Young Sherlock Review
Young Sherlock is a mystery television series created by Mathew Parkhill and developed by Peter Harness and Guy Ritchie. It is inspired by Andrew Lane’s Young Sherlock Holmes book series in the style of Arthur Conan Doyle‘s original Sherlock Holmes stories. The series premiered on Amazon Prime Video on 4 March 2026.
The series follows a Young Sherlock who has not yet developed into the renowned detective we know and is instead, a raw and unfiltered youth, with knack for getting himself into trouble and his first case turns into a murder mystery with a global conspiracy.
The Good
It gives a fresh take on the legendary character, a young, impulsive and somewhat reckless youth, who questions authority, honing his exceptional observation skills and deductive reasoning with the evolution of his skills.
Confession… for the strangest reason, I thought Sherlock was another name for a detective like a private investigator, shamus or sleuth… it never occurred to me that Sherlock was actually his first name… I cant be the only that has laboured under this delusion…
The series brings an interesting twist in introducing Sherlock Holmes’ arch nemesis James Moriarty (Dónal Finn) as a friend to (Hero Fiennes Tiffin). I do not think I had ever come across any hints of this lore before, but it gives an interesting origin story for the man who later becomes Sherlock’s number villain. Its giving Magneto and Professor X. The two are practically best friends, although there’s hints at James Moraity’s dark streak.
The supporting cast which also includes Joseph Fiennes as Silas Holmes, Zine Tseng as Princess Gulun Shou’an and Colin Firth as Sir Bucephalus Hodge were equally up to the task of bringing period piece drama to the series.
The show had a healthy budget, which they fully used in set and costuming giving it stunning visuals.
The Bad
Traditional Sherlock Holmes stories hinge upon intellectual tension, whereas Young Sherlock sometimes leans more into chase scenes, spectacle, with Sherlock getting punched in the nose more times than one can count.
James Moriarty and Sherlock Holmes characters have great chemistry. Moriarty tended to overshadow Holmes stealing the limelight.
While the plot twists introduce layered storytelling, it does end up absurdly convoluted and messy mix of a coming-of-age drama, a historical adventure playing at being a detective series.
The Ugly
Pick a character and make them younger has become the new go-to reimagination in the world of sequels, movies and series… What are we getting next… a young James Bond?
Being younger also make his deductions more like accidental brilliance than deductive logic, while everyone else simply just looks like bumbling fools who cannot string together the chain of evidence.
Final Thoughts
Young Sherlock is an entertaining attempt to explore the formative years of one of literature’s most iconic characters. It’s a fun watch in the signature Guy Ritchie aesthetic fast-paced editing, explosive action and dramatic camera work.
Have you watched Young Sherlock does this rendition of Sherlock Holmes sound like something you would watch?
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