Sherlock: Every Episode Ranked Worst To Best

Despite introducing the audience to characters, stories and tropes everyone knows, A Study in Pink manages to be refreshing and create a very different Holmes-Watson dynamic. But most importantly, the villain and central mystery of the episode still holds up in its own right.

The episode could very easily have been dominated by the origin story of Sherlock and John, with the plot just being an excuse to push them together. Instead, Sherlock and John hit it off because of the mystery, not in spite of it.

Phil Davis' cabbie is a chilling and memorable addition to Sherlock's rogues gallery, and sadly often forgotten. But despite being a creepy guy that everyone else would overlook, he manages to catch Sherlock off-guard, and motivate John back into action. He may have been working for Moriarty, but he is arguably more crucial to this episode than LeStrade, Mycroft, Molly or Mrs. Hudson.

Serving as the perfect introduction to the world of Sherlock, and remaining highly rewatchable, the only shortfall of A Study in Pink is that everything and everyone is being established. Such an adventure with a fully developed Holmes and Watson would be every bit as good.