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Sherlock Watch Order in the correct order

How to watch the Sherlock TV series in order

Last updated: September 27 2026

Written by: ChronoChris

The BBC's Sherlock reinvents Arthur Conan Doyle's detective in modern-day London, and its feature-length episodes are best enjoyed in broadcast order.

Created by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, Sherlock stars Benedict Cumberbatch as the brilliant, abrasive detective and Martin Freeman as Dr. John Watson. Across four seasons and a special, the show tells serialized, feature-length mysteries that build a rich ongoing arc β€” meaning order matters.

πŸ• Release Order

Release (broadcast) order is essential, since character arcs and cliffhangers carry across every episode.

  1. Season 1 (2010)
  2. Season 2 (2012)
  3. Season 3 (2014)
  4. The Abominable Bride (2016 special)
  5. Season 4 (2017)

The show unfolds in real time apart from one Victorian-set special, so chronology closely follows the broadcast run.

πŸ“– Story Chronology

Story chronology matches broadcast order, with the special functioning as a mind-palace interlude between seasons three and four.

  1. Season 1 (2010)
  2. Season 2 (2012)
  3. Season 3 (2014)
  4. The Abominable Bride (2016 special) β€” a dream sequence set within Season 3–4
  5. Season 4 (2017)

Which Order Should You Choose?

Watch Sherlock in broadcast order from Season 1. The overarching mysteries β€” from Moriarty to the Holmes family secrets β€” depend on watching the seasons in sequence. The Abominable Bride special slots neatly between Seasons 3 and 4, and while it plays with time, it's best viewed at that point in the run. There's no reason to deviate from release order here.

πŸ”— Related Guides

  • Sherlock Holmes Watch OrderGuide
  • Peaky Blinders Watch OrderGuide
  • Prison Break Watch OrderGuide

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