Young Sherlock, an adaptation of the books written by Andrew Lane, is based on the fictional British Detective created by Arthur Conan Doyle. Since the character’s creation, there have been tons of adaptations. This is not the first time that a story has been made about Young Sherlock. In fact, the 1985 film Young Sherlock Holmes turned 40 last year. So, this new version is right on time. But what is it about this version of Young Sherlock that sets it apart from all others? Well, there are a few things.
MORE: Everything We Know About Hero Fiennes Tiffin’s Young Sherlock
The Friendship of Sherlock Holmes and James Moriarty
One of the relationships we most commonly see in every Sherlock Holmes adaptation is the friendship between Sherlock and John Watson, who we all know as his sidekick. That isn’t the case for this go round. In this new version, Matthew Parkhill and Guy Ritchie chose to explore the friendship between Holmes and his well-known enemy, James Moriarty. I thought this was a wise choice because it’s something we haven’t explored before.
It made sense to have them meet in school and become friends first. They are quite similar in many ways. They look at the world from a unique perspective, and both are incredibly intelligent. Why wouldn’t we believe they were friends before becoming enemies? Creating an origin story like this one helps us to understand how the shift came about.
Donal Finn’s portrayal in Season 1 of Young Sherlock provides a lot of nuances. Even when he and Sherlock first meet, the viewer can feel that we don’t necessarily know if we should trust him. Of course, this is because if you’re familiar with all things Sherlock, you know the type of person Moriarty is. But that’s what makes it so good. Because even though you see James and Sherlock getting along, we still know that at some point, something will come along and change that. I think the series did a great job of giving us a little glimpse of that as the series went on.
Young Sherlock is truly an adaptation
Though Young Sherlock is based on the books by Andrew Lane, it doesn’t pull entirely from the books. And I wouldn’t say it has to. It’s important to remember that with any book-to-screen adaptation, there is creative license. I realize in some situations, we want a film or TV adaptation to be exactly like the book from start to finish, but that doesn’t always happen. For me, if it deviates a bit too much, it can take me out of what I’m watching. But, on the other hand, you don’t want what you’re watching to be so predictable that you can guess what’s happening scene by scene. This didn’t happen to me with Young Sherlock.
Something else unique to this version of Young Sherlock is the ability to introduce new characters like Princess Gulun Shou’an, played by Zine Tseng. She became a fast favorite of mine. Her character is intriguing and sets the stage for Sherlock’s first big case, in which he works with Moriarty after her father’s ancient scrolls go missing. It creates an engaging storyline from start to finish, filled with twists and turns.
One of the obvious differences in Young Sherlock is that Sherlock has been aged up. Instead of being 14, Sherlock is a young adult. This was a wise decision. I’m not saying the show wouldn’t have worked if the character were 14. However, making him older gives the showrunners a bit more freedom with what they can do.
That brings me to Hero Fiennes Tiffin.
I’ve been a fan of Hero’s work since his days in the After Movie franchise. And I have followed his career since then. He’s a talented actor, so I wasn’t surprised by his performance as Sherlock. It’s funny because so many people could look at the superficial of it all and think “Oh, it’s a handsome Sherlock Holmes.” But that’s not how I saw it. And it’s not even how Hero plays the character.
Hero understands the character of Sherlock, and he plays him just as he should. As a young man still figuring things out. But he also has a lot of confidence that he can solve every case that comes his way. He’s also able to showcase the quirks and eccentricities of Sherlock. He’s also quick-witted. I found myself laughing a lot at the many one-liners. He also does an amazing job showing the pain and trauma Sherlock can’t seem to escape over the loss of his sister Beatrice.
I think this is a good way to explain why he’s so dedicated to every case. He can’t escape the trauma of the day his family lost her. There are so many unanswered questions, and he is overwhelmed by witnessing his mother’s grief housed behind the walls of an asylum. I think that Sherlock believes helping others will help him find a semblance of peace. Hero brings a lot of heart to Sherlock, and that heart is what makes you keep watching.
The Modern Spin of Young Sherlock
Even though Young Sherlock takes place in the 1800’s, the team found a way to give it a modern spin. One way is with the music. I know some people probably don’t think so, but music is just as much a character in any show or film. Using the right music adds something to every scene.
Even during the opening credits, composer Christopher Benstead and Music Supervisor Ian Neil did some impressive work with the song used for the opening credits. Like the theme song for series like Succession, this is one you let play. I also appreciate that they used a Bishop Briggs song because who doesn’t love Bishop Briggs?
Diving into the mind of Sherlock
One of my absolute favorite things while watching Season 1 of Young Sherlock was the sequences inside Sherlock’s mind. During each crime investigation, as Sherlock and Moriarty work to uncover the clues, the director puts the viewer right into the room with them. They go through everything and try to solve it. This was something I thought was fun because then the viewer could also be part of solving the case. I’m not sure what these moments would be called in the series, but it was entertaining.
With all the things that I loved about Season 1, there were some things that I felt were rushed. Season 1 of a series is typically when we are introduced to the characters. But we all know who Sherlock is, so it does and doesn’t necessarily require too much buildup. What I will say is that I felt more time could have been spent on the first murder case. I feel like Sherlock solved it too quickly, if that makes sense. Part of me feels that should have been the entirety of Season 1 because I think more could have been explored.
I do understand that you must keep viewers engaged, so some people may have thought it would drag on if that were the whole season. But so much unfolds in Season 1 that I did wonder what will happen next if we do get Season 2, which I suspect we will. You never want to do too much too soon with any series, but the good thing with Sherlock is that there are a lot of stories that can still be told. And there are plenty of books out there to help provide all the guidance to do so.
All in all, I would say that Young Sherlock is a good show. For fans, it will grab your attention and hold it. Plus, it’s a fun show that will provide all the escapism we can use right now.
Young Sherlock is available now on Prime Video.
