Andrew Scott's role as Moriarty in the BBC's Sherlock became and remained a phenomenon for a reason. Though the modernized Sherlock Holmes cases didn't always hit the mark, the performances from the cast were undeniable, including, of course, Benedict Cumberbatch's Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman's John Watson – but it wasn't just them.

Every great detective needs a great adversary, and Sherlock Holmes's most cunning and devious adversary is, without a doubt, James Moriarty. Since the character's brief yet impactful introduction in Arthur Conan Doyle's 1893 short story "The Final Problem," in which both Moriarty and Sherlock are presumed to have fallen to their deaths in Switzerland, Moriarty has become one of pop culture's most iconic villains. Moriarty is a criminal mastermind with a need for theatrics, and Sherlock's Andrew Scott made the role entirely his own.

Andrew Scott's Moriarty Is One Of The Best TV Villains Of All Time

He Elevated The Show's Stories

Andrew Scott's portrayal of Jim Moriarty elevated the show to new heights. His chemistry with Cumberbatch's Sherlock is palpable, and his performance is oddly seductive, even though we're all too aware of the chaos, harm, and treachery he's capable of. As a character, Moriarty's whole shtick is the fact that he mostly remains hidden in the shadows, orchestrating London's criminal underworld and his devious plans from afar. Everybody around him is none the wiser, and Scott's Moriarty genuinely makes you believe he's capable of that.

Few TV villains have been able to cultivate the same wicked, twisted sense of devotion as Andrew Scott's Moriarty.

What makes Sherlock's Moriarty stand out from other portrayals, including Jared Harris' 2011 performance in the Robert Downey Jr.-led film Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, is the theatricality Scott brings to the role. His face is incredibly expressive. It's impossible to predict how he'll react next. He's got a sense of humor. He has stage presence. Who can forget that iconic image of him wearing all the crown jewels? Few TV villains have been able to cultivate the same wicked, twisted sense of devotion as Andrew Scott's Moriarty.

Andrew Scott's Priest From Fleabag Is Just As Iconic As Moriarty

Few Characters Are So Genuinely Sincere

We all know that Andrew Scott is a great actor. He's a star in every TV and film role he's been in. While it was hard to imagine Scott in any other type of role after Moriarty, an utterly British comedy-drama soon came along that changed everything. In Fleabag season 2, written and created by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Andrew Scott plays a character known simply as "The Priest," though much of the internet has since dubbed him the "Hot Priest."

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At first glance, it's an unassuming role. Scott's Priest is amiable, charming, and trustworthy; everything you'd want in a religious leader. Slowly, though, the layers are peeled away, and while he is still all of those things, he also becomes so much more. He smokes, swears, jokes, debates, and flirts as though his life depends on it. He's empathetic and attractive, and his romantic relationship with Fleabag is both uplifting and heartbreaking at the same time. Very few lines hit as hard as "It'll ." If you know, you know.

I Love Moriarty, But The Priest Might Be Andrew Scott's Best TV Role

In This Case, It's Substance Over Style

Andrew Scott as the Priest in Fleabag season 2

Though all the actors are brilliant in Sherlock, Moriarty is still my favorite part of the series. Scott's performance changed that role into something more: chaotic, menacing, and even hilarious, all at once. And yet, despite Scott's presence in the Moriarty role, I've since come to appreciate his part in Fleabag even more. Not everybody can play a charismatic and cunning villain in a show as big as Sherlock with as much gravitas as he did. Yet I'd argue it's even harder to play such a well-meaning, flirtatious, genuinely kind character without making it feel trite or insincere.

Scott's portrayal of Moriarty is big and melodramatic in the best way possible, and it's not easy to make that work without it coming across as clownish. The writing in Fleabag, however, is incredibly human and painfully relatable, and there's something about Scott's Priest that makes you believe in every word he says. In this case, substance has won over style. Fleabag's Priest is everything you could want in a character, but we have Sherlock to thank for giving Scott the kind of appreciation he deserves.