5 Irritating Plot Holes in Sherlock That Just Won’t Go Away

by

Fifteen years ago this July marked the debut of BBC’s “Sherlock,” a series that brought to life the adventures of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous detective. The character first appeared in the 1880s, and his introduction forever changed the literary world. Readers worldwide were captivated by the brilliant detective with a penchant for pipes, so much so that they refused to accept his demise as portrayed in the story “The Final Problem.” To this day, Holmes continues to be the most iconic and beloved detective on earth (apologies, Batman).

Over time, numerous attempts have been made to embody the enchantment of Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories across different films and TV shows. Yet, the BBC series penned by Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat stood out from day one, capturing hearts and awards. Consisting of 13 episodes spread across four seasons, Sherlock offers a contemporary twist on these classic tales. In this version, Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch) resides at 221B Baker Street, but it’s now in present-day London, and he uses texts instead of telegrams for communication. This new take was refreshing and original, leaving viewers eagerly anticipating each episode. However, despite its meticulously crafted plots, the series does encounter issues related to story consistency and continuity.

1) The Case of Adler’s Phone

In “A Scandal in Belgravia” (Season 2, Episode 1), we’re introduced to Irene Adler (Lara Pulver), a master manipulator and a challenge for Sherlock, almost his Achilles heel. The entire episode unfolds with Sherlock trying to crack open Adler’s phone. A cryptic message on the screen reads simply, “I AM LOCKED”, followed by four empty spaces before the last word. Eventually, after Mycroft Holmes (Mark Gatiss) comes close to betraying his brother for access to the phone believed to contain secrets of the royal family, Sherlock deduces that Adler has feelings for him. By examining her pulse and pupil movement, he determines that the password must be “SHER”, making the message on the screen read “I AM SHERLOCKED”.

In this memorable moment, Sherlock’s brilliance shines brightly, leaving no room for error. However, it seems there’s always an exception to the rule. Earlier during the episode, Sherlock presents Adler with a decoy phone and she counters by offering him a false password. She subsequently reveals her genuine password, inviting him to demonstrate his skills by cracking the code displayed on the screen. With the phone unlocked and within his grasp, providing unlimited access to its data, it’s astonishing that he somehow overlooks this opportunity. Consequently, the remainder of the episode revolves around Sherlock’s quest for a pin that, as it turns out, was unnecessary all along.

Read Next

3 Times Sherlock Was the Best Version of the Character (And 3 Times It Failed)

2) Let’s Play Murder

Among the cherished episodes by many fans, “The Sign of Three” (Season 3, Episode 2), often recognized as the wedding episode featuring John Watson (Martin Freeman), stands out for numerous reasons. The installment is entertaining, optimistic, and brimming with warmth, yet it also introduces an engaging murder mystery to keep things intriguing. In this story, Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch) resolves the enigma of the Mayfly Man in real-time, enabling John to rescue James Sholto’s (Alistair Petrie) life. Once again, it underscores their exceptional partnership, as Sherlock represents intellect and John embodies emotion.

It’s interesting that the Mayfly Man and his mysterious quarry turned up at the same wedding, but it’s unlikely this coincidence can be classified as a plot hole. What is odd, though, is the death of Stephen Bainbridge, a royal guard. This incident seemed to serve as a rehearsal for the murderer, Jonathan Small, allowing him to strategize Sholto’s assassination more effectively. However, Small had the opportunity to eliminate any of the other guards, who all wore identical uniforms, at his leisure. So, why focus on Bainbridge? Why document and monitor him if he wasn’t the intended victim? The only explanation seems to be that these actions provided Sherlock with the vital clue required to crack the case.

3) Sherlock Lives

In the third episode of the second season, titled “The Reichenbach Fall”, viewers were left in suspense with a jaw-dropping cliffhanger. The climactic confrontation saw the cunning villain, Jim Moriarty (Andrew Scott), engaged in one last battle against our beloved detective. Sherlock, convinced he’s cracked the case and has Moriarty cornered, finds himself in an impossible predicament. Moriarty threatens to take away everyone dear to Sherlock unless he takes his own life. In a dramatic twist, Moriarty shoots himself as a means of escape, leaving Sherlock with no choice but to leap off the building and land on the ground below. The scene is masterfully crafted, delivering an intense mix of exhilaration, terror, and unbearable sadness.

As events unfold, viewers are left bewildered, then moments later, the detective reappears, concealed from view while John grieves for him. But wait, didn’t we just witness him jumping off a building? This brings up the question: how did he manage to survive? Although numerous theories have been floated, including those hinted at in the series, we never truly learn what transpired. It appears that it was Sherlock all along, but the show never reveals the specifics of what happened.

4) The Eurus Problem

In the fourth season’s third episode, titled “The Final Problem”, we are introduced to Eurus Holmes, also known as “the east wind”, who is the youngest sibling of the Holmes family. From the moment she appears, it becomes evident that her intelligence is nearly supernatural, a point repeatedly emphasized by Mycroft. She’s an exceptional mind, so much so that her two brothers struggle to compare in terms of intellect. However, as the story unfolds, events become increasingly implausible, bordering on the impossible.

Given her history of psychopathic behavior, which includes murdering Sherlock’s childhood friend to gain his attention, Eurus is confined in a mental institution. Yet, Mycroft orchestrates a change in her living conditions, transferring her from the mental asylum into a maximum-security prison instead.

In this situation, things become tricky because Eurus seems to have cleverly taken charge of the facility using her skills and mysterious abilities. While she’s undeniably smart and manipulative, it’s puzzling that she possesses powers like hypnosis. Additionally, she appears to be clairvoyant, seeing truths beyond human comprehension, as evidenced by her ability to glimpse into Mycroft’s future when they were young. All of this makes the story feel like an episode from a supernatural series.

Moreover, it’s important to note that psychosis doesn’t typically work in the way Eurus’ character is portrayed. The only relatable aspect is her feelings of isolation. Everything else about her character seems unrealistic and inconsistent, leaving the entire episode confusing and potentially damaging to the overall reputation of the series.

5) The Unkillable Baker Street Boys

Among the intriguing aspects found within “The Final Problem,” one that continues to captivate me is the moment when Eurus manages to deliver a grenade into 221B Baker Street via a drone, shattering the upper window. In a split second, Sherlock, John, and I find ourselves leaping through the broken glass as an immense explosion rocks our flat. Miraculously, Mycroft escapes injury by diving down the staircase. Remarkably, in the subsequent scene, there’s not a hint of damage on any of us.

Sherlock’s habit of jumping from buildings without a scratch and surviving later is quite remarkable, and this season, the Holmes siblings seem more like superhumans than ever. Even John, who went through a two-story window at high speed, didn’t have a single injury. It does seem believable. Furthermore, when Eurus, who had spent years devising games with her brothers, particularly Sherlock, finally met him, she showed no concern about the grenade she sent, which could have easily harmed them. However, given that Eurus is known for her vast intelligence, it’s possible she knew they would make it through, right?

This version aims to maintain the original meaning while using simpler language and more conversational phrasing to make it easier for readers to understand.

You can stream all four seasons of Sherlock on Hulu, Britbox, AMC+, etc.

Read More

2025-06-16 03:41