Young Sherlock Review: Holmes Returns as a Young, Reckless Teen to Solve Another Murder!

Young Sherlock Review: A young, disgraced Sherlock Holmes gets the biggest mystery of his life handed to him when a shocking murder threatens his liberty. Determined to get to the bottom of the mystery, he promises to solve the quest, only for a dramatic showdown to occur that changes his life forever.

The series has 8 episodes, each with a runtime of around 50 minutes and is inspired by Young Sherlock Holmes by Andrew Lane and Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle.

Young Sherlock Review

In Prime Video’s newest young-adult adventure series based on the works of Arthur Conan Doyle, we embark on a rather enjoyable and lighthearted adventure through Sherlock Holmes’s chaotic escapades before he became the Holmes that we know and love. Unlike the more cerebral and puzzle-driven iterations of Holmes, this one feels more jovial and youthful, despite the dreadful situation at its heart, combining witty dialogue and action sequences to give us something more breathless and emotional.

Hero Fiennes Tiffin’s portrayal of Sherlock is chaotic, as a teen who does not really grasp the concept of consequences. He is not someone whom you associate with the cold and calculating Sherlock Holmes in his older years, and the difference in personalities adds a rather odd charm to the narrative. His recklessness, youthful arrogance, and inclination to bend rules reflect the Sherlock of later years while also differentiating him from that persona.

It’s definitely an interesting watch that left me feeling both confused and satisfied with where the character goes. You see flashes of the older Sherlock while his youthful misdemeanours showcase the character in a relatable and accessible light, making his character arc worth following over the course of eight episodes. Showcasing him as an outsider both in academics and social circles gives the series an interesting twist, and viewers will find themselves intrigued to see where the story goes.

However, I will say that the series, despite its good moments, does lean into style-over-substance young adult adventure tropes. Some scenes are added to make the series more adventurous, instead of adding anything to the storyline. As a result, the episodes can feel a bit forced at times, and the central mystery also loses steam in between. I think the series tries to be a bit too young and peppy instead of focusing on solving the mystery in classic Holmes fashion, which left me a bit annoyed. It’s a bit too quirky, even for Sherlock Holmes!

The central mystery is intriguing, following Princess Gulun Shou’an and her interesting presence in the series of murders in Oxford. We try to understand the motives behind the killers’ actions while we see Sherlock himself coming to terms with himself. His brilliance shines through in every episode, but considering he’s still young, you see how this gift is isolating rather than glamorous. His friendship with James Moriarty is also explosively interesting and makes you take note of how similar they are in some ways.

The show embraces a dark and brooding aesthetic while being surprisingly light-hearted. Although this doesn’t feel strictly like a detective procedural, the show intrigues because it focuses more on character psychology, asking what it means to be the greatest detective the world has ever seen. However, it does have some pacing issues and takes time building tension and relationships. This isn’t a fast-paced mystery, but the character study makes for a compelling watch.

Hero Fiennes Tiffin makes for an interesting Sherlock Holmes. He is intelligent, socially awkward, impulsive and arrogant while also being vulnerable and searching for his identity. Although Fiennes Tiffin was a sight to behold in the After film franchise, I found him rather enjoyable here. The supporting cast is also great and doesn’t just exist to make Sherlock into his own person. They have their own personalities and add weight to the storyline in their own ways. I particularly enjoyed watching Dónal Finn as Moriarty, as he, too, feels so different from the person we get to know in Conan Doyle’s works.

Final Thoughts

Young Sherlock portrays our calculating detective as a raw, emotionally volatile prodigy, and much of the series focuses on character study and building the story instead of jumping from one fantastical discovery to the next. The pacing might be an issue for a lot of viewers, but I found the series to be quite compelling, with spirited performances to keep us glued to the screen.

What are your thoughts on Young Sherlock? Let us know in the comments below!

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