Sherlock

10 Worst Episodes of Sherlock

A modern update finds the famous sleuth and his doctor partner solving crime in 21st century London.

Written by Sophie and last updated on feb 04, 2023.

PS: The following content contains spoilers!

PPS: I will admit that parts of this page was written with the help of AI - it makes my work so much easier to not start from a blank page!

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Sherlock - S3E3

#10 - His Last Vow (Season 3 - Episode 3)

A case of stolen letters leads Sherlock Holmes into a long conflict with Charles Augustus Magnussen, the Napoleon of blackmail, and the one man he truly hates. But how do you tackle a foe who knows the personal weakness of every person of importance in the Western world?

The episode was rated 8.73 from 5708 votes.

Sherlock - S1E3

#9 - The Great Game (Season 1 - Episode 3)

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A strange clue in an empty room, a blood-soaked car, a priceless Old Master, a deranged bomber. With the clock ticking, the curtain rises on a battle of wits between Sherlock, John and the shadowy stranger who seems to know all the answers...

The episode was rated 8.63 from 5057 votes.

Sherlock - S1E1

#8 - A Study in Pink (Season 1 - Episode 1)

A war hero, invalided home from Afghanistan, meets a strange but charismatic genius who is looking for a flatmate — it is London, 2010, and Dr Watson and Sherlock Holmes are meeting for the first time. A string of impossible suicides has Scotland Yard baffled — and only one man can help.

The episode was rated 8.61 from 6670 votes.

Sherlock - S3E1

#7 - The Empty Hearse (Season 3 - Episode 1)

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Two years after the devastating events of The Reichenbach Fall, Dr. John Watson has got on with his life. New horizons, romance and a comforting domestic future beckon. But with London under threat of a huge terrorist attack, Sherlock Holmes is about to rise from the grave with all the theatricality that comes so naturally to him. It's what his best friend wanted more than anything, but for John Watson it might well be a case of 'be careful what you wish for!' If Sherlock thinks everything will be just as he left it, though, he is in for a very big surprise...

The episode was rated 8.56 from 6062 votes.

Sherlock - S4E2

#6 - The Lying Detective (Season 4 - Episode 2)

Sherlock faces perhaps the most chilling enemy of his long career: the powerful and seemingly unassailable Culverton Smith — a man with a very dark secret indeed.

The episode was rated 8.55 from 7462 votes.

Sherlock - S3E2

#5 - The Sign of Three (Season 3 - Episode 2)

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Sherlock faces his biggest challenge of all — delivering a Best Man's speech on John's wedding day. But all isn't quite as it seems. Mortal danger stalks the reception, and someone might not make it to the happy couple's first dance. Sherlock must thank the bridesmaids, solve the case and stop a killer!

The episode was rated 8.50 from 5623 votes.

Sherlock - S2E2

#4 - The Hounds of Baskerville (Season 2 - Episode 2)

Something terrible has happened to Henry Knight — Sherlock and John investigate the truth about the monstrous creature which apparently killed their client's father. A hound from hell? What seems like fantasy in Baker Street is a very different prospect in the ultra-secret army base that looms over Dartmoor.

The episode was rated 8.27 from 4561 votes.

Sherlock - S4E3

#3 - The Final Problem (Season 4 - Episode 3)

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Long-buried secrets finally catch up with the Baker Street duo. Someone has been playing a very long game indeed and, alone and defenseless, Sherlock and John Watson face their greatest ever challenge. Is the game finally over?

The episode was rated 8.24 from 6747 votes.

Sherlock - S1E2

#2 - The Blind Banker (Season 1 - Episode 2)

A mysterious cipher is being scrawled on the walls around London. The first person to see the cipher is dead within hours of reading it. Sherlock plunges into a world of codes and symbols, consulting with London's best graffiti artists. He soon learns that the city is in the grip a gang of international smugglers, a secret society called the Black Lotus.

The episode was rated 8.19 from 5376 votes.

Sherlock - S4E1

#1 - The Six Thatchers (Season 4 - Episode 1)

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One mysterious case in particular baffles Scotland Yard, but Sherlock is more interested in a seemingly-trivial detail. Why is someone destroying images of the late Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher? Is there a madman on the loose? Or is there a much darker purpose at work?

The episode was rated 7.92 from 8175 votes.

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