Top TV Memes: The Best Meme Formats From 'Sherlock'

Beginning in 2010 and ending in 2017, Sherlock has been a cult classic for years, and even though it eventually ended after season four and gave viewers a two-year wait period between seasons, it’s still a favorite for millions of viewers. Based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes books, this modern BBC adaptation of the original stories follows Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock and Martin Freeman’s John Watson as they investigate strange crimes that Watson features on his famous blog.

Sherlock, a consulting detective and borderline psychopath, has influenced many memes due to his disturbed character. On the off-chance that you catch a line of his fast-spoken dialogue, you’ll have an incredibly concerning or existential quote that will make you wonder about the well-being of the writers of this show (as well as your own mental health). Memes have come a long way from just Sexually Oblivious Sherlock, so here are some of the best episodes that have led to the modern Sherlock memes over the last decade.

Most Popular Memes: Season 1, Episode 1: "A Study in Pink"

This is the first-ever episode of Sherlock, and a lot happens in it. "A Study in Pink" is our first introduction to Sherlock and John, and it’s full of awkward silences, corpse mutilation, Afghanistan flashbacks, gay subtext, drug raids and quotes that imply Sherlock is London’s version of Jeffrey Dahmer. From the first moment, this episode leaves audiences concerned and afraid, and the series does a great job living up to that same sense as it continues.

This episode is also the original source of two quotes that have gone on to become memes, the first of which being Sherlock’s matter-of-fact statement that he is a "high-functioning sociopath," as if it’s a badge of honor. The second most popular quote from the series is "What is it like in your funny little brains? It must be so boring," which he uses to express frustration to other investigators when they fail to see minute details at a crime scene. Both are often exploited in quotable reaction images.

Most Meme Potential: Season 3, Episode 2: "The Sign of Three"

In this episode, Sherlock gives a best man’s speech at a wedding that lasts nearly an hour and a half, bringing up flashbacks of both good and bad memories about him and John while scarring some of the wedding-goers for life with unexpected insults and gore. As if the wedding wasn’t ruined enough already, he proceeds to tell the story of how he got drunk alongside John and the two of them attempted to examine a crime scene. This gave rise to some memes, particularly in reference to Sherlock’s inability to distinguish basic household items such as chairs.

While these memes aren’t particularly popular outside of the Sherlock fandom and their elaborate crack videos, there’s no reason they shouldn’t be. After all, who among us hasn’t suggested a man was killed from a dagger made out of meat or accidentally created dozens of napkin pyramids? There is an endless number of memes that could come out of the scene in which John and Sherlock try to play the "Headbandz" party game out of nowhere, or Sherlock drinking a coffee with a human eye inside of it because he’d rather do that then utilize his limited social skills in conversation. Overall, there’s a lot of untapped potential here that deserves to appear in memes outside of the depths of Tumblr.

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