Sherlock is back, and if you saw the last series you would know the standard was set rather high. There was also the small matter of a cliff hanger, which saw the eponymous hero’s death, along with his sidekick Watson, pretty much guaranteed. No fear. In typical dry Sherlock style, his assassination is called off thanks to the ringtone of “Staying Alive” by the BeeGees, and we are treated to a new episode, replete as ever with cutthroat dialogue, a pounding pace and slick use of visual effects.

This new series does not look set to disappoint. Episode one, A Scandal in Belgravia, pits Sherlock against his polar opposite – and probably his ideal match: Irene Adler, the sly and highly sexed dominatrix juxtaposed to his cold, calculating and (seemingly) celibate self. Cumberbatch portrays Sherlock with all the brilliant, haughty, antisocial aplomb witnessed in series one, and his bromance with Watson continues to crackle with wit and exasperation.

There is a good dose of humour along with the drama, a favourite being Sherlock escorted to Buckingham Palace wearing nothing but a white bedsheet. Action is not lacking either, with deft utilisation of slow-motion in fight sequences and green screen displacements all adding to the show’s sharp yet smooth unfurling. Combined with a champion cast armed with killer dialogue and some flashy montages which make London look glamorous yet quaint, we have ourselves another winning formula.

We get a bit of character development too, with some insight into Sherlock’s feelings – or lack of (“Sentiment is a chemical defect found in the losing side”). We never do find out if he is actually a “Virgin”, the nickname with which Moriarty has christened him, or if indeed he has the capacity for emotion; with Adler, “The Woman”, it’s probably the closest we’ve come yet to seeing some. Far from dulling Sherlock’s character with such banality, this only adds to his intrigue; so the brilliant, piercing detective has a heart after all … Or does he?

Either way, what a thumping start to series two, with its mix of familiar elements, new perspectives and ever more witticisms from Mr Holmes. The only difficulty comes with having to wait a whole week until the next episode.