Young Sherlock Review: It’s a New Era for Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes

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Guy Ritchie was already known for films like Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, but his 2009 movie Sherlock Holmes really showcased his talent to a wider audience. Fans have been hoping for a third film featuring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law ever since the sequel, and recent developments might finally make that happen.

This series, made by Guy Ritchie, takes us back to the 1870s to see a young Sherlock Holmes before he met Watson or became a famous detective. It focuses on his beginnings, his family, and his troubled relationship with James Moriarty, offering both a familiar and fresh take on the iconic character. The result is a thrilling mystery that gets more exciting with each episode.

Young Sherlock Subverts the Tropes of Its Genre

The title Young Sherlock suggests a story focused on the teenage years, similar to what viewers expected from shows like Young Sheldon. The initial trailers reinforced this idea, hinting that much of the story would take place during Sherlockā€™s time at Oxford University. However, this is just a starting point, and the series quickly evolves into a more complex and grown-up narrative.

Though young, Holmes is mature and resourceful. He isn’t yet the brilliant detective heā€™s known as, but heā€™s already a capable investigator. Whatā€™s great about this story is that it avoids the usual unnecessary complications often found in prequels about younger characters.

Instead of a love story, the new series focuses on the classic enemies-to-lovers dynamic, introducing a young version of Sherlock Holmes’s rival, James Moriarty. Both Hero Fiennes Tiffin as Holmes and DĆ³nal Finn as Moriarty deliver excellent performances, and their on-screen chemistry is captivating.

As a film buff, I’ve always been fascinated by the Holmes and Moriarty dynamic. Holmes is portrayed as genuinely good, striving for justice, while Moriarty hints at something much darker. Both are brilliant, and their interplay is captivating. But it’s Andrew Scott’s performance as Moriarty that really struck me ā€“ he adds so much depth with just his expressions. It honestly reminded me a lot of the complex relationship between Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr in X-Men: First Class. They’re intellectual equals, but on opposite sides, and Scott really captures that same nuance.

The show’s dynamic and engaging leads drive a genuinely complex mystery, proving that despite its genre, it’s far from childish. The story features intense situations, exciting action, and a constant sense of danger.

Young Sherlock is a Fun and Simple Mystery With Promise

A good Sherlock Holmes story always needs a mystery, and Young Sherlock delivers on that front, though it’s not perfect. What begins as an investigation into the deaths of several Oxford professors soon turns into a worldwide adventure that strengthens the bonds within Sherlock’s family and reveals a plot with potentially huge consequences.

One of the most enjoyable parts of Young Sherlock is seeing the dynamic between Sherlock and his brother, Mycroft (Max Irons), especially their playful arguments. This echoes a classic theme in Sherlock Holmes stories: despite his preference for working alone, Sherlock has a surprisingly large and involved family. The series really emphasizes just how extensive the Holmes family network is.

The mystery itself is a bit uneven. While the story explores Sherlockā€™s family, the plot sometimes feels fragmented. This doesnā€™t last, but some connections between his family and the main mystery feel contrived. Ultimately, the ending is satisfying because itā€™s clear the mystery serves a bigger purpose: showing how these characters become the legendary figures we know from the books.

Even with its debut, the series Young Sherlock sets a high bar, but it successfully meets all of its challenges. It requires viewers to pay close attention and accept some slightly awkward moments, and it pulls this off thanks to the strong performances from the actors and the unique visual style created by Ritchie and the directors. While the first season isnā€™t flawless, it shows promise and leaves you wanting more.

Young Sherlock is a Fun Mystery Series That the Genre Was Missing

Streaming services are seeing a renewed interest in mystery shows, with both new series like His & Hers and Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery gaining popularity. Young Sherlock brings back the energetic and fun style of mystery shows from the 2000s, offering exciting action alongside a clever story.

Adapting the stories of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is always a challenge, but Guy Ritchie has once again shown he’s perfectly suited to the task. Young Sherlock is a fun, exciting, and clever mystery that builds on the well-known character and is a great movie for both longtime fans and newcomers.

It’s uncertain if Robert Downey Jr. will reprise his role as Sherlock Holmes, but the new series Young Sherlock demonstrates that audiences are still captivated by the character. Even if more RDJ films donā€™t happen, Young Sherlock is a fantastic alternative. While not flawless, Young Sherlock shows promise, and just like the detective’s abilities, it has the potential to become the best mystery series of the decade.

Young Sherlock starts streaming on Prime Video on March 4th.

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2026-03-02 17:09