S01.E03: The Great Game

[photo fox]

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...

[bettername2come]

I love this episode. I watched it after seeing half of the Baskerville episode, and even then I still half-thought John was Moriarty for a second when he showed up at the pool. It's such a great ending.

[2KllMckngBrd]

I love this episode. I watched it after seeing half of the Baskerville episode, and even then I still half-thought John was Moriarty for a second when he showed up at the pool. It's such a great ending.

I watched them in order, taking my time. And I still thought for a moment...holy shit...has John been fooling me all along. Afterall I was convinced I had "outed" Myecroft as Moriarty in Study In Pink. So what the hell did I know.

 

I loved this 1 so much, screw it, I am going to go right now and watch it for the 3rd time. I'll report back later...

[Boton]

I love this episode, and I love what it does in the entire trajectory of the series.  With the multiple mysteries to solve, it's like getting several episodes worth of cases all at once, while keeping a consistent character development arc within.  That's really important in the first season, because shows like this have to rely on the mystery/cases to keep the viewer going during the first season while they build up the characters.  By the time Sherlock is standing on the deck of the pool with the gun pointing to the explosives, I feel like I've really traveled far enough with him and John to believe that they could exchange a look and know that they were willing to die to get rid of Moriarty.

[rereader2]

If I had to choose a favorite episode, this would be it. :)

[Winter Rose]

Since this is my first time through, I'm wondering if this show puts more into its premieres and finales while the middle episodes are... middling. Because I really loved the first episode, was kind of meh on the second, and then really loved this one.

I was surprised we met Moriarty so soon but it certainly wasn't unwelcome and I love that he's the Consulting Criminal to Sherlock's Consulting Detective. And for a brief moment there I did actually think John had turned on Sherlock but then he showed the vest. But Sherlock about to shoot the vest was quite the cliffhanger... makes me glad I don't have to wait, I can just check out the S2 DVDs.

[BakerStreet]

After multiple viewings over the years I have to say that this IS my favorite episode. 

Moriarty's "I will burn... the heart out of you." is one of the scariest threats I've ever seen uttered on television. The force of his hatred twisted my gut and filled me with dread in that I totally believed he could do it. 

I always wondered why Sherlock didn't throw the vest into the pool. 

[rereader2]

On 3/27/2018 at 1:10 PM, BakerStreet said:

After multiple viewings over the years I have to say that this IS my favorite episode. 

Moriarty's "I will burn... the heart out of you." is one of the scariest threats I've ever seen uttered on television. The force of his hatred twisted my gut and filled me with dread in that I totally believed he could do it. 

I always wondered why Sherlock didn't throw the vest into the pool. 

He didn't throw the vest in the pool, because if he had, the writers wouldn't have had the standoff they wanted... ;)

[atlantaloves]

I agree, and this is still one of my  favorite episodes as well. 

[mledawn]

Absolutely, this is my favourite episode. It's a fantastic standalone but also sets up the series perfectly