Top 10 Sherlock TV Series Moments
We've uncovered, after careful deduction, the greatest moments from the first three series of this BBC production. As you can expect, there are some spoilers ahead so spoiler alert. Now, let's start the investigation…er, countdown.
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#10: Moriarty’s Cameo “The Abominable Bride”
Sherlock may not have been pleased to see Moriarty but his cameo sure as hell got fans excited. Actor Andrew Scott’s portrayal of Sherlock’s nemesis has always been a perfect match for Benedict Cumberbatch’s calm and calculated Sherlock and his unpredictability is in full swing here. Every action Moriarty takes, every word he says is as engaging as it is creepy. This small scene is packed with references to some of the best moments of the other series, and while it may be considered heavy handed fan service, it’s all put together so well that we simply don’t care.
#9: John’s Graveyard Speech “The Reichenbach Fall”
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After Sherlock seemingly took his final dive off the rooftop, viewers and characters alike were led to believe it was the detective’s last bow. John, as a functional human being, is distraught to think his best friend is dead, and he communicates his woes in a touching private speech over Holmes’ grave. He’s always been one to speak his mind, but his frustrations with Sherlock always kept John from being openly honest about his feelings. Luckily, Sherlock isn’t actually dead and the detective himself witnesses the speech.
#8: Sherlock Is Shot “His Last Vow”
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Series 3’s finale is packed with enough twists and turns to make even the biggest mystery fan’s head spin. In this mind-bending scene, Watson’s wife shoots Sherlock in the chest. He was so confident that he knew her and the situation well enough to be safe, but of course his ego clouds his judgment. The detective’s first reaction is to fire up the mind-palace and reason his way out of his situation. The scene is strangely touching because we see a rigidly mechanical mind unable to come to terms with the possibility of death.
#7: I Am Sherlocked “A Scandal in Belgravia”
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The sexual tension between Sherlock and Irene reaches a breaking point in this scene. Adler, who believes she has duped not only the British government but also Sherlock himself, is shocked to find our favorite sleuth is two steps ahead. Adler’s cell phone, which contains extremely sensitive government secrets, is password protected; which ends of being “SHER”. We soon find out, though, that the great detective has not let human emotion become his weakness. Even though Adler proved herself a challenge for Sherlock, he gets to remain the smartest person on the show.
#6: Sherlock at Buckingham Palace “A Scandal in Belgravia”
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Tall, brooding and brilliant, Sherlock is also notoriously hard to work with; this fact is compounded when his brother Mycroft appears to insist that he take on a high profile case. The mystery in question involves the highest powers in England and is therefore shrouded in secrecy. This does not sit well with Sherlock, who throws a tantrum in the middle of Buckingham Palace. The result is a grown man who refuses to get dressed in the presence of royalty.
#5: The Pool Standoff “The Great Game”
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Sherlock and Moriarty’s first real confrontation comes at the end of series 1. In this pulse-pounding scene, John seemingly lures Sherlock into a trap – only he’s being held hostage, and is strapped with an explosive vest. When Sherlock’s nemesis finally reveals himself, we meet a villain who’s all-too-happy to play games. But in true Holmesian fashion, there are multiple reversals until everyone involved is held at gunpoint. Setting up a running theme, series 1 then ends with a cliffhanger.
#4: Best Man’s Speech “The Sign of Three”
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Sherlock Holmes is truly in his element when he’s solving mysteries and fighting bad guys. It’s when he’s faced with the baffling mechanics of interpersonal relationships that the great detective is lost at sea. We had huge expectations for his speech at Watson’s wedding, whether or not it would actually go well however, was up in the air. This whole episode is centered around it and Sherlock isn’t exactly qualified to talk about love, empathy and respect. But true to his character, Holmes uses the opportunity to solve a series of seemingly unrelated crimes, so we can forgive him a few awkward moments.
#3: Irene Adler’s Entrance “A Scandal in Belgravia”
As with most events in the series, this scene was ripped right out of the literary source material with a few evocative additions – or in this case, removals. In a mutual bid to stump one another, Irene Adler and Sherlock Holmes put on their best disguises. In Irene’s case this just happens to be nothing at all. We realize just how reliant Holms is on his powers of observation, but with both nothing, and everything, for him to see here, the detective is completely baffled. Viewers get their first peak at a wrong-footed Sherlock who attempts to use his considerable brainpower in the face of primal human desire.
#2: Sherlock and Watson Get Drunk “The Sign of Three”
In an attempt to show his friend a good time, Sherlock takes his best-man duties seriously. For a high functioning sociopath, this means taking John to all the crime scenes they ever investigated and making a pub-crawl out of it. As the night progresses, both detective and assistant soon discover that their constitutions aren’t what they thought they were. The fun of this moment is seeing Sherlock and Watson acting like two relatively normal best friends. Crazy we know, but it’s such a beautiful moment of honesty between the two. Before the clues let us deduce our number one pick, here are a few honorable mentions: Redbeard and the Mind Palace Moriarty Steals the Crown Jewels Sherlock Kills Magnussen
#1: The Rooftop Jump “The Reichenbach Fall”
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In the decisive scene from the first two series, Sherlock finds himself at a loss against the villainous Moriarty. The whole scene is an homage to Arthur Conan Doyle’s original story “The Final Problem”, and the famous scene were Sherlock and Moriarty fall to their apparent deaths over the edge of the Reichenbach Falls. In this version, Sherlock is instead forced to take a fatal leap to save his friends. For those viewers who watched it when the show aired, and who weren’t yet privy to the elaborate clarifications of series 3, it was a shocking moment to believe that Moriarty had finally stumped the great detective, forcing him to make the ultimate sacrifice. Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite “Sherlock” moment? For more epic Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.
