The game is afoot for Young Sherlock! The latest iteration in a long line of adaptations comes from Prime Video, which offers a thrilling chase led by the anarchic, headstrong, and undisciplined 19-year-old Sherlock Holmes before he becomes the renowned detective known around the world.
Directed by Guy Ritchie—the same director of Robert Downey Jr.’s Sherlock Holmes films—Young Sherlock is a whimsical, fun, and action-packed take on the titular detective’s youth, filled with secrets and mysteries that keep viewers hooked. This version of Sherlock is on a quest to clear his name after being framed for a murder.
Join us as we take to the streets of Oxford in this High Five review of Young Sherlock. Warning good madams and sirs, there may be spoilers ahead!
Immersive Production
Still from Amazon Prime
From the costumes to the manner of speaking, the team ensured that the viewing experience aligns with late Victorian and early Edwardian sensibilities. Aside from this, the slow motion framing of the action scenes pulls viewers in the moment in a way that’s distinctly Guy Ritchie’s style. The pacing of the series is also well-done, and each cliff hanger that ends the episodes keep viewers hooked until you’ve finished it til the eighth episode. If you want a series to keep you engaged with not only action but storytelling, Young Sherlock is the show for you.
New Faces for a Younger Iteration
Posters from Amazon Prime
Hero Fiennes Tiffin as a young Sherlock is a delight on screen, carrying the familiar air of superiority that fans have come to expect from the expert sleuth, dialed up a notch due to his teenager hubris and experience of always being the smart kid in the room. The same goes for Dónal Finn’s Moriarty, who is Sherlock’s friend and partner in deduction. Finn plays Moriarty to the tee with his eccentricity and charm that’s reminiscent of Andrew Scott’s take on the character in the BBC Sherlock series. A new character is also introduced into the Sherlock Holmes mythos by way of Princess Gulun Shou’an, as portrayed by Zine Tseng, who has a delightful cunningness that befits the series and rounds out the main cast.
Posters from Amazon Prime
Max Irons’ big brother energy is palpable as Mycroft Holmes, who takes care of his mother and brother while trying to keep a job in the government. Irons brings a warmth to the role that we rarely see in the adaptations of the character. Natascha McElhone as Cordelia Holmes brings in whimsy backed by a strong performance as the matriarch of the Holmes household. Joseph Fiennes portrays Silas Holmes, the patriarch of the Holmes family, playing with the duality of a loving father and ambitious man well. We also can’t fail to mention Colin Firth as Sir Bucephalus Hodge, which was refreshing to see, as he embodied a stuck up rich man in contrast with his more romantic roles outside the series.
Still from Amazon Prime
Still from Amazon PrimeTiffin and Irons as Sherlock and Mycroft specially have a unique dynamic and palpable chemistry. Through all the annoyances and squabbles, and the love between them, despite not always heard through speech, is seen through the little actions they do for each other. We absolutely love that the series took the time to develop Mycroft, who rarely appears in the canon of Sherlock Holmes works due to his 7-year age gap with his brother.
The Early Stages of Sherlock’s Mind Palace
Still from Amazon Prime
The BBC adaptation depicts how Sherlock processes information through a technique called the “mind palace.” For Young Sherlock, this deductive ability comes from a place he dubs his “overactive imagination.” Viewers get to see how Sherlock reexamines evidence through his photographic memory and attention to detail, where he imagines himself in the scene while everything around him turns a duller shade. This becomes an interesting recurring narrative device that makes it stand out from prior adaptations. The scene transitions from the real world into Sherlock’s mind, where he can control and analyze everything in as much detail as he can, showing just how his deductive mind works.
The Start of a Friendship or the Origin of the Rivalry?
Say goodbye to John Watson for now, and say hello to a young James Moriarty—Sherlock’s trusted partner in mystery-solving. Fans of the books and prior adaptations know that Moriarty is Sherlock’s ultimate adversary who often puts the lives of others at stake for the sake of engaging Sherlock in a battle of wits. In Young Sherlock, we see a different side of Moriarty as Sherlock’s friend—accompanying him in his journey to prove his innocence and throughout all the secrets that they uncover. Surprisingly, both teenagers work together because of how similar their minds work, but could this also be the wedge that would eventually drive them away?
A Family Mystery
Compared to previous film and TV adaptations, Young Sherlock depicts mysteries not as cases to solve, but as a continuous unravelling of unanswered questions leading to the ultimate answer. From beginning to end, the series shows us an unseen look into Sherlock’s young life, and promises a glimpse into why he becomes the adult we eventually know him as—cold and distant, yet unflinchingly brilliant. All in all, this production was such a fun watch and revitalized our interest in the Sherlock Holmes franchise.
SEA Wave gives Young Sherlock 3 out of 5 waves.