YOUNG SHERLOCK: S1

Season 1 - Episodes 1 - 8 Review

Young Sherlock proves once again that the game is afoot as the world’s most cunning detective is given an exciting origin story that both pays tribute to the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and re-envisions the beloved characters for modern audiences, that when combined with the excellent lead performance of Hero Fiennes Tiffin as Sherlock, makes for one addictive mystery that audiences won’t be able to turn off.

Sherlock Holmes is one character that has stood the test of time that will always be reinvented and brought back to life on screen, and audiences will never tire of another mystery featuring one of the world’s most revered literary detectives. With his deductive reasoning, unmatchable wit and ever observant eye that allows him to extract critical evidence out of the smallest pieces of information, Holmes has rightfully thrilled audiences while solving mysteries for decades. There have been many iterations of the character, some more faithful to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s original writing while others have reimagined the character, with the last notable adaptation being the Guy Ritchie directed films starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law.

While Ritchie is a director and executive producer for this television series, Young Sherlock, it is not an extension of his previous films featuring the character. Instead, Young Sherlock is a bold adaptation on the infamous sleuth inspired by the young adult novel series Young Sherlock Holmes by Andrew Lane, introducing audiences to a 19 year old version of Sherlock long before he became the infamous detective living at 221B Baker Street, London, England. While it takes some big creative liberties in the backstory the series gives to Sherlock, notably with his family and friendship with James Moriarty who he is destined to become adversaries with, filling out many details not present in the writings of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the intelligence of the character is never for a second lost and when paired with a thrilling, globe trotting mystery, makes for one binge worthy season of television.

In giving an origin story to a famous character, the key to introducing the audience to an iteration of that character is to make sure that there is room for the character to grow into the individual that everyone knows and loves. And that is exactly what showrunner Matthew Parkhill does with Sherlock Holmes in Young Sherlock. When we first meet Sherlock in the premiere episode, the wit and intelligence is immediately present, but there is an unruly and scrappiness to the character that is not the polished, revered detective that audiences have met in other adaptations. As the mystery begins, it is evident that while Sherlock uses his cunning intellect to help discover clues, he is not as observant as audiences know him to be. Over the course of the season, Sherlock’s detective skills and deductive reasoning are honed, and he is forced to put aside his emotional connection to the mystery at hand, allowing Parkhill to brilliantly develop Sherlock and move him closer to the legendary detective viewers know he is fated to become.

The mystery itself is where Parkhill and his creative team take liberties in both the origins of the character and creating a more modern adaptation that will appeal to twenty first century viewers. While situated in Victorian England as are the novels, the case that unfolds is far more explosive and action packed, leaning into a more modern blockbuster style approach to Sherlock Holmes that features Ritchie’s signature stylized action and a rocking soundtrack. Though the mystery begins rather small and simplistic over the first three episodes of the season, which at times may feel a little juvenile and routine for the character of Sherlock Holmes, it eventually evolves into a far more complex and mature mystery that becomes all engrossing and ensures that you won’t be able to stop watching the series. The main liberties are taken with the characters and their relationships to Sherlock, such as his friendship with his destined arch nemesis James Moriarty and the inclusion of Sherlock’s family outside of Mycroft and the role they each play in the overall, neither of which are even referenced in the writings of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. But with the episodes full of exciting set pieces, great action, numerous twists and turns, and some shocking reveals that constantly increase the danger of the conspiracy Sherlock finds himself in the middle of, what Parkhill has created is not only a riveting mystery for audiences to get lost in that pays tribute to the character’s literary legacy, but an outstanding new iteration of the character to continue the enduring legacy of Sherlock Holmes.

While the series is an origin tale for Sherlock Holmes, it is also the same for his most dangerous adversary: James Moriarty. Building an intellect that matches Holmes as well as a budding friendship, Moriarty is a critical player in Sherlock’s development at the same time as his dark date fate is teased. Parkhill carefully hints at the recklessness and dangerous side of Moriarty in pivotal moments in the season, foreshadowing the criminal mastermind that will become Sherlock’s greatest opponent, while also delivering heated moments between the two characters that increase the dramatic weight of the mystery and creating a complex and doomed friendship at the heart of the series. It’s something audiences have never seen in a previous adaptation, as Moriarty has always been a character engulfed in shadow and treachery, but it allows for Young Sherlock to become a more effective origin story as it is not only teases a rivalry, but creates room for a true friend for Sherlock to eventually enter the picture in a later season: Dr. John H. Watson.

Though, it is the performance of Hero Fiennes Tiffin that makes Young Sherlock the rousing success it is. There is not a second of Fiennes Tiffin’s performance that does not revel in the charm and wit of Sherlock, finding the cool intellect of the famed detective, allowing Fiennes Tiffin to showcase a range as an actor that audiences have not previously seen from him. But it is in the more emotional moments of his performance as Sherlock grapples with the deeply personal connection he discovers in the case that Fiennes Tiffin creates a compelling character, that not only fully invests the audience in Sherlock’s growth over the course of the series, but creates the grander stakes for the season’s mystery. In these moments, Fiennes Tiffin is compelling with a vulnerability as he captures the clashing intellect and emotions within Sherlock, propelling Sherlock’s personal growth over the course of the season and creating the perfect Sherlock Holmes in training.

Supporting Fiennes Tiffin is an excellent supporting cast. Dónal Finn never misses a beat as Moriarty, creating an infectious chemistry with Fiennes Tiffin that develops the friendship between their characters built on intelligence and the search for the truth, while bringing a wickedness to Moriarty that displays glimpses of the infamous rival to Sherlock he is destined to become. Zine Tseng is spellbinding as Princess Gulun Shou'an, developing a riveting femme fatal character that is both friend and opponent to Sherlock that is reminiscent of Irene Adler, keeping the audience on guard as to whether they can truly trust her character or not. Natascha McElhone and Joseph Fiennes are remarkable as Sherlock’s parents, bringing both love and intrigue to the series as they develop a murky family history that becomes an important factor in the overarching mystery, while Max Irons gives a fresh new take on Mycroft that while retains his character’s governmental roots but finds a daring ally for Sherlock that makes him a far more exciting and important iteration of the character than audiences are used to.

Even though there is a lot to appreciate about and applaud Young Sherlock for, the series is not without its shortcomings. As previously mentioned, the first three episodes are rather small in scope and not as engaging as the episodes that follow them, making for a slower start to the series that may fail to hook more impatient viewers who want the world renowned detective and grand mystery. Though it is visually where the series has its most noticeable shortcomings. While the costuming is excellent in bringing to life Victorian England, the set decoration is rather sparse at times and fails to fully immerse the audience in Victorian England, resulting instead in locations that feel lost between the modern world and Victorian England, in addition to some bad CGI moments to create aerial and location shots to help guide the story’s globe trotting nature.

Proving that crime is common but logic is rare, Young Sherlock delivers a high stakes, exciting and enticing mystery to set a young Sherlock Holmes on his path to become the world renowned detective that audiences know him as. With insightful writing that respects the writings of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, ensures that Sherlock Holmes has an intellectual awakening that builds towards the unparalleled detective skills he is known for and plots an intricate mystery that keeps audiences hooked over the eight episode first season, Young Sherlock is riveting, binge worthy television that not only never fails to entertain, but showcases an excellent performance from Hero Fiennes Tiffin that breathes life into this modern reimagining of the iconic character.