OK, someone said that Sherlock just shows up after 3 years. He's spent the intervening time tracking down and destroying Moriarty's network.
Arguments go that that much time won't pass because 3 years is reasonable travel time in the Victorian age. Less so in the 21st century.
My disagreement with what they did in this episode is this is the age of the internet.
Unless there is some spectacular series of arrests and very public trials of Moriarty's organized crime cronies, Sherlock will never escape the sordid story of the reporter because in the age of 9/11 truthers and birther conspiracy nuts, anything he does that is triumphant will be looked at with doubt and skepticism no matter what.
BTW, anyone know what it is John can't say at the end of the episode to his therapist?