I've always said the writing on BBC Sherlock is doing the actors a disservice (very much like Series 7 of New Who). I need to get around to watching Elementary (ironically it's only because of a spoiler I inadvertently came across that really got me interested in it) just to do a comparison. Empty Hearse was rollicking fun but at the end I remarked to someone that none of it would've worked if not for Cumberbatch's considerable acting ability.