Best episodes (ranking)

[sherlockandjohn]

Just thought I'd rank all the episodes - for fun Here's my list, from least favorite to best:

 

9. His Last Vow. It's too dark for my taste, but that being said, it probably has some of the very best scenes and best performances.

8. The Blind Banker

7. A Scandal in Belgravia

6. The Great Game

5. The Empty Hearse

4. The Hounds of Baskerville

3. The Reichenbach Fall

2. A Study in Pink

1. The Sign of Three

 

Overall favorite series: The second.

 

Might change my mind at some point, who knows

 

What do you think? I predict that most people like HoB less and ASiB more than I do.

[T.o.b.y]

Goodness, that's actually a rather hard thing to do! It shifts around for me and I can't really bring them into a straight order. I think for me, there are three categories:

 

1.) absolute favorite episode ever: The Great Game

2.) episodes I really love and would watch over and over again: A Study in Pink, The Sign of Three

3.) episodes I simply like very, very much: all the others

 

In spite of being unhappy about some choices the creators made in the last series, I still really enjoy the characters and the acting and a lot of the dialogue and so many images and scenes. Can't really say I dislike any part yet - we'll see what series 4 does for me. My expectations are definitely as low as they could get.

[besleybean]

Ok my new list:

1. His Last Vow

2. The Reichenbach Fall

3. The Great Game

4. The Sign of Three

5. The Hounds of Baskerville

6. A Study in Pink

7. The Empty Hearse

8.  A Scandal in Belgravia

9. The Blind Banker.

[Sherlock_luvr]

My List:

 

1. A Scandal in Bengravia

2. His Last Vow

3. The Reichenbach Fall

4. The Sign of Three

5. A Study in Pink

6. The Great Game

7. The Empty Hearse

8. The Hounds of Baskerville

9. The Blind Banker

 

[Ally.C]

1. The Sign of Three

2. The Empty Hearse

3. The Great Game

4. The Reichenbach Fall

5. A Study in Pink

6. His Last Vow

7. The Hounds of Baskerville

8. The Blind Banker

9. A Scandal in Belgravia

[Carol the Dabbler]

I'm gonna post my S1 and S2 episode ratings before I read what anyone else has said.

 

1.  Reichenbach Fall

2.  Study in Pink (tie)

2.  Great Game (tie)

4.  Scandal in Belgravia

5.  Hounds of Baskerville

6.  Blind Banker

 

I can't really rate the S3 episodes yet, still digesting them.

 

[sherlockandjohn]

Just thought I'd rank all the episodes - for fun Here's my list, from least favorite to best:

 

9. His Last Vow. It's too dark for my taste, but that being said, it probably has some of the very best scenes and best performances.

8. The Blind Banker

7. A Scandal in Belgravia

6. The Great Game

5. The Empty Hearse

4. The Hounds of Baskerville

3. The Reichenbach Fall

2. A Study in Pink

1. The Sign of Three

 

Overall favorite series: The second.

 

Might change my mind at some point, who knows

 

What do you think? I predict that most people like HoB less and ASiB more than I do.

 

I've already changed my mind after a 4th viewing of HLV. I like it a lot better now, so new ranking:

 

9. The Blind Banker

8. A Scandal in Belgravia

7. His Last Vow

6. The Great Game

5. The Empty Hearse

4. The Hounds of Baskerville

3. The Reichenbach Fall

2. A Study in Pink

1. The Sign of Three

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

Wow, this is a challenge, but here goes nothing:

 

     9) Study in Pink

    

     8) Hound of the Baskervilles

 

     7) His Last Vow

 

      6) The Sign of Three

 

     5) The Reichenbach Fall

 

      4) The Empty Hearse

 

      3) The Scandal in Belfgravia

 

      2) The Great Game

 

      1) The Blind Banker

 

     

[sherlockandjohn]

Wow, this is a challenge, but here goes nothing:

 

     9) Study in Pink

    

     8) Hound of the Baskervilles

 

     7) His Last Vow

 

      6) The Sign of Three

 

     5) The Reichenbach Fall

 

      4) The Empty Hearse

 

      3) The Scandal in Belfgravia

 

      2) The Great Game

 

      1) The Blind Banker

 

I assume your no. 9 is your favorite, then... considering the favorites in your profile? I ranked mine the opposite way, just to clarify Glad to see that someone else loves HoB - most people aren't too keen on it. I adore it.

 

[thefinalproblem]

I will start by saying that there hasn't been a bad Sherlock episode in my eyes, so each one of these episodes are great. However, if I had to then :

 

#1 The Reichenbach Fall

 

#2 The Great Game

 

#3 His Last Vow 

 

#4 A Scandal In Belgravia 

 

#5 The Sign Of Three

 

#6 A Study In Pink 

 

#7 The Empty Hearse

 

#8 Hound of The Baskervilles

 

#9 Blind Banker 

[Caya]

Well of course someone named thefinalproblem would rank Reichenbach first

 

Hello and welcome to the forum, thefinalproblem!

 

Aside: Funny quip I read the other day (on tumblr, I think),

 

 

"It seems nowadays, the real final problem isn't staying alive, but staying dead."

 

 

(spoiler-ish, but only if you know what this is about anyway, I think)

[sherlockandjohn]

 

Aside: Funny quip I read the other day (on tumblr, I think),

 

 

"It seems nowadays, the real final problem isn't staying alive, but staying dead."

 

 

(spoiler-ish, but only if you know what this is about anyway, I think)

 

 

 

Indeed! It seems that

if a character is appealing, he is simply immortal in the universe of Sherlock. If indeed a certain someone is alive, and it's not another magic trick!

 

 

[Janie]

Ok, here's my list but it's really hard because I love all of them:

 

1. A Study in Pink

2. The Great Game

3. A Scandal in Belgravia

4. The Reichenbach Fall

5. His Last Vow

6. The Empty Hearse

7. The Sign of Three

8. The Hounds of Baskerville

9. The Blind Banker

 

 

[thefinalproblem]

Glad to join you fellow Sherlockians. Hope to have a marvellous time indeed....and of course, the Tumblr joke, hilarious I'm not sure if this falls into spoiler category, but how does everyone feel about 'him' coming back? While it would be fun of course, I think it would turn into the cat-mouse chase and break innovation.

[Caya]

While this sounds like you are talking about Voldemort (who we can all agree, I think, should never ever return ^_^) I must ask you to discuss others' potential returns to the Series 3 subforum. For the time being, we're all trying hard not to spoiler anything for people who haven't seen the new series yet.

[sherlockandjohn]

It is hard to rank the episodes, and I love all of them. In general I'd say that what I love most about Sherlock is the friendship at the heart of the show, the humor, the sharp dialogue, and the eccentricity of Sherlock. Pretty much everything that makes this show so unique; because I really feel that it is - I've never seen anything like it, and I think the main reason is the lead character.

[omegaxx]

1) A Study in Pink: Razor-sharp, fresh, magnetic, and the beginning of a beautiful friendship that is persuasive and moving from the first minute.

2) The Reichenbach Fall: The wonderful response to A Study in Pink that wraps Seasons 1 and 2 in a very satisfying story arc--that of Sherlock's humanization.

3) A Scandal in Belgravia: Lovely, evocative, with the best music score and some of the most poignant moments of the series.

4) The Hounds of Baskerville: Some of the best moments between Sherlock and John, their last days of happiness together.

5) The Empty Hearse: Much better on a rewatch, utterly whimsical but enjoyable, with nice inside jokes.

6) The Great Game: Some of the cases were a bit of a stretch, but the final face-off scene makes it all worth it.

7) His Last Vow: The first thirty minutes were very enjoyable and convincing. Then the episode sails off to sentimental land--and I just feel betrayed by John Watson and the whole show in the end. However, Cumberbatch delivers some of his best acting.

8) The Blind Banker: CSI London, clichéd.

9) The Sign of Three: Puerile, corny and embarrassing to watch.

[Caya]

Greetings omegaxx and welcome to the forum!

 

It's great to meet someone who feels as betrayed (and btw, thanks, that was the word I was looking for ... betrayed) by John in the final episode. However, given that we're in no-spoiler-land here, may I ask you to head over to the Vow thread and discuss your point in more detail there?

[Pamela]

Like Carol, I'm only going to rate the first 6 for now:

 

1. Study in Pink

2. Great Game

3. Hounds

4. Reichenbach

5. Scandal

6. Blind Banker

 

And yes, it was very hard.  I still re-watch the first 5 (with and without commentaries) from time to time.

[sherlockandjohn]

Upon having started to re-visit the older episodes, I find I that I may still love The Reichenbach Fall the best - even though the explanation Sherlock gave to his survival (and the months leading up to him faking his suicide) only serves to have me ask new questions. But, seeing as I will never have the answers, I may as well enjoy the episode for what it was: A great, intense drama with lots of beautiful, emotional scenes, and still a good portion of underlying humor.

 

Generally, the 3rd series has brought on a slightly different Sherlock than we're used to seeing him, and whilst I enjoy the new sentiment between him and John, I kind of prefer the dynamic between them in which Sherlock is brilliant, arrogant, childish, but occassionally absolutely wonderful. He's just too nice to John now It's sweet, but not as much fun.

 

That being said, The Sign of Three is also one of my favorite episodes, since it's just too heartwarming to resist. It is also a lot of fun.

 

And A Study in Pink is also an absolute favorite; it starts up the series in the best way possible, showing the most crazy sides to Sherlock's nature, and establishes John as the person who, I dare say, quickly becomes his closest friend.

[Riddle]

This is difficult as I love all the episodes and some of them may change ranking, but right now I'd say.

 

9. Blind Banker (I find the circus scenes a bit boring, but that's the only thing)

8. Hounds of Baskerville (Only because there are fewer things going on. I may have the attention span of a gnat, I like the ones with different threads going on).

7. Scandal in Belgravia

6. His Last Vow

5. Sign of Three

4. The Empty Hearse

3. Study in Pink

2. The Great Game

1. The Reichenbach Fall

 

Apart from BB & HoB at the bottom and TGG & TRF at the top, I find them difficult to rank so this list isn't my final answer. Some of the lowest probably have some favourite scenes in them and the worst of Sherlock episodes are better than most TV.

Notice my 2 tops have lots of Moriarty. He's my favourite character

 

I'm changing my mind already, I'm hitting 'post' before I drive myself mad!

[Slithytove]

To be honest, there isn't an episode I haven't enjoyed and re-watched multiple times (far more often than my family realises!). Ranking them is hard but, from most favourite to least, here goes:

 

1. The Reichenbach Fall - deeply emotional, all the way through, to the lovely elegiac ending.

2. The Sign of Three - important character development as we see Sherlock, through his own eyes, as a flawed but struggling human being. Also very funny.

3. His Last Vow - dark, visceral, controversial (made me very cross about the behaviour of a Certain Person!), and particularly brilliant acting by Benedict.

4. The Great Game - nail-biting plot and, of course, that great poolside scene. Our introduction to Jim Moriarty in person.

5. A Scandal in Belgravia - loved the chemistry between Irene and Sherlock, and between him and Molly in the Xmas scene.

6. The Empty Hearse - sad, funny, lovely nods of acknowledgement towards the fandom.

7. A Study in Pink - intriguing introduction, showing us characters so familiar and yet made new. Thought Molly was particularly endearing in this one.

8. The Hounds of Baskerville - far-fetched, but so was the original! Highlight was Sherlock's breakdown in the pub.

9. Endearingly silly plot, with nice touches of humour.

 

I'm sorry, what can I say? I just love the whole thing.....

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

I take it that Number 9 is "The Blind Banker"?

[T.o.b.y]

I'm sorry, what can I say? I just love the whole thing.....

 

What's there to be sorry for? I couldn't do any "proper" ranking at all, I just can't decide except for still liking The Great Game the best of all (and that is probably only because it was the first one I saw - and it has my favorite quote, of course).

 

If I wanted to introduce somebody to the show, I'd probably chose A Study in Pink, though, because it tells the most complete story. I think that is the best-written episode, so even when it comes to favorites, my brain and my heart aren't in agreement.

 

Why does everybody rank The Blind Baker last? Okay, okay, I know, it's been discussed in the thread for that episode. Plot holes and so on. I know. But the sillyness of the case is so Doyle-ish, I love it for that. It's really a very good adaptation of the original stories as far as spirit and style goes.

 

I really can't chose a least favorite episode. I could name some "least favorite scenes", though (and I am afraid they would almost all be from series 3).

 

[Slithytove]

Well, sometimes I think my critical faculties have gone into remission where Sherlock is concerned.....

 

I only rank the Blind Banker last because I love the other episodes more - I know that sounds ridiculous - but I still love its silliness, its exuberance and the tiny glimpse it gives us, through Sebastian's comments and Sherlock's reactions, of a younger, perhaps more vulnerable Sherlock. And, of course, it is true that ACD would have loved deadly Chinese acrobats who can walk up walls!