BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / Ranking the cases

**Posted by A lovely light** August 10, 2014 9:17 am

Apart from how funny the episodes are or how dramatic, how would you rank the cases as stand alone mysteries-solving?

At the moment i like the ASIP case the most, the deductions were so brilliant.
Worse is for me the train bomb in TEH. Like really, switching off the bomb ....

**Posted by Liberty** August 10, 2014 9:50 am

That's a really good question and one that I'll probably change my mind about as I read what everybody else says! I love all the little fast-talking deduction scenes (often based on the books) as well as the big story cases. I agree with you about ASiP (loved it) and TEH (oh, for goodness sake! Although it was good to know that Sherlock isn't a genius at everything and can't magically drag up bomb defusing skills).

My favourite at the moment is probably the code at the end of ASiB, because it has such emotional impact. And it's so revealing. He's "deconstructing love into chemistry" (as I think Benedict says in the commentary), but he has to reconstruct to know how Irene really felt - that it wasn't just sexual arousal, and that it was a strong enough feeling to put her life at risk. Does anyone else think it's interesting that using Sherlock's name is what gives Irene away ... so he doesn't use her name? He calls her "the woman". Anyway, it's a very simple deduction, but requires more than just working it out.

Least favourite. Hounds was a bit tenuous, I think.

**Posted by SusiGo** August 10, 2014 10:45 am

Judging just from the cases and leaving aside the personal level and character development for a moment I would always go for TGG. Embedding the cases into the large Moriarty plot, the link to Sherlock's first case and at the same time having John investigate Westie's death is sheer brilliance.

**Posted by besleybean** August 10, 2014 10:47 am

I agree Susi and maybe it's something about Mark...
Cos I love the mystery in the The Sign of Three.

**Posted by SusiGo** August 10, 2014 10:55 am

Yes, most cases have their special qualities but I just love TGG for its complexity.

**Posted by A lovely light** August 10, 2014 10:57 am

It may be, i love both the mysteries of TGG and TSoT.

Not keen on HLV (i think i was disspointed that they get rid of the villain so quick, i would have loved a "battle" over more episodes), i even like better HoB and TBB. Perhaps TBB is a little dissapointing because they didn't fetch the villain there and everything is let open and not touch again in the next episodes (or i miss something?). HoB is a little too sublte with the gas-leaking.

**Posted by besleybean** August 10, 2014 11:33 am

Possibly you did miss something.
The master mind behnd the BB smuggling gang was Moriarty.

**Posted by gently69** August 10, 2014 11:34 am

I would also consider TGG as my favourite concerning the cases. So many deductions in separate cases leading to one result.
As Susi already mentioned it's complexity which makes TGG so interesting ... on "case base".

**Posted by A lovely light** August 10, 2014 1:06 pm

besleybean wrote:
Possibly you did miss something.
The master mind behnd the BB smuggling gang was Moriarty.

I really missed that. When is explained?

**Posted by mrshouse** August 10, 2014 1:19 pm

In the last scene there is the Chinese general on the phone with someone we don't get to see, his words are just written down on screen. Then the women gets shot.

**Posted by besleybean** August 10, 2014 1:25 pm

It's Skype messaging and the person she is speaking with signs himself ':M.'

**Posted by mrshouse** August 10, 2014 1:32 pm

besleybean wrote:
It's Skype messaging and the person she is speaking with signs himself ':M.'

That's better explained than I could. Thank you

**Posted by A lovely light** August 10, 2014 2:47 pm

I missed the M there... It shows that i didn't get back to TBB after i saw TGG.

**Posted by This Is The Phantom Lady** August 10, 2014 4:30 pm

I really like the case in TGG, how everything was so cleverly woven together... A fine piece of writing I think!

I am especially fond of the Van Buren Supernova being the thing to solve the case of the fake Vermeer!

**Posted by A lovely light** August 10, 2014 4:31 pm

Especially from someone thinking that knowledge about solar system is unnecessary.... Why i got the feelingthat Moriarty choosed this case because he read John's blog?