Sherlock: 10 Most Hated Episodes
6. The Abominable Bride
The Abominable Bride's biggest problem is how it tries to do too much, ultimately resulting in it being needlessly complicated and, quite frankly, hard to follow. It would've been fine if the entire thing had just taken place in 1895, but for some reason, the writers felt it necessary to include present-day Sherlock as well, making the final result incredibly messy and chaotic with its time-hopping.
It really does make for an overstuffed episode and it certainly isn't helped by the fact that neither stories are particularly interesting. Sure, the production of the episode parts set in 1895 is certainly impressive, but the plot is poorly written and the way the 1895 storyline intertwines with the present-day storyline is nonsensical and convoluted. The Abominable Bride comes across as a smug and indulgent special that feels far too pleased with itself.
It doesn't work as a standalone and it doesn't work as a continuous part of the show, seeing as how the present-day parts barely contribute anything to the overall story or characters arcs of the series. Given the entire thing just takes place in Sherlock's mind, it's almost unnecessary to watch. It's just an enormous waste of time.