8 Reasons It’s Tough To Watch Sherlock Today

When it first aired in 2010, BBC’s Sherlock was a huge hit, offering a fresh, contemporary take on the classic Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman had incredible chemistry as Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, but the show’s quality declined after a strong start. Created by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, Sherlock was particularly impressive in its first two seasons, but later seasons didn’t live up to that initial success.

The show’s later seasons haven’t held up as well as the early ones. Although Sherlock launched the careers of Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, some aspects now feel outdated. Despite the continued popularity, rewatching the series today isn’t quite the same experience it was back in 2010.

Viewers Never Found Out How Sherlock Survived the Reichenbach Fall

As a huge fan of mysteries, I remember when Sherlock first came out – the show was amazing at building anticipation, though it rarely delivered on the promises it made. The biggest example is that incredible cliffhanger at the end of ‘The Reichenbach Fall’. Sherlock saved everyone he cared about, but seemingly sacrificed himself by jumping off a building. Then, boom! The very next scene showed him very much alive, sneaking around in the shadows! It was a total shock, especially since we’d just seen him covered in blood and seemingly dead moments before.

It was obvious the detective had cleverly faked his death, creating a body that looked exactly like him and escaping unharmed. Fans waited almost two years for an explanation of how he did it, but it never arrived. The first episode of Season 3, “The Empty Hearse,” was filled with misleading clues, lengthy explanations, and even lies, according to Sherlock himself. This became a major letdown for viewers, as the show never revealed how he survived the fall that was supposed to have killed him.

The Sherlock Fan Service Is Evident

When Sherlock premiered in 2010, it quickly became incredibly popular, largely thanks to its captivating characters. Benedict Cumberbatch as Holmes and Martin Freeman as Watson had amazing chemistry, and fans soon began hoping they would become a couple – a pairing known as “Johnlock.” This made sense, as the connection and warmth between them was genuinely touching. However, after the second season, the show unfortunately relied too heavily on catering to fan desires.

From the iconic coat and scarf routine with Benedict Cumberbatch to emphasizing the underlying connection between John and Sherlock, it felt like the show’s creators were trying too hard to please fans. Given the intense popularity of both Cumberbatch and the series, everyone involved knew what viewers expected. Unfortunately, the show focused on fan service a little too much, making it feel forced and less enjoyable to watch now.

Mary Watson’s Character Became Too Important, Too Quickly

One major weakness of the show Sherlock was the introduction of Mary Watson, John’s wife. While Mary wasn’t a bad character, the show devoted so much time to her backstory—revealing she was a trained assassin—that she overshadowed the central relationship between Sherlock and John. The focus shifted away from their partnership, and John ended up taking a backseat to Mary’s story.

Sherlock abruptly began including Mary in everything he did, instead of his longtime partner, John, which felt out of character. His decision to shoot Charles Augustus Magnussen to protect Mary was a surprising turn – he’d never taken such drastic action for John, but did so for his wife. While Mary was a welcome and sensible addition to the show, her deceitful actions ultimately detracted from its strengths.

Moriarty’s Early Exit in Sherlock Season 2 Was a Mistake

Andrew Scott’s portrayal of Jim Moriarty was captivating – he was unpredictable, unsettling, and surprisingly funny. He was a truly unique villain, and the show Sherlock shouldn’t have killed him off so early in Season 2. His death also felt abrupt and disrespectful, as he simply shot himself with a gun.

Moriarty caused incredible chaos, particularly when he tricked the entire country into believing Sherlock Holmes was a fraud. It would have been better for the story if he had survived and been Sherlock’s ultimate enemy. After his death, the show struggled to find a villain as compelling, and his continued appearances as hallucinations or on screens felt contrived. This ultimately diminished his character and disappointed many viewers.

Sherlock Started Focusing Too Much on Drama Instead of Crime

The show initially gained popularity by presenting seemingly impossible crimes and showcasing Sherlock Holmes’ brilliant deductions. The first two seasons, featuring episodes like “A Study in Pink” and “The Hounds of Baskerville,” were particularly strong because they prioritized compelling mysteries and clever problem-solving.

Starting with Season 3, the show unfortunately became overly focused on emotional drama. While the relationship between Sherlock and John, and Mary’s actions, were key parts of the story, the later seasons prioritized drama over actual detective work. The show spent more time on Sherlock’s feelings and relationship issues than on solving crimes, and the mysteries themselves became less important. This shift made the show difficult to enjoy now.

Sherlock’s Mind Palace Seems Cringey in Retrospect

The updated version of Sherlock used a modern style with cool graphics and words appearing on screen, representing what was happening inside Sherlock’s mind. This ‘mind palace’ was like a vast, organized archive where he stored all his knowledge. Whenever he needed answers, Sherlock could mentally ‘walk’ through this palace and usually find what he was looking for.

Initially, the idea of Sherlock Holmes entering his ‘mind palace’ was really cool and involved a lot of visual flair. But after being used repeatedly throughout the show’s four seasons, it now feels dated and awkward. Those scenes where time would slow down and Sherlock would confront people in his mind palace are tough to watch now – they feel like a throwback to early 2000s television tropes.

Each Season of the Crime Show Was Too Short

When the show Sherlock was popular, viewers often had to wait years between seasons to find out what happened next. Each episode was almost as long as a movie, and it felt like a cinematic experience thanks to its high quality. However, this meant each season had fewer episodes, which some fans still miss.

Despite its popularity, Sherlock didn’t fully live up to its potential because each season only had three episodes, with an occasional special. This short format left fans wanting more and made it difficult to develop the stories and characters fully. Modern viewers often notice the disjointed feeling and abrupt endings caused by the limited number of episodes per season.

Sherlock Season 4 Was a Disappointment

The main reason people still talk about this show is its disappointing ending. The final season focused too much on Sherlock’s personal feelings and past, instead of the clever mysteries fans loved. The sudden appearance of Eurus Holmes, Sherlock’s previously unknown and disturbed sister, felt forced and wasn’t well-handled.

This season drastically changed established storylines, including details about Sherlock’s dog as a child and the true identity of the main antagonist. The show quickly revealed Eurus as the puppet master, even suggesting Moriarty was merely a tool she used. Ultimately, this final season felt more outlandish than insightful, and knowing the disappointing ending diminishes the impact of the show’s earlier, stronger seasons. Even a seemingly sweet montage of Sherlock and John’s years of crime-fighting frustrated viewers, leaving many hesitant to continue watching.

2025-11-21 19:11