Third, I felt like last night's episode was the first episode that was, if not better than Sherlock, at least on par with it.

I don't feel the same, but at least the plot didn't have me going "Seriously? SERIOUSLY? Step away from the crack pipe."

I may go back to feeling that if/when they bring in Moriarty. It doesn't help that I loathe Moriarty as a character - in canon, in remakes, in pastiche - I find him tedious and annoying as an entire concept.

(Y'know what I want to see, if they're going to keep putting Irene and Moriarty in the same plots? I want her to play them both, a la Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Canon Irene could and would, and THAT I would love to see!)