This episode is my 3rd favourite in the series behind "the reichenbach fall" and "a scandal in belgravia."
Sherlock is facing Moriarty for the first time and his brother Mycroft has given him a case that Sherlock sends Watson off to solve in the meantime.
You will read reviews saying Andrew Scott is over the top ... but if you know people this single-minded and 'on the spectrum' as Moriarty in real life you will know this type of archetype is an exaggerated true-to-life character in the same way as Sherlock himself.
It's true that the show is more extreme than the original stories but that is to be expected and IMO this works very well.
Sherlock is facing Moriarty for the first time and his brother Mycroft has given him a case that Sherlock sends Watson off to solve in the meantime.
You will read reviews saying Andrew Scott is over the top ... but if you know people this single-minded and 'on the spectrum' as Moriarty in real life you will know this type of archetype is an exaggerated true-to-life character in the same way as Sherlock himself.
It's true that the show is more extreme than the original stories but that is to be expected and IMO this works very well.