This is a non-spoiler review for all eight episodes of Young Sherlock’s first season, which is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Guy Ritchie Returns to Baker Street
Guy Ritchie, who brought his signature witty high-kinetic energy to two genuinely entertaining Sherlock Holmes movies starring Robert Downey Jr., is back in the Sherlock saddle with Prime Video’s absolutely caper-riffic Young Sherlock as executive producer and director. And while this origin story takes some bold liberties with the source material, the result is rambunctious fun that works brilliantly as a “Team Sherlock” adventure—bringing together a group of crafty, capable characters to save the world from a Victorian-era weapon of mass destruction.
It may not feel like your traditional Sherlock Holmes mystery in the classic mold, and purists might initially balk at some of the creative choices. But here’s the thing: it occasionally feels like Leverage with a healthy sprinkle of Indiana Jones mixed in with Ritchie’s distinctive style…and that’s genuinely not a bad thing at all. In fact, it’s exactly what makes Young Sherlock such a refreshing addition to the ever-expanding Holmes multiverse.
A Bold New Origin Story
Serving as an origin story for the “World’s Greatest Detective,” Young Sherlock centers on a 19-year-old Sherlock Holmes (Hero Fiennes Tiffin), presenting a unique, completely separate version of the character that’s not connected to Ritchie’s RDJ films or any other previous adaptation. This novice Sherlock also comes with newly-conceived family members—including mother Cordelia (Natascha McElhone), father Silas (Joseph Fiennes), and tragically deceased sister Beatrice—adding emotional depth we rarely see in Holmes stories.
But perhaps most surprisingly, this version gives us a fast-friends team-up between young Sherlock and one James Moriarty (Dónal Finn)—yes, that Moriarty, his future nemesis. Finn’s Moriarty actually winds up being the freshest and most absolutely riveting part of the entire series, despite the concept of Sherlock being genuine BFFs with his future arch-enemy in a quasi-Professor X/Magneto way understandably eliciting some skeptical eye rolls at first. But trust me when I say this relationship is handled with far more nuance and care than you might expect, and it becomes the emotional heart of the season.
A Different Take on Familiar Territory
This isn’t the first time the exploits of a younger, teenage Sherlock have been explored in adaptations, but it’s genuinely rare for them to wind up on screen in a major production. The last time that happened, in fact, was Barry Levinson’s Young Sherlock Holmes movie produced by Steven Spielberg and penned by Chris Columbus over 40 years ago, which imagined Holmes and Watson meeting at boarding school (with Moriarty being one of the teachers—sound familiar?).
Young Sherlock is supposedly adapted from the Andrew Lane book series (rather than directly from the original Arthur Conan Doyle stories), though the fact that Sherlock is a different age than he is in those books, combined with the fact that this is an original story written specifically for the screen, seems to suggest more of a wispy “inspired by” connection rather than a faithful adaptation. And honestly? That creative freedom works in the show’s favor, allowing it to forge its own path.
Family Drama Meets Detective Work
The story kicks off with Mycroft (Colin Firth, clearly relishing playing against type), who’s been reluctantly forced to take responsibility for his troublesome younger brother in the absence of their father, the perpetually-away Silas, and their institutionalized mother, Cordelia. Mycroft springs Sherlock from jail—yes, jail—and secures him a position as a servant at Oxford, which represents the first major twist on tradition, since Sherlock is portrayed here as a self-taught nomadic genius rather than a brilliant student climbing the academic ladder.
The tragic childhood death of their sister, Beatrice, looms like a dark shadow over Mycroft and Sherlock’s fraught sibling relationship. The incident not only placed their mother Cordelia in a mental hospital, but also sent young Sherlock spiraling into a life of flippant rebelliousness after he was unjustly blamed by their father Silas for his sister’s demise. It’s heavy emotional material that grounds the character in genuine trauma rather than simply making him “quirky and brilliant.”
Where the Adventure Truly Begins
After a bit of Good Will Holmes-ing at Oxford (complete with Sherlock showing up pompous academics), an absolutely delightful James Moriarty meet-cute, and the revelation of a sinister plot to assassinate certain professors, we’re off to the races with a globe-trotting adventure that doesn’t let up. I won’t dig into the vast conspiracy that gets cracked wide open in order to remain spoiler-free, but it’s very much a Guy Ritchie-style conceit that fans of his previous Holmes films will immediately recognize and appreciate.
In fact, even though Young Sherlock is set in a completely different Holmes-ian universe than 2011’s Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, they share the grandeur of new science merging with world-changing weaponry and war profiteering themes. The actual villain of the piece acts as a proto-Moriarty figure, while young Moriarty himself acts as a proto-Watson companion, though with considerably more devilish bells and whistles that hint at his future villainy.
Sherlock’s Powers Get a Visual Upgrade
Young Sherlock‘s creative spin on the future detective’s legendary powers of deduction manifests as his ability to call upon a mind palace of recollection, which can literally place him inside the memory of whatever he’s examining—allowing us as viewers to see crime scenes reconstructed in real-time. It’s a visual evolution of the way RDJ’s Holmes is able to mentally predict fights and calculate probabilities of success in the Ritchie movies, but used here more specifically for crime scene analysis and connecting seemingly unrelated clues.
It’s an undeniably cool part of the premise that helps clearly separate Sherlock from the rest of his increasingly capable cohorts, and Hero Fiennes Tiffin is genuinely formidable as this green, rough-around-the-edges version of Sherlock. He brings both the arrogance and vulnerability the character needs, making you believe in both his genius and his emotional wounds.
Dónal Finn’s Moriarty Steals the Show
But as strong as Tiffin is in the lead role, it’s Dónal Finn’s James Moriarty that absolutely runs off with the show. He’s vulnerable, mysterious, and mischievous all at once—a captivating combination that makes him impossible to look away from. We don’t get extensive insight into his backstory (which is smart, preserving some mystery), except that he clearly doesn’t come from money and seems to genuinely envy and admire Sherlock’s family connections, as dysfunctional as they demonstrably are. It’s as if he’d give absolutely anything to be a part of something meaningful…even if that thing was broken and complicated.
Moriarty becomes the surprising driving force for a lot of the show’s best moments, and he’s frequently the one who pushes Sherlock into fighting shape both literally and figuratively. He even gets to introduce the famous “When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains…” line in a context that feels earned rather than shoehorned in for fan service. He’s basically a ride-or-die companion like Jeremy Renner’s character in The Town, who helps Ben Affleck with absolutely no questions asked (“Whose car we gonna take?”).
The show takes excellent care of this delicate relationship too, smartly never steamrolling us right into obvious “and now they’re enemies!” territory. The friendship feels genuine and meaningful, which makes the knowledge of their eventual enmity all the more tragic and compelling.
A Stellar Supporting Cast
The rest of the ensemble cast is uniformly excellent as well, with Joseph Fiennes shining as a narcissistic father figure and Natascha McElhone having a particularly nice emotional arc as a woman reclaiming her life, agency, and family after institutional trauma. Zine Tseng, as Princess Jia—a Chinese royal attending Oxford—is a wonderful Irene Adler-style wild card operating mostly on her own complex agenda but also deeply connected to all the dangerous goings-on. Her character brings both mystery and genuine capability to the mix, never feeling like just a love interest or damsel.
Oh, and if you’re keen on seeing Colin Firth playing against type as a sketchy, blustering bureaucrat rather than his usual dignified roles, then Young Sherlock has absolutely got you covered. He seems to be having a blast with the character.
Modern Touches That Mostly Work
There’s some deliberately anachronistic dialogue here and there—”Game recognizes game,” being a particularly memorable example—and most of the time it doesn’t necessarily feel like a traditional Sherlock Holmes story in the classic Victorian literature sense. But Young Sherlock’s jazzed-up action sequences, genuinely high-stakes globetrotting adventure, and Tintin-esque sense of discovery make for tremendously entertaining television and an enjoyable new entry into the ever-expanding “What if…?” world of Holmes adaptations.
The choice to tell one season-long mystery rather than episodic cases is a bit of a double-edged sword—it creates great momentum but also means we don’t get to see Sherlock solve a variety of different puzzles. That said, the central mystery is engaging enough to sustain eight episodes, with enough twists and character development to keep things fresh.
The Verdict: A Welcome Addition to the Holmes Multiverse
It may not be a traditional, by-the-books Sherlock Holmes story in the classic sense, but in a world that’s given us Enola Holmes, CBS’ Elementary, BBC’s Sherlock, and even Guy Ritchie’s own RDJ movies, Young Sherlock absolutely has earned its place in the ever-growing Holmes multiverse. It’s genuinely fun entertainment with a clever and emotionally resonant spin on “Napoleon of Crime” James Moriarty that feels fresh rather than repetitive.
The “eight-hour movie” season structure means Sherlock himself occasionally gets a bit lost in the shuffle of what’s essentially a thrilling ensemble adventure, but the show more than makes up for it with excellent chemistry between all the players, infectious energy that keeps you engaged, and strong ensemble synergy that makes you invested in the whole team’s success.
For fans of Guy Ritchie’s previous Holmes films, this is essential viewing that captures that same kinetic energy and wit. For those new to this take on the detective, it’s an accessible and exciting entry point that doesn’t require extensive Holmes knowledge. And for anyone who just loves a good period adventure with heart, humor, and genuine stakes, Young Sherlock delivers in spades.
I’m genuinely excited to see where this story goes in future seasons, particularly how they’ll navigate the inevitable dissolution of Sherlock and Moriarty’s friendship. If Season 1 is any indication, it’s going to be handled with care, creativity, and plenty of that Ritchie-style flair we’ve come to love.
Rating: 8.5/10
Have you watched Young Sherlock yet? What did you think of the Sherlock-Moriarty friendship dynamic? How does this version compare to your favorite Holmes adaptation? And most importantly—are you Team Sherlock or Team Moriarty? Share your thoughts, theories about future seasons, and favorite moments in the comments below!
