Sherlock's genius intellect makes him unparalleled at solving the most complex cases any detective could come across. However, his abrasive personality makes him one of the most difficult people to work with, and time and again his selfish and uncaring attitude causes great harm to those around him.
However, that's not to say that the brilliant detective is heartless, as there have been many occasions when Sherlock has been pushed to his limits or forced to do something he'd rather not. With this in mind here are 5 times we hated Sherlock and 5 times we felt sorry for him.
HATED: When He Pretended To Not Know How To Defuse A Bomb
Sherlock's massive intellect is filled with facts and information unlike any other, so when he was confronted with a bomb in season 3's "The Empty Hearse" it seemed likely that he would know how to handle it.
Watson was filled with terror and disbelief when Sherlock confessed that he had no idea how to stop it and that this was the end. However, this was later revealed to be a joke and of course, he could deactivate the bomb.
FELT SORRY FOR: When He Was Wrong
Sherlock Holmes can think ahead and plan like no one else, but in season 4's "The Lying Detective" he was proven wrong for the first time in his career when trying to stop the serial killer Culverton Smith.
His use of drugs saw his behavior become more erratic than ever and after being proven wrong Sherlock tried to stab Smith, and was disarmed and badly beaten by Watson. Here Sherlock was broken and out of control, leading to one of his lowest moments. Benedict Cumberbatch was able to show a different, less stable side to Sherlock that made the arrogant detective sympathetic. Although it was later revealed that this was all part of Sherlock's plan to catch the killer, the extreme lengths he went to still remain shocking.
HATED: When He Used Janine
Sherlock is known for his uncaring and cavalier attitude towards people, however, he took things too far when he began a relationship with Janine is season 3.
In reality, he was only using her to get close to her boss, Charles Augustus Magnussen, and, upon realizing this, Janine was rightfully furious. This then led to her going public with her story, telling both the papers and The One Show about her relationship with the famous detective.
FELT SORRY FOR: When He Fell In Love
Sherlock was challenged like never before when he met Irene Adler in season 2's "A Scandal in Belgravia", and their relationship proved to be unlike anything Sherlock had experienced before.
They played each other and kept the audience guessing who would come out on top, but it was clear that Sherlock had feelings for her and he was unsure how to process them. He ultimately did get the best of Adler, but their mutual attraction was undeniable and she was one of the best characters featured in the series.
HATED: When He Was Mean To Molly
Molly Hooper assisted Doctor Watson and Sherlock Holmes on numerous occasions on their many cases. This is in large part because she had feelings for Sherlock and hoped that one day he would return her affections.
This never happened, but Sherlock was more than happy to exploit Molly's feelings to complete his cases. Of all the cruel things Sherlock did to Molly, the worst has to be when he analyzed a Christmas present she wrapped and humiliated her in front of all her friends.
FELT SORRY FOR: When He Though Watson Was Going To Die
Sherlock's first encounter with James Moriarty proved to be one of their most memorable interactions. They finally met in the final episode of season 1, and Moriarty gained the upper hand on both Watson and Sherlock putting everyone's lives at risk by strapping Watson into a jacket lined with explosives.
Here the audience saw Sherlock more worried than ever before, as he believed Watson was going to die at the hands of this madman. Thankfully Moriarty changed his plans and Sherlock was immensely relieved to be able to remove the explosives from his friend.
HATED: When He Came Back From The Dead
Sherlock's death at the end of season 2 proved to be one of the most shocking moments in the series, and while his return was both satisfying and relieving, it also featured the typical Sherlock brand of cruelty.
Watson struggled after losing his best friend and finally moved on with his life after meeting Mary. However, Sherlock chose to pose as Watson's waiter to reveal himself in the most amusing way possible, this only served to startle and scare Watson.
FELT SORRY FOR: When He Thought He Was Losing His Mind
Sherlock faced one of his most challenging cases in "The Hounds of the Baskerville" when a young man came to him for assistance claiming to have seen a gigantic hound. Although dismissing his client's claims, Sherlock was intrigued and took on the case.
Sherlock witnessed the gigantic hounds himself, and the impossible nature of the creatures led to him beginning to question if he was losing his mind. It was later revealed that these creatures were hallucinations, resulting from experimental chemicals pumped into the air.
HATED: When He Stopped Fighting His Addictions
Sherlock's use of drugs never became a problem until season 3 when he went too far and it began to affect his work. This led to Sherlock spiraling out of control.
Although he claimed he was undercover on a case, the lengths he went to proved to be too much and led to even Molly putting him in his place. His boredom sees Sherlock constantly trying to stimulate himself, his work as a detective often does this but his use of drugs is an ongoing problem.
FELT SORRY FOR: When He Was Forced To Kill Himself
Sherlock met his match in James Moriarty and the criminal mastermind pushed Sherlock to do the unthinkable. With his friends lives in danger Sherlock was forced to jump to his death to save them in "The Reichenbach Fall" which remains one the highest-rated episodes.
Although it was later revealed that he was indeed alive and staged the whole thing, his death and subsequent absence proved to be one of the shows most shocking moments. In addition, Sherlock's protection of his friends proved that he had grown, and cared for others more than himself.