8 Greatest Live-Action Sherlock Holmes Villains

Culverton Smith

Sherlock

BBC's Sherlock is one of the best adaptations, with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman's chemistry defining the series, along with its modern take on the original mysteries. Unfortunately, of all the four seasons of Sherlock, the final season is the worst by far, with many reviewers claiming that it was both unnecessary and let the show down. Still, Sherlock's fourth season had some high points, one of which being the terrifying Culverton Smith, who appeared in the episode "The Lying Detective." Smith is a seemingly respectable public figure with a secret that is both timely and unnerving.

Smith, played by Toby Jones, hides behind his status to act as he pleases, including committing murder. His influence extends to powerful businesses, and he seems especially sinister when rewatching the show as he resembles other figures with extensive power and an attitude that suggests they are untouchable. Jones' portrayal differs from the book's version of the character, who lives on an island, but his take on the villain feels extremely realistic, making him even more disturbing.

Dowager Lady Basilwether

Enola Holmes

Enola Holmes follows Sherlock's younger sister, played by Millie Bobby Brown. The story is based on the book series by Nancy Springer, and features Sherlock in more of a guiding role, with Enola taking on the main mystery, which concerns the whereabouts of her missing mother. The movie eventually reveals a shocking villain in the form of the seemingly respectable Dowager Lady Basilwether. Many of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries feature clues that seem obvious in hindsight, and Enola Holmes leaves several clues that reveal the grandmother killer twist.

The Dowager is outwardly concerned about her grandson, who was about to take a seat in the House of Lords, where he was set to vote in favor of a bill that would expand voting rights. However, he was the target of several failed assassination attempts before he could arrive. Enola discovered that The Dowager was the mastermind behind the attacks, prizing her bigoted views over the life of her grandson by attempting to stop him from voting for the bill. She is a classic villain hiding in plain sight, and played perfectly by Frances de la Tour.

Jaime Moriarty

Elementary

Professor James Moriarty is one of the best villains in the Sherlock Holmes mysteries, as he is a rare character who matches Sherlock's intelligence, allowing him to come close to outwitting the famous detective. The character has been played by many actors, but one of the best versions of Moriarty made some drastic changes to the infamous antagonist. In Elementary, James became Jaime, and the show introduced a romantic tension between Moriarty and Sherlock.

This was a creative gamble that could have been a disaster, but it worked well, partly due to Natalie Dormer's scene-stealing performance as both Moriarty and Irene Adler. Dormer's Moriarty is still charismatic and hyper-intelligent, but she is also unpredictable as viewers did not know what to expect. This wildly different antagonist was a perfect choice for Elementary, keeping the show's creative edge as well as emphasizing Sherlock's emotional turmoil, which is often absent from other adaptations.

Silas Holmes

Young Sherlock

Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes origin story has been a surprisingly well-received hit, with an 84% positive Rotten Tomatoes rating from critics. Many of the characters in Young Sherlock are based on those found in the books, which means that there is a Moriarty. However, the standout villain in the series is Sherlock's father, Silas Holmes (Joseph Fiennes.) Fiennes has experience playing characters who are outwardly caring, with a monstrous side, having played Fred Waterford in The Handmaid's Tale, and Silas is nearly as sinister.

Silas is a greedy criminal mastermind who betrays virtually every member of his family in the pursuit of wealth. He faked the death of his daughter, sent his wife to an asylum, and trafficked nerve gas that he planned to sell to the highest bidder. While Silas' ambitions are less complicated than many other great Sherlock Holmes villains, Silas stands out for his dual nature and ability to present a friendly face while inwardly scheming.

Professor James Moriarty

Sherlock Holmes

As one of the greatest actors of this age, Jared Harris is mesmerizing to watch in any role, and his take on Moriarty is often considered one of the best in the Sherlock Holmes franchise. The first of the Robert Downey Jr. Sherlock movies set up Moriarty's reveal, with Harris then being central to the sequel, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. Harris' Moriarty is Holmes' intellectual equal, with a mind that runs on cold logic and has no time for morality.

Moriarty is not always as compelling a character as other villains in Sherlock Holmes, with his main distinction being his rivalry with the detective. However, Harris' version is chilling, conveying a near-constant sense of menace that is occasionally broken by rage. The scene in which he sings as the injured Holmes is struggling behind him perfectly represents the villain within one short moment. Robert Downey Jr.'s Sherlock is more action-oriented than many adaptations, and while this direction was not popular with all fans, Harris' performance was highly praised.

Charles Magnussen

Sherlock

BBC's Sherlock featured some iconic villains, and while Moriarty was one of the best, the series' focus on Sherlock's longtime nemesis would be a detriment to some of its other antagonists. The coldly polite media mogul Charles Magnussen is terrifying, and presented as more of an intellectual equal to Sherlock than Moriarty is. Magnussen (Lars Mikkelsen) is creepy, powerful, and mysterious, often within the same scene. After a tense episode in which Sherlock and Watson try to access Magnussen's blackmail vaults, the reveal that they only exist in his mind is one of the most shocking in the series.

Unfortunately, though it looked as though Magnusson would become Sherlock's new main villain, he was killed before having the chance to make more of an impression. Mikkelsen's performance was so good that many reviewers felt that the character had been wasted by only appearing in one episode, which ended with Moriarty once more. The character was playful while being cruel, and calm while tearing apart other characters. Had he lived to appear in more episodes, he could have been a true danger to everyone in Sherlock's world.

Oscar Rankin

Elementary

While the BBC series is widely considered to be an excellent adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's stories, Elementary is a detective show that makes Sherlock look small. The series is not only creative and ambitious, but explores Sherlock's emotional side and drug addition that is rarely used as a plotline in other adaptations. This allowed Elementary to introduce a villain unlike most others in Sherlock adaptations. Rather than being a "Napoleon of crime" or an internationally dangerous mastermind, Oscar Rankin represents something much more commonplace, and therefore much more disturbing.

Rankin is a former acquaintance of Sherlock's during his most difficult days. He is a drug dealer and fellow addict who has never forgiven Sherlock for beating his addiction, and his greatest motivation is to get him to fall back into drugs. This makes Rankin one of the most realistic antagonists in a Sherlock adaptation, representing a daily struggle for many people, and one that Sherlock cannot simply think and deduce his way out of.

Jim Moriarty

Sherlock

Of all the great Moriarty performances, Andrew Scott's version is so spectacularly unhinged that the role instantly became one of the standout performances in Sherlock. The scene in which he dresses up in the Crown Jewels made him an icon, and he has even been described as a better villain than Breaking Bad's Walter White. Scott's Moriarty was chaotic, unpredictable, and commanded attention in every interaction with Sherlock.

For such a distinctive character, the fact that he hid in plain sight during his first few scenes is even more impressive. Scott first appears onscreen as Molly's boyfriend, Jim, who Sherlock immediately outs as gay, to Molly's embarrassment, but fails to notice that he is the enemy who has been toying with him. The way the character shifts demeanors but maintains his intensity makes him extremely unsettling, and Scott won a well-deserved BAFTA Award for his performance.