and John's relationship.

...And I've watched them all repeatedly. Although in last place, Blind is still wonderful.

Ronny Dax · October 9, 2012 12:57 pm

Reichenbach
Study in pink
Hounds of Baskerville
The great game
The blind banker
I don't really like the plot of Reichenbach most, but I love all these riddles and it still keeps me busy trying to solve them. I really like difficult mysteries.

Last edited by Ronny Dax (October 9, 2012 12:57 pm)