Sherlock: Season 2

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 24 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 869 Ratings

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9.1

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9.1	User Score Universal acclaim based on 869 Ratings

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Sherlock

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Season Details & Credits

BBC-1 | PBS | BBC | BBC One | Season Premiere Date: January 1, 2012

Starring: Martin Freeman, Benedict Cumberbatch

Summary: Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are on the case again in stories based on A Scandal in Bohemia, The Hound of the Baskervilles, and The Final Problem.

Creator: Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Genre(s): Drama, Suspense

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Season 2 Episodes

9.2
S2:E3. The Reichenbach Fall
Air Date: January 15, 2012
8.3
S2:E2. The Hounds of Baskerville
Air Date: January 8, 2012
8.3
S2:E1. A Scandal in Belgravia
Air Date: January 1, 2012

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Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

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Critic Reviews

100

Tom Gliatto

May 7, 2012

In season 2 of PBS's richly clever Sherlock, the Victorian tales have been refitted to our century. [14 May 2012, p.44]

100

Robert Bianco

May 4, 2012

This is TV pleasure at its most intense, without even a shade of guilt. Read full review

100

Linda Stasi

May 4, 2012

Each week, the series takes on a Holmes classic, updates it, turns it on its ear and leaves you breathless. Read full review

James Poniewozik

May 4, 2012

Sherlock, which impresses again in the three-episode season that returns on PBS. Read full review

Willa Paskin

May 7, 2012

Sherlock is an elegant updating of Conan Doyle's stories, not an overhaul. Read full review

Rob Owen

May 7, 2012

Most of the time Sherlock's cheeky sense of humor makes this version of the character a delight. Read full review

Hank Stuever

May 4, 2012

Sherlock is too often a petulant know-it-all, which grows tiresome and makes a viewer painfully aware that each episode is 90 minutes long.... Sherlock's redundancies are improved by a couple of longer story arcs. Read full review

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User Score

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9.1

User Reviews

EssenceOfSugar

May 8, 2012

It would be difficult to find fault with even such a modern update of the most famous fictional detective. It is clever, it is witty, its humour is deliciously highbrow, the actors and actresses have superb performances - they are such a perfect fit considering the roles that they play -It would be difficult to find fault with even such a modern update of the most famous fictional detective. It is clever, it is witty, its humour is deliciously highbrow, the actors and actresses have superb performances - they are such a perfect fit considering the roles that they play - Moffat and Gatiss should be proud for what genius and creativity they have devoted to adapting the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Need I say more?… Expand

21 of 24 users found this helpful213

Geno49

May 11, 2012

Haven't seen 12 in, um, a very long time, and I think this series is wonderful. This coming from someone who has read all the novels and seen just about every Holmes movie ever made. This particular version wonderfully captures the character of Holmes and Watson for a new day and age.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

theahsanhaseeb

Aug 29, 2012

Sherlock is one of the best series I have ever watched, and I can say it again and again. Outstanding direction, cinematography and the background score; I could not stop noticing them throughout the series. Benedict Cumberbatch shines as Sherlock Holmes once again. I don't like theSherlock is one of the best series I have ever watched, and I can say it again and again. Outstanding direction, cinematography and the background score; I could not stop noticing them throughout the series. Benedict Cumberbatch shines as Sherlock Holmes once again. I don't like the characterization of Jim Moriarty though, looks kinda lame and annoying, maybe he was born that way. If you haven't watched this show yet, this is definitely a must watch for you. And don't be sad, there's another season yet to come. Sherlock, all the way.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

silentshade

May 20, 2012

The best T.V show ever, prefer it over the films.
I laughed, I cried and I was baffled by amazing unpredictable twists with a great cast. Everyone needs to see it!

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

TNF1343

Jan 16, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Season 2 of Sherlock picks up right where it left off. Moriarty and Sherlock have each other at gunpoint when, all of a sudden, 'Staying Alive' starts playing?? It's Moriarty's phone, and it turns out he has to go. Uh...

While this isn't exactly the follow-up I was hoping from The Great Game, I have to admit that it was one laugh-out-loud moment. It's smart humour too; can you imagine Andrew Scott's Moriarty having a different ringtone? I do hope that phone call comes back into play, since it seemed nothing but an easy and comedic way out, but given Morality's fate this Season, things are looking bleak.

After a slightly disappointing opening, A Scandal in Belgravia, does a great job as an individual arc. I say individual arc but I really hope Lara Pulver's character, Irene Adler returns. As a skilled dominatrix, she uses her sexual powers to get into Sherlock's head. After Irene's - um - interesting first impression, they ensue in physiological warfare that comes dangerously close to flirtation (although Sherlock would never admit it).

If Sherlock could care about any woman, it'd be Irene. She's a clever character, and although she used her wits initially to attack Sherlock, she was ultimately a tool in Moriarty's game. Sherlock obviously grew quite fond of her, saving he life by the episode's end. And this from a high-functioning sociopath.

One thing that DID bug me about this episode was a sexist/homophobic undertone. Irene is supposedly a lesbian but she falls head-over-heels in love with Sherlock. Seriously? I do think this relationship has legs and hope Irene returns in the future but I'm hugely confused by Steven Moffat's decision to make her a lesbian. Or maybe I shouldn't be surprised since Moffat's reportedly quite the misogynist.

The Hounds of Bakersville is a weaker entry, in my opinion. It's at least marginally better than Season 1's The Blind Banker but like that episode, it feels stretched too thin over its 90 minute runtime. Not a whole lot to talk about here, just good old Sherlock and Watson case busting.

If you think think this is starting to sound like a Sherlock bashing session, then fear not: The Reichenbach fall is one of those TV episodes that make you want to just stand up and applaud once you're through. The intensity is dialled up a notch as Moriarty seeks to absolutely destroy Sherlock's life.

Moriarty, realizing Sherlock's friends are easier target, sets up elaborate traps for Sherlock to walk through, continually eating away at his stellar reputation. Moriarty lies without flinching, convincing people he was nothing more than an actor that Sherlock hired because he was bored, and that he has a code that can give a man all the power in the world. Almost getting himself imprisoned was just part of his plan to ruin Sherlock too. Moriarty wasn't pulling any punches.

Moriarty does his best but Sherlock ends up victorious in the end, somehow staging his own suicide, while Moriarty actually did the same. how exactly Sherlock survived the fall is unclear and was a major talking point during the show's hiatus.

And I haven't even talked about Watson. Things were complicated between him and Sherlock but Freeman's last few scenes were very emotionally touching. Sherlock may have been arrogant but he was Watson's friend.

Sherlock Season 2 is everything Season 1 promised to be. With season 3 airing soon in America, let's hope that another two years don't go by without this excellent series.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Divine_Uchiha

Mar 17, 2014

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Already with season 1 this show was already up on one of my favorite shows of all time. But season 2 exceeded my expectations for what was to come. With the introduction of Jim Moriarty the show became even more enthralling and tense as the last episode kept me guessing "How" and "Why" these events happened. Defiantly my favorite season of the show until season 4 comes out of course.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

JakobVirgil

May 8, 2012

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The baskerville episode was un-watchable.
But the whole series has a feel of the authors dumbing things down for the rubes.
1. the conceit of having the murder being shown in the scene why? so we don't have to be troubled solving anything. what is this CSI?
2. Labeling the clues with cg text so the writer can be lazy writing dialogue and the watcher can be lazy on figuring out what is important. This robs us of the two joy of mysteries being surprised or figuring them out.
3. having Jim Moriarty be behind every single crime but having the worlds greatest consulting detective never say maybe "hey Jim is behind this on too ?" as his first guess. like it is a saturday morning cartoon.
4. having Jim Moriarty be behind every single crime by inserting a Post-mortem "some guy named Moriarty told me to do it"
5. Irene Adler her password was "sher"-locked? also in that episode the cameras and graphics told us Holmes could not read her but 1 minute later Holmes reads her.
It is stupid and sloppy show ,it is fun, but it is not smart. I like it but I also like the A-team mostly for the same reasons.… Expand

4 of 62 users found this helpful458

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Seasons & Episodes

88

Series Overview
Season 4

tbd
- Season 4 Overview
  Air Date: January 1, 2017
Season 3

88
- Season 3 Overview
  Air Date: January 1, 2014
Season 2

91
- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: January 1, 2012
- 9.2
  S2:E3. The Reichenbach Fall
  Air Date: January 15, 2012
- 8.3
  S2:E2. The Hounds of Baskerville
  Air Date: January 8, 2012
- 8.3
  S2:E1. A Scandal in Belgravia
  Air Date: January 1, 2012
Season 1

85
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: July 25, 2010