Since Pop Break was founded in 2009, dozens of performers have portrayed Sherlock Holmes on stage, in audio dramas, in animated form, on television, or on the big screen, including Robert Downey Jr., Benedict Cumberbatch, Matt Berry, Ian McKellan, Johnny Depp, Phil LaMar, Will Ferrell, Michael York, Mark Gatiss, David Thewlis, David Arquette, Jay Baruchel, and most of the leading cast of Trainspotting.
So the question, my dear Watson is this: how do you keep one of the most adapted literary characters in history fresh?
The answer comes from a conceit posed by Guy Ritchie (no stranger to Sherlock Holmes himself): what if a cocky young Sherlock Holmes (Hero Fiennes Tiffin, the After series) teamed with an equally young and cocky James Moriarty (Dónal Finn, The Wheel of Time) to solve crimes while they were at Oxford?
Young Sherlock, currently streaming on Prime Video, works because of its naturally charismatic leading men, trademark Guy Ritchie production value, and the positioning of two of literature’s smartest men as figures who are as fallible as they are prodigious.
The series finds Sherlock at Oxford University, working essentially as a janitor, as punishment from his brother Mycroft (Max Irons, Red Riding Hood). He befriends Moriarty, a scholarship student struggling to fit in with his upper-crust classmates. These two become quick friends and within hours of knowing each other, become embroiled in a case of robbery and murder revolving around a mysterious princess (Zine Tseng, 3 Body Problem).
Ritchie’s fingerprints can be found throughout the series, however they aren’t as heavy-handed and over-the-top as his Sherlock films starring Robert Downey and Jude Law. This time around his patented use of fuzzed-out modern rock ‘n’ roll, slow-motion camera work, and caffeinated editing are injected into the series in select scenes. Ritchie reeling back his patented panache allows for story and character to take the forefront of the series.
The chemistry between Tiffin (Ralph Fiennes’ son if you were wondering) and Finn is so easy and dynamic – you can’t help but be swept off your feet by their camaraderie. These two genuinely care for one another, but still have an undeniable rivalry. Their friendly game of one-upmanship is the blueprint for their heated rivalry decades later. However, there is still heart and care at the center of their team-up. And you’d be surprised to find it’s Moriarty, not Sherlock, who has the biggest heart of them all. He’s constantly pushing Sherlock to be tougher and act smarter, and he’s also saving the yet-to-be-greatest-detective’s bacon more often than not.
Finn’s rich Irish brogue combined with his old-soul-in-a-young-man’s-body performance is perfect for Moriarty. Meanwhile, Tiffin is giving major Andrew Garfield vibes in his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes, and that’s meant in the best possible way. There’s a contradictory brash earnestness bubbling up in Sherlock. He knows he’s smart. He knows he’s clever. Yet, he’s still young, and he still believes in doing what’s right.
Young Sherlock is not the stuffy Masterpiece Theater recreation of Sherlock Holmes, nor is it a hyper-caffeinated modern adaptation of the greatest detectives stories of all time. No, this series is smack in the middle – it’s perfect for a young audience looking for something engrossin and stylized, and an older audience who enjoys a fully realized world of mystery and crime. It’s an easy binge that has the strength to continue for years to come.
