As the long wait to Sherlock series 4 begins, we look back at the past three seasons in this Sherlock retrospective.

Following the airing of Sherlock series 3 finale “His Last Vow” in the United States, fans everywhere are already looking ahead to series 4 (and likely bemoaning their dedication to a television show that only has three episodes each series). And while Sherlock series 4 may premiere this Christmas, it doesn’t make the wait any easier.

Make sure to vote for your favourite Sherlock episode at the end of the article. Will your favourite make it to the top of the audience ranking?

For more Sherlock series 3 appreciation, we have also complied our 10 favourite moments from “The Empty Hearse,” “The Sign of Three,” and “His Last Vow”. Plus, here are nine movies starring Benedict Cumberbatch to fill the Sherlock void.

Sherlock and Watson faced off against an underworld gang in “The Blind Banker.” After showing off Sherlock’s intellectual skills in the series premiere, this follow-up explored John’s life instead – and especially his love life. John’s desire to maintain some kind of personal life was portrayed in stark contrast to Sherlock, and at this early stage of their friendship, the episode was key in demonstrating their slow navigation towards understanding each other.

In an adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle’s most famous Sherlock Holmes story, “The Hounds of Baskerville” sent Sherlock and John to fight ghosts and hallucinations. The moor location allowed the story to be taken outside of London, and offered some gorgeous visual opportunities for the audience. But John’s fear and Sherlock’s self-doubt made this episode what it was, creating a mystery that was genuinely scary, rather than just tense.

The mini-Christmas special allowed Sherlock fans to check in with the various characters to see how they were managing after the supposed death of the consulting detective. While John struggled and Lestrade was just coping, Anderson was dreaming big. The short but enjoyable episode was a wonderful introduction to Sherlock series 3, and indicated that this was to be a more comedic series than the past two.

“The Empty Hearse” brought series 3 back in an unforgettable manner. The sequences involving Sherlock’s fanclub and the many (improbable) solutions for Sherlock’s survival hilariously referenced fan theories, while remaining creative. Sherlock surprising John was unsurprisingly funny and emotional – and Mary was surprisingly wonderful. This episode was about Sherlock and John attempting to rekindle their friendship, and it provided a great jumping off point for the remainder of the series.

“A Scandal in Belgravia” introduced the modern version of Irene Adler, and she was certainly something to behold. The scenes between Adler and Sherlock are some of the best moments in Sherlock, if only for that sizzling sexual tension. This episode allowed for Sherlock’s sexuality to be addressed naturally, and ended with one of the most shocking (and yet in hindsight, painfully obvious) reveals of any episode.

Page 2: Our top 5 ‘Sherlock’ episodes

Page 2: Ranking every ‘Sherlock’ episode from worst to best

The first two series set the bar high, but somehow “His Last Vow” managed to be an equally as compelling finale. The reveal of Mary’s real identity was almost more shocking than the explanation of Magnussen (although the truth about his glasses was a revelation). The combination of the final cliffhanger, and Magnussen’s death, made his episode memorable, while the Holmes’ family Christmas and the interactions between Sherlock and Mycroft provided some much needed humour.

“The Sign of Three” is without question the most comedic episode of Sherlock to date. Mary was a welcome addition to the Sherlock and John bromance, and managed to compliment their friendship without disturbing it. Watching Sherlock grapple with his duties as John’s best man provided an opportunity for comedy that had gone unexplored, and the mini-mystery was cleverly interwoven with the wedding storyline. And let’s not forget about Sherlock’s (perfect) best man speech.

This was the episode that started it all. A stunning introduction, “A Study in Pink” was a fantastic balance of humour and drama, and established the visuals that were to become such an integral part of Sherlock. The introductions of John and Sherlock hit all the right notes, and set the tone for the remainder of the series. The mystery was intriguing, the characters were even better. This is an episode that stands out from all the rest.

The puzzles set for Sherlock in “The Great Game” allowed him to showoff his intellectual prowess in a way we had not experienced before this point. And while these feats were impressive (or heartbreaking), it was Sherlock’s demonstration of his love for John that made the episode what it was. In true Sherlock style, series 1 ended with a seemingly insurmountable problem, on the kind of cliffhanger that would become very familiar to Sherlock fans.

“The Reichenbach Fall” is everything a Sherlock episode should be. The case against Sherlock was so masterfully built that it was almost entirely convincing. The ultimate showdown between Sherlock and Moriarty was impressive, but not nearly as impactful as the realisation that Sherlock would literally die to protect the people he loves. And in a stunning twist, the shock of the episode was not Sherlock’s death, but Moriarty’s.

What is your favourite ‘Sherlock’ episode?

Find more great articles like this one at our ‘Sherlock’ celebration.