Sherlock - The Lying Detective

There are times Steven Moffat can be too clever for his own good. That said, he can also give us near perfect moments at the same time. A step-up from "The Six Thatchers," but built entirely on the rift between Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Watson (Martin Freeman) caused from the fallout of the previous episode, Sherlock delves into a part of the detective Elementary has spent far longer mining - his addictive personality. The episode has two main points. The first is to introduce a popular celebrity who enjoys murdering in his spare time. The second is to bring the detective and doctor back together again.

Driven by the guilt of Mary Watson's (Amanda Abbington) death, and quite a few narcotics, Holmes begins targeting Culverton Smith (Toby Jones) who he correctly believes to be a serial killer. That simple premise should be enough to build a strong episode on, but Moffat and his team add a second layer onto the episode with a video message from John's late wife. This undercuts the emotion of Sherlock's downward spiral and lessens the impact John Watson has on the great Sherlock Holmes. Still, the episode works well, particularly in Watson's resentment in Sherlock once again thinking of everything (including knowing exactly where and when Watson would be weeks before their reunion). By the end of the episode Holmes and Watson have captured a killer, strengthened their bond, and are ready to set out to tackle a new dangerous adversary toying with them from the shadows - Sherlock's sister Eurus (Sian Brooke).