Sherlock – The Media by Us

Sherlock: Series 4

The 4th series of Sherlock, airing in 2017, brings back our favorite detective, his faithful friend John Watson, John’s new wife Mary, and the other characters we love yet again. Series 4 is the show’s most unique and polarizing season, for better or worse. Let’s talk about why.

Sherlock (Series 3)

Series 3 of the BBC’s Sherlock is tonally different than either season that came before, and that can be both good and bad. It’s a season that toys with its characters’ emotions more than ever, as the plots get more convoluted and wacky than before. It’s… a lot. But it’s also pretty tightly told, entertaining as ever, and some of the funniest Sherlock has to offer.

Sherlock (Series 2)

Sherlock’s first season was mostly about setting the table. It was phenomenal in that respect, and it also gave us plenty of entertainment, but the point of that season was to introduce Holmes to Watson, illustrate Mycroft’s role in things, and introduce the chaotic evil force that is Moriarty. Series 2’s challenge, then, is to progress the characters in an impacting and fundamental way. Sherlock meets that challenge head-on, once again delivering some of the most gripping, thrilling television in recent years.

Sherlock (Series 1)

The Guinness Book of World Records anoints Sherlock Holmes as the most portrayed movie character in history. When that many people have played a character, it’s unlikely one could rise to a most iconic status. Basil Rathbone defined Sherlock on the radio, stage, and screen for many years, so much so that when Disney made a Sherlock-based cartoon film, The Great Mouse Detective, they named their protagonist in his honor. Holmes has been portrayed by Orson Welles, Leonard Nimoy, Peter O’Toole, Charlton Heston, Robert Downey Jr., Ian McKellen, and, most recently, Will Ferrell. And yet there is one actor who has managed to make the role his own. Steven Moffat’s 2010 BBC One modernized update of the Holmes stories, starring Benedict Cumberbatch in the titular role, now occupies the top spot in the collective consciousness when it comes to our Sherlock Holmes rankings. It’s the first and best version we tend to think of. What about the 3-episode arc of Series 1 made Sherlock such a runaway hit?