Sherlock season 4's best scene is a sad reminder of where the BBC show went wrong

Moriarty's fake return was the best thing Sherlock Season 4, which puts into perspective how flawed the show's final season was. Although there is always a chance that Sherlock Season 5 could happen at some point, “The Final Problem” is currently the end of the show. With a score of 48% on Rotten Tomatoes SherlockThe season 4 finale is among the series' most poorly received episodes for several reasons. It's fair to say Sherlockthe last two years never lived up to the first twowith the final season being particularly underwhelming.

from the BBC Sherlock brought the titular character into the modern world and delivered one of the most interesting adaptations of Conan Doyle's work. Each episode was loosely based on one of the many Sherlock Holmes stories, but always with some kind of twist. from the BBC Sherlock It had its own language and style, standing out from the many other adaptations of Sherlock Holmes. SherlockThe four seasons have an overall positive legacy, but the second half of the show had a lot of problems – and Moriarty's “return” proves it.

Moriarty's “return” was the highlight of the Sherlock season 4 finale

“The Final Problem” Made Us Think Moriarty Was Back for a Few Seconds

In the middle of the way Sherlock Season 4, Episode 3, “The Final Problem,” Andrew Scott returns as Jim Moriarty in a scene that begins with the fan-favorite villain arriving on the island where Eurus is being held. Moriarty exits the helicopter as Queen's “I Want To Break Free” plays in the background. Between the music and Scott's performance SherlockThe series finale made it seem like Jim Moriarty was alive and about to return triumphant. A few seconds later, however, it is revealed that the scene was actually a flashback set before the events of “The Fall of Reichenbach.”

Although Moriarty's return was nothing more than a farce, it was an emotional moment. Seeing Andrew Scott back as the iconic villain, even for a few minutes, was worth it, especially because Sherlock Season 4 still hasn't had a big moment that caught viewers' attention. The first two episodes of the final season weren't really special or particularly clever in any way, while the finale went all-in on a new, original character whose very existence was a major retcon – Eurus. “The Final Problem” reenacted Moriarty’s actions in Season 2, linking them to Eurus.

Sherlock's reliance on a fake Moriarty twist was symptomatic of his problems

Sherlock season 4 didn't have much going for it beyond its Moriarty connections

The fact that the most exciting moment of Sherlock that season 4 was a false return for Moriarty speaks volumes about the problems with the last two seasons of the series. Not only had Sherlock has become dependent on its best villain, but the show has also apparently lost the ability to create new stories that could be as exciting as Holmes and Moriarty's rivalry. Even though Creating a villain as good and popular as Scott's Moriarty was nearly impossible at that point., Sherlock it still deserved a better final season and a better series finale.

As a show based on twists and turns, it was no surprise that Sherlock season 4 brought a shocking revelation to the final episode – Sherlock and Mycroft had a sister who the former couldn't remember. Still, while Eurus's introduction was truly shocking, everything about her character felt very exaggerated and cartoonish compared to the somewhat grounded aspect of the show. Tying Eurus to Moriarty felt like a desperate attempt to improve what was bound to be a divisive character. Unfortunately, the problems with Sherlock began long before the introduction of Eurus.

Sherlock never surpassed Season 2, and Seasons 3 and 4 prove it

Sherlock's last two seasons didn't live up to season two

“The Fall of Reichenbach” is SherlockBy far, it was the best episode and changed the show forever, for better and for worse. On the one hand, “The Fall of Reichenbach” confirmed the Sherlock show as one of the best Conan Doyle adaptations and elevated what was already a very good show. Between fan theories about how Holmes survived and Moriarty's pop cultural impact, Sherlock the end of season 2 was born a classic. On the other hand, the confrontation between Holmes and his greatest enemy may have raised the bar too high for Sherlock.

SherlockSeasons 3 and 4 felt like they were playing catch-up, delivering villains and stories that could replace Moriarty in some way. The show was limited by its success and never allowed itself to try something truly new. Not to mention the multiple teases that Moriarty would eventually return, including the “Do you miss me?” scene at the end of season 3, the Abominable Bride special and the falsification of the season 4 finale. Sherlock the second season was so good that, in hindsight, it strangely ruined the series.