The Great Game is the third episode of the television series
Sherlock and was first broadcast on
BBC One and BBC HD on 8 August 2010.
Sherlock Holmes, who is bored in the absence of a challenging case, snaps at
John Watson, angry that his account of their first case on his blog has made him ridiculous by revealing that Sherlock lacks even primary school level notions of astronomy. Sherlock is of the opinion that any knowledge not likely to have an importance in his work takes up precious space in his brain. John decamps to his girlfriend Sarah's apartment, where he hears on the news that an explosion has taken place on Baker Street. He rushes back home to find Sherlock and his brother Mycroft sitting in the living room, unaffected by what seemed to be a gas leak. Mycroft tries to persuade his brother to look into the murder of MI5 employee Andrew "Westie" West, who was found on a railroad track with his head smashed and a flash drive in his custody, carrying files of utmost importance, missing. Mycroft elaborates that the flash drive contained vital information about the "Bruce-Partington" missile project. Sherlock however, refuses to take the case, stating that his hands are already full. He eventually asks John to investigate it himself.
Shortly after, DI Lestrade calls Sherlock to Scotland Yard. There, Sherlock is given a package, containing a replica of the pink mobile phone of Jennifer Wilson, the murder victim in "
A Study in Pink". A message on the mobile plays five
Greenwich pips and displays a photo of a rundown basement which he recognises as 221C Baker Street, the basement flat of his building. Sherlock, John and Lestrade find a pair of
trainers lying in the middle of the room. At that point, Sherlock receives a phone call from a terrified woman in her car, who is obviously reading a message sent by a third party. She urges Sherlock to solve the puzzle in 12 hours or the explosive vest she is being forced to wear will be detonated. Sherlock believes the
five pips mean that he will be required to solve five riddles to prevent five bombs from exploding.
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