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Sherlock
S2.E3
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The Reichenbach Fall

  • Episode aired May 20, 2012
  • TV-14
  • 1h 28m
IMDb RATING
9.6/10
43K
YOUR RATING
Benedict Cumberbatch in Sherlock (2010)
CrimeDramaMysteryThriller

Jim Moriarty hatches a mad scheme to turn the whole city against Sherlock.Jim Moriarty hatches a mad scheme to turn the whole city against Sherlock.Jim Moriarty hatches a mad scheme to turn the whole city against Sherlock.

  • Director
    • Toby Haynes
  • Writers
    • Steve Thompson
    • Mark Gatiss
    • Steven Moffat
  • Stars
    • Benedict Cumberbatch
    • Martin Freeman
    • Una Stubbs
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    9.6/10
    43K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Toby Haynes
    • Writers
      • Steve Thompson
      • Mark Gatiss
      • Steven Moffat
    • Stars
      • Benedict Cumberbatch
      • Martin Freeman
      • Una Stubbs
    • 53User reviews
    • 27Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos68

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    Top cast37

    Edit
    Benedict Cumberbatch
    Benedict Cumberbatch
    • Sherlock Holmes
    Martin Freeman
    Martin Freeman
    • Dr. John Watson
    Una Stubbs
    Una Stubbs
    • Mrs. Hudson
    Rupert Graves
    Rupert Graves
    • DI Lestrade
    Mark Gatiss
    Mark Gatiss
    • Mycroft Holmes
    Andrew Scott
    Andrew Scott
    • Jim Moriarty
    Louise Brealey
    Louise Brealey
    • Molly Hooper
    Katherine Parkinson
    Katherine Parkinson
    • Kitty Riley
    Vinette Robinson
    Vinette Robinson
    • Sgt Sally Donovan
    Jonathan Aris
    Jonathan Aris
    • Anderson
    Tanya Moodie
    Tanya Moodie
    • Ella
    Tony Pitts
    Tony Pitts
    • Chief Superintendant
    Jaye Griffiths
    Jaye Griffiths
    • Prosecuting Barrister
    Ian Hallard
    Ian Hallard
    • Defence Barrister
    Malcolm Rennie
    • Judge
    Sydney Wade
    Sydney Wade
    • Claudie Bruhl
    Edward Holtom
    • Max Bruhl
    Paul Leonard
    Paul Leonard
    • Bank Director
    • Director
      • Toby Haynes
    • Writers
      • Steve Thompson
      • Mark Gatiss
      • Steven Moffat
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews53

    9.642.7K
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    10

    Featured reviews

    10emilyblunt

    Series Two Set Rocks

    BluntReview says: Brains are indeed the new sexy…and Sherlock Series Two delivers multiple, err, pleasures…In fact it's a trifecta for the brain endorphin-wise. You get a heaping helping of raw sexy, mystery and intrigue complete with scary bits, and the finale serves up a gut-wrenching thrill. And Sherlock Series Two's three new films dare to step forward into the Doyle Classics; Scandal in Bohemia, Hound of the Baskervilles and Reichenbach Falls.

    Oh, yes, they went there, and the reworks work. Hell, they've even neatly managed to work in the infamous deerstalker! It's hard to top the phenom the whole production crew brought us in the first myth-shifting series. I mean they had to approach concisely the bromance, the modernization and of course nod to all us Holmesians – with our self-righteous eyes looking for any flaw; complete with the "Why I oughttas" awaiting. But, worldwide we were quietly awed then thunderously applauding.

    We are brought back in with, 'A Scandal in Belgravia.' Of course the title is obvious. And the "plot" is about royalty and scandalous pictures. Normally a yawn, ah, but not here there Johnny. Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Watson (Martin Freeman) run around in glorious subplot land as the real focus is on one woman - The Woman - Irene Adler (Lara Pulver). All the series of films thus far has attempted to knock you upside the head with how not gay Watson is, but, have left Sherlock up to one's imagination. Is this man an Elder Virgin or perhaps… But as we shall all discover all the lad needed was an equally brilliant brain-force and some good old-fashioned gorgeous-to-boot looks thrown in and he too can be befuddled by the opposite sex. Purr. Snap. (<- if you know what I'm typing here...and I think that you do) The acting in these sexually-fueled frames is particularly brilliant from the trio; S, J and I. Watch the eys and tells.

    Next up is The Hounds of Baskerville. Now how on Earth are they going to manage this work you may harrumph aloud as the film starts. Fear not, they have and quite (as we are coming to expect) brilliantly. Clever is too mundane a word. Brilliant too used. Let's just go ahead and say it. But, here, the word is neither over used or quaint. The film is genius.

    Oh there's something going on out there on the moors alright Joe, and you'll have eyes fixed upon the television wondering just what this hound thing is anyway! There are some clues: Baskerville is now a military testing area, and strange people do strange things, the townsfolk don't mind having a dog beast for fiscal intake purposes, and one young man has a long history with the hound….which would have to be either on a third generation, or twenty odd years old and still running about tearing poor moor wanderers apart like an old chewie toy. And, thankfully, there's plenty of foggy atmospheric additions to help your psyche go along for the hunt.

    Finally they've attempted, and succeeded, in The Reichenbach Fall re-imagining. This film is so completely thrilling, I forewarn you not to eat prior to viewing or your tummy is sure to burp and bother at you in protest through out.

    Moriaty (Andrew Scott) is back and he's even more twisted and riddled up in a conundrum then when we first met him temper-tantruming about at the pool. Moriaty is the Yin to Sherlock's Yang. He almost steals the show – both actor and character. Seething evil and diction the actor is given some of the smarter bits ever caught by a lens. This Scott fellow can act. Yes he can.

    The premise, or plot, starts to shape up to be about how once an idea is planted in one's mind there's no uprooting. Kind of like you can not un-hear something. That's really all I can say without slipping the game up.

    Be aware R Falls' end is sure to leave you utterly breathless and perhaps stunned with a tear or two rolling down your face….I'm just saying. I can say no more.

    Except to say, the characters you've immediately come to know and enjoy are all back and in the crispest of form from Series One; Mycroft (Mark Gatiss), Mrs. Hudson (Una Stubbs), suffering Molly (Loo Brealey) and Lestrade (Rupert Graves).

    DVD kit bonuses include a short on behind the scenes where cast and crew share the warmth of reception and show you how they shot a few really swell scenes and audio commentary.

    Once again I bow to all in and around the production for a tremendously entertaining few evenings.

    Snack recommendations: Pack of cigarettes for Scandal - or a few nicotine patches...frankly, what ever you enjoy post coitus;)
    10vsmahesh18

    The most seducing of all deductions

    oh my word!This is indeed the one of the most beautiful adaptations i have seen for a long time.It was fast paced,juicy but then very much intriguing.

    Actually i was left disappointed by the third episode of first season-'the great game',so obviously i was expecting something similar till i saw this and the hell i do rather i wish the story never ends.It has all the ingredients of a perfect sherlock story plus the emotional quotient that we don't often see in Holmes narratives and this for me was the best part of it.

    One of the interesting thing in this episode was that it used the humane part of Holmes-he did crumble or appear to crumble under pressure from his age old nemesis Moriarty .And my review won't be complete without acknowledging the contribution of freeman as Watson-he donned the role with such command that i can't imagine sherlock without the assistance of him.

    As with everybody else am waiting for the next series to unfold........
    10ArtySin

    On it's own, this episode was worth the whole TV licence fee

    Prior to the start, I was thinking that this episode would not live up to some of the greatest TV seen in the UK despite the previous episodes being fantastic. How wrong I was. My summary line says it all and for those of you that haven't yet seen it, it's a must. I have too many superlatives to mention for this series and particularly this episode.

    Out of curiosity I looked on Twitter when it had finished, only to find that it was the No.1 trending topic for about two hours. People tweeting like mad for there to be a series 3 were not disappointed as the writers held us in suspense too, revealing about half an hour after this episode had finished that series 3 had already been commissioned at the same time as series 2.

    Looking forward to the next tranche of episodes and I hope I don't have to wait too long.

    Quote from the series Sherlock Holmes: Shut up. Inspector Lestrade: I didn't say anyth — Sherlock Holmes: You were thinking. It's annoying.

    Brilliant!!
    9dharabhiabhi

    It doesn't take sherlock to figure out that this episode was mind-blasting!!!!! :D

    So i saw the finale of sherlock season 2 today thinking it would be another good episode of sherlock, but i was wrong in all ways possible! Good is an understatement, this was definitively the best episode of television i will see this year unless of course breaking bad would pull off a stunner. Season 2 tried to portray the sherlock as more "human" and this finale completes the arc brilliantly. The acting, the direction and the writing( oh god the writing!!) were simply outstanding. The episode had a brilliant blend of drama, emotion and edge of the seat suspense. In most of sherlock episodes you know that sherlock is going to solve the crime , its just about how he does it and who is the main culprit, but this episode just kept me guessing. I had no idea what was going to happen, every second was a " will he or wouldn't he" type of moment. The final 20 minutes took the show from brilliant to whatever is much better than that. Martin freeman was brilliant in the emotional moments completely justifying peter Jackson wanting him for the hobbit and even Benedict cumberbatch got a chance to show the emotional yet reserved side of sherlock, which i think he did beautifully. All i can say is season 3 -"where are thou?"
    10Littleman95

    Best Episode So Far

    Finally a proper episode like I always guessed the war between Sherlock and Moriarty would be. Tension, plot twists, intricate situations... I think that everyone was expecting this from the beginning.

    Andrew Scott did a stunning work, really. I'm starting to think that he would be the best actor in this show.

    Related interests

    James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)
    Crime
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway in Chinatown (1974)
    Mystery
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In the first sequence in which various newspaper headlines are shown, one story begins, "In a twist worthy of a Conan Doyle novella, Mr. Sherlock Holmes was yesterday revealed to be an expert witness at the trial of 'Jim' Moriarty."
    • Goofs
      In the courthouse scene, where Moriarty asks security to reach into his pocket, she does so and places a piece of gum into his mouth. A trained court security officer would not do this, as this would place them in a position of disadvantage. In addition, as Moriarty was in custody, his clothing would be searched and contraband such as gum would have been disposed of. Gum especially is a security concern as it can foul locks,etc.
    • Quotes

      Dr. John Watson: Don't do that.

      Sherlock Holmes: Do what?

      Dr. John Watson: The look.

      Sherlock Holmes: Look?

      Dr. John Watson: You're doing the look again.

      Sherlock Holmes: Well, I can't see it, can I?

      [John indicates the mirror, Sherlock looks]

      Sherlock Holmes: It's my face.

      Dr. John Watson: Yes, and it's doing a thing. You're doing a we-both-know-what's-really-going-on-here face.

      Sherlock Holmes: Well, we do.

      Dr. John Watson: No, I don't. Which is why I find the face so annoying.

    • Crazy credits
      Certain letters in the credits of each Sherlock season 2 episode are red in color. In "The Reichenbach Fall" the red letters spell out the word "Believe".
    • Connections
      Featured in The Big Fat Quiz of the Year (2012)
    • Soundtracks
      La gazza ladra
      (The Thieving Magpie) - Overture

      Written by Gioachino Rossini

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 20, 2012 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • St Bartholomew's Hospital, West Smithfield, City of London, England, UK(hospital scenes)
    • Production companies
      • Hartswood Films
      • BBC Wales
      • Masterpiece Theatre
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 28m(88 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 16:9 HD

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